#1 - why we exist
Good Sustained exists to change the way we approach social service and to shift the paradigm that has left social service providers scraping the bottom of their own barrel. We envision a world where social service organizations take action to steward the health, well-being, and wholeness of their staff, where those who offer help also know how to receive it, and those who need support are treated with dignity, respect, and humanity. We want to see a world where communities that have suffered and struggled are invested in and served by the most resourced, trained, and capable providers, the best of the best. To that end, Good Sustained helps individuals and organizations foster a culture and environment that feels like thriving, not just surviving.
Historic battle formations included soldiers who fired weapons and soldiers who reloaded those weapons because generals understood that the formation needed a system of support to sustain its position. Otherwise, it risked losing ground to the opposing side. In organizations committed to social service, staff carry tremendous responsibility and often sustain immense personal damage.
Sentiments such as, “If you really cared, you’d be willing to deal with it” or “You’re just not (trying/praying/caring) enough” are rarely spoken, yet often inferred by staff desperately trying to keep up with the depth and breadth of the need, as well as the vision, passion, and speed of leaders. This unspoken demand to stretch beyond our inherent limitations breeds a culture ripe for trouble.
There is much to do and yes, the cost is great. Therefore, part of that cost must include all that is required to deeply care for our staff. If not, our cost will be to lose them.
Therefore, part of that cost must include all that is required to deeply care for our staff. If not, our cost will be to lose them.
Having been immersed in Houston’s anti-human trafficking community for over seven years, I came to see a glaring gap in our community’s “continuum of care” - care for the caregivers. Self-care has become a frequently-mentioned, yet rarely-implemented token phrase that is mostly targeted toward the individual employee and not to organizations as a whole. While individuals may realize their need for self-care and actively take steps to practice it (personal agency in the work of self-care is absolutely essential), they are often doing so under the continued pressure of an organization that was built and continues to operate in a manner that necessitates overwork. Cultivating environments of pressure and stress create a staff desperately responding to the “tyranny of the urgent.” While this high-stress culture may seem to generate results, it can breed resentment, illness, and burnout yielding poorer long-term outcomes and higher employee turn-over.
There is a cost to this work. No one is denying that. Are our practices, perspectives and patterns making it harder than it needs to be? If we are going to effectively remain in this work of people-first service, I believe it is essential that we build systems of support into our team structures, incorporating designated roles on staff for caregivers devoted to the wellbeing of the team by supporting them individually and systematically.
Good Sustained exists to provide the resources and supported necessary to help social service providers serve well and be well.
