My life will be changing in approximately one week. I will be leaving my position as the Early Intervention Education Director at Northeast Growth & Development (NEGD) and accepting a new position at Elwyn in their Seedlings Program as a Service Coordinator. For those of you who don't know, as a Service Coordinator, in the Autism devision by the way, I will be in charge of assuring that children are receiving their individual services in whatever therapy: Special Instruction, Speech Therapy, Behavior Support, you get the idea. In some ways, I will also be acting as a social worker by providing families with a variety of Autism resources. When I went in for my interview, the job description sounded strangely similar to what I do now. Elwyn by the way is the funder for NEGD, so I feel like I am working for the same company. In a sense, I am. They regulate all the logistics that go into Early Intervention and we must abide by them. All this professional talk must sound extremely boring to the reader. Here's where it gets exciting!
About two weeks ago, I called all my staff in for one last meeting. Anytime I do this there is dread spread all over their faces. This time wasn't any different. I began my speech by expressing my understanding about how unjust the employees must feel on a daily basis. As their supervisor, my hands in many areas are surprisingly tied. However, also as their supervisor I am the one who is able to give them a voice to the higher authority within our agency. Therefore, I decided to give them all one last wish. I told them that I have two weeks left at this center, and I am going to fight for them! I am going to make it my priority to advocate for their needs and the unjustness that they all have experienced at our one time or another. Many of the employees are angry and rightly so.
Here are some of their wishes:
*To Celebrate the Holidays once again
*To receive TSS/PCA (one-to-one aides) for children who need them
*Swings on the playground
*To receive certificates for the professional development courses they've taken
*To have a suggestion box for the administrators to review in management meetings
*To have a child's wardrobe/storage for dress-up clothing.
Some have been granted. Some have been shot down by higher administration.
I have one week. Say a prayer if you will.
