Reflections on the Social Service Sector
I entered the sector, having started in it as a 14 year old. It was a time when I had no interest in studies, and in between soccer with friends, I found some meaning in connecting with marginalised groups. I recall my time with some children from MINDS, just trying to connect with them. It was simple. No one wanted to volunteer with MINDS at that time. Many of my schoolmates, and also other volunteers wanted beneficiaries that they could talk to, have a relationship with. The MINDS children were the toughest, I spoke to them randomly about numbers, or just to draw their attention to something in the room to engage them. It was simple yet fulfilling.
When I was 21, I had a chance to do social work as a course in university. I didn't. I told myself that I wanted to learn something that I didn't already know. I took environmental engineering. I took some specific elective modules, in social work and social sciences and was greatly encouraged by my professor. I didn't know then it would be so restrictive, and also chart my life in the way it did.
When I was 34, I entered the social service sector as a professional. Not as a specialist but as a generalist. I wanted to enter it because I wanted to contribute in some way or the other. I wanted to do it before it was too late. 13 years in a career, and God gave me this one change to swop paths. It hasn't been easy. Many times, others made me feel like I didn't know any better or was just barking up the wrong tree. At times, I questioned if I knew what I was doing. I saw how others went in different directions, and how they maneuvered the different systems to move things forward. I faced significant amounts of distrust, from peers, from those I worked with, and from even others not from within the sector. "Why would Matthias know better? These things don't work like that around here. He doesn't have the experience."
Amidst all the philosophies, missions and visions each and every single charity had, it felt like a bloodbath to me. Yes, while there were charities collaborating, charities were competing against one another. Yes, charities were all struggling for identity and relevance. It is impossible to ignore. When transformation, the new buzz word, was pushed, everyone wanted to become their own butterfly.
It reminded me of my days in MINDS, as a volunteer, when I was all alone at times. No one wanted to join because there was very little that others could identify with. It wasn't some fancy project, or some thing that made the news or even my CCA record, it was just going down and just being there. When there were camps, there were so many sign-ups. In university, there were committee positions up for grabs. They helped to boost your resume. I think I won an Engineering Colours Award for my CCA contributions in university. I won it because almost everyone else in engineering was focussed on their studies. The bar wasn't high.
Now, I'm considered full-time in the sector. Yet, standing on the other side, the grass looks greener. From this side, I realised a few things:
What is social good? We can do so many different things, but not all may be good. It is the same as what the bible says. Many things may just be a vanity. I heard of a charity who pumped in millions into what I would consider a white elephant. Everyone has learned from Apple. Marketing makes everything look good, whether or not the product is truly good.
The social sector thrives on 2 main types of resources. Financial resources because most of the marginalized and powerless don't have money, or have relatively less money. People, because your money is a non-living object and can't interact with living people, but more so because people can make money. Perhaps, its a reflection of the society we live in.
There isn't as much sacrifice in society as we would hope to have. Some people want to be rich, some people want to be a saint, and some people want to be bosses. Some people want all three. It's a never ending pursuit of identity and power. Where does Jesus' teaching of the first shall be last and the last shall be first come in? I guess, to a certain extent, me too. It's a natural feeling to want to stay relevant to the world, but something still doesn't feel right. Someone has to be last, and its usually not "me".
Why do we do things? I have seen many different reasons for things being done, and things not being done. Realistically, it is a balance or paradox of sorts. The social sector reflects societies' problems, and Government or the people in power know better, isn't it. The social sector needs to work in harmony with society, at the same time build tension with it to effect the right change.
In all likelihood, the social sector will fail. Society has and will fail So too, the social sector. There's no one bigger than God, and no one that can decide this for Him.
Is God in the social sector? Yes, but I think having been here, he's as much in the social sector as in every other part of society. Maybe a little bit more, in terms of number of vessels, because there are generally more Christians in the sector, but his presence is always balanced out. Like, good versus evil in this world. Weeds and the wheat.
Is it better to be here? There is value being in the social sector. It helps one connect with other aspects of life. We are all limited by our humanity, so why not learn more about our humanity while we are living this life rather than just doing the same thing over and over again?
How does social action feature in God's kingdom? God wants us to show love to others. Yet, he also wants justice. The need for love and the need for justice has stemmed from our disobedience and sinfulness. I doubt that we can restore others if we cannot restore ourselves. Social action stems from us being in the presence of the Lord. It is not what we want or need to do, but it is what we will do.
Other thoughts that perhaps I will answer another day:.
Do Charities really need Boards?
Isn't everything a social purpose entity?
Can enterprises and charities mix?
Ironically, at this stage of my life, I could conclude that maybe I'm not "good" enough to work in the social sector. My pay is too high and I do too little. The better way to fit in, is really to quit, find another way to get by in life, and to volunteer. But, yet, I may not actually be a "better" person.
The other way, is just to be "last". That's a tough call. That's Jesus.
Photo Credits: Middletown Christian Church
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