Are you the only employee in your organisation?

[Fergal Barr]

Was just wondering if there were other workers out there in organisations on their own and curious about the impact that this isolation can have, e.g., feeling a lack of support, banging yer head of a brick wall, even just missing that bit of human interaction, etc.  Anyone else in the same boat?  I just got to thinking that being a solitary worker can't be entirely healthy.

[Fergal Barr]

As there were no replies I can only assume that no-one else works on their own....it's funny that I have to reply to my own discussion on the subject of being the only employee in an organisation!!!:-)  Isn't that what they call irony.... 

[mark mcfeeters]

I am the only youth worker in my organisation at the minute....

[Fergal Barr]

wey hey mark, there's two of us.....:-)  we're a group!!!!

 

so how do you find it???  it present the opp to get lots done....but my own company can be quite boring!!!

[mark mcfeeters]

Yeh, you're right. I worked for a youth organisation for 5 years prior to this post and it's very different coming from a staff of 18 youth workers, to being the only one. Especially from the point of view of sharing experiences, ideas, fresh insights and from a supervision/LM point of view too.

You do get a lot done, but working in isolation I don't reckon is good practice or good for personal development - being one year into this role it's definitely a challenge.

 

What's your context?

[Fergal Barr]

I work for Inside Out in Claudy, was always a small youth project, no more than 3 staff at any time, and one was part-time.....and the employee finished in June 2009...so sharing an office with meself since then....well, not completely, Public Acheivement (in the north west) were located in our office for about 15 months and whilst there were times their worker and I were in at the same time more often it was not due to our differing work commitments.

 

Apart from the obvious company that other staff brings (assuming you get on with them of course), you're right in that just the idea of getting second opinions, sharing ideas, etc is a good way of making informed decisions......

 

I miss being able to bounce ideas of people and/or getting opinion/advice, etc.  Yee end up having to formulate all yer own ideas and decisions and sometimes this is not so healthy....yee can't always be right!!!:-)  Seriously though, feedback and responses from others is very important.....

 

Clearly going from a team of 18 staff to one is a big change.....must have been quite dramatic....

 

[Mark]

Surely this brings good practice into call ?

 

As far as i know most one worker projects in Dublin were amalgamated with their closest neighbor to protect staff/YP, i suppose that would be difficult in rural areas though, i don't envy either of you although some days i wouldn't mind an office to myself.

[Fergal Barr]

Given the size of rural areas I suppose an amalgamation would be a consortium or partnership....would be hard to get us all into one office geographically speaking but such an idea would always have merit....an office to yourself has benefits of course...mind yee so does sharing with others....

[Paul Bowman]

This is indeed a good discussion thread, I work in a faith based context and over the years have experienced both being part of a good staff team (it need not necessarily be a staff of youth workers but a pastoral staff in which you are a vital and valued part) and situations were I've found myself more on my own or not included in the wider team.  

There are for sure significant dangers to isolation: the loneliness, pressure (perceived or otherwise) of carrying a work largely on your own.  Discouragements can quickly lead to disillusionment.  I'd also imagine that burn out etc whilst a threat for all youth workers could be significantly enhanced for the lone worker.  On the flip side there is the opportunity to develop excellent self management skills.  But I think a worker needs to learn pretty quick how to manage time and perhaps more importantly energy, to be in it for the long haul.  

I do think that we're better connected.  It's not an easy job in any context but those working in isolation have another challenge to deal with.  

[Fergal Barr]

Paul, thanks for joining the conversation....all your points are valid and I guess or assume that Mark and I have also experienced at least elements of these at some point....the biggest thing for me is being able to sound other ideas, frustrations or opinions of people in order to hear some thoughts....this I miss but the benefit is that you do develop management and coping skills with this.....but you can also develp a cynicism, healthy or otherwise, when you hear other people 'whinging' and 'moaning' who work in larger organisations with lots of resources about having time or support to do things.....and then you end up thinking to yourself it's possible to do a whole lot by yourself....you end up defending the very position you're not fully supportive of against those who complain when they seem to have much more.....I think this isn't that helpful but it does raise a healthy discussion about what we are actually capable of as individuals vs dependency factor...

[Monica O Donnell]

i work on my own with a group of up to 22 young people who are trying to better themselves and their community it is frustrating at times and can be very lonely dealing with everything on my own can be both rewarding and exhausting.

[Fergal Barr]

You mean you actually work on your own during sessions with young people?  Wow, if so that's quite risky too....not to mention challenging and exhausting.....where are you based and who is the group you work with??  I'm a sole worker but when working with groups of young people can call upon support from other colleagues....

[Monica O Donnell]

naw there is another vetted adult with me but i meant that planning sesssions and fundraisin is down to me solely if there is courses they wish to do i accompany them wherever they have to go for them  sorry i should have made that clearer.