Social Worker of the Year Evgenia Vanhonen and the secrets of her effectiveness
Evgeny Vanhonen, who has already 29 years of experience in the social sphere, brought Mr. case to the Narva Hospital. But it was here that the Narvity woman who radically replaced his professional track found an authoritative recognition. The Estonian Association of Social Work called it the best social worker in 2024.
The competition, organized by the Association, had 14 nominations. The award was held at the Drama Theater of the city of Rakvere. This minute of fame found Evgeny Vanhonen in April, but she still accepts congratulations. “With such kind people, the world becomes kinder” is one of those that came across us on the Internet.
The best social worker of the year – what lies behind this title? What do social workers in precisely medical institutions do? We learned all this thanks to a meeting with Evgenia Vanhonen. The six -story building of the Narva Hospital, a small office on the second floor, we are met by a friendly woman in medical uniforms …
The ticket office refuses, the hospital is disagreeable
– My tasks include communicating with people who have fallen into the area of responsibility of the hospital; The solution of issues related to their arrangement, insurance, disability, ”says Eugene.
Three social workers are working in the Narva hospital today. At the same time, a special type of competence was assigned to Evgenia Vanhonen: assistance in preparing petitions to obtain disability benefits. The information comes from one person to another, often they say to her: « We were advised us. »
“Now it is very difficult to get the right to benefits: they often refuse, especially to children,” says Eugene. “And you need to make the papers so that the lack of health is given the correct assessment of its ailment, and then the allowance is assigned.”
“If a refusal is received, I submit an appeal only in cases where the initial petition was drawn up with the patient. Since I understand the essence of the situation and I can justify why the refusal could be erroneous, ”says Eugene.
A social worker says that when preparing such documents, she is not considered over time. But at the same time he notes: to help all those in need is not able to even physically. And a serious obstacle in her work is that in Ida-Virumaa there is a lack of specialized specialists-psychologists, speech therapists. In addition, now the question of the language barrier between the patient and the doctor is increasingly arising. Fortunately, the issues that pose Eugene are at an impasse manage to promote in cooperation with colleagues and the leadership of the hospital.
Our conversation is interrupted by a nurse from the psychiatrist’s office: she came to supervise joint plans for one of the patients who were refused to recognize disability. “And I see that this is an erroneous decision,” the social worker explains. “Therefore, tomorrow our patient will talk about the video with the doctor, on Friday we will make an objection.”
Projects – progress engine
With special pleasure, Evgenia Vanhonen talks about the innovations, which, as a professional, is faced with personally. For example, about a project in the field of healthcare, which began in April. At the initiative of the Ida-Viruma self-government union in partnership with the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Vesta two-year pilot project started in the county, thanks to which health managers appeared in Narva. The team has two social workers operating in the centers of family doctors, plus one in the Narva Hospital and a nurse. Their task is to ensure consistent treatment and the best social support of the inhabitants of Ida-Virumaa.
“Finally, the understanding came that the social sphere and medicine are impossible without each other,” says Eugene Vanhonen. A new project, she explains, is aimed at people who are most often turning to an ambulance or emo. The reason for this is often the lack of contacts with family doctors and the Department of Social Assistance. Health managers will engage in such “dropping” people from the current system. “The first three patients I have already directed them to them,” says Eugene.
From a clean sheet
Wanghonon helps to untie the tight nodes of various situations, the ability to establish contacts with partner organizations, for which she is very grateful to partners. “In exceptional cases, I, for example, try to speed up the solution to the issue of an unhlassed patient, turning to unemployment cash desks directly,” the social worker of the year continues to share the secrets of his effectiveness.
This competence, communications and skills did not arise from nowhere: for a long time, Evgeny Vanhonen worked in the Department of Social Assistance of the city of Narva, including as the head of the department. She came there in 1994 and worked for twenty -five years.
“In 2019, I first received a letter of honor, and a few weeks later – a notification of dismissal of reduction,” she recalls.
Eugene admits that she was very difficult, but did not give up her hands. I went to study at a warehouse worker, found a vacancy in Tallinn and worked there for about a year, even going to buy an apartment. But unexpectedly, life again nailed her to her native shores: at first it was possible to work in Sallamyae, then the prospects arose in Narva-Yesuu, and finally Eugene ended up in the Narva Hospital.
– I am very pleased that I got here. Like the work itself, I like the team, ”she says.
But no matter how rich the professional baggage of our heroine turns out to be, training and self -development are always in an important place for her. Recently, for example, she was trained on the project of the Ida-Viru Center for Professional Education, the theme of which was the GPT chat and its capabilities in performing work tasks. Now he expects a business trip to continue to study the Estonian language.
Another life
Although Eugene considers himself a homebody, together with a friend, he willingly travels by car in Estonia. To practice Estonian, he tries to get into training trips organized by the integration fund. He is happy to participate in tourist trips organized in the hospital for employees. They are paid by the participants themselves and are always associated with some kind of medical topic.
“When I went here to work, just at that time a group of hospital staff went to Barcelona,” says Evgenia. – I got into this group, thanks to which I immediately got closer to my colleagues, and now it significantly helps us in work.
And we also know Evgeny Vanhonen as the long -term chairman of the precinct commission of the polling station in the Rugodiv recreation center. And, of course, we expect to see in this role in the upcoming autumn elections.
3 simple questions:
– You have changed the direction of activity. How can I get the missing knowledge?
– If I understand that I need this knowledge, I’m not afraid to ask the leadership where and how they can get them. I myself can find some online courses and study in the evenings.
– Under what circumstances did you get into the constant composition of the election commission?
-Once I was in the elections as an observer from the party. Apparently, she managed to show herself, and I was invited to work in the commission.
– Where do you best recharge the best?
– In Narva, next to his son and his family. My greatest joy is my granddaughter.
The Post Social Worker of the Year Evgenia Vanhonen and the secrets of her effectiveness FIRST Appeared on gazeta.ee.
