About me
Alexander Fauser
As a qualified Educational Social Worker and trained specialist in social work management, I have been handling the challenges and questions that surface when individuals interact with one another and when solving problems within professional and personal contexts, for many years. I have always kept myself moving forward with care, curiosity, and an open mind for probing opportunities to the benefit of my clientele. Doing so brings me a great deal of joy. My work is exciting, challenging, and satisfying every day.
From educator to social education worker
After I graduated from secondary school, it quickly became clear to me that I was interested in working in pedagogy. I decided to train as an educator.
My interdisciplinary work in a neuropediatrics department with patients between 0 and 18 years of age was especially exciting and instructive for me. It was there that I lay the cornerstone for my interest in complex issues. I then aspired to expand my professional foundation and decided to study social pedagogy.
From reference person to education manager
As a qualified social education worker, my professional career began in Switzerland with a position in child and youth psychology in Basel. Initially assigned to serve as a direct reference person, after approx. 3 years I took over the task of planning, conceptualization and content design for the department's expansion, the addition of a rehabilitation center. During this time, I also served as deputy department manager, and was entrusted with management duties and with independently leading the rehabilitation area from an administrative and social pedagogy and nursing standpoint.
I then managed the entire department for 8 years, working as a co-manager with the senior physician in the department and serving in the function of pedagogical-nursing department manager. As department manager, I was responsible for leading and training a total of 23 employees from the nursing and social education areas, and leading the internal hospital school, the “Werkatelier” and communicative therapies; I was also responsible for organizing and monitoring the areas of investment and finance. My daily routine involved close collaboration with all areas of adult psychiatry, including developing and introducing electronic patient files and cross-clinic EFQM quality management.
From pedagogical manager to area manager for nursing and pedagogy
In the fall of 2009, I moved to the Sonnenhof in Ganterschwil clinic (Eastern Switzerland) as the area manager of nursing and pedagogy. As part of hospital management, I was responsible for 60 employees in the nursing and pedagogy areas. My work focused, for instance, on technical and personnel-related design and consolidating processes in the pedagogy/nursing area during the reference phase for the new construction, or the introduction of de-escalation and anti-aggression management.
In administration
Subsequently, I worked as a team leader in material and personal support in the Sozialhilfe Basel (Basel welfare office), a highly diverse line of work. In addition to my management duties in material and personal support, for example, I was an active member at the management level during the change process, tending to issues surrounding work and responsibilities.
The shift to institutional director of a boarding school
In 2014, I took over the position of Boarding School Director for a total of 60 employees in the areas of advising, school and therapy at the Schulinternat Sommerau (Basel-Land). This period was characterized by projects such as revising existing operational mediums including development and assistance planning, developing and introducing a new school conceptual plan, completing model testing for trauma pedagogy (UPK KJPK Basel, Marc Schmid), introducing the Bündner standard and redesigning the management structure of the institution.
The path to self-employment
I find working with children, young people and families at an operational level, and on structural and strategic organizational questions very appealing, and I still enjoy working on these issues very much. By continuing to provide my expertise and skill set and to remain helpful, I have decided to resume offering my services on a freelance basis.
Outlook
I still maintain close contact with children and youth welfare institutions, referring authorities and agencies, and doctors’ and therapists’ offices. I have a social services network built on trust over the course of more than 20 years, extending throughout Switzerland and nearby countries. My many years of collaboration with working groups at the Curaviva and Intergras associations are also part of this background. I will continue to work for good pedagogical care and do my part to provide that care. Take advantage of a specialist’s expertise by contacting me.