Today we’d like to introduce you to Shelby Ross.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I graduated in May 2017 with my Master’s in Social Work from California State University San Marcos. I was already working at STEP as a Case Manager since January 2016 and once I graduated, was promoted to Client Services Supervisor. Prior to this, I was a Program Manager at a company that was contracted through the Regional Center, providing services to adults with developmental disabilities. I worked at this job for over 3 years and believe it led me to be a better social worker and person.
Working with people with developmental disabilities can be very challenging and requires a lot of patience and perseverance, as it is a population that can have a lot of needs and there are often barriers to them going to college, finding fulfilling employment, and establishing real social connections in their community. I got involved with this job after I graduated from SDSU with my Bachelors of Arts in Social Work in 2012.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the hardest things I have had to accomplish was my master’s degree. A Master’s in Social Work requires two years of unpaid internships, the first year being 16 hours a week for the entire school year and the second one 20 hours a week for the school year.
Halfway through my 3-year program, I had to quit my full-time job to work part-time. Luckily, I landed with a great agency at STEP that has now allowed me to grow professionally. However, myself and many of my colleagues from my graduate cohort relied heavily on student loans to make it through. I am very happy to make it to the point I am at now and believe my loans are 100% worth it, but I would much rather be trying to save for a home at this point!
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Support the Enlisted Project – what should we know?
STEP assists junior active duty enlisted members and recently discharged enlisted veterans and their families in Southern California facing financial crisis achieve long-term financial self-sufficiency through counseling, educations and grants to alleviate critical near-term obligations.
I am the Social Worker providing the financial counseling and education to our clients and reviewing eligibility for grants. I work daily with Active Duty and Veteran families to help them make a plan to get out of a financial crisis and help move their family forward. Along with my Social Work background, I am also a Certified Personal Finance Counselor. Being able to look at finances from a social work perspective, allows us to see the entire picture and not just focus on the bad financial decisions people might have made.
Instead, we focus on the solutions and how people can get out of the financial crisis.
I am very proud of the services my agency provides and feel they are very needed in our community. There are many veteran service agencies, but there are not any local agencies that provide the services we provide to our young Active Duty and Veteran families. The ability to provide financial counseling and education to families who may come from poverty or never learned how to handle finances is so rewarding in itself. STEP also provides grant the service member never has to pay back.
These grants assist families with putting food on their table, stop their only car from being repossessed, or stop a family from being evicted from their home. It is very rewarding for me to be able to stop a crisis from happening and then start to help the individual or family pick up the pieces and build their finances back up themselves.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I would say my work ethic. I always want to perform at my best and I believe promptness and following agency guidelines is critical to the success of an agency. In the past, I have also worked multiple jobs at one time to live independently in San Diego. Since this is something that is important to me, I did whatever was needed to accomplish this and not have to rely on others.
Contact Info:
- Address: 9951 Business park Avenue, Suite A San Diego, CA 92104
- Website: stepsocal.org
- Phone: 858-695-6810
- Email: shelby.ross@stepsocal.org
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