This comment from Anonymous came through on my blog during my last rotation - one of the toughest rotations I have done.
Wow. I haven't published it because it was posted on a completely unrelated post. But it's a reminder to me of the views of my work by the average Australian. Most reactions show me that a wide section of our community just cannot manage to view the world from someone else's perspective. The reason the work is available in the first place. And the reason my clients are having to endure such harsh conditions. Anonymous reminds me that most people don't seem to consider what the experience is like on Nauru for the people detained there.
My current contract certainly gave me pause when deciding to take it, for the very reason Anonymous has eluded to - a profit organisation has taken on the Welfare services. Sleepless nights were had trying to reconcile this for myself. The protests around the arrangement just before I was set to return to Nauru made me rethink again - I admired the stand the artists had made.
But for me, ultimately, it's about continuity of care for my clients. It's about feeling like I am part of something good within this whole horrible political situation. It's about ensuring that someone who actually cares about the plight of the men I work with is there to be an advocate, a support person, and companion.
Without such support, the men would be very alone in the camp. Their voices for basic things would rarely be listened to. Is that what people like Anonymous would rather?
You are so right girl...these people are people and should be treated a lot better than they are. You are working to HELP them as people and I am sure they appreciate that you do that. So if you did take the stand that its bad to be part of that system, what social work and good people would be in their lives. Love your work girl...these people need all the help they can get!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your support Janine! Means a lot!
DeleteFirstly girl, you got yourself a 'hater', so you must be doing something right. Secondly, for all those armchair critics out there... it's one thing to anonymously criticise someone for taking a job, it's another to take the job because you believe in something, that you'll give up your home, your family, your friends and your life to work to do something you believe in.
ReplyDeleteDon't be hating until you find out the reasons behind what someone does my anonymous friend, we can all sit home and donate $20 a month to 'charity', maybe sponsor a kid or two, but some of us actually choose to LIVE this life for the benefit of others...
Ha ha, a hater......good grief! I don't understand people......ha!
DeletePeople outside the system only see the faults. They don't see the hundreds of people working inside to make it as good as it is, even if good the outside world is still crap. I've been there too on a project for gov. The public hated it, and rightly so, it was badly done. But they have no idea the sheer quantity of work it too to make it happen even on a crap level. Many hours of unpaid work because people believed in it. Sure, it didn't reach all the people it could have. But without the work of a lot of people, it would have reached no one at all. Some is better than none.
ReplyDeleteThe world is not black and white. And there are good people who work in bad situations to improve it. Keep up caring for your clients.
Thanks for the encouragement, Vanessa.
DeleteI am currently in the recruitment process of working in Nauru in a similar role. I came across your blog while searching for people who have worked there. I am glad as your perspective seems pretty close to what I am expecting. Oh, and don't worry about the haters - unless you work in the welfare field, it is difficult to understand why someone would want to work in it. I have worked in child protection in remote NT and there is no way to explain that world.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your recruitment process! Maybe I will see you out there!
DeleteAnd that's true - it is VERY hard to help people understand the kind of welfare/social work experiences!