“Whenever my late mother introduced me to new people, in her second sentence she would proudly say, “She’s a social worker!” I carry this pride with me to this very day and no matter how far I’ve moved ahead in directing and developing systems, I will always remember to point out that I am first and foremost a social worker.
Being a social worker is not prestigious; it is often associated with negativity and prejudice. But for me, it is personal fulfillment and, in my eyes, it is the most noble profession.
In most of the years of my career, the main part of which has been assisting people with disabilities to integrate at mainstream jobs, every day I meet up with the value and meaning of seeing people’s abilities, peeling away their insecurities, the prejudices that others attached to them or that they themselves embraced, and view them as equals among equals, entitled to an equal opportunity.
I chose social work because I wanted to reach populations that really need help and be there for them. I also offer services privately, but the people who need it most will not go there.
I am proud and grateful for the privilege of being a person who sees others’ abilities and I find that the values of social work serve me all the way as a director and program developer.
In my work, I try to identify not only the challenges but also the opportunities and the strengths in the organization, in the directors and in each staff member. Giving them the opportunity to express their abilities empowers them immeasurably and empowers us as an organization.
Last October, along with the upheaval that hit Israel, I joined Bayit Cham and I am happy, especially these days, to be part of an organization that sees and applies the values of social work in practice – an organization that promotes good and gives equal opportunity to every person regardless of who they are, with the adaptations that they need to succeed.
My dream is to establish a training system that will promote people with disabilities to key, influential positions.”
Hadas Galili Shainski, proud social worker, married and the mother of an adorable two-year-old, has extensive experience in the field of mental health and disabilities, and directs Bayit Cham’s Jerusalem district programs for people with disabilities. Although from October to now is not a long time, it is during an especially traumatic period for our entire nation, and Hadas got deeply involved in matters, moving from zero to one hundred. She was, and still is, a significant anchor for the staff, for service recipients, and for the entire organization, in providing sensitive, professional, organized, and inclusive services – the implementation of social work in practice.
We thank Hadas for her excellent work and all the other social workers at Bayit Cham, who, like Hadas, do amazing, meaningful work for thousands of people – staff, service recipients and patients.
Like Hadas, we long for the day when we don’t have to celebrate Social Workers Day. Unfortunately, there will always be people who need assistance. Let it be clear to the general public and the decision makers how very important and significant this profession is.
