Sunday, February 19, 2012

New Changes.... New Job!

These are a few things that make me Jenn if you don't already know me very well:

  • Vegetarian
  • Loves chasing lizards
  • Athlete
  • Christian and God-fearing woman
  • Clutsy
  • Horrible singer
  • Worry bug
  • Messy eater

And now I can say:

Internal Case Manager.... that's right, I got a job in my field of social work. What up!

For those of you who have asked me about this for the past month about my new job, how I found it, and how it's been goin so far, this is for you. Thanks for caring! :)

It all started back in December when I attended a community outreach event for the holidays that Starbucks was helping put together for the foster families in the Las Vegas community. My sister is an employer for Starbucks so they asked me to come out since they know I love stuff like this. So I did. And it was great. I met a ton of really sweet kids along with their case managers. I wanted to somehow slip in,"UM, CAN YOU GIVE ME A JOB? I want to do what you do. THANKS." But decided that there was a time and a place to "sell yourself" to an agency and Christmas time at an event for the kiddos was not it. I DID manage to spark up a conversation with one of them and slipped in there that I had a degree in social work and was looking. But that's it, no further details. Few weeks later, one of those case managers walks into Starbucks, asks for my sister, and says that he remembers me and was wondering if I was looking for a job because they had an opening and they had all remembered me. My sister freaked out of excitement, gave him my info, told me, I freaked out of excitement, prayed for a miracle, and before I know it, I am finishing up an interview and shaking my supervisor's hand saying "Yes I will gladly accept this position!"

Isnt' God hilarious? I must've done something right to deserve this from Him. What a dad.

I work for Eagle Quest which is a non-profit agency that provides services for foster families in the community. I am assigned 5 foster families with a max of 20 kids in my caseload. What my job entails is to make sure that the homes that these awesome-yet-troubled-and-unstable-kids were assigned to are good fit homes for them. The foster parents, kids, and I are in constant contact making sure that things in the home are running smoothly. Sadly, things don't always run smoothly: Kids and parents do not always get along, kids act up, and this is when I also have to intervene and make sure that there are changes that are being made in the home... or start looking for a new one. I make frequent home visits, ton of paperwork, meetings, TON OF PAPERWORK, represent the families in court every few months to discuss the status of family to the court, and did I say a ton of paperwork?

I have a cubicle, business card, and a work phone... and my own plant! So grown up!

The Lord has been blessing me and that is something that cannot go unnoticed. Life is great right now and I am absolutely loving my job. The Lord knew that I was looking to work with families, and He made it happen. The people have been so great and helpful, positive enviornment, and it's what I went to school for! Thank you all for the questions and interest in my new job and the changes that have been comin about. I guess now the Lord needs me in Vegas for longer than I had hoped. Oh well.

 Put faith in God, and He'll do some really sweet things for you. He did for me.