From the desk of a Job Counselor

This is actually not true. I'm not at my desk because, in stark contrast to last year, I actually have very little flex time at my new job. ha...the thought! So I'm comfortably on my bed, listening to some tunes, and needing to go to bed soon.

But first to reflect. I've now been a training Counselor for a week, and I do believe I've gotten to taste a bit of what's to come. Today I interviewed 4 new clients (we call them "applicants"). Tomorrow I'll interview 4 more. Let me try to put some numbers into persepective: Jubilee Jobs holds an orientation every Monday (barring a national holiday) where we introduce ourselves as a free service to the applicants, and if they stick with our [structured] program, they will eventually get a job (entry-level). A typical Monday in recent weeks has seen between 50-70 people. Yesterday, we had 115 people. An extraordinary high mark for Jubilee and a daunting thought when you consider we have 4 Job Counselors, and then some halfsies (the Executive Director takes a small caseload, and then Micalagh & I are newbies, but have shouldered 8 each given the monstrous numbers). It also indicates the nation's new unemployment level: 6.1% (a 5-year high). Incidently, African Americans face 10.6% unemployment, and they are the majority group that Jubilee serves.

I appreciated the Exec. Director (Terry) who checked in at staff meeting on Monday about the emotional and psychological implications of a group of so many job-seekers. She emphasized that we do not control the tight economy, nor do we control the motivations of the applicants (we call it a "self-selecting" process because there are a number of structures in place that will wittle down some of the numbers as we enforce the rules). It is our job to do the best we can, but not to bear the burden of the entire 63,000 unemployed in DC.

My first week at this job has been really invigorating. I have an inkling that I'm really going to like this work. Today's interviews revealed a little more of how emotionally taxing the job will be. 3 out of the 4 applicants are homeless. None of them were able to afford the $7 fee to get a police clearance, and the only way to get a free voucher for that is to go across town with a bunch of paperwork and then go to another part of town for the clearance.

I think part of what is drawing me into this work is that it's tangible. There are market calls I've done the past week (that reminds me of my persistent [nagging] to get appointments with Congressional staffers at my Maryknoll placement) where I'm on the phone calling employers to see if there are job openings. Every day I fill out a Daily Log that shows my market calls, my interviews arranged, my new applicants seen, etc. This touches my "achiever" mode (dusted off from student-days) in which I get some blood-pumping high off of the glorious CHECK MARK victoriously drawn for some accomplished task; the daily log also helps me with accountability :)

I also love that Jubilee fundamentally looks for everyone's "core of goodness". In college, it was expressed as a strength in developing -- seeing potential in someone or something and wanting to tap that, nurture it, pull it out, and watch it bloom. (hmm...some mixed metaphors...but I'm tired so get over it).

Anyway, exciting stuff is happening. It is a humbling experience, for sure, to think about the enormity of it all, but then again, our job is not to fix everything, but to work hard and well and lovingly in the places we inhabit and know that there are other members of the larger community doing good and faithful work for justice and love and peace as well. So - thanks be to God...Lord, hear our prayers...and good night.