Staff Communication & Coping During COVID-19

The Division cares about each member of our Division family and has created some ways to better communicate with each other and cope with our new normal. 

Upcoming Facebook Page for Division of Community Services Employees

To help us stay connected, we are creating a Facebook page for Division employees.  This closed group page will be used to share information while we work through this crisis and thereafter.  Stay tuned. 

Tips for Coping During COVID-19

·     Take in news strategically.  Get enough information to keep you informed; too much information can cause undue stress and anxiety. 
·     Use this time for professional development.  Learn something new, or brush up on a skill or area that could be refreshing. See the list of SCG offerings below.
·     If you are working from home, include physical and mental breaks in your day.  Working from  home, in many ways, is harder than working in the office.  Take a break, get some sunshine, do some stretches or otherwise get some exercise
·     Keep in touch with the outside world.  SCG has a GoToMeeting account which you can use to videochat with clients and coworkers. Contact IT to get your GoToMeeting capability set up.  Sometimes seeing a friendly face helps to eliminate the feeling of isolation during this period. 
·     Use all resources available to help you cope.  The Employee Assistance Program is available to all employees who may need assistance during this time.   Red Table Talk also has a wonderful show about how to cope during this pandemic.  You can access it by clicking this link.   https://www.facebook.com/pg/redtabletalk

 Volunteer Opportunities

(This is not a Division of Community Services event.  The following is provided for informational purposes only.)

Although our Alternative Spring Break was cancelled, there are still opportunities to help those facing challenges related to COVID-19.

On April 1st, the Mid-South Food Bank needs 10 volunteers to assist with a mobile pantry distribution.   It will be held in the parking lot of Paradise Entertainment Center located at 645 E Georgia Ave. Memphis, TN 38126.  Volunteers will be responsible for distributing diapers and period supplies, directing traffic, assisting intake process, cleaning work area, as well as helping to set up and break down. Volunteers must arrive between 9:30A and 10:00A. The mobile pantry will operate from 10:30A to approximately 1:30P. Please contact the Mid-South Food Pantry at volunteer@midsouthfoodbank.org for details.  There will be nitrile and latex gloves available for all volunteers. You will need to complete the release form below. 

Online Shelby County Government Training Opportunities                  

The following is a list of online training opportunities offering by the Shelby County Government Training Center (which can be accessed via GoToMeeting,) and New Horizons.

Webinars:

4/7 Empowering Collaboration: A Guide to Engaging Across Generations
4/23 Plan. Execute. Achieve. Building a Career Framework
5/13 Are You A Catalyst for Change? Lead with Confidence so Your Team Can Follow

Professional Development:

4/14 Preventing Bullying & Promoting Civility in the Workplace
4/15 Workplace Safety
4/17 Exploring our Differences: Exercises in Diversity & Inclusion
4/23 Treat Everyone Like It’s Their Birthday: The Key to Customer Service
4/24 Creating a Respectful Workplace
4/27 Are People Difficult or Just Different
5/5 Workplace Safety
5/12 Communicating for Success
5/12 Necessary Skills for Workplace Success
5/14 Preparing for Leadership: Making the Transition from Staff to Supervisor
5/15 Creating a Respectful Workplace
5/20 Improve Your Public Speaking Skills
5/20 Conflict Resolution Skills
5/27 Perception is Reality

New Horizons Free Webinars

3/30 @ 11 am: Managing Remote and Virtual Teams
3/31 @ 11 am: Communicating Across Your Organization
4/1 @ 11 am: Leading Change in a Complex World
4/2 @ 11 am: Collaborating with Microsoft Teams
4/3 @ 11 am: Working Together in Microsoft Office 365
4/14 @ 11 am: Leadership & Development: The Art of Influence – An Essential Workplace Competency

Division of Community Services

Spread the Love

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, the Employee Ambassadors invited the Division to participate in the Valentine’s Day Selfie Booth. The mobile photo booth visited each department and welcomed them to #spreadthelove with their fellow employees. The purpose of this event was to increase employee engagement while also maintaining a fulfilling work environment. 

Director Dorcas Young Griffin and the Division Ambassadors also sent around popcorn Valentines to help spread the love. For more photobooth pictures, visit this link before it expires on March 5, 2020: 
https://www.simplebooth.com/gallery/bUBN8sEmqgfk-division-of-community-services-valentine-s-day-2020

Division of Community Services

Care Like King: MLK Days of Service

The Division of Community Services cares, and we CARE LIKE KING about the residents of Shelby County.   This year, we partnered with Leadership Memphis and United Way to offer our employees opportunities to participate in the MLK Days of Service.  We identified several programs and invited staff to join.

By volunteering just a few hours, Division staff could make a dramatic effect on the lives of Shelby County residents. The focus was on three projects: Joining students of LeMoye-Owen College and Soulsville residents for a neighborhood clean-up; Volunteering at the King Day at the National Civil Rights Museum; and tire removal at T.O. Fuller State Park. 

 

Welcome New Members of the Division Family

Lorann Robinson
Lorann Robinson is excited for the opportunity to work for Shelby County Government and CSA as a Clerical specialist processing applications for LIHEAP. She loves the mission of CSA and all that it offers to our community, giving hope to those that may be feeling hopeless. In her last job, she was a recruiter for a non-profit organization.  


DeJara Sanders
DeJara Sanders is a new Community Services Specialist, providing fiscal monitoring for CSA. She is results-oriented and brings us over ten years of accounting experience. She graduated from Strayer University with a Master’s Degree in accounting and is preparing herself to work towards a CPA and CMA. She is team player, self-motivator, and a self-starter.  






Mitchell Grimm
Mitchell Grimm came to the County as a Paralegal from a Criminal Defense and Immigration law office. Mitchell is also a part-time student at Southwest Tennessee Community College majoring in Paralegal Studies. He is married with two daughters who both graduated from their respective universities this year.  His wife is a patent attorney, and is General Counsel for a Memphis-based agricultural company. They are both active in local charities and not-for-profit organizations, such as Room in the Inn, Project 20/20, and WEVL radio. Mitchell and his wife enjoy traveling and college sports.