Local social services face “dire” hiring difficulties
St. Joseph residents depend on social services for a variety of resources, but local non-profits have been struggling to stay afloat without enough employees and volunteers.
"We don't leave our jobs when we clock out," Noyes Home for Children Executive Director Chelsea Howlett said. "We're still thinking about those kids and making sure that, you know, that their needs are getting met and wishing them well.
"A lot of time, you know, you need to understand 'I'm going to give more than I'm going to receive' and you have to be okay with that," Bartlett Center's Executive Director LaTonya Williams said.
St. Joseph has many social services that work tirelessly to provide for their residents, but these services are meaningless without employees and volunteers to run them.
Like many businesses, St. Joseph social service agencies are struggling to hire and keep employees past the training period. Non-profits like the Noyes Home and the Bartlett Center have been in the hiring process for months with little to no luck, referring to the situation as "extremely dire."
Many social services agree that the hiring process is so difficult mainly because of the low salaries offered.
"You know that the kids and the parents in the community appreciate you," Williams said. "But on the other hand, that's not adding extra money in your bank account."
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average, about 67,300 openings for social workers are projected each year since 2023. This is believed to be caused by people leaving non-profit agencies for different career fields with better pay and less demanding work.
"It's not an easy job by any means," Howlett said. "It's an emotionally taxing position and so it's not meant for everybody...we're working with kids who have been through a lot of trauma and they don't get to go home at the end of the day. You know, they want very much to be with their families but, for reasons that are beyond their control, they can't be."
Working in social services typically means working for low pay in a thankless position, by many believes it means bringing about change.
"The need of the community is great and it's growing and it makes me really nervous," Williams said. "Our organizations are even more needed, and the resources in order to continue to provide is getting very, very slim."
Both the Noyes Home and Bartlett Center are actively searching for more funding to increase employee wages, including the Noyes Home's recent approved budget for improved compensation to hourly employees.
The community can help by donating to local non-profits and volunteering their time.
"Here at Noyes, you have the ability to make a difference in the lives of the children and the families that we come in contact with," Howlett said.
"It is at time kinds of difficult," Williams said. "Only it is extremely rewarding and it's worth it."
Local social services such as the YWCA, Noyes Home, Bartlett Center, Animal Control and Rescue and Community Action Partnership are looking for individuals who hope to effect positive change in the St. Joseph community. Those interested in applying should contact these social services directly to learn how they can best lend a hand.
