Answers to Job Questions

Tell us briefly why are you interested in working in schools to support students affected by homelessness. *

Answer: The reason for being interested in working in schools to encourage students impacted by homelessness is because these are tomorrow’s leaders who are capable of changing the world positively. Besides, I would like to create joy in their lives other than miseries thus helping them in realizing their talents through giving them the expected aid, for instance, giving them hope of survival despite what they are going through.

Do you have a background in social work or social services? *

Answer: Yes. I have participated in a self-help group in our institution whose aim was assisting the students who were not in a position to pay their school fees. Also, I have worked with the same school group in visiting the sick in the school’s hospital and even outside which have equipped me with more knowledge on social working and deliverance of the required services to those in need. Also, the students who were not in a position to raise rental money were given aids for shelter, and above all shelter, programs were scheduled for the needy in our learning institution.

Are you familiar with the ‘The McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act’? *

Answer: Yes. During the working with the self-help group in our institution, I actively participated in arranging shelter programs aimed at helping the needy students who could not afford to rent a house. This boosted their stay in the school and also assisting them in achieving their goals and realizing their dreams. Besides, I used the said program in providing shelter for those in hospitals and other neighboring learning institutions.

Have you worked in a school-based setting in the past?

Answer: Yes. I participated in giving the homeless students guide in the school I was by training them on how to cope with their situation. For instance, I advised them to accept the situation in their hands and take a positive turn towards improving what they are going through. Also, I took part in solving the escalated tension between the guardian and the student by acting as a mediator. I was using the traumatized experience to restore peace between the two but more so the student who can be primarily affected.

Why do you think you would be able to work successfully with school-aged youth, educators, families, and communities from a wide range of cultural, social and economic backgrounds? *

Answer: The reason for being able to work successfully with the school-aged youth, educators, families, and communities from a wide range of cultural, social and economic is because I have once played a part in various cases like in the self-help group in the institution I was taking my studies. Also, working in the school-based setting has granted me with enough knowledge of what is required to work in this situation successfully.

How do you build trust with the children and families you serve? *

Answer: First, by providing protective measures towards their problems that is what they are facing at present will help in building the trust. Second, is by getting engaged w in solving their problems they are meeting and showing them the best ways of handling or escaping from them. These two ways will help them, for example, the children in getting higher grades in their exams and for them, unity will be created thus being in the direction of prosperity.

Please describe a story about a time when you helped a child or family reclaim their self-worth and dignity in the midst of a really difficult situation. How did you do it? *

Answer: During my time in the institution I was taking my studies through the help of our self-help group I volunteered myself in paying the school fee of one of our colleagues who was on the verge of taking a deferment. He was also on narrating how life is useless to him due to lack of basic needs. As our group was receiving some funds from the school, we sat down with other members of the group to provide basic needs for the young man. By so doing, he recovered from the depression and realized his self-respect together with dignity. It was through volunteerism and telling other members about the situation of our colleague that he got helped. I got the fees for him because our family was relatively stable and I was fed with cash wherever I was faced with a challenge, and I took the opportunity to give aid to my colleague. He was not one of my friends, but I had a warm heart of helping anyone faced with a challenge. In the end, the man graduated, and he is now the breadwinner of their family, and above all, he looks forward in helping anyone faced with the same or different challenge he came across during his early childhood times.

How do you keep yourself from suffering burnout? *

Answer:  The following are some of the ways I keep myself away from suffering burnouts by; staying distant to negative people, being hopeful and expecting positive results, staying closer to other people, and having a good relationship with other people.

How do you stay organized on top of complex caseloads? Please describe your system for organizing and prioritizing your work. *

Answer: By teaming up with my colleagues and having a proper schedule for each task eases the complex caseloads. Also, by consulting my coworkers thereby coming up with the best solution. My system of organizing my work is only by having a schedule for every task. This helps in managing difficult situations and time of taking a rest. In the case of prioritization, I give every task equal measure that is making it a priority to avoid rescheduling the already planned work to be tackled. All these enable me to handle the tasks despite their complexities correctly.