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3 Life-Lessons From Working in Residential Care
Manuel Ortiz is one of Wedgwood’s Residential Home Supervisors. He’s worked in the Residential Treatment field for six years – the last three of them at Wedgwood supervising specialized programs, training and supporting staff, and investing in the lives of the kids in Wedgwood’s Care.
Manuel is committed to helping others and extending God’s hope and love through his work here at Wedgwood. He often tells others that what he does is more than just a job, it is his calling.
In a recent Wedgwood Coffee Break Conversation, Manuel shares more about his story and working in residential care.
Here are three good reminders for us all from Manuel’s experience working in Residential Care:
- Remember why you are here
When your work feels difficult, thankless, or overwhelming it can be hard to stay motivated.
“It’s a lot of seed planting, we just might not get to see the fruit,” he said.
Manuel always encourages his team to focus on the kids and to not get too caught up in the anticipation of the outcomes, because their time at Wedgwood is just a piece of their journey. The results of the care and treatment they are receiving might not fully come to fruition while they are at Wedgwood.
“Whether Wedgwood is their first step in their healing process, or the last step before they transition into their forever home, or somewhere in between, it’s an important step,” said Manuel.
Keeping in mind the “why” and importance of your work can help you focus on doing what you can in the present, and celebrating the smaller victories
- Believing in yourself (and having others who believe in you) makes all the difference
One commonality Manuel has seen in the kids and teens across all of our specialized Residential Care Programs is the need for self-esteem, a belief in themselves.
“When you lack self-esteem, you lack motivation – and ultimately hope,” he noted.
Building up belief in yourself and having people around that believe in you leads to taking additional steps to improve.
An important reminder for the kids, and all of us, is that your past and challenges don’t dictate where you go next.
“We remind them daily that they really do have control over their futures,” said Manuel. “And that can shift their entire perspective.”
- Taking the time to understand others is always worth it.
Understanding others – where they are coming from and what they are dealing with – is at the core of Wedgwood’s grace-filled care.Manuel shared a story of a teen who spent time in Wedgwood’s Residential Care who had been in residential treatment previously, without many great outcomes. This teen struggled to communicate which in turn lead to many behavioral issues. Despite the challenging behavior, Manuel and his team worked diligently to build a relationship with and understand this teen.
“It was very rocky at times, but we were able to set him up for success in his next step,” said Manuel.
Manuel’s story is a great reminder that there is always an underlying reason for people’s actions and behaviors, and we when have a better understanding we can offer grace and perhaps even more effective solutions.
You can hear more of Manuel’s story in Wedgwood’s Coffee Break Conversation series available on our YouTube Channel or wherever you get your podcasts!
Learn more about Wedgwood’s grace-filled care and how you can be a part of transforming lives at www.wedgwood.org/join-our-team