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The President’s Pen I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. As we wrap up 2004 and welcome in the New Year, there are many things we will cherish, remember and await. First, I would like to thank everyone who has served on our Board of Directors past and present. Their dedication, leadership and commitment to our profession is second to none. To those who are serving on our committees I would like to thank all of them - Continuing Education, Fundraising, Golden Gala, Legislative, Committee on Inquiry, Kanaka Maoli, PACE, Public Relations, Filipino Social Workers, and Retirees. I would like also to thank our membership. You are all the backbone of NASW. Our Golden Gala Committee is working hard planning a wonderful celebration on March 4th! Thanks to Renee Furuyama, Palama Lee, Pi'ilani Kai, Gary Funasaki, Regina Junasa, Ah Nee Leong, Miyono Kunioka, Ethel Yamane, Riki Hiramoto, Bob Masuda, Denise Draa and Elaine Wilson for their time putting this together. If anyone has any silent auction items please contact us. Our legislative committee has been working hard on several issues. For the 2005 Legislative Session, NASW will continue its efforts on funding the safety net including funding for substance abuse programs, housing and welfare payments. There are also proposals being drafted that address the State social work classification issue, privileged communication, and other legislation which affect our profession. If you are interested in joining our Legislative committee, please call the Chapter office. We would like to thank Rep. Ryan Yamane and Sen. Brian Kanno for their assistance on our legislative issues.
As I write to you we celebrate Thanksgiving and look forward to a wonderful holiday. Our mentoring program is in full swing thanks to the University of Hawaii School of Social Work Alumni and Friends and Lana for all their hard work. We are still looking for mentors. For all of you Social Workers interested in making a difference in the lives of future Social Workers, please give us a call. In other great news, our 50th anniversary celebration is set for March 4, 2005. Please save that date!!! We have different generations of social workers currently helping us plan and put the program together. We will also be having a silent auction. If anyone is interested in donating items for the silent auction please contact NASW HI Chapter at 521-1787. During this holiday season, take time to reflect back and look at the challenges and triumphs of the past year. In my job as social worker, I face difficulties on a daily basis, which I must overcome and move forward. We know about setting boundaries and transference/counter transference issues with clients. At time I also get frustrated with the other staff, fellow Social Workers and other agencie4s for many different reasons. It takes strength to first overcome the anger and the frustration regarding the situation and to get away from personalizing the issue. I have a hard time with this once my emotions kick in, but once I am able to decompress from the situation, I am able to think more clearly, objectively and finally move forward. The hardest part is to get over the first hurdle of the personalizing and getting emotional about the issue. I realize this with people driving and having bits of “road rage”. I also experience this in client situations and other agency policies. So I need to remember to take the time to decompress before moving on and meeting with my next client. The holiday season is especially stressful time. Social Workers can feel helpless and unable to do their basic jobs, but I have always felt that our strength as Social Workers is the ability to have personal insight, be non-judgmental and forgiving to others in a structured way. Our ethics of fairness and helping those who cannot help themselves is our primary goal. Our other ethics of professionalism and treating Social Workers and other health and human services professionals are just as important. So remember to take time to yourself to decompress during this busy and stressful season. Don’t take out your stress on your clients or fellow workers. As a profession, we have had a challenging year dealing with the Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD) and our classification issue. We are also anxiously awaiting the appointment of a new Dean to the School of Social Work. When I think of the HSP and other issues with our profession, it is hard not to get stressed and emotional. We must however, remain focused, nonjudgmental and inclusive when dealing with these issues. It is detrimental for us to fight among ourselves. During the Holidays let’s enjoy our family, our friends and the great work we have done this past year. Let us improve ourselves to become better professionals who can be recognized for the great work we all do as Social Workers. If we have had personal disagreements at work, let’s resolve them and move forward together. Help us celebrate NASW’s 50th Anniverssary-50th Golden Years of Aloha! Wishing you all a safe and wonderful Holliday Season.
Darrin Sato,
LSW December 2004 |
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