The Eight Clinic Values
Clinic Values #1-4
The Clinic is approaching this new year as an opportunity to refocus our vision for the future. As such, during the first staff meeting of 2020, we took time to review and reflect upon our Clinic values, which include: Jesus, Humility, Love, Gratitude, Daring, Wisdom, Flexibility, and Flourishing. While there are many important qualities that we hope to emulate in our actions and through our work, these eight are meant to be the driving force behind what we do. And first and foremost among these is Jesus.
“If we are to be image-bearers of Christ and promulgate His message of love and forgiveness, it should be revealed in the way that we treat our co-workers, volunteers, and clients,” says Interim Executive Director Chase Haller. “We carry the name of Christ in our name and in so doing represent Him in all that we do.” According to Director of Engagement Noel McClain, this perspective on how we view and treat our clients has been a basic tenet of the Clinic from the beginning, reiterated in devotionals and staff meetings with our first Executive Director Abby Kuzma. “This value is first on our list not because we always get it right,” says Noel, “but because it's the one we need to strive for and be reminded of most often.”
Clinic Values #5-8
Our second value, “Humility,” is also paramount for orienting ourselves in our work and to keep our pride in check. Staff Attorney Stephanie Kilpatrick says, “It is important to remember that God placed us in the country, heritage, and family circumstances that we inherited and that it was through no act of our own—we cannot take pride or fault in it.” Ft. Wayne Office Coordinator Sarah Doak believes this attitude also reminds us to be gentle with our clients. “Meeting with an attorney for the first time can be a very intimidating experience,” she says, “but I think the Clinic's attorneys are naturally very down-to-earth, understanding, and Christ-like.”
For Community Partnerships Manager Ben Hayes, the value of “Flexibility” is most key. “It is vital to my role to be able to listen to the needs of our partners, volunteers, and clients and have the freedom to tell them that if what they are asking isn’t something we currently do, we could possibly adapt to do it,” he says. “This flexibility allows us to serve the diverse and ever-changing culture we live in.”
In very practical and tangible ways, these values serve to direct us in our daily work. Housing Paralegal Molly Jefford explains that when she needs help interpreting how to handle a conflict or case issue, she can turn to our eight values for guidance. “If I have an idea for Housing, but don’t know what to do with it, I question if I am being flexible to respond to the needs of the community, or if this is a moment when I need to practice humility and take direction from someone else,” she says. Likewise, Expungement Help Desk Manager Julie Mennel believes the value of “Love” helps to remind her to push herself further for our clients. “Going the extra mile can make all the difference in terms of the tangible impact that our services have the potential to have on lives,” she says. And this extra effort improves life for more than just our clients. “We embody the belief that when the vulnerable are thriving, our whole community flourishes,” says Education & Events Coordinator Lydia Bronner.
Taking time at the beginning of the year to focus on what really matters is a huge blessing for all of us. Consumer Justice Program Advocate Angie Simmons says, “We are called as believers to walk in unity and reviewing our values together helps keep us on the same page and is an encouragement to keep doing the hard work.” Indeed, this practice of reminding ourselves who we are and what we believe is something that God tells His people to do in Deuteronomy 6. He tells them to keep His commandments on their hearts, on their wrists, on their foreheads, and even on the doorframes of their homes. At the Clinic, we too work to remember our values and set them upon our hearts. And although we carry large caseloads and meet with many different people who are experiencing devastating hardships that can wear us down, by refocusing regularly on our values and on Jesus, we can more faithfully manifest His spirit.