Staff Spotlight: Meet Ashley

What do you do in your job at the WCA?
I am a Case Manager at the Women’s and Children’s Alliance. I assist my clients in working on meeting a variety of needs, setting goals, and coming up with plans to be successful in achieving their goals. This assistance may come in form of community referrals or assisting them with skill development.

I also facilitate a group at the WCA called Life Skills. Life Skills is an educational group, open to our residential clients, which covers a variety of topics such as nutrition, job interviewing, self-care, and healthy relationships.

How long have you been with the WCA?
I started as a Social Work intern in December of 2009. By May of 2010, I had accepted a part-time position as a Client Advocate in the shelter program. In July of this year I became the newest Case Manager.

Where did you work prior to joining the WCA team?
I held a variety of positions prior to becoming a full-time member of the WCA team. I worked for roughly 10 years in the hospitality industry. I held a variety of positions while working in that field. I did everything from housekeeping to book keeping.

Most recently I worked as a Developmental Therapist at an agency in the Boise area. I worked closely with children and their families. I spent time with children cultivating their life skills to become more independent. I also worked with children on communicating their wants and needs, either verbally or non-verbally, and I assisted children in becoming a more active member in their peer group and the community as a whole.

What do you find most rewarding about your work at the WCA?
I have to say that watching the transformation our clients make from that initial appointment to when they either leave the shelter or transition out of receiving services is the most rewarding part of my job. I’m just grateful to be a part of something so special.

How have you changed or grown as a person through your work here?
As a Case Manager it is my job to offer tools and support to our clients. I am not doing for them. I am here to support them in doing for themselves. I’ve had to learn to step back and let others take the reins. This is hard for a control freak like me. I’ve had to learn patience, empathy, and to let go to some extent.