My employee escalates conflict
Dear Ryan, How do I help my staff who “don’t get it” and escalate problems with our homeless patrons? Sharon Sharon, That is a great question and one I get a lot. First, let me tell you what not to do. Do not “summarize.” Avoid summarizing what your staff member is doing: “Please be more […]
How do I prevent conflict?
Jerome strolled into the shelter for lunch. He was NOT staggering or swerving. He was NOT slurring his speech. He WAS sober. That didn’t happen too often. It was time to get some pennies!!!! I would need them next time Jerome was not sober. Pennies in the Cup In last week’s email we talked about […]
The problem with “Conflict De-escalation”
It was one of the hardest de-escalation situations I’ve ever been in. The man was 55ish with a long ZZ Top beard. He had the lean body of someone who had spent the last 25 years in prison lifting weights. Because he had. He had only been on the “outside” for a week and he […]
My staff is freaking out after an incident.
Dear Ryan, I am a manager at a food pantry. One of our clients (who has an intellectual disability) had an outburst. She physically rushed at one of our staff. Fortunately, she stopped short of physically assaulting the staff member. Barely. The staff member involved is very shaken. The rest of the staff is freaking […]
Someone is stealing donations.
Dear Ryan, I work at a transitional housing program for individuals leaving incarceration. We have a closet where we keep donated items (toiletries, clothing, etc.). Lately, a lot of the donated items have gone missing. None of the residents will admit to taking them. What do we do? Kate Kate, So, here’s the thing about […]
Scripts for people sprawled out sleeping on the floor
Dear Ryan, We are a library in an urban area. A lot of our patrons experiencing homelessness like to sprawl out on the floor and sleep. Do you have any scripts for our staff to address this issue? Thanks! Mary Dear Mary, Thank you for your question! You don’t need scripts. Conflict de-escalation is almost […]
Broken people heal broken people
There is an old saying in social work: “Hurt people hurt people.” If you have not heard it before, it means that people who are hurting often hurt other people. Unfortunately, it is true. The most vulnerable can be the most challenging. Many vulnerabilities (mental illness, traumatic brain injury, etc.) can cause problematic behavior. It […]
It was like Jack was “reading” me. Was I a threat? Could I be trusted?
It was Jack’s first night at a homeless shelter. First, he slept on a friend’s couch, but the friend moved. Then he slept in his car, but it got towed. Finally, he slept in the woods, but it was getting lethally cold. I took Jack back to an office so I could register him as […]
Nonverbal communication of anti-gay protestors.
The Gay Pride Parade wound its way through the streets of Chicago in stifling July heat. A dozen protesters from Westboro Baptist Church stood in front of a 7-Eleven convenience store with bullhorns and picket signs. NOTE: If you aren’t familiar with Westboro Baptist, they got famous protesting gay rights at the funerals of soldiers […]
How to Help at the Holidays
Hi! We recently put together a “naughty” and “nice” list for how you can best help during the holidays. watch video + download guide Please share the video on your social media to let others know how they can help! Have a great week! Ryan
