For many people, the path does not lead directly from training into their profession. And even if it does, the profession can still change significantly over the course of their career development. One develops one’s profession through practice. This applies equally to people with and without support needs. For, regardless of support needs, a person finds their profession in connection with their environment. When others recognise and acknowledge what one does and space can be created for it, professional development can take place. Confidence in one’s own abilities grows. The profession is grasped intuitively.
To get to the heart of this professional development, one can ask the question: “What am I doing today that I couldn’t do or didn’t do a year ago? What have I specialised in? Do my profession and context/environment come together?”
Professional development – a personal reflection
I support people who need assistance in the workplace. However, I would describe my job as putting myself in other people’s shoes. My training as an Inclutrain trainer also focuses on this area. At first, I thought I had to learn the methods from the outside, by studying the methodolo-gical steps in detail and reading texts on the subject. However, I have now realised that over the last few years I have been developing something within myself, and that is what is turning me into a trainer. I develop this best through working with clients – when I put myself in their shoes and adopt new perspectives. That is how I continue to develop professionally.
The last time, at the process group meeting to prepare for a training session, it suddenly struck me that there were no clients present. I thought that was a shame. I therefore decided to carry out the further preparation for the training session with clients and invited Martijn and Pippa to join me. We prepared the training session together. As a result, they were also able to take on tasks during the session itself – for example, during the opening round each morning. Through working with Pippa and Martijn, I was also able to make progress in my own professional development.
That’s how I make new discoveries. Unfortunately, they also tend to slip my mind again. I noti-ced this, for example, when Ralph recently suggested actively involving clients in the organisa-tion. Many thoughts came to mind, but they were so chaotic that at first I didn’t even know what to say. Some clients will surely feel the same way at times. But then I also remembered my own initiative to involve Martijn and Pippa. I realised that I perceived the lack of involvement as a loss.
A year ago, I wouldn’t have experienced the absence of clients in quite the same way. It is only now that I am becoming increasingly aware of it. Even if something isn’t designed to be inclusive or is simply overwhelming, I notice it more and more. When I work with Martijn, for example, I sense more quickly when a break is needed.
The longing for the ability to consciously perceive and express my inner experience is growing. This is new. I realise that I now want to consciously develop my professional ability to empathise.
I remember thinking when I was younger that work wasn’t for me. I tried a few things, but I didn’t enjoy them much. I wanted to make the world a better place, mainly by supporting other people. I considered becoming a nursery school teacher. But then the children move on. I thought, well, I’ll have to become a mother!
Such thoughts are now a thing of the past. I have found my vocation. I am now a work support mentor. At first I wasn’t very good at it, but it has always given me pleasure. I feel grateful that I have been able to follow my professional calling and support people. But I also feel a sense of guilt where I am not yet quite succeeding.
For the past year, I’ve been telling new colleagues more and more about how I approach supporting people – how I do it. So I’m supporting the new colleagues, unofficially, so to speak. That’s also something new I’m doing. It’s part of my professional development.
What role have I actually been playing here? Perhaps a mentor. I break my knowledge down into smaller chunks so that it is easily understandable for new colleagues too. I want to guide them, inspire them and provide impetus that encourages new perspectives. My aim isn’t to get bogged down in lengthy psychological analysis or give complicated lectures on how to work effectively from an educational perspective. That would just leave the other person completely bewildered. I limit myself to the essentials, to practical action, to positive examples. My guiding principle is: ‘stimulating while limiting’.
