Social workers shared touching stories of their work experience

Three stories of social workers are presented by the NGO"Ukrainian Network for Children's Rights" under the project "Money for the Child, Childhood in the Family, Services in Society" supported by the USAID project "Improving the Performance and Accountability of Local Governments" ("GOVERLA"), reports Socialportal.

Sunday 5 November marked the Day of the Social Worker. In times of war and economic crisis, it is these professionals who help families. Social workers support those in difficult situations, lonely elderly people and anyone who needs help.

Three social workers spoke about their work. Despite the noble goal, these specialists still have minimum wages and a very heavy workload.

I love my job because of the happy eyes of the children I helped somewhere," says Inna Sheremeta, Head of the SSD of Gorokhivska rural territorial community in Volyn region.

Inna Sheremeta started dealing with issues of child rights protection in May 2007, when she started working as a specialist of the SSD of the Horokhivska District State Administration. Since then, she has gone through all stages of her career, and since 2014 she has been working as the head of the Service for Children and Family Affairs. Knows everything about the work from both the worker's side and the manager's side.

I love my job for the responsibility, it motivates me to work as hard as I can. And, of course, for the happy eyes of the children who I have been able to help and assist somewhere. In our work we lack the support of qualified psychologists, lawyers, social work specialists. It would be great to have quality technical support and a car - it would be easier to fulfil our tasks, - says Inna Sheremeta.

Inna Sheremeta remembers most of all the case of removing an infant from a family where the parents were very heavily intoxicated.

When my colleague was holding the baby and her mother rushed at them with a knife. However, she reacted in time: she didn't leave the baby and coped with the mum. It was a very difficult experience. But then I realised that there are no random people in our field. Those who are indifferent to others simply do not stay here for long. There are only those who are convinced that there are no alien children," the social worker said.

Now Inna Sheremeta dreams of peace and victory. That all children who need it, found their families. And families who dream of children realised their dreams.

This is the sphere where the forces of soul, heart and mind work simultaneously intensively, on the edge, and sometimes going beyond their resources", - shared Svetlana Dumik, Peschanskaya OPG, Odessa region.

After the institute, Svetlana Dumik went to her hometown to work, because she is a domestic person by nature. It was the 90s, and salaries were not paid in any state institution. The only exception was the boarding school in Balta.

She got a job there. It was there that she first met children from different social groups: vulnerable, mentally ill, neglected, children who had been abandoned and left in orphanages. It was an experience for which she had not been prepared in an educational institution.

In 2011, when Svetlana Dumik was on maternity leave, a position became vacant in the social service and the leadership of the RGA offered her to head the sector of adoption, guardianship and custody.

Despite the fact that my child was only two years old, I agreed without hesitation. The social sphere was somehow closer to me, more dear to me. Here, in this team under the guidance of an experienced and qualified leader Gerasimenko Natalia Ivanovna, I realised that I was in my place. After 10 years of work and after the decentralisation reform, I became the head of the SSD in my community. I have been working here for almost three years now," said Svitlana Dumik.

She says that social assistance is the sphere where the forces of soul, heart and mind work simultaneously intensively, on the edge and sometimes beyond their resources.

My work gives me reason to think that I live this life for a reason. And I also like to break stereotypes that there are officials sitting in offices, who will not help anyone, who will not change anything in the lives of others, - said Svetlana Dumik.

She remembers how once parents came to her with the words that they were "tired of waiting for a child" to be placed in a foster family. She persuaded them to go with her to the hospital and meet the child who was lying there.

It was out of the norm, but I wanted to show these people that children need parents and to be patient, not panic. And the child had no status yet, but everything was going to the point where the mum would have to be deprived of her rights," says the social worker.

After this journey, the foster parents said they were willing to wait as long as they had to. Then they first arranged for them to have the child under temporary guardianship, and a year later, they successfully adopted him, and they are happy.

Svetlana Dumik said that there is not enough time in her job. There is a lot of routine work that needs to be done. She does not have time to read something quietly, to understand the changes in the worldview of children, technologies. And I want to be able to reach their hearts, to protect them from danger.

My dream is to strive for peace. And for adults to be more responsible to their duties as parents, to the upbringing of children. Realise that the child is constantly growing up, and when he grows up, he will remember everything that was unfair, unfair, cruel, - says Svetlana Dumik.

Svetlana Dumik would also like all protection workers to receive decent remuneration for their work, to have a quiet rest, to have enough time for themselves and their families.

A person can tell a social worker his/her life story and receive acceptance and support, - says Diana Baranova, social work specialist of the SPILLNO mobile team in Vinnytsia region.

Diana Baranova's older sister has a disability of the first group. Therefore, Diana has been familiar with social work since childhood - she actively participated in events organised by the city social service. She often accompanied her sister to these events, where she got to know all the social specialists. Subsequently, she actively volunteered and helped them.

When the time came to choose a profession, I went to study social work without a doubt. After all, I had a great example of sacrifice and help, - says Diana Baranova.

After graduating with honours Diana Baranova went to work in the social service. During the years of work in social service and in charity foundations, she often asks herself the question: "Why do I love my profession and what do I like in my work?"

Firstly, it's the genuine conversations. A person can tell a social worker their life story and receive acceptance and support. Secondly, it is working for results. When I share my own experience and together we look for ways out of a difficult situation. - shared the social worker.

But the main thing according to Diana Baranova is that after a conversation with her, a person who found himself in difficult life circumstances, smiled and at least a little distracted from all these sufferings. After these moments you realise that this mission is important, that you can give someone a little bit of good and inspire them.