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Rug pulled out!

BAD2New Contributor23 Dec 2023, 10:16 pm AEDT

Rug pulled out!

I'm in crisis at the moment.

I am a Therapeutic Support Worker who is working with Young People in "Out of home care". I have extensive background experience in disability support work as well, so am currently working in an "Intensive Therapeutic Care Severe Disabilities" house with 2 young people who are very high needs.

I love my job! It's extremely stressful, and I am constantly attacked at work by the young people, but helping them also helps me by pushing my own problems from my mind for a while.

I was diagnosed with Bipolar Affective Disorder 2 early in 2018, and have been medicated and in therapy on and off since then, and am taking care of myself as best I can.

I was recently approached at work by my house manager who informed me that they are stepping down from the role to do the support work, and offered me the managerial role. This is not the first time I've been offered the role, and I've previously turned it down. This time however, with the support of several other workers in the house, and my family at home, I decided to step up and take over running of my house.

Not a week after accepting the offer, I was informed by a friend who works in a different department that I don't in fact have the managers position, that the company is advertising it, and before the advertisement has even gone up internally or externally, one of the other workers at the house has applied.

My head is spinning and has been for weeks. I haven't stopped taking my meds, but I can't seem to regulate myself anymore. I'm snapping at everyone randomly, including my family, and I find I no longer want to be at work.

I don't know what to do... I just feel so cheated.

Thank you for reading this far and letting me rant and vent.

1 reply

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In response to: Rug pulled out!

BowSenior Contributor24 Dec 2023, 11:03 am AEDT

Re: Rug pulled out!

Oh @BAD2 the exact same thing happened to me years ago!!

I worked for an OOHC NGO and I started as a youth worker at our residential houses. I really enjoyed my job despite the constant abuse from the kids. I was soon made second in command under the house coordinator and I love this opportunity to develop my skills more and take a turn at leadership when needed.
I was then asked to coordinate a new one on one house, set it up and everything, which I of course jumped at the opportunity to do so- it was a huge job as this client was such high needs. And then while doing that I was asked to oversea another house while they moved without a coordinator. I apparently ‘shined’ and got so much praise for how well I was doing and was asked to officially apply for the position of house coordinator. It was a massive kick in the guts when they gave it to another youth worker within our service. I did all that work while being underpaid and then not given the job in the end.
That ended my love of residential work! I applied to work as a case manager within our foster care team and got the job and love it. Was given many opportunities to step up in high position and took on heaps of other projects and was appreciated so much more.

So I get how you are feeling! I think in a lot of these instances they have to still advertise positions and go through the recruitment process. You don’t know yet if they won’t give the position to you officially, so you still have a chance. Apply for it. You will already have a lot of experience and you can pull from that.
let us know how you go!

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