Critical Issues in Sign Language Interpretation for Social Work Practice Aseel Abulhab University of Michigan School of Social Work GLOBAL FIELD AGENCY: I conducted my Global Independent Study in partnership with the Bob Rumball Canadian Centre of Excellence for the Deaf in Toronto, Canada. The Bob Rumball Canadian Centre of Excellence for the Deaf (formerly the Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf) was the first facility of its kind, and for over 30 years it has provided the Deaf Community a space without communication barriers. Within this space an educational, independent living, and a social environment for the Deaf has blossomed. From its starting point as a community recreation facility, the Bob Rumball Centre has expanded into offering a range of specialized services to those within the Deaf Community that require support. These include seniors’, those with developmental, physical, health, or mental health issues, infants and young children, and newcomers to Canada.
OUTCOMES: Before my Global Independent Study in Toronto, I prepared by beginning a 3credit independent study course (SW 528). This independent study was to build on previous work regarding multilingual social work practice by including American Sign Language and Deaf clients in the conception of bilingual and multilingual practice. To conduct this independent study, I incorporated: •
A literature review regarding particular issues that face Deaf clients related to lack of access to American Sign Language interpreters
•
Interviews with social workers and mental health practitioners who work with Deaf clients in Michigan and Toronto
•
Meeting with leadership at The Bob Rumball Canadian Centre of Excellence for the Deaf to further expand on these issues
•
A practice note that included parts of all of these elements as well as case examples that illustrate how some of these issues play out in social work practice and settings
CONNECTIONS:
LESSONS LEARNED:
Classroom: • SW 522: Basic Social Work Research For my final project, I wrote a literature review on how American Sign Language fosters a culturally Deaf identity (or awareness of it).
•
• SW 528: Independent Study As a complement to my Global Independent Study, I also completed a 3-credit independent study with Professor Rogerio Pinto. More information about this independent study can be found under “Outcomes” on this poster.
•
Career: After completing my MSW, I intend to continue on to a PhD, where I would be able to build on this work and intersect it with immigration-related problems. I have been focused on working with the Deaf population since the end of high school, when I was first exposed to American Sign Language. I do hope to obtain my licensure and to work with Deaf clients, in addition to my academic endeavors. I am also interested in the policy implications of American Sign Language interpretation and the marginalization of immigrants with disabilities.
•
SKILLS DEVELOPED:
While we are the architects of our Global Independent Studies, working in global social work demands our deferral to the communities abroad. We must tweak our initial research ideas as we communicate and integrate into the community.
During this Global Independent Study, I continued to develop the following skills: •
Using American Sign Language confidently
The nature of this work is trial and error, and we must be comfortable with that process.
•
Interviewing skills, including the process of formulating pertinent questions
•
Creatively reach out to stakeholders and assert myself without overstepping cultural boundaries
•
Writing skills, when constructing my SW 528 paper
No response from stakeholders and organizations is likely. Keep looking for avenues to connect without pushing too hard.
ADVICE: • •
Do not assume anyone else cares about your project or idea as much as you do. Bring people into the fold and share your process with the community and your partners. Transparency is important. Remember to explore the city or country in other ways. It may not seem connected to the project, but it is also imperative to continue to challenge yourself and your privileges by interacting with the place and community in as many ways as possible.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Lake Ontario, Woodbine Beach
Thank you to the Office of Global Activities for their support throughout the Global Independent Study process. I also want to thank Professor Rogerio Pinto, who advised my independent study and continues to work with me to advance this project. Finally, I appreciate the willingness and kindness of the Bob Rumball Canadian Centre of Excellence for the Deaf’s staff, particularly Rosanna Ascenzo.
Sunset at Christy Pitts Park
●
●
● ●
●
●
● ● ●
● ●
● ● ● ●
● ● ● ● ● ●
● ●
●
Mama Liberia Understanding Non-health Factors Related to the Spread of HIV/AIDS women Abigail Bartlett University of Michigan School of Social Work Research & Field Work:
Monrovia, Liberia Monrovia is the capital city of Liberia hosting over 1 million people, and just over 4.5 million people in the country. The country is peaceful and focused on social, economic, and political recovery as it works to rebuild from a civil war that took place from 19902003. In 2005 they elected Liberia’s (and Africa’s) first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Prior to the civil war Liberia, affectionally known as Mama Liberia, was one of the main entry points for international trade as it is located on the west coast of Africa bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Liberia has a long History with the United States as the American Colonization Society sent former slaves to the continent to establish the country in the early 19th century.
The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) NPHIL’s focus is on strengthening existing infection prevention and control for infectious diseases to ensure adequate public health safety within the entire country. They operate in all 15 counties within Liberia with their central headquarters in Monrovia. They meet weekly to provide updated information on disease numbers, spread, and containment within the country.
Advice •
•
EXPLORE: be open to different research, new
places and non-profits that you may have not thought of. Your GIS instructor is there for a reason- to help guide you through the process EMBRACE FLEXIBILITY: Be open to your plans changing (during research, picking a country, and while in-country. You will be open to so many more possibilities and people than you could have planned for.
The goal of the independent study was to learn about the infrastructure, personal, and influencing (nonhealth) factors related to the spread of HIV/AIDS in Liberia, specifically among women. The project goals were to engage in exploratory research that would lead to a more focused research question (exploring possible PhD related research interests). NPHIL acted as my host site, connecting me with other non-governmental organizations (NGO) to do in person interviews and tours of facilities. The goal was to learn from practioners in the field and get a firsthand look at the available infrastructure and programs working to decrease and support women affected by HIV/AIDS. Areas of research interest: • Economic • Political • Social
Activities & Descriptions of places visited: • JFK Hospital: largest government hospital • Infectious Disease Clinic • National Aids Control Program • Health clinics • Duport Road Health Clinic • TB Annex • United Methodist University School of Social Work • Educate West Point – NGO in West Point (slum) that provides resources for children to attend local schools and an in-house preschool
Getting Started and narrowing your focus: Everyone’s GIS journey is different. Personally, I found a professor who’s work I was interested in and contacted him via email after we met in person at an event (Dr. Gant). At our initial meeting, I shared some of my research interests (economics, health, and housing), and expressed interest in traveling to somewhere in Africa. He acted as a guide to narrow down the research focus and connected me with his contacts in Liberia (Dr. Fallah). My advice: Michigan has a lot of resources and connections, utilize thm, ask a lot of questions and remember that they are there to help guide your learning experience
Career Connections My time in Liberia has drastically shifted my future career goals and opened doors to new people and places that I didn’t imagine making connections with. This experience has helped me see the possibilities of international social work, social entrepreneurship and the importance of education. I have made connections with leading researchers in health fields, executives of non-profits, and community members actively working to uplift Liberia.
Skills Utilized/Developed • Engagement- getting to know people and organizations means spending time with others and asking questions. It’s important, especially as you enter a new community to build trust. • Flexibility- your plans will change; you can get stressed or you can choose to enjoy the journey and be amazed by the things you could not have planned for. • Cultural Awareness – you will be traveling to a new place that you are not accustomed to the culture, social norms, and etiquettes. Recognize your presence and ask questions so that you may be respectful to people, places, and culture.
Explore the possibilities One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to be open to new experiences and learning opportunities. This is an opportunity to explore things of interest to you and also topics and areas you may have not thought about. I changed my GIS country more than once as new opportunities arose, my research questions altered throughout the course of the year and I visited places in-country that were not originally on my itinerary. I learned a lot and met amazing people along the way! This poster was created for the Fall 2014 Global Social Work Poster Fair
THANK YOU!
Thank you to those who have made this study opportunity possible!! • Office of Global Activities • SSW Alumni Board of Governors • Dr. Larry Gant, GIS instructor • Dr. Mosoka Fallah & the National Public Health Institute of Liberia, in-country host • Mom & Dad, believing in me and my dreams wherever they may lead
Filming a documentary about the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Matthew Bouse University of Michigan School of Social Work Location: Tōhoku, Japan On March 11th, 2011, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Tōhoku region of Japan. A tsunami followed, reaching a height of 17 meters in some places. This wave took nearly 20,000 lives and washed away entire communities along the coast. Eight years later, a few surviving structures have been maintained as monuments to the dead and as reminders of the sea’s destructive power. Areas that were once seaside villages or bustling city centers are now mostly vacant, with cranes and construction equipment promising future development. Residential structures have been rebuilt on higher ground. Newly constructed seawalls line the coast for miles in hope of preventing future tragedies.
Project Information I filmed five interviews with community volunteers and employees at non-governmental agencies and social welfare offices, including: • An “active listening” volunteer in Shibamata, Tokyo • Eight board members of an “active listening” organization in Sendai, Miyagi • A mother who organized a memorial to her son and thirteen of his classmates who lost their lives in the tsunami in Natori, Miyagi • The sole employee of a non-governmental organization that assists elderly and remote fishermen in selling their products at the regional fish market in Kesennuma, Miyagi • Employees of the municipal social welfare office in Miyako, Iwate In addition to the above interviews, I participated in guided and self-guided tours of tsunami-related sites in Sendai, Kesennuma and Miyako.
Outcomes I collected several hours of footage in Japan. I plan to shape this footage into a documentary about the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, the subsequent mental health effects and ongoing recovery efforts in the affected communities. I am currently writing a script for this documentary and I plan to record narration and assemble a cut of the film before the end of the semester. Before my trip, I completed a literature review of the current research on this event. During the trip, I journaled extensively. Both of these documents will be used to inform my final project. Map credit: T. Kambayashi
Skills Utilized/Developed • Engagement: conducting these interviews required clinical listening and engagement skills • Reflection: I kept a journal during my trip and wrote about both the content of my day and how it made me feel • Critical Thinking: I reviewed a large amount of research before my trip. I had to consider what biases authors brought to their work and what might be left unsaid in the research
Classroom Connections • SW 522 – Basic Social Work Research: prepared me to think about ethical concerns when conducting interviews and entering communities • SW 606 – Mental Health and Mental Disorders in Adulthood: I learned about mental health in a Japanese context through an assigned paper on culturally-specific mental disorders
Lessons Learned “Active listening” (keicho in Japanese) volunteers are trained to sit attentively and non-judgementally as other people speak. This practice has not been widely written about in English-language publications. By meeting with “active listening” volunteers, I learned about differences and similarities between the Japanese and American mental health systems and the social issues of most concern in Japan.
Career Connections
I hope to continue producing videos and documentaries throughout my social work career. I believe it is important to communicate research and ideas directly to the general public through a variety of accessible, digital channels. This has been my first experience with video production, and I learned a lot, from where to place the camera to how to tell a story.
Advice
• Plan ahead: try to figure out as many details as you can before you arrive in the country • Be flexible: know which parts of the project must happen and which can fall aside • Don’t give up: don’t be discouraged if you don’t hear back from a potential contact; keep trying
Acknowledgments
This project was supported by grants from the Office of Global Activities and the Center for Japanese Studies. Special thanks to Dr. Shanna Kattari, Mariko Foulk, Emiko Tokita, Eiko Moriyama, Kayoko Fukuda, Erika Takeda, Yuko Tanno, Reiko Watanabe, Kelsey Bouse, Beth Barrett, Nishant Annu, Yoichiro Kato, Tetsuya Hatano, Dennis Heazle
This poster was created for the Fall 2019 Global Social Work Poster Fair
Taking A Closer Look: Insight on Mental Health Services for Black South African Youth
LOCATION: Durban, South Africa I worked mainly in Durban, South Africa, a coastal city in eastern South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province. KwaZulu-Natal is influenced by African and Indian cultures, as well as colonial influences. Durban is the third most populous city in South Africa—after Johannesburg and Cape Town—and the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu Natal, with a population of 595,061. 2019 marks 25 years of the end of the apartheid era.
MENTAL HEALTH & AFRICAN CULTURE:
• Goodley, Fairfax and LaNey (2017 )Africentric
paradigm offers a crucial organizing. It speaks to the unique contributions, strengths and capacity of African people throughout the diaspora. • Starkowitz (2014) found that most black South African families access traditional African healers as primary means of health care, holistic healing of physical, mental and spiritual health. • The 2005 Children’s Act regarding mental health is within the Disability category and serve more so as a protection policy for youth to not be restrained or harmed. Mental health and health have not yet been fully integrated within South Africa
GLOBAL FIELD AGENCY University of KwaZulu-Natal Social Work I worked within the Masters program of the School of Social Work around research topics concerning improving the quality of life of people and the promotion of peace, human rights, equality and social justice. Closely working within the University of KwaZulu-Natal: Community Outreach and Research (UKZNCORE) created to enhancing the delivery of Social work services. In addition to collaborating with community organizations and agencies within Durban such as Meyrick Bennet Guidance Centre Meyrick Bennet Guidance Centre The agency aims to support and assist children and their parents in helping with the challenges within the family and home. Meyrick Bennet receive referral problems related to: School problems, behavioral and emotional problems, family relationship problems, developmental difficulties, substance abuse, and speech/ language problems. Individual cases are assessed with a pre-interview to determine the type of assessment the child requires. Assessments such as: psychological, psychoeducation, speech and hearing therapy, or occupational therapy
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: • Lead a lesson on the various forms of bullying and the effect on youth today, to classes of six and seventh graders. • The activities gave space for the students to express their experiences and challenges with bullying within the classroom and/or one on one with me. • Introduced a mindfulness/positive affirmation exercise , using a drawn mirror to help combat the negative words the youth has heard or said about themselves • Completed mental health assessments and screenings for the sixth and seventh graders utilizing an assessment tool created by my UKZN mentor Dr. Maud. • Reviewed research with master students of social work at the University of KwaZulu Natal. • Networked with social work and psychology students, faculty, and professionals.
CONNECTIONS: Classrooms • SW 629: This course helped me to gain knowledge and skills essential to providing effective school social work interventions. 629 helped me to be able to identify, select, and apply evidence-based prevention and intervention to enhance student learning, development, and school success. • SW713:This course provided me with African-centered
values and principles in historical and contemporary context in order to the implement methods in a broadlydefined practice with African-descent client systems. Career:
LESSONS LEARNED: • Learning and practicing cultural humility and competency is a ongoing and imperative process in order to become a good social worker • Community and family are powerful intervention tools to strengthen and help heal an individual •Let ting go of the savior complex, listen to the people, and let the community tell and guide you on how you can be of service to them • Gratefulness and the privileges I hold
This opportunity has shown me how imperative my work as a future therapist will be. It has also inspired me to one day provide group therapy sessions within the schools.
OUTCOMES: One of my favorite outcomes was that of seeing how beautifully the students engaged within each activity on the positive affirmations for themselves (see below). In addition to that, I had the opportunity to engage in dialogue and field work surrounding mental health practices for South African you, specifically Black and native Zulu youth. Learning how a big part of social work practice involves the Afrocentric approach for children, youth, and families. Also, learning the integration of using both western modalities and interventions as well as cultural and spiritual practices to bring appropriate interventions to children and youth in need of mental health services
ADVICE:: • Learn the primary language and how to say common words and phrases. Then, ask a native on how to pronounce it correctly. • Leave your biases at the airport, check your privilege, and be open to the culture! • Write or type out your plans. Have back up plans • Research the organization you will be placed at. • be okay with changes or not doing what your originally planned to do. Have an A,B, and C plan! • Document your journey, digital or written. • Take time to do some sightseeing, and embrace the moment!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
“I am kind, loving, fun, fast learner, charmer, generous, handsome, creative, amazing, and forgiving.”
Gratitude of thanks, appreciation, and love to the phenomenal Professor Sandra Momper for all of her hard work and commitment! Thank you to OGA for funding this opportunity. Thanks to Professor JohnLangba for coordination and safety. Thank you to my mentor Dr. Maud in South Africa. Thank you to my U of M mentor, Pro. Abigail Elier . Siyabonga (thank you) to all the agencies and University of KwaZulu Natal for hosting us.
Hong Kong Summer Abroad Jessica Castro University of Michigan School of Social Work CHRISTIAN ACTION CENTRE FOR REFUGEES
HONG KONG: TSIM SHA TSUI I was placed in Hong Kong for 10 weeks. I worked in Tsim Sha
Tsui (TST), which is part of the Kowloon District. Hong Kong has a population of about 7 million and its one of the most densely populated locations in the world1. Hong Kong was a British colony, it was not until July 1, 1997 that England handed Hong Kong back to China. Hong Kong now runs on what is called one country two systems. Although Hong Kong is part of China, they have their independent legal systems2.
I was placed in Christian Action-Centre for Refugees. It is the only drop-in center for refugees and asylum seekers living in Hong Kong. The Centre for Refugee offers a holistic set of services to its clients. Services such as case management, mental health services, donations, workshops, classes and so much more.
They aim to have their organization feel like a second home for the refugees. Another big component of Centre for Refugees is to engage with the community and talk to locals and attempt to demystify stereotypes about refugees in Hong Kong.
PROJECTS & ASSIGNMENTS
REFUGEES & ASYLUM SEEKERS IN HONG KONG As a refugee you are not allowed to volunteer or work. The government gives each person money for rent and food but because the cost of living is so high, many times the government assistance is not enough.
COMMUNICATION I had to learn to communicate in a way that people would understand me and sometimes that meant communicating without using language. ADAPTABILITY The organization I worked for was very dynamic in nature and every day was different. There were moments where because of external factors events were cancelled and staff members had to leave unexpectedly, so it was important to be flexible and adapt to those kinds of situations.
CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS In SW 560 we learned about how to enter and leave communities, and it was reiterated in my SW 648 class. I used the skills taught in those classes as I worked with the members in the organization. Although cultural humility was taught throughout most of my classes, 648 really explored how countries and cultures differ from my western perspective.
WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT GROUP The goal of the group was to help the participants build a stronger bond with each other and teach the women tools and strategies they can use when they are experiencing stress and anxiety.
I was assigned to three cases during my time in Hong Kong. The special thing about Christian Action is that they take time to form relationships with their clients and go above and beyond to assist them in any way that they can. I wanted to embody those principals with my caseload. SUMMER CAMP Refugee children are not allowed to leave the country and during their summer break Christian Action hosts and subsidizes a summer camp for them. I was in charge of assisting a staff member coordinate the summer camp program for the youth. Sources: 1. http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/hong-kong-population/
.
Career Connections My professional goal is to work in Mexico with families that have lived through deportation. This experience has shown me how an organization can be run in a way that makes the clients feel like its their second home. I hope that I get to work with an organization that embodies the passion and commitment that Christian Action has.
Advice Working abroad has been an unforgettable experience. My advice would be to soak in everything you can, listen to other people’s stories, thoughts and experiences. This was my first time interning abroad and I was scared but it was worth it.
Acknowledgements In SW 683 we learned different techniques to help evaluate programs, I used those techniques when evaluating the women’s group.
LESSONS LEARNED
CASE MANAGEMENT
2 .https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/topics/reference/hong-kong-history-explain-relationship-china/
SKILLS UTILIZED & DEVELOPLED
THINGS HAPPEN THAT ARE OUT OF YOUR CONTROL Sometimes you plan things and try to stick to a schedule and external factors prevent them from happening. This was a big lesson for me this summer. The political unrest and protests happening in Hong Kong forced the organization to cancel and postpone various events. It was disappointing having to cancel events that we we worked so hard for but I learned to let those feelings go. SAYING NO This lesson took me a long time to implement. By the end of the placement, I was getting very overwhelmed with my tasks and responsibilities. Because I had so much on my plate I had to refuse to do some tasks and that was hard for me to do.
I want to thank the Global Activity Scholars Program for giving me the opportunity to work abroad. I want to thank Katie Lopez for being a reliable and constant support. I also want to thank the Alumni Board of Governors for giving me the extra funding I needed to go abroad.
Charmaine Chua, LL.B, MSW/MPP 2020 University of Michigan School of Social Work
Singapore (SG)
Methodology
Skills Utilized/Developed
• Tropical island city-state, one degree north of the equator • Majority Chinese population, with significant Malay, Indian, “Other” populations • Previously colonized by the British, who capitalized on it as a port city, before its eventual independence in August 1965 • Center of global trade and commerce
Tasks:
I engaged and critically assessed answers to my questions through my research and immersion in the SG context, which allowed me to gain a better current understanding of and historical context of this issue, including its relationship to various policies and populations. I gained a greater breadth and depth of knowledge relating to this issue and will continue to be directed by questions raised in the course of the study.
Focus of & reasons for study I decided to do a broadly-focused independent study to develop a deeper understanding of the issues relating to economic* inequality, and how that impacted on societal well-being in SG. As someone who grew up, studied and worked in SG, I had some familiarity of the context, and wanted to learn more by applying social work/public policy lenses through a period of intensive study. Having observed that discussions of inequality I’d experienced often turned quickly to a focus on the state of and rules relating to poverty, I was interested in learning more about other aspects of inequality, including understanding more about diverse populations on the inequality spectrum, and the relationship between the rich, middle-class and the poor. I also wanted to understand how aspects of inequality might impact upon societal wellbeing. Gaining a greater understanding of aspects of inequality and impacts of societal well-being had great potential to be relevant to any policy area / outcome one might want to work on.
• Surveyed sources relating to research questions, including both SG and non-SG literature and administrative information. • Reflected on positionalities w.r.t. this issue in light of daily interactions and ongoing current events • Heard from local sources of knowledge • The above processes, carried out in an interwoven and iterative way, allowed me to periodically adjust research directions and shortlist further questions / directions to explore
Outcomes Developed a better understanding of: • Dimensions of inequality in SG • How the SG economy is set up and approaches to economic growth • How wages are determined • SG tax, education, property, public budgeting laws and policies • How philosophy (stories and values) relate to inequality • Measures of inequality and well-being • Philanthropy in SG • Links between inequality and well-being • Challenges of approaching inequality in SG
Next steps: • Continue learning and integrating points into my graduate school career • Consider how to best represent and integrate this into my post-graduation career direction (SW748)
I gained familiarity with SG resources and sources of knowledge. I applied knowledge gained in graduate school to the country I had grown up in. I will continue to be challenged to incorporate my experience and findings into my future courses, professional work and lifelong learning goals.
Classroom Connections The following classes allowed me to research different aspects of the SG context and links between inequality and well-being, and taught me theories and tools of analysis that could be applied: PUBPOL717; SW530; SW647; SW697, SW504.
Gaining critical consciousness: One can live in the world for many years, yet suddenly realize elements of the world that you have been subconsciously navigating around or ignoring, and “should” know, as you spend time to reflect on and learn from others who have approached this issue before you.
Career Connections The better understanding of SG’s positionality, policies, systems, macro ecosystem and resources that I have gained with respect to this issue will be a useful backdrop to future career decisions and help me to make macro change to advance societal wellbeing in a more informed way.
Advice 1. What do you want to learn more about that is not covered in classes? 2. Reach out and keep moving forward: Seek OGA advice, write that application, seek that connection 3. Find a supervisor who respects your vision, goals and humanity
Lessons Learned
Special Acknowledgments
• • • • •
• SSW Global Independent Study Grant and the Office of Global Activities • Assoc. Prof. of Social Work Terri L. Friedline • Personal supports: Chua Yeow Leng, Wee Wai Fun, Shannon Ang • And many others not mentioned!
“Not all who wander are lost” Need to be patient with the process “You never know what you don’t know” The process of learning does not need to be linear Comfort with change – Adjust as you learn – iterative process
* “economic” broadly covered issues impacting on money and opportunity
This poster was created for the Fall 2019 Global Social Work Poster Fair
Creating Community in Rural Costa Rica Angela Christine Cluley University of Michigan School of Social Work Las Nubes de Los Chiles, Costa Rica Las Nubes is a village with around 72 lots and approximately 450 people. The village is about 10 kilometers from the northern border and has a demographic mixture of Costa Ricans and Nicaraguan immigrants. The population of Las Nubes is considered economically disadvantaged and in extreme poverty according to the local human services organization IMAS.
Youth Development in Las Nubes de Los Chiles!
Youth Development Peace Corps volunteers promote and foster programs for the Arts, Sports, and Recreational activities in the communities that volunteers serve. This can be working locally with Sport Committees or bringing in county or country-wide organizations such as ICODER (El Instituto Costarricense del Deporte y la Recreación), which support sports and recreation on a national level.
My Service
Throughout my service I worked on a community organizing macro scale and built capacity in the community to form five renewed committees that worked on issues that the community felt priorityincluding development, health, sports, roads and youth. We created both smaller and larger initiatives including computer classes, women’s empowerment, a sports court and life skill courses.
Placement/Project Information
Skills Utilized/Developed -Community organizing (Capacity Building) -Asset Based Community Development (Strengths) -Relationship building/rapport -Resiliency -Trauma informed/Resiliency focused
INAMU (women’s empowerment group)- 5 months of capacity building with 34 women. The organization taught about women’s rights, goal-setting and healthy relationships. They received an economic stipend monthly as well. Creation of a multi-use sports court- Brought the Sports Committee, Development Committee and the high school together to create a full-size multi-use court that included basketball, volleyball and soccer.
Lessons Learned
Career Connections
-Meeting the community where they are is extremely important. We cannot assist in development if we are trying to develop things that the community is not ready for.
Capacity Building- Community organized with the community to create 4 new organizations and strengthen 1 formerly formed organization. This created 5 priorities in the community-development, health, sports, roads and youth.
-Community organizing takes time, we cannot rush the process of relationship building, genuine relationships and trust.
Agency/Community Partner
-The world goes on without you. People who you were close with in the United States have their lives too and they continue while you are gone. (Relationships change.)
INAMU- El Instituto Nacional de las Mujeres or the National
Institute for Women of Costa rica is is charge of protecting women in áreas of domestic violence, discrimination, interdisciplinary social, legal and political. It also promotes the development and teaching of Costa Rican women.
Courts For Kids- a U.S. organization whose mission is to
transform lives through building courts and cultural exchange.
Outcomes
-Formation and capacity building of 5 local organizations to meet the priorities of the community. -Creation of a multi-use sports court for volleyball, basketball and soccer. -Strengthening relationships within the community.
My passions lie in the realms of community organizing and global relations. For my social work career I would like to work with refugees and immigrants either internationally or locally in Michigan. A dream of mine would be to work with the United Nations or an NGO.
Advice
-Don’t be afraid. -You will never be ready, there is never a perfect time to go. -You really can do anything that you set your mind to. Yes barriers exist but so do creative solutions. -Challenge yourself, test your limits and tap into your imagination.
Acknowledgments Classroom Connections - SW 504
-Evaluation course -Children and Families courses
I would like to acknowledge my Aunt Dottie for being my power of attorney while I was gone. I would also like to thank my father and brother for all of their help. •Love to all of my family (blood or not)
This poster was created for the Fall 2019 Global Social Work Poster Fair
Fake News, Technology, and Human Rights in Chile
Emily Cole University of Michigan School of Social Work Global Independent Study Santiago, Chile Santiago is the capital of Chile and the largest city with over 5 million residents. It’s a beautiful city on the edge of the Andes with tons of museums, art, and parks. After coming out of a US-backed dictatorship that lasted from 1973 until 1990 in which thousands of citizens were subject to kidnap and torture, Chile is considered to be one of the most stable democracies and highest income in Latin America, though it also has high income inequality. It is currently experiencing a wave of immigration, mostly from Venezuela and Haiti.
Fundación Ciudadanía Inteligente/Smart Citizenship Foundation FCI is an organization with offices in Chile and Brazil and reach across Latin America that fights for social justice, inclusion, and transformation of democracies through the development of digital tools to promote citizen participation, training activists across Latin America, and creation of communications campaigns to advocate for social policy.
Disinformation in Latin America I completed a research project on the phenomenon of disinformation and fake news in Latin America leading up to my trip to Chile to guide the organization’s future approach to the issue.
Key Takeaways from Research ● Fake news are prevalent across Latin America, particularly in Brazil, and are spread through social media platforms, especially WhatsApp. ● The term “disinformation” is the most accurate way to describe fake news, because it includes all types of harmful, misleading information. ● Disinformation is being used by a variety of actors, most often politicians and has the end of influencing elections and support for policies, often times with an anti-immigrant, racist agenda. ● Most promising solutions to the phenomenon are changing social media platforms’ algorithms,
Key Activities ● Attended meetings related to FCI projects and discussed issues of technology and politics with FCI employees. ● Learned from two Nicaraguan activists developing an anonymous online tool to report incidences of corruption in Nicaragua in collaboration with FCI ● Attended a presentation about threats of artificial intelligence to human rights. ● Attended a lecture in the School of Social Work at the Catholic University of Chile. ● Learned about the Pinochet dictatorship and human rights abuses and hopeful resistance at the Museum of Memory. ● Learned about people’s perceptions of fake news through conversations with people from Chile, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Germany at my hostel.
Reflections It was an awesome opportunity to learn about how technology and news have an impact on issues in human rights and social work. I especially appreciated the opportunity to meet with Fatima and Pedro, the NIcaraguan activists, and hear about how technology posed opportunities and threats to their activism. Sharing strategies, insight, and networks between activists in different contexts is work that I’d like to continue to support and learn about moving forward in my career.
Advice ● Be genuine and considerate in relationships. ● Be open, curious and flexible in your expectations - sometimes the most interesting experiences are unplanned. ● Read up on U.S. historic involvement in the country that you travel to to understand your role in the context you’re going into.
Acknowledgments I’d like to thank the Office of Global Activities for their financial support and Fundación Ciudadanía Inteligente for the opportunity to learn from them well as Professor Justin Hodge for his support in the project and Juri Sanchez for exploring Santiago with me!
This poster was created for the Fall 2019 Global Social Work Poster Fair
Bridging the Gaps: Reflections on Empowerment & Sustainability in Community Programming Dominique S. Crump University of Michigan School of Social Work Puerto Viejo, Talamanca, Costa Rica
Project Information
Skills Utilized & Further Developed
Puerto Viejo is located at the south-eastern tip of Costa Rica near the Panamanian border. It is surrounded by jungles with diverse wild life and the nature has been well preserved.
”Why did you go?” While in Puerto Viejo, I was privileged to volunteer with El Puente-The Bridge.
• • • •
As described on my site’s website, El Puente-The Bridge, “Puerto Viejo hosts an eclectic mix of people and cultures from around the world.” This mix includes the Indigenous Costa Ricans, Afro-Caribbean individuals, Latinxs, and international expats. The original people, the Bribri, have walked the jungles of Talamanca for millennia and the country does great and intentional work to preserve their lands and honor their customs.
This organization is committed to providing assistance in education and food security to their community members, focusing primarily on the needs of their indigenous community members, the Bribri. The goal of their program is to “provide powerful support for families working together toward self-sufficiency.” I had the opportunity to sit with the current directors and we had long conversations about sustainability of organizations, how our own biases can have an effect on our wellness, and the savior complex that many folks in helping professions have. We talked about these things all while listening to beautiful classical music and cutting up vegetables for the soup kitchen that coming weekend ( the soup kitchen happens weekly).
Andi’s shop has been a staple in the community for over 20 years. He has hundreds of items that he and other community members have crafted to allow visitors to take a piece of Puerto home with them.
Community Support Building Research Writing Practice in Entering and Exiting Communities
Classroom Connections • • • •
SW 560: Introduction to Community Organization, Management, and Policy/Evaluation Practice SW 659: Culturally-responsive practice in African American communities: Prevention and intervention strategies with racial microaggressions SW 522: Basic Social Work Research SW 713: An Africentric Approach to Practice with African American Individuals, Families and Communities
Career Connections When I was not at El Puente-The Bridge, I was mostly reading, researching, and writing. When I finally took a break, I met several jinbei drummers, the dancers who accompanied them, and many of their family and friends who joined them to celebrate during the Afro-Costa Rican festival. I learned that two of the drummers are music professors in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia areas the and three of the family-friend travelers were social workers! One of the social workers and I are connected via email and she has agreed to mentor me as I journey into the workforce and has already sent a few job opportunities in her area. Social workers are everywhere!
Lessons Learned Much of what I learned in terms of working in communities has been shared in the other sections. Something that I think social workers, and professionals in general, need to better prioritize is their own health and well-being as well as being committed to the liberation of all people and being honest about how we all perpetuate white supremacy. I had opportunities to deeply reflect on these topics during many long bus rides throughout my stay. Below are some key takeaways: 1. Get in community with like minded folks.
Experience Abroad I chose my location because I was familiar with the layout of the town already due to previously visiting the area. This allowed me to jump right into my work at El Puente – The Bridge without using a lot of my time getting acclimated to my surroundings. My experience was positive. Puerto Viejo is a relaxed, small town with kind people. I was pleased to learn that I had arrived during Afro-Costa Rican History Month! This was one of the highlights of my time, as the African Diaspora and it’s people, my people, continue to be a key component of my studies. I have a commitment to the liberation and progression of African descendants and I am pleased that the School of Social Work also sees the value in students focusing on this liberation work.
Ivon with her English tutor, John. John is from New York and has been living and teaching in Costa Rica for ten years.
Lots and lots of vegetables were chopped and this picture shows some of that beautiful chop work!
”What did You Learn?” Overall, this experience further solidified that people need the resources and information to empower themselves. The directors, Barry and Nancy, are transitioning out of their leadership role and this has impacted the community that they’ve been serving. Some folks are wondering what they’re going to do once Barry and Nancy are gone. We all agreed that empowerment, liberation, and more calculated transition plans are necessary for us to prioritize when thinking of entering and exiting communities. As a final product from this study, a website with reflections on the experiences is still under final construction and review. The link can be provided to those who desire to learn more details of this experience. “How Did this Impact Your Future Goals as a Social Worker?” This experience invigorated and made me hopeful for the limitless possibilities for me as a social worker. Thanks to this global independent study experience, I am crafting creative ways to get information to communities who do not have the same access to information as I, here in the United States – as a University of Michigan graduate student. I will be starting a podcast and YouTube channel with one of my former task supervisors from my current domestic field placement. We will discuss various topics that are relevant to the people in the community we serve and use the language and examples salient to them to empower them to help each other and themselves.
2. Reserve a minimum of 30 minutes each day for you.
Advice
3. Move your body, intentionally, every day.
My main piece of advice: be respectful of the people with whom you are working. People are not props. The only photos I submitted for this project are of individuals with whom I have a relationship or with whom I had spoken with for more than a few minutes.
4. Eat like your life depends on it (it actually does). 5. Evaluate yourself with honesty and kindness. 6. Challenge your thinking, especially if it has been indoctrinated into you versus information that you have sought out to learn as truth (cc: importance of knowing how to access valid, minimally biased (no one is unbiased), peer-reviewed research). a) It is crucial for us to own and accept that we live in a country that was colonized, led by individuals who completed mass genocide and kidnapped and enslaved African people from nations where many of their descendants do not know, and that holds whiteness as supreme. b) As social workers, we must be committed to combatting the ideals and systems that stem from the aforementioned realities of this nation. c) Eurocentric ways and systems are not the only ways and systems and are not always the best for all communities. 7. Ask the people who you serve what they want/need and listen to them. 8. Talk to yourself like you love yourself. 9. If there is not room for you at the table, build your own (ethically, without stealing and co-opting ideas and methods from Black people, Indigenous people, and other communities of color).
The Bri Bri families receiving support from El-Puente-The Bridge see people coming in and out of their community year round and few return. While I’m sure they would have obliged for photos, I urge individuals to reflect on how you are depicting people and investigate why the photo you’re looking to capture is important to you.
Acknowledgements Thank you to the Office of Student Services and the Alumni Board of Governors for your generous awards for this global independent study. Thank you to Professor Daicia Price for your support in crafting this experience. Working with you is always a pleasure. Thank you to the Office of Global Activities for your support, guidance, and kindness through this whole process. You all do a phenomenal job supporting students. This poster was created for the Fall 2019 Global Social Work Fair
The Melbourne Clinic Melbourne, Australia Jordon Drohner University of Michigan School of Social Work Melbourne, Australia Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia as well as the capital of the state, Victoria. The population of Melbourne is 4.9 million and a highly multicultural city.
Group Therapy I was tasked this past semester with conducting therapy groups for the in-patient Addictions Unit at the Melbourne Clinic. My role was to develop different topics weekly to work with the detox group in the unit. Some topics I covered with groups were; discharge planning, social roles, identity, biopsychosocial model of addiction, trauma, grief, grounding techniques, anxiety, and CBT. These groups were very important for both the patients and myself. The patients were educated and given therapy that helped them better understand their addiction. For myself, I was able to develop skills and a base of knowledge about addiction and managing group therapy.
Placement Information Field placement: I had the opportunity to be placed at the Melbourne Clinic which is a 175-patient bed facility and is Australia's largest private mental health service, providing a range of services including inpatient and day programs, an outreach program and consulting suites at three locations. I mainly worked in the addictions unit where I conducted group therapy and 1:1 individual therapy.
Agency Program Description Field Placement: The Melbourne Clinic provides mental health services in the private sector to the greater Melbourne area. Inpatient Programs and Services: • Addictive Behaviors Services • Binge Eating Disorder Program • Electroconvulsive Therapy • EMDR Program • Emotional Management Program • General Inpatient (Living Well Program) • Intensive Care Unit • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Program • The Professorial Program • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation • Young Persons Program
Skills Utilized/Developed • Therapy Both 1:1 and Group Settings • Coordination of Care between Many Different Care Teams • Psychosocial Model of Addiction
Classroom Connections I took an array of courses that prepared me for my clinical placement abroad. Some of which are: • Interpersonal Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups • Interpersonal Practice with Adults • Interpersonal Practice with Families • Health Care Policy and Service • Social Work Practice in Health Promotion • Behavioral Health and Disease Between the theoretical and practical aspects of my courses covering healthcare policy, therapeutic techniques, and delivery of service I was well informed to contribute to my placement and expand on my previous knowledge of the healthcare system and Mental Health
Lessons Learned • Group therapy is not a presentation, more an organic conversation • No matter how well you plan a group it will go where it goes, and adaptability is key • People who struggle with addiction are no different than me, addiction looks different in every person • Trauma has a massive impact on our development and coping strategies
Career Connections I received training and practice in DBT, CBT, MI, ACT, Solution Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Transactional Analysis. These modalities will serve me well in serving my clients best when I begin my career as a Medical Social Worker. Also having experience and working in another countries healthcare system has given me knew insight into ways the United States Systems functions and how it might function differently in the future.
Advice • Try not to over plan or overthink, it will all workout and if it doesn’t you will make it work • Take time to enjoy the country you are in and breath • Try to do something every weekend to maximize your time
Acknowledgments • Global Activities Scholars Program at the University of Michigan School of Social Work. • International Institute Individual Fellowships
This poster was created for the Fall 2019 Global Social Work Poster Fair
Berlin: A Tale of Two Cities Carl D. Greer University of Michigan School of Social Work
Location: Berlin, Germany
Competencies Utilized
I had the privilege of traveling to Berlin, Germany for my summer global independent field placement. Berlin, the capital of Germany, is of the largest city in the country with a population of 3.7 million (2018). The city has a reputation for being one of the largest art and party cities in the world. The city’s unique history, stemming from World War II, has fostered a culture of political and social awareness. My work took place in various settings across Berlin that include schools, community centers, a prison, and “hotspots”.
Quick Facts • Germany has the largest population and economy in the EU. The population sits at around 81 million (2018). • Berlin has the largest Turkish population outside of Turkey. • Germany’s employment rate is at 76.3% (Adult Population).
•
Engagement: Interacting with diverse individuals in various social settings (Schools, Detention Facility, and Urban “Hot Spots”)
•
Diversity: Observing the differences in the public social systems in comparison to the United States
•
Social Justice: Utilizing community praxis with individuals to develop and empower solutions
Career Connections My professional goal consists of working in the educational sector using a community-based curriculum Hearing the diverse perspectives in Berlin and observing how those perspectives make a change in a community is one of the tools I will bring to my career practice.
Connections
Global Field Agency: Gangway E.V. In the course of my three-week global field placement, I worked with Gangway E.V. Gangway E.V. works with youth and adults on the streets of Berlin. The aim is to help individuals to take their own lives in their own hands. Gangway E.V. was founded in 1990 and is funded by the Senate, district offices, and donations. There are 14 different Gangway teams across Berlin. The primary team I collaborated with was the Street College. The primary populations targeted include refugees, impoverished individuals, incarcerated individuals, and homeless individuals.
The experiences from the School of Social Work that prepared me were my SW 622 (Orientation Seminar for Community Based Initiative Scholars) course and my field placement at the James and Grace Lee Boggs School. Both of these environments were significant in developing a community empowerment based perspective for my practice methods in Berlin.
Advice •
Invest in good walking shoes
•
Familiarize yourself with the culture you are entering
•
Talk to your faculty advisor early and establish a plan
•
Prepare mentally (asking multiple reliable sources for advice, journaling, and debriefing your experiences)
Activities/Outcomes • Research on international educational paradigms in multiple settings • Community empowerment through street social work in large urban “hotspots” (Alexanderplatz, Friedrichshain, and Kruezburg) • Facilitating English workshops that developed the social capital of individuals from ages 6-26 (Gangway Street College, a local school, and at the youth detention facility, Friedrich-Olbricht Damm)
Lessons Learned •
Respecting and collaborating with one another is crucial to making a better society.
•
Social Work is a dynamic art that can impact any social domain.
•
Good education can be more accessible in the United States if we want it to be.
Acknowledgments Thank you to the Office of Global Activities and the Alumni Board of Governor for financially supporting my global field placement and Gangway E.V. for providing a life changing learning experience. Additionally, I greatly appreciate the resources and support from my field supervisor, Olad Aden, and my advisor, Dr. Larry Gant. This poster was created for the Fall 2019 Global Social Work Poster Fair
Beyond Apartheid: Effects of Racism and Oppression on Ethnic Black South Africans Hawa Hassan MSW Candidate ‘19 Global Social Work Poster Fair University of Michigan School of Social Work Global Field Agencies
Location: Durban South Africa
Meyrick Bennet Guidance Centre Individual cases are assessed with a pre-interview to determine the type of assessment the child requires, whether it is psychology, educational psychology, speech and hearing therapy or occupational therapy. Their findings show that many children’s difficulties are related to parents having challenges with balancing family and home. Meyrick Bennet supports parents to support their child struggle with mental health concerns. Intellectual challenges and developmental delays, behavioral problems, ADD, ADHD and social challenges where an element of bullying is noted and prevalent in classrooms. Most of the agencies I worked with were located in Durban, a coastal city in eastern South Africa’s KwaZuluNatal province, it is known for its African, Indian and colonial influences. Durban is the third most populous city in South Africa—after Johannesburg and Cape Town—and the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu Natal, with a population of 595,061.
University of KwaZulu Natal Social Work Discipline Worked with Masters of Social Work around research topics concerning improving the quality of life of people and the promotion of peace, human rights, equality and social justice at local, regional, national and international levels. By using theories of human behavior and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Accomplishments • •
• • Ethnic Black Population in South Africa • • •
The Black African population of South Africa is 80.2%. Black African population is at 46,682,900 (80.9%), of which 22,786,200 are male, and 23,896,700 are female. The largest ethnic group in South Africa is the Zulu and the majority of them live in KwaZulu Natal Province and Gauteng Province. The second largest is the Xhosa group; they are located in the Eastern Cape Province and Western Cape Province. South African ethnic groups are also found across South Africa's boundaries in neighboring countries.
•
Delivered a complete lesson on bullying and confidence to classes of six and seventh graders. (See activity example below) During this lesson there were deep conversations among the students and teachers. Something critical that emerged from this lesson was students dealing with bullying who were in critical need for mental health services. Completed mental health assessments and screenings for elementary and middle school students. Reviewed research with master students of social work at the University of KwaZulu Natal. Networked with many social work students, faculty, and professionals. Attended a South African Parliament hearing.
Lessons Learned
Connection Classroom: • 521 and 511: helped to prepare me in understanding different intervention and treatment modalities that I was able to practice during my time screening and assessing children and youth in South Africa. • 790: helped prepare me in in gaining practical knowledge on strength-based strategies for positive youth development and service retention. Career: This opportunity helped me solidify that I want to do global racial justice work. During my time there I was able to connect with several people that work for the United Nations and helped understand the process in attaining a job with the UN.
Social work practice clinical and macro is different in other countries but I came to find that it is all rooted in the love for humanity. • Each person is the expert on their self and each community is the expert on their needs. Social work practices in the US is not necessarily effective in another country • Racism and oppression is one of the biggest contributors to mental health in South Africa.
•
Outcome During my time primarily working with Meyrick Bennet Center and secondarily working with University of KwaZulu Natal, I had the opportunity to engage in dialogue and field work surrounding mental health practices in South Africa more specifically practices tailored for native Zulu people. Using both western modalities and interventions as well as cultural and spiritual practices to bring culturally appropriate interventions to children and youth in need of mental health services.
Advice • • • • • • •
Get to know the people around you, make connections- sometimes it becomes lifelong friendships. Ask permission when you want to take a photo of someone or something that belongs to someone. Be proactive to learn most common used phrases. Time flies! Plan your days! Research the organization you will be placed at. Document your journey! Journaling, blogging, vlogging, etc., anything to help you remember cherished moments. Create a list of places you want to see and things you want to do- and do it!
Acknowledgements Thank you to OGA and Alumni Board of Governors for funding this opportunity. Thanks to Professor John-Langba for coordinating and ensuring a successful study. Thank you to my mentor Dr. Ngcobo in South Africa for facilitating my research. Thank you to all the agencies and University of KwaZulu Natal for graciously hosting us. A special gratitude to Professor Sandra Momper for making this trip a reality.
Israel: Migration Policy and Practice Mary Kay Hazel University of Michigan School of Social Work
Community Eritrean asylum seekers
Location •
•
Israel • Founded 1948; territory expanded 1967 • Controls West Bank and Gaza (Palestinian Territories); Golan Heights (also claimed by Syria) • World’s only majority Jewish country Haifa • • • •
Third largest city in Israel (pop. 283,640) Largest “mixed” Jewish-Arab city in Israel 23.4 percent of residents are new immigrants (arrived since 1990) Ancient port city: working-class reputation
Migrant caregivers for the elderly Refugeeserving nonprofit
Activities
Outputs
Outcomes
• Community organizing • Collaborative program design and implementation • Education capacity building and connection to resources • Outreach and relationship-building between city officials and community leaders • Follow-on planning
• Six community meetings • Two-week education program for 39 children, ages 4-8 • School readiness program for 10 children entering first grade • Recruitment and management of 65 Israeli volunteers • 86 hours of educational activities • Debrief meeting with city leaders to plan next steps
• Built trust with community: delivered program of value • Fostered relationships between children, families, and community volunteers • Convinced city leaders of need for future tailored programming • Identified specific cases needing intervention
• • • • •
• • • • •
• • Community engagement Needs assessment Policy research Program design and implementation Follow-on planning
• •
• Needs assessment Volunteer supervision Strategy development Fundraising research Capacity building
• • •
Takeaways
• Strengthened community ties Four focus groups between migrant workers Six-week empowerment program • Built trust between caregivers and for group of 10 participants, staff customized to support individual and • Increased caregiver perceptions of collective goals control and decreased feelings of Four stress-relieving activities and stress outings for caregivers • Generated data and strategy for future Collaborative road map for future programming to improve caregivers’ engagement working lives Management of four volunteer interns over six weeks Foundational documents, including needs assessment, strengths map, and organizational profile Grants database Fundraising strategy and timeline
•
Skills • Engaging, assessing, collaborating with communities • Fostering trust between government and communities
•
Lessons Learned • Interactions between national and local policy • Gaps between policy and practice • Crucial importance of framing work and presenting to the right people • Power of creativity and resourcefulness in government work
• Improved organization’s ability to identify and apply for funding • Increased efficiency of internal management processes • Clarified organization’s goals • Built leadership’s capacity to manage an independent nonprofit
Placement: Municipality of Haifa • •
New mayor in late 2018 Accountable to national legislative and executive bodies
•
Department of Community Social Work • Works directly with citizens to address specific needs • Supports residents in organizing to improve their neighborhoods • Major work areas: community, employment, volunteers
Connections •
•
Classroom • Evaluation: needs assessments, monitoring, logic models • Research: context and policy research
Advice • • •
Career • Policy: how policy is translated into real-world impacts on vulnerable communities • Global context: firsthand knowledge of a region of the world with massive historical, cultural, and political importance
Acknowledgements
Heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Katie Lopez and the Global Field Office; Khaireyah Khamra and the Haifa Municipality; Rebecca Hecht and the University of Haifa; UM School of Social Work Alumni Board of Governors; UM International Institute; UM Frankel Center for Judaic Studies; UM International Center
Do as much research as possible in advance Don’t leave any money on the table: apply for all possible sources of funding Explore the city and meet people early in the placement: it will go quicker than you think!
Location: Durban, South Africa
Power and Oppression in South Africa Post-Apartheid Advice: ● Journal daily so you can reflect on Tiana Hickson, MSW your journey once back in the states! time to learn the culture prior to University of Michigan-10-07-2019-GIS Poster Session ● Take engaging with the community, and if
Global Field Agencies:
CONNECTION: Classroom:
● SW 625 and 630 prepared me for working
Majority of my time was spent in Durban, a coastal city in eastern South Africa in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Durban, formerly known as Port Natal, is the largest city of the KwaZulu-Natal province, and the third largest city in South Africa. Durban is home to nearly 600,00 people who identify as African, Indian, White, and Colored*. *Note: Colored is a term used in South Africa for persons of mixed ancestry.
Fun Facts:
● Over 51% of the residents identify as Black South African, followed by Indians/ Asian (25%), then White (15.3%), and Colored (8.6%). ● The largest ethnic group in Durban are the Zulus. The official language is English; however, the native language is Zulu. ● Durban is home to the Mahatma Gandi museum (pictured below).
Meyrick Bennet Child & Family Guidance Centre: The Meyrick Bennett center is a non-profit organization that offers psychosocial-spiritual support to individual children and their families. The Meyrick Bennett Center finds that community-based intervention mechanisms are just as important, if not more, than individual counseling services. Additionally, the Meyrick Bennett Center’s affiliates notes that poor mental health is linked to on-going bullying within the schools.
with children who had experienced severe trauma. I was able to complete an assessment, a well as provide therapeutic services to child victims of abuse. Career: ● After exploring South Africa’s policies and procedures, I solidified my plans to become an entrepreneur in the non-profit sector. One action step I plan to take is building a youth center that offers financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills classes. The organization will focus on policies that directly affect their communities and taking political action. The development of this plan is set to occur in the year 2023.
Outcomes: As a result, we were able to present to students between second and fifth grade on the psychological dangers of bullying, as well as preventative measures. The students planned, organized and presented on a skit during class on preventative measures, as well as intervention methods to stop bullying behaviors within the school. University of KwaZulu-Natal Discipline of Social Work: I had the opportunity to meet with Master of Social Work students, as well as Doctoral students whose research involved abuse and neglect of Black South African “house help,” human sex trafficking in the form of “sugar-daddies”, and violence against refugees in South Africa. Outcomes: Masters students presented on their research to the entire faculty where we reviewed their research and offered feedback. As a result, I acquired skills and strategies for presenting or performing in front of an audience.
you don’t know something, ASK! ● Be careful not to apply Westernized theories and practices to the communities in which you work in. ● Be authentically you! ● Network, as you will encounter some of the most precious people in informal ways.
Acknowledgments: I would like to thank OGA for accepting
Accomplishments:
● Visited Cape Mental Health, located in Cape Town. Cape MH is a mental health agency that services marginalized Cape Town residents. We visited three locations who provided services to children and adults with severe intellectual disabilities. ● Toured South Africa’s government (parliament) and observed a legislative hearing. ● Provided mental health services to children with traumatic experiences.
my application for the global independent study. Without your hard work and dedication I would not have experienced this amazing journey. Thank you Dr. Sandra Momper for met with me countless times and spent countless hours ensuring that my project was close to perfect. I would also like to thank Dr. John-Langba for arranging a safe and comfortable stay in Durban, and providing us with a wonderful schedule filled with events to facilitate our learning. I would like to extend my gratitude to all of the donors for providing financial assistance! Last but not least, I would like to thank all of the wonderful people I met in South Africa for making my trip an unforgettable experience! It is my hope that the Global office will continue to bless students with the opportunity to travel abroad!
Salvation Army’s Migrant Center in Oslo, Norway Candace Hoitenga University of Michigan School of Social Work Oslo, Norway • My field placement at the Migrant Center was in Oslo, Norway, which is the capital. • Norway is a Scandinavian country located in Northern Europe. • Norway is a half capitalistic, half democratic socialist society and as a result, they have an extensive welfare system.
Agency/Community Partner
Interning at the Migrant Center
Salvation Army is a nonprofit that is found throughout Norway, Europe, and the world. The Migrant Center is a new program to serve the increasing migrant population in Oslo.
Roles: • Build rapport and form relationships with multicultural client base and staff members • Help with kitchen and shower management. • Assist with client registration • Assist clients with casework tasks, such as purchasing plane tickets, referring to outside resources, etc.
Clients are migrants that do not have Norwegian documents. Many are homeless and work on the streets to earn money to send back to their families. Others move to Norway to find jobs and work.
• that attempting to speak someone else’s language goes a long way when building rapport. • that working with a multicultural staff can be difficult but worth it as I have never learned so much. • that a lot of learning can be done outside of the field placement with the right connections.
Skills Utilized/Developed
A huge thank you to the donors of the Global Activities Scholarship Program..
• Seminar comparing immigration in the U.S. to immigration in the E.U. • School Visit • Discussion with a Child Welfare Worker • International and interdisciplinary Conference on working with children
Lessons Learned
• Immigration to Norway has only started about 20 years ago.
Acknowledgments
Other Learning Opportunities
• Learned how to build rapport and form relationships with clients that do not speak the same language and that are not from the same culture. • Further developed leadership and management skills as being the “Lead Person” that was in charge some days. • Managed and resolved cross cultural conflicts and misunderstandings
Advice • Explore as much as you can the city that you are in. • Take opportunities to learn outside of your field placement. • Be prepared to spend a lot of money on food and housing.
This poster was created for the Fall 2014 Global Social Work Poster Fair
Exploring how community based organizations tackle the issue of gentrification Stuart Diego Inahuazo University of Michigan School of Social Work LOCATION: London, United Kingdom
Placement/Project Information
Skills Utilized while in London
Population: 66 million (2017) Capital: London
The purpose of the Global Independent Study was to understand how Latin-American migrants have been dealing with a variety of issues that have emerged from the decision of the UK to leave the European Union. This would evolve into working with community organizations on how Latin American communities have been dealing with the issue of “urban regeneration” otherwise known as gentrification.
As a future macro-practitioner, I was able to begin improving my skills in the following areas: 1. Conducting survey and key informant interviews with stakeholders in the community 2. Working on community proposals and involving the community members 3. Research 4. Communication with members of community in order to make sure I was able to gain their trust as I am an outsider who came in to volunteer with Save Latin Village.
One of the most developed countries in the world, the UK has a diverse community within its capital London. Including housing a large Latin-American population. Latino(a)(x)/Hispanic=Latin American • Those that identify as someone from a Latin American country identify themselves as Latin American.
History of Latin Americans in UK According to a 2011 census, Latin Americans were reported to have a population of around 186,000 in the UK of which nearly 145,000 reside in London. Latin-Americans have become a significant part of the population in London and has only recently been added as a category for monitoring community participation in 2016. • However, not all the boroughs in London have continued to include Latin American as a category.
Agency/Community Partner Save Latin Village • Organization that has been working with a variety of different entities to ensure the existence of the Seven Sisters Indoor Market Seven Sisters Market • Has over 40 different stores of various different Latin American countries • Is part of a network that includes traders, the Tottenham city council, as well as a think tank working to support a community plan to keep the market active.
Outcomes During my time with Latin Village, I was able to conduct survey work alongside with the traders of the market to provide further evidence of the market’s cultural significance. Learned through key informant interviews their perspective on the current “urban regeneration” that is happening in Tottenham and how a community based organization has been able to work alongside other agencies to keep the market from being shut down.
Classroom Connections The class I can think of that has been pivotal in my learning experience while I was abroad in London was SW 560. I was able to conduct a community assessment in which I spoke with stakeholders of the organization through key informant interviews which would later be presented to the organization. I learned how to engage with a client as well as ensuring I had the permission to speak with them and collect data relevant to the work I was doing.
Lessons Learned I felt that this experience was what I needed to confirm the type of work I want to do-community practice on both a domestic and global level. As a macro practitioner, I want to engage in a way that combines my passion for policy advocacy, research, and community integration. I learned to begin adapting these ideas through survey work and through meetings with members of the market] and I realized how much I enjoy doing so with a global lens aspect.
Career Connections As a macro practitioner, I want to engage in a way that combines my passion for policy advocacy, research, and community integration. I learned to begin adapting these ideas through survey work and through meetings with members of the market] and I realized how much I enjoy doing so with a global lens aspect.
Advice For those planning on conducting a Global independent Study, my advice is to not be afraid when choosing the place to go. I was afraid going somewhere unknown, but if helps build your passion for social work, I say do it. Also make sure that the site you go to will see you as an outsider and it’s your job to make sure you work on their time not yourstheir perspectives will help you so much along the way.
Acknowledgments I would like to say thank you to the School of Social Work and the Alumni Board of Governors for giving me the funding necessary to go to the United Kingdom. I would like to particular, thank Dr. Lorrain Gutierrez. You provided great mentorship and support both at U of M and in London. I am forever grateful for your support.
The Perils of Youth Justice and Strategies for the Future: A Comparative Analysis of the US and UK Tiana Jones University of Michigan School of Social Work Location
Connections Project Information
My project took place in the United Kingdom in London, England. England was the first place in which juvenile courts were established and where many U.S. practices originated.
My global independent study was centered around addressing and analyzing effective strategies for juvenile justice reform. My primary goal was to understand how the two systems differentiate in function, demographics, policies, interventions and outcomes. Key Questions: ● What does involvement in this system look like? ● Is there disproportionality in contact/arrest? ● What are best practices used to divert youth from the system?
Skills Utilized/Developed In the process of planning and executing my project, I was able to use a variety of social work skills. Much of my project required connecting with people and thinking about big picture reform. The following are examples of skills utilized: ● Conducting Informant/Key Stakeholder Interviews ● Critical Thinking/Analysis ● Active Listening
Community Partners While in London, I met with four different organizations that are involved in the youth justice field in various ways. Many of these agencies are nonprofits that work directly with offenders and families or practitioners and/or courts. These organizations and agencies are: ● ● ● ●
Wipers Youth Westminster Youth Offending Team Centre for Justice Innovation Words of Wisdom for Young People
Classroom: I’ve taken a mini-course and semester long course in juvenile justice while in the MSW program. These courses helped shape my project in that I was able to do research on specific aspects of the juvenile justice system such as disproportionality. Career: This project gave me direction into the work that I want to do in my career and specifically in what capacity. It was reaffirming and allowed me to connect with people in the youth justice field who are doing what I ultimately want to do.
Advice Outcomes
Lessons Learned
Using the interviews, organizational resources and information from literary sources such as “Youth Crime and Justice” (Goldson & Muncie), I decided to write a comparative analysis on the two systems with a specific focus on the experiences of youth of color and BAME youth.
● Youth of color are disproportionately represented in the youth justice system in both the U.K. and U.S. ● Politics or public response has a significant impact on the direction of the youth justice system in both the U.K. and U.S. ● An integrated approach is an effective practice to equitably addressing the needs of youth. ● The US and UK are both addressing similar issues within the youth justice realm, and both countries have people, organizations and leadership working to address these issues.
As a result of my project, I learned a lot about the history and current state of youth justice in the United Kingdom. I was also able to get connected internationally with youth justice experts that will aid in future research and academic efforts.
● Timing is EVERYTHING- One thing I would definitely change is the time I allowed myself to prepare for the trip and to take the trip. Even if your project is a month or two weeks, allow yourself adequate time to prepare beforehand and to wrap things up afterwards. ● Do the Touristy Things- Taking time to explore the country is just as important as the project itself. I think it adds valuable context in understanding the culture and people. ● Utilize OGA- The Office of Global Activities offers a lot of valuable resources and information when planning and preparing for your trip. Take advantage of it because it will help!
Acknowledgments This project would not have been possible without the support of the Office of Global Activities, my faculty advisor Justin Hodge, and my new London contacts, Carmen Robin-D’Cruz, Charlene Cole, Sammy Obi, and Westminster YOT.
Women and Trekking in High Altitude Regions of Nepal Global Independent Study Alanna N. Kaiser, MSW ‘19 University of Michigan School of Social Work
Social Work Connections Academic Outcomes Understanding women’s roles in the trekking industry is key to promoting equitable development, particularly as involvement in this industry can be a source of economic empowerment for many women. The trekking industry in Nepal is historically (and currently) male-dominated, but an influx of female Classroom Connections: guides and women-owned businesses along well-traveled routes is contributing to a cultural shift toward gender equality. This is heavily related to P.O.D.S topics from SW504, SW691, and SW647. This project gave me a chance to dig into an industry that I am passionate about and have Career extensive work experience in in a new cultural context. In the future, I anticipate that the Connections: communication skills and global experience that I developed during this trip will help me as I work with diverse communities on a variety of social issues.
Skills Developed:
Final Product:
• Key Informant Interviewing • Focus Group Facilitation • Cross-Cultural Communication My final academic product for this project is a hard-back photo journal, in which I include background research, journal entries, a summary of the project findings, and pictures from the trip.
Outcomes
Project Goal & Summary • The purpose of my Global Independent Study was to learn about the role that women play in the trekking industry in high-altitude regions of Nepal. • Over the course of three weeks in Nepal, I interviewed four female trekking guides about their experiences in the industry. I also spent a week hiking with one female guide, Tsering Sherpa, to see the high-altitude trekking industry in action. • The project was motivated by my interest in gender dynamics in the outdoor adventure industry, as well as my interest in the intersection of the economic and development implications of Nepal’s growing tourism sector.
Select Findings:
• Women that were interviewed for this project were primarily motivated to pursue careers in the trekking industry by their sense of adventure and desire to travel. Proximity to trekking routes and family members in the industry were also factors that influenced their decision to become guides. • A major challenge that the women faced was dealing with menstruation while in the backcountry. Periods are a taboo subject in Nepal, and pose both physical and social challenges for the women operating in a male-dominated field. • Community members are generally supportive of women in the trekking industry, though often skeptical. One woman that I interviewed leads trips in secret while her husband is away, because he is not supportive of her travelling alone. • It is important to note that women’s role in the trekking industry is not limited to guiding. Opportunities for women to reap benefits of the tourism economy also include owning and or staffing tea houses, outfitters, and other small businesses along well-traveled routes.
Acknowledgements
Advice
Nepal: Country Context Nepal is a land-locked country in Southeast Asia, located between India and China. It is home to eight of the fourteen highest mountains in the world, including Mt. Everest, in the Himalayas. For this project, I spent time in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city. I also spent a week trekking in the Annapurna Conservation Area, the country’s largest protected area.
This project would not have been possible without the generous support of the U-M SSW Office of Global Activities. Many thanks to Katie Schultz, Assistant Professor, and Tony Alvarez, LEO Lecturer III for their time and guidance throughout the project. Finally, the biggest thank you to Tsering Sherpa, Lhakpa Doma Sherpa, Ang Diku Sherpa, Dafuti Sherpa, Pasang Sherpa, and Wongchhu Peak Promotion for their time, friendship, and care throughout my time in Nepal.
This poster was created for the Fall 2019 Global Social Work Poster Fair
• Expect the unexpected, and be flexible. Whether it be a cultural ceremony that conflicts with your pre-scheduled meetings or an abundance of leeches stuck to your legs, international travel is bound to bring surprises, and it is best to go with the flow. • Seek out authentic experiences. Rather than following the beaten path of tourist attractions, build relationships with locals and learn about the country through their eyes. Approach these relationships and conversations with cultural humility, and be open to the beauty and the challenges that these conversations will inevitably bring.
Everyone Dies the Same: A Hospice Comparison Rachel Kehren University of Michigan School of Social Work Location: St Albans, England St Albans is a city about 20 miles north of London, England. This area was once the Roman city of Verlamion, but is now known as a wealthy, historic town within the London commuter belt.
Placement: Rennie Grove Hospice My field placement is currently at Michigan Medicine in the Adult Palliative Care Consult Team where I treat patients with life-limiting and chronic illnesses from the point of diagnosis all the way to hospice/end-of-life. I wanted to be placed at a hospice so that I could start to understand how English citizens view death and what it means to be living with a chronic illness. Rennie Grove Hospice is unique because it doesn’t offer residential hospice, only home and day hospice. •They provide one or more services to over 2,500 people each year •Team of over 1,500 volunteers •Run 22 Charity Shops/”Thrift Stores” •Rely on over 8.1 million pounds of donations each year (9.9 million dollars)
Hospice in the U.S. • Views of Hospice – often signifies “giving up,” so many people underutilize it • Funding – insurance, grants, partial funding from donations • Services Provided – residential and home hospice, PT, OT, “respite care”, counselling • Day Hospice – almost non-existent
Hospice in the UK • Views of Hospice – equivalent to dying, which people are generally afraid of • Funding – donations, grants, volunteers, minimal NHS funding • Services Provided – residential and home hospice, day hospice, complementary therapies, PT, OT, “respite care”, bereavement support • Day Hospice – all day outpatient hospice services where patients socialize with other patients, check-in with nurses, and participate in a variety of activities
Skills Utilized/Developed • • • • • •
Assessment Engagement Critical Thinking Cultural Humility Professional Identity Research
Classroom Connections • SW 630 – During this integrated health course, I read and discussed theories of grief, chronic illness, and the social work role. It’s hard to re-create clinical work in the classroom, but it helped provide me with the theoretical framework of what factors to consider when working with these populations. • SW 530 – I learned about the U.S. healthcare system through this course and reflected on the impact different insurances can have on people. It helped me have a more thorough reflection on the social justice implications of health insurance during my study. • SW 691 – My field placement in Palliative Care has increased my comfort level working with individuals nearing end-of-life. I felt prepared to see and interact with patients at this hospice agency and had a great understanding of the philosophy behind hospice.
Outcomes •
Academic Reflection: I wrote a paper outlining the major differences in how people in the U.S. and UK view death, fund hospice, and serve terminally ill people.
•
Rennie Grove Newsletter: I wrote a personal
•
Lessons Learned • It doesn’t matter where people are born, what language they speak, or what cultural practices, values or beliefs they hold; everyone dies the same.
Blog: I created a blog to document my experience.
• All humans are connected by the natural body processes that we all undergo as we are brought into this world and as we leave it.
I detailed the different areas of my hospice agency that I shadowed and reflected on the differences I was observing from my U.S. experiences.
• It’s the practices, beliefs, and rituals in which these events take place that differentiate us.
reflection for their organization’s newsletter.
Pictured here is the ”quiet room” at Rennie Grove where patients or employees can go to meditate, relax, take a break, listen to music, etc.
Career Connections During my trip, I received feedback that I showed a lot of interest in learning from all members of this organization and was really engaged. As I start my career, I plan on continuing to learn from the people I engage with and appreciate new perspectives. I also hope to find a career in palliative care or hospice.
Advice •Take advantage of this kind of opportunity and apply it to something you’re interested in. •Don’t give up — it took me over 6 months to finalize my placement and everything worked out great. •Be detail-oriented when you’re planning. It will take a lot of the stress and uncertainty away if you have a good agenda set for you.
Acknowledgments: This independent study would not have been possible without the support of the Office of Global Activities and my advisor, Debra Mattison. I also could not have done this without the two woman at Rennie Grove, Poppy Ward-Montgomery and Fenella Campa, who provided me with this opportunity.
Youth Development in the Kingdom of eSwatini Johanna Keller (RPCV 2017-2019) University of Michigan School of Social Work Master’s International Program Location: Ekukhanyeni, Manzini Region, Eswatini.
Global Field Placement
Classroom Connection
The first two years of my Peace Corps service, most of my work was done within Ekukhanyeni Highschool. I taught English literacy and acted as a teacher’s aide. I also worked closely with the school counselor and taught life skills classes. A year into my service, I started the first girls soccer team and the high school. I spent other free time at the preschool assisting the teacher with lesson planning and working as a teacher’s aide.
SW625: Interpersonal Practice with Children and Youth This course really helped me in preparation for my service. The course highlighted risk and protective factors and how they relate to coping mechanisms and resiliency. This course informed me of many evidence based interventions used with children and adolescents based on the social context.
Recommendations The Kingdom of eSwatini is a small country landlocked by South Africa. It is home to 1.2 million people. The official language is Siswati. The country is predominantly Christian.
• •
Relevant Facts • • •
• •
The country is one of the last standing absolute monarchies eSwatini gained independence in 1968 Formerly known as Swaziland until King Mswati III changed the name to eSwatini in April of 2018 eSwatini has the highest prevalence of HIV in the world at about 26% According to UNICEF, more than 200,000 people are living with HIV in eSwatini and around 17,000 children are exposed to HIV at birth yearly.
• •
Grassroots Soccer Grassroots soccer is a non-profit organization that originated in Zambia. It is an adolescent health organization that uses the popularity of soccer to educate at-risk youth in developing countries. It promotes healthy living and inspires adolescents to become leaders within their community. I used Grassroots soccer as a way to create conversation around sexual health and HIV education. It was a fun way to engage the youth in speaking about very sensitive issues that they may be facing. Our soccer club met every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday to talk about important issues the youth dealt with followed by soccer scrimmaging and training.
Educate yourself as much as possible on the country you plan to serve in. Learn the language. There is no better way to get through to an individual than speaking their first language. Find support in country. This could be host country nationals or other volunteers but make sure you have a support system of some sort Do not compare yourself to other volunteers and their work. You are an individual with unique, invaluable skills.
Home Life My host family was very big. We had over 20 people on our homestead which included many small children. It was amazing to have children around because they express themselves through play. This is a language we could both speak and use to form bonds. During service you can feel isolated being out of your comfort zone and surrounded by individuals who do not speak your first language. The kids on my homestead made my experience a lot less lonely and filled with love.
Acknowledgements A special thank you to friends and family who supported me while being so far away from home. To all the individuals who donated to my “paint the preschool” project. I would also like to thank my Rockstar counterparts (pictured above) Mr. Mcamiso Dlamini and Miss. Shakila Mukasa. You are the reason Grassroots continues today in Ekukhanyeni. You have passion for your community and your country and you were my good friends and support system while I was abroad.
Investigating and Documenting UK Best Practices for Supporting Adults With Specific Learning Disabilities (LDs) Dwight Richardson Kelly University of Michigan School of Social Work Detail of the door of the Adult Dyslexia Centre, Thames Valley in Maidenhead, UK
Location: England, United Kingdom • England is a constituent country within the United Kingdom, a country of 66 million people in western Europe. I traveled to several cities and villages in the Southeast of England to carry out my research and fieldwork. • England has a well-developed “socialized” social welfare system, which was of interest for this project because of how it supports people with disabilities including those with specific learning disabilities. • The UK is internationally known for its excellence in supporting those with specific learning disabilities, which I experienced first-hand when I studied abroad there during my undergraduate education.
About Specific Leaning Disabilities Specific learning disabilities (LDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders that occur in between 10% and 20% of the population. They characteristically impair learning in such areas as reading, writing, and math. While LDs are commonly thought of as problems of childhood, in fact, they are life-long disabilities, which impact on adults in very significant ways. According to the National Center on Learning Disabilities, individuals with LDs currently attend college at half the national average, face over fifty percent unemployment, and are included among a third of all incarcerated people in the United States. Behavioral health problems frequently co-occur with LDs. Warning: this poster may contain dyslexic spelling!
Goals: 1. Conduct a qualitative interview study to find out how UK LD practitioners conceptualize the work they do with their adult clients with LDs. 2. Film a simulated session demonstrating how UK LD professionals work with their adult clients with LDs 3. Visit, observe, and engage with UK-based organizations, clinics, and individual practitioners who are working with adults with LDs. Try to understand: • Their methods of practice and practice models • The policies that support and hinder them • How their best practices can be translated to a US context
Participants and Outcomes • I conducted individual and focus group interviews with research participants in Southeast England • I visited the following organizations: • Adult Dyslexia Centre, Thames Valley (Maidenhead) • GroOops: Dyslexia Aware Counselling (London) • Genius Within: Neurodiversity Solutions (East Sussex) • I worked with a British LD practitioner to devise and film a training video on how to work with adults with LDs
Ongoing Work: • This fall, I will analyse the results of the qualitative interviews and hope to publish the results (contact me if you are interested in helping!) • I will also be editing the training video
Skills Utilized/Developed During this experience, I: • Gained experience in designing and carrying out a qualitative research study • Engaged with international organizations and practitioners • Listened to community stakeholders * Learned more about the policy environment in the UK and how it has shaped current practices in the field of LDs.
This photo shows the Oxfordshire ADHD Support Group banner flying in front of St. Leonards Church Hall outside Oxford, UK
Career Connections Classroom Connections • SW683: Evaluation in Social Work • This course provided a basic overview of research methods which I was able to build on when investigating how to design and carry out a qualitative research study • SW511/521: Social Work Practice Classes • These courses gave me the idea of making a training video of a simulated LD support session and helped me to develop the simulated clients that I portrayed in the simulation • SW530 and SW637: Social Work Policy Classes • These classes helped me critically evaluate and understand the UK policies I encountered and learned about
Lessons Learned • Most people are eager to share of their time and expertise if you show interest and seek them out • UK practitioners, at least in the field of LDs, are interested in engaging with counterparts in the US. • If you are doing a research study, start your IRB early, especially if you are doing so within the European Union due to additional requirements of GDPR! • Britons like to take expansive “holidays” (ie vacations) in August. Americans should promptly follow their example.
• I learned a great deal about qualitative research methods which I hope to expand on and apply again • I formed some professional connections with I hope to maintain as I move forward in my career • I learned a lot about UK best practices for LDs which I would like to put in practice in the US
Advice • If traveling to developed countries with advanced telecommunication technologies, think carefully about why you need to travel there in-person. Focus your time abroad doing and seeing things you can’t do remotely • If you are doing a research study, start your IRB early, especially if you are doing so within the European Union due to additional requirements of GDPR! • Network with other students doing IRBs to avoid reinventing the wheel.
Acknowledgments Thank you to all those who participated in my research and the individuals and organizations who allowed me to visit them. Much thanks to the OGA for the funding and Kaisha, in particular, for all her help going back a year. Thanks to Rich Tolman for advising this project with his consistent encouragement and support. Thanks also to Deborah Schild for her patience and expertise on the IRB. Finally my thanks to Kat Hayward for hosting me and being such a good friend.
This poster was created for the Fall 2019 Global Social Work Poster Fair
The Well-being of Chinese older adults (with dementia) in the United Kingdom Patrick Ho Lam Lai University of Michigan School of Social Work Location: United Kingdom London, Birmingham, and Manchester are the three cities I visited for this research study
Community Partners London Chinese Community Centre, Islington Chinese Association, Chinese National Healthy Living Centre, Chinese Community Centre – Birmingham, Birmingham Chinese Society, Wai Yin Society, Chinese Health Information Centre
Project Information Preparation: literature review, research proposal, emails to community agencies, consent forms and interview questions in Simplified, and Traditional Chinese and English versions. Research Output: 1. community outreaching to 22 agencies 2. interviewing 22 older adults (including with dementia), 1 family member and 9 community professionals Other Learning Experiences: 1. having lunch with older adults in two agencies 2. live radio recording in Manchester 3. making dim-sum with Chinese older adults 4. assisting a community art project “To the moon”, such as facilitating older adults to brainstorm things related to the moon
Factors Affecting Well-Being In the interviews, older adults and family members mentioned that the following factors affecting their wellbeing: language (n=20), physical health (n=17), friends (n=15), community support (n=15), cognitive level (n=12), family (n=7), discrimination (n=3), and transportation (n=1).
Advice
Skills Developed Community Outreach: Building relationships with community partners is an important skill I have developed. This skill can help me seek research opportunities from different agencies. Qualitative Research: Research skills are developed, including research design, qualitative data collection, data analysis, These skills are important for evaluating the programs and discovering the needs of the clients, in my social work practice in the future. Project Management: Time, resources and manpower are limited in social welfare sectors. I have developed skills to manage social work project to achieve the goals on time。
Career Connections This global independent experience is important to develop my research interests and skills, in order to help me pursue a PhD in my future. I discovered that the wellbeing of Chinese older adults is one of my research interests. The findings in this research will be something I want to do follow-up research on.
Potential Future Research Topics
Classroom Connections Interpersonal Practice Skills Laboratory (SW511) and Interpersonal Practice with Individuals, Families, and Small Groups (SW521) equipped me with the interpersonal skills to build relationships and conduct interviews with older adults, family members, and community professionals. Adulthood and Aging (SW616) helped me understand the psychosocial development and changes of older adults. This understanding helped me design this research study on the well-being of Chinese older adults in facing their aging process. Basic Social Work Research (SW522) trained me with data skills in developing this global research. Introduction to Community Organization, Management and Policy / Evaluation Practice (SW560) built my skills on conducting community outreaching to recruit subjects in this research.
1. Difference on life situation and well-being of Mandarin speakers and Cantonese speakers in the UK.
Acknowledgements
Snowball effect: Developing relationships with community partners is important and they may help connect to more agencies and recruit subjects.
2. Is language barrier the most important factor affecting the well-being of Chinese older adults in non-Chinese society?
Seeking help: Using different methods to seek help from community agencies is the key to conduct a global study. These methods include emails, phone-calls and walk-in.
3. The relationship between the impacts from friends and Thank you Professor Lydia Li for advice on preparing and implementing this research project. from family members on the well-being of Chinese older adults in the UK. This poster was created for the Fall 2014 Global Social Work Poster Fair
Thank you to the Office of Global Activities, School of Social Work for financially supporting my research project.
CASC Global Experience in Chennai, India Sophee Langerman and Caylin Luebeck University of Michigan School of Social Work Chennai, India Chennai is one of the largest cities in India, located off the coast of the Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu. Tamil, Hindi, Arabic and English were all spoken regularly. Although Hinduism is considered the largest religion in India, Tamil Nadu has a relatively large Muslim and Christian population compared to the Northern states of India. During our stay, Chennai was experiencing a severe water crisis.
Field Sites MCC has several field partners in various social institutions. These partners focus on a variety of social issues including but not limited to: economic development, gender development, LGBTQ empowerment, support for indigenous and environmental advocacy. relevant information about your experience. However, transportation was not always safe, timely or accessible and caused a major barrier in accessing these sites.
Placement/Project Information Field placement: Madras Christian College in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India Special Studies: During our field placement, we were also given the opportunity to engage with course material in the classroom by attending courses taught by MCC faculty.
Madras Community College of MCC Field Placement: Madras Community College is sponsored by the main MCC campus. This is a community college for students with disadvantaged backgrounds, either economically, socially or culturally. The intent is to give the students occupational training in either computer services or nursing programs to enhance their economic outlook. Special Populations: We engaged with adolescent students from the community college on a variety of topics relating to life skills such as: confidence, communication and intercultural exchange.
Outcomes Field Placement: We exchanged with students our age, and learned important skills for the future. Special Studies: We were able to have a dialogue on social and political issues in both India and the United States.
Skills Utilized ● Perseverance in extreme temperatures and long distances traveled with few opportunities to eat ● Flexibility, schedules are very loosely planned in Chennai and often times people are late due to transportation or various other reasons, so it is important to avoid strict schedules because plans often fall through ● Cross cultural communication, in each new setting there are different customs that we had to adapt to such as the gender differences and language barriers
Classroom Connections ● During our time, we were able to connect both content from within CASC and then within our individual studies to the material we were engaging in while abroad. ● We considered the sustainability of our specific projects, and how to enter and exit vulnerable communities with respect.
Lessons Learned ● We learned a lot about the reality of impact in working with more vulnerable communities, as well as the sustainability of programs that exist so far removed from our individual contexts. ● We learned a lot about not only the water crisis in our location, but the importance of having access to clean, drinkable water all over. ● We learned about the differences in higher education systems in our community and others.
Career Connections ● Within the field of social work, we were able to identify macro and micro areas of international work. ● Within our individual programs, we identified other areas of international work, such as global health and ethnographic research.
Advice ● It’s extremely hot, it is important to pack lots of water and snacks ● Indian culture is quite different so acknowledge your challenges and when you can reflect or decompress do so ● Be aware of the role you play in the organizations and site visits you attend as an outsider
Acknowledgments We would like to thank the Department of Community Action and Social Change, and the Office of Global Activities within the University of Michigan School of Social Work.
This poster was created for the Fall 2019 Global Social Work Poster Fair
Global Field Placement with a Norwegian Nonprofit Mia Lehman University of Michigan School of Social Work
Oslo, Norway
Kirkens Bymisjon - Church City Mission
A Norwegian nonprofit organization with a variety of programs all over the country aimed at providing social services to different social identity groups including sex workers and migrants/individuals with substance use concerns experiencing homelessness. The Norwegian welfare state extends only to Scandinavian citizens, therefore Church City Mission is one of only three organizations in Oslo that provides services and temporary housing for those who have no legal rights in the country. Programs include a weekend soup kitchen, a cafĂŠ that is run by social workers and provides healthy, cheap, hot meals, and an emergency shelter which can house 79 individuals (woman and couples). The staff is very diverse, with workers from Norway as well as Romania, Hungary and Uganda.
Oslo is the capital of Norway, a Scandinavian country in northern Europe nestled next to Sweden to its west and vast coast lines to its east, touching the Norwegian and North seas. It has a population of 5.2 million and is a half capitalist, half democratic socialist society. It has an extensive welfare state and English is spoken by most, along with Norwegian. It has indigenous Sami people, although most Norwegians are ethnically Nordic. It is not part of the European Union (EU) but it is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA) which allows EU citizens to live in the country as migrant workers.
Choice
Because of Norway’s EEA membership, the migrant workers in the country have provided ethnic, racial and socioeconomic diversity to Oslo’s demographics. This creates a unique and constantly evolving social work climate as the historical wealth and relatively high overall happiness of Norwegians (based on the World Happiness Report using a Gallup World Poll) are questioned by tensions around migration, immigration of varied social classes.
Placement Information
SW648, Issues in Global Social Work Practice, gave me the opportunity to apply an international lens to social work for the first time since beginning at the School of Social Work. It helped prepare for my experience by encouraging me to think outside the box about social work ethics and how they are truly based in culture, inevitably varying across countries and organizations.
Lessons Learned
My favorite part of this placement was the opportunity to work with such a diverse staff. I was given the chance to observe and learn from each coworker and, instead of replicating their method, use the lessons they taught me to expand my own toolbox as a practitioner. I learned how to trust myself, knowing my own strengths and see them as an asset to a team rather than a detriment because of the ways they may differ or stand out.
Career Connections
My time was split between three different City Mission locations, with the majority of my time spent at the shelter. This was a very micro social work placement as all of my responsibilities were framed around meeting our guests basic needs. All guests at the shelter were Romanian (Roma and non-Roma) migrant street workers and in addition to learning beginner level Romanian, I ran registration and check in, provided guests with soap and towels, monitored project development, and worked with staff to address any health, legal or social needs expressed by guests. Because this shelter houses people over night, shifts were in the evening, typically beginning at 5pm and ending around 11pm.
I plan to practice global social work after completing my degree by working for an international NGO. This placement proved an invaluable experience in dipping my feet in cross cultural communication. When working towards a shared goal with stakeholders from a variety of cultural backgrounds, it will be beneficial to have experience in navigating a multicultural workplace and knowing how I best fit into it.
Advice
Temper your expectations: No matter where your placement may be, it is impossible to anticipate what will be most impactful about your experience. If you go in with openness, humility and flexibility, you will be more prepared to make the most of your experience, most likely in unexpected ways. Prepare contingency plans for time management: While you are probably already well versed in self-care, with a new schedule in a new environment around new people, it may be overwhelming in new ways trying to balance transition growing pains and general life. Be patient with yourself in finding the right way to manage your time outside of work and allow room for exploration and relaxation of different kinds. There is no one right way to live and work abroad!
Outcomes and Skills Utilized
Outcomes included implementing and assessing a new project at the shelter (running a kitchen for guests to prepare hot meals in the evening), establishing working relationships with staff from a variety of professional and cultural backgrounds, and gaining an understanding of the strengths and needs of guests through formal research, language learning and improved interpersonal skills. I also improved my social policy competency by gaining a deeper understanding of the history of Norwegian welfare and its gaps in supporting migrants.
Classroom Connections
Acknowledgements I would like to thank the Office of Global Activities and the Change Society Fund Scholarship for funding my global field placement. I am also forever grateful to Church City Mission for being such a welcoming and supportive family.
Shadowing a Psychiatrist at Guangzhou Hospital: Observing Cultural Differences in China’s Mental Healthcare Juliann Li, MSW Candidate University of Michigan School of Social Work
Project
Connections Classroom Connections: • Psychiatric hospitals in China are greatly influenced by Western practice (i.e. use of U.S. tools such as the PHQ-9 & GAD-7) • Many areas in China do not have social workers, and there is opportunity for movement towards integrated health systems Career Connections: • Collectivist values are important to be sensitive to when working with Chinese Americans in practice • Agencies should work to address disparities in access for clients of different ethnic backgrounds
Country: China Agency: Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Hospital Objectives: To intern at the psychiatric unit of a Chinese hospital and: • Shadow mental health and psychiatric practitioners in a different country • Conduct qualitative interviews with staff about cultural attitudes • Observe the influence of stigma and other prospective barriers to mental healthcare among Chinese natives, to inform clinical practice with Chinese Americans and healthcare systems in the United States
Background
Lessons Learned
Purpose: Asian Americans find mental illnesses significantly stigmatizing, often resulting in delaying or denying care1,2 • Literature suggest that Asian Americans seek mental health services less than other ethnic groups3-5 • Family6 and community7 are important values among Chinese individuals • In general, stigma is a prominent barrier to receiving mental healthcare8,9 Choice: Selection of Guangzhou internship due to personal research and clinical interests working with Chinese Americans in social work career
Takeaways: Seeking to understand our clients’ cultural foundations help us learn about their lived values • Family members in China are deeply involved in a patient’s mental healthcare, often at great toll and sacrifices • Stigma is a prominent barrier to seeking care among Chinese families, and this is prevalent in the United States Future Directions: Social workers must continue incorporating cultural sensitivity into all forms of practice • Clinical: help Chinese Americans navigate dual values, provide support and resources for family members • Research: investigate concepts of family burden, stigma, barriers to mental healthcare among Chinese groups
Advice for Students
Skills and Outcomes Hospital Internship: • Adaptation of profesional identity • Communication with staff and patients in Mandarin Chinese • Assessment skills while observing psych. evals, outpatient consultation sessions and inpatient check-ins Academic Research: • Conducting a literature review and writing a theory paper for publication • Synthesis and critical analysis of observational findings using a culturally sensitive framework
• Keep a personal journal or blog when traveling: Having a space to reflect and process is immensely helpful • Practice humility: The opportunity to shadow at another country’s established institution is a huge privilege, and it is important to recognize what we are bringing into someone else’s space as a guest • Be curious: Take initiative and seek out as many opportunities as possible to shape your own learning experience
Acknowledgements Special thanks to faculty member Lindsay Bornheimer (mentor and project advisor), as well as to Brian Perron, Lydia Li and Anao Zhang for their guidance and input in this project. A huge thank you to the Office of Global Activities (OGA) for the grant funding and support. Special thanks to Guangzhou Hospital psychiatrists Dr. Henry Pan and Dr. Cicily Wang for the internship opportunity.
References 1. 2. 3. 4.
Sextus Empiricus. Outlines of Scepticism, translated and edited. by Julia Annas and Jonathan Barnes. Cambridge University Press, 2000. Rokeach, M. D. The Open and Closed Mind. New York Basic Books, 1960. Altemeyer, Bob. The Authoritarian Specter. Harvard University Press, 1996. Crowson, H. Michael. "Does the DOG Scale Measure Dogmatism? Another Look at Construct Validity." The Journal of social psychology 149.3, 2009: 365-383.
5. Crowson, H. Michael, Teresa K. DeBacker, and Kendrick A. Davis. "The DOG Scale: A Valid Measure of Dogmatism?." Journal of Individual Differences 29.1, 2008: 17-24. 6. Butler, Gillian, and Andrew Mathews. "Cognitive processes in anxiety."Advances in behaviour research and therapy 5.1 1983: 51-62. 7. Butler, Gillian, and Andrew Mathews. "Anticipatory anxiety and risk perception." Cognitive Therapy and Research 11.5 1987: 551-565. 8. Mitte, Kristin. "Anxiety and risky decision-making: The role of subjective probability and subjective costs of negative events." Personality and Individual Differences 43.2, 2007: 243-253
Contact Information: jucl@umich.edu
Global Independent Study - Interprofessional Experience in Rural Southwestern Uganda Vicky Lichtman University of Michigan School of Social Work Rushere Township, Uganda
Leadership and Placement through MUST
The Global Interprofessional Experience in Uganda was originally part of a project that connects American social work, nursing, and medical students with students from the Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) in civic community projects in rural southwestern Uganda. I and my Ugandan cohorts were placed in the southwestern rural community of Rushere, at the Rushere Community Hospital.
My initial involvement in the project was to learn about social work in Uganda, however, this developed into a more research-based endeavor. My role was undefined as the lone social work student, as social work is still an emerging profession in Uganda. After a series of visits to rural communities and a week of trainings at MUST with medical and nursing students that were part of the Community-Based Education, Research and Service program (COBERS), I accompanied a team of seven Ugandan students to Rushere.
Rushere is a township some 50 miles northeast of Mbarara (the second-most populous town in Uganda), in the Kirihura District. Relative to other parts of the country, it is economically well-developed, a center for milk production and a region with one of the highest concentration of cattle farms. Rushere has a reputable community hospital operating on a mixed private-public funding, with 50 - 100 beds. The communities in Rushere originate from the Bahima cattle-keeper tribes and the Bairu tribes who are agricultural workers. Rushere is remote and the houses tend to be spread far apart since the Bahima communities’ cattle require acres of grazable land.
Mental Health Services in Rural Uganda As an IP-Mental Health Social Work student, I wanted to better understand what were the psycho-social determinants of health in rural Uganda and what sorts of services where available to treat mental health problems. Uganda is a country of 43 million people, with a population that is primarily rural. A majority earn a subsistence living, where some 50% of the population live on 3 USD a day (UNDP). There are no autonomous community mental health centers only a dozen regional referral hospitals which have mental health facilities. Uganda has .04 Psychologists and .08 mental health outpatient facilities per 100,000 people (WHO).. Many Ugandans rely on traditional healers for mental health issues, and a majority do not subscribe to the notion of medicalized mental health. Practical hardships related to life in a Low- and Middle-Income Country exacerbate existing stigma and scarcities. Moreover, a lack of robust public assistance programs and a developing agribusiness sector renders many rural communities vulnerable to shocks.
In the course of the two weeks at Rushere, I conducted fieldwork by meeting with different administrative and clinical staff at the hospital, examining data records, visiting patients and going to villages with the medical outreach team. I also ventured into several village with recent MUST graduate and interpreter who accompanied the group.
Outcomes In the course of my research I was astonished to learn about the high rates of suicide by pesticide poisoning in the community. Issues such as divorce, collapsing family structures, domestic violence, alcoholism and chronic poverty were all mentioned. Suicide was repeatedly noted as an exigent issue and several families we met with spoke about this directly. Rushere has only one nurse who is able to counsel patients and most counselling if any, occurs on an ad hoc basis by general practitioners or clinical officers. Most patients who arrive following an uncompleted suicide attempt are discharged without counseling. The week we were there five suicide cases were reported, including that of an 11year-old girl. All of this contributes to the endless cycle of comorbidity in the disease burden, with mental health disorders documented as contributing to one of the leading causes of years lived with disability in the nation (IHME). I became determined to try to do something about this to help, which is why I am applying for the 2020-2021 US Student Fulbright program with the hope of returning to Rushere to conduct research on the project for a qualitative research project into the phenomenon of suicide by pesticide poisoning.
Map of Uganda w/new districts 2006. Courtesy of OCHA
Skills Developed/Lessons Learned Firstly, I learned how balance a sense of empathy with a need to maintain the dignity of those around me, reminding myself of the primacy of autonomy in social work. Secondly, and most challenging for me personally, was the strong realization of the sources of my own personal power and subsequent feelings of discomfort. This consequently made me empathize with the difficulties experienced by those who did not have my inherent socio-economic privilege. It also forced me to reckon with the very fact that – as is the case with most things in this world – such privilege could at times bear negative consequences. A white westerner I possessed referent power: that by virtue of my white skin and western citizenship I was automatically assumed to have wealth and connections. This forced me to critically be mindful of both my behavior as well as the motivations behind the behaviors of others.
Classroom Connections SW 701, Practice in International Social Work was a macro-level course that was instrumental in helping me connect to a faculty member and a group of students with similar interests. I learned about certain issues developing countries face in improving the lives of their citizens and the roles social workers can play successfully addressing them. These included : provision of basic life necessities, economic development, ethnic conflict, child protection, gender-based violence, environment and community health, and statelessness. I also learned about what is regionally specific about social welfare. SW 598, Independent Study allowed me to be in close contact with a faculty member at the School of Social Work on a regular basis and to reflect openly on my experience as it unfolded. I was able to conduct independent research around the issue that I chose and thanks to the support and guidance of my advisor, I am not developing a follow-up research endeavor. I hope that if it is awarded, I will continue to seek my advisor’s input in the research design and methodology of my project.
Career Connections My decision to return to graduate school to pursue a degree in social work is the result of a great deal of deliberation of how I can realize my aspiration of combining my two passions international development and mental health. I plan to build on my global experience as a springboard for finding work as a social worker at an NGO in humanitarian programming that prioritizes psycho-social needs through prevention and treatment and helps strengthen mental health care systems and shape policies internationally.
Advice Be flexible. Try to anticipate difficulties while regarding them as “character-building” experiences, if you can. Be curious. Don’t be afraid to venture into unstructured environments. It is the only way you will learn. Talk to people, overcome your discomfort and if you can help it, don’t always congregate with other westerners. Challenge axioms and ask questions. If you don’t ask why you will never get to the truth. Research. Read before, during and following your experience. Get a sense of the culture, political landscape and history. Patience is a virtue. Community work, trust and relationshipbuilding, and the learning process overall takes time – and time is a relative metaphysical construct. Get comfortable with working in different paced-environments and in having to step back when need be. Don’t expect immediate results.
Acknowledgments Thank you to The School of Social Work’s Office of Global Activities for their financial support of my interprofessional experience. I express my heartfelt gratitude to Professor Mary C. Ruffolo at the School of Social Work for her compassionate support and encouragement, and for her guidance throughout my independent study and beyond. I am also indebted to the valuable Uganda-specific expertise ,logistical support and positive motivation of Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor at the School of Social Work and Director of Social Work and Spiritual Care at Michigan Medicine Josh Brewster and University of Michigan Medical School Global Health and Disparities (GHD) Path of Excellence Program, Professor Brent Williams, M.D.
Sports Inclusion in Melbourne, Australia Nora Lynch University of Michigan, School of Social Work Global Activities Scholars Program Location Melbourne, Australia is the capital of the southeastern state of Victoria, and is a metropolitan city known for its high population. Melbourne is also considered Australia’s “cultural capital” because of its immigrant history and presence of young generations.
Partnership History The Hobsons Bay Community Fund was established in 2006 with the purpose of financially supporting and assisting projects and initiatives coming out of the Hobsons Bay community. The partnership between the Hobsons Bay Community Fund and the University of Melbourne began in 2016, when there was a voiced need for sporting clubs in the community to expand their inclusion efforts, with a focus on disability.
Projects I worked on a team of six students, all from the UoM. This placement lasted three months and was meant for the incoming student group to build on work that had been done by previous groups. During out time together, the main projects my team and I focused on fell within the Sports Inclusion Tool-kit.
When we arrived to the placement, we were given the work that had been done by past students. After doing research on the Hobsons Bay community and hearing more about the local sporting clubs, we decided that our team’s primary projects within the Sports Inclusion Tool-kit were going to be expanding the Self-Assessment Tool for clubs and the Sports for Everyone guide. In order to evaluate whether the resources we were working on would be useful to the community, we also held a focus group event.
Our team chose to expand on the SelfAssessment tool by putting it on a digital platform, in an effort to ensure data collection after clubs completed it and to reach a larger audience. This tool was created to give clubs an idea on where they fell on their inclusion journey. It is organized by seven categories- access, attitude, choice, partnerships, communication, policy, and opportunities. From there, we created a companion tool for families and youth to discover what they may want in a sporting club to best serve their needs. These tools would then become part of the overall Sports for Everyone guide, which is a document containing resources, inclusion concepts, and case-studies to help guide sports clubs looking to learn more about how they can include inclusive practices in their club cultures.
Outcomes After our focus group event, we learned the following: • Language/word choice matters. At times, the attendees felt that the words we were using were too academic, and could turn away potential participants. • Instead of being set in stone, these tools should act as a template in the hopes that clubs would adapt them to best fit their club’s culture. • To ensure that we reach as many sporting clubs as we can, we must focus on community building and creating partnerships with organizations that may be doing similar work. Lessons Learned • When entering a community you are not familiar with, it is essential to take time to learn more about it- make sure to ask questions! • Communication will look differently based on culture/country. • When working in a team, naming each group member’s strengths and giving them tasks based on those strengths will help with organization and flow.
Tehila Zambia: Child Safeguarding Capacity Building in Lusaka Marabeth Madsen University of Michigan School of Social Work Lusaka, Zambia
Agency/Community Partner
Skills Utilized/Developed
Zambia’s population is 17.8 million people. 10% of the population (1.7 million) live in the capital, Lusaka. Copper, cobalt, cotton, coffee, fresh flowers, tobacco, gemstones, and maize are Zambia’s main economic exports. Chinese, South African, and Indian business people have immigrated and invested deeply in Zambia’s infrastructure. Zambia includes 72 tribes with 72 languages, including Nyanja, Bemba, Tonga, and Losi. English is Zambia’s official language.
Tehila is a Christian nonprofit with a funding arm in the UK run by 3 part-time directors and 2 part-time Zambian staff, including 2 LMSWs. Adding a fulltime MSW intern contributed greatly to Tehila’s organizational capacity. Through child protection training, Tehila is developing the Samalani— Nyanja for “to care for”—Children At Risk (SCAR) network, which unites 62 churches in 6 “compounds” of Lusaka: Chelstone, Garden, Kalingalinga, Matero, Ng’ombe, and South East. Community leaders volunteer with SCAR to work towards the shared goal of safeguarding children.
• • • • • • • •
Child abuse often goes unreported or unresolved due to fear, shame, and corruption. Tehila strives to end child abuse through educational workshops with churches, community schools, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to establish organizational child protection policies and build community capacity to prevent and respond to child abuse.
Social Work in Zambia Macro practice dominates social work in Zambia. The government is the largest employer of social workers. UNZA’s social work curriculum is currently shifting to include more micro practice and interpersonal skills as awareness of the need for counseling and traumainformed practice grows.
Outcomes • Researched child marriage and gave a social justice presentation to a class of 50 6th graders at an international school in Lusaka • Attended a 2-day round-table discussion hosted by World Without Orphans supporting Zambia’s transition from institutional care to family care • Assisted with developing monitoring and evaluation for Tehila’s programs: Touch Talk, Teen Discipleship, Safe Places, and Mentoring • Supported SCAR network community organizing for the World Weekend of Prayer and the Good Treatment Campaign in partnership with Viva
Career Connections I learned to adapt my communication and networking strategies to match local culture. This required slowing down and listening carefully before offering to help. Tehila’s work also deepened my faith in the effectiveness of people working together for change.
Data management Program monitoring and evaluation Professional report writing Media outreach Community organizing Engaging children in youth development programs Team communication with a small staff Administrative support
Advice
Classroom Connections • • • • •
SW 560/512: Intro to Macro Practice SW 504: Diversity and Social Justice SW 648: Global Social Work SW 799: Data Management Mini-Course BA 601: Nonprofit Management
• Ask lots of questions, both before you leave and during your experience • Pack light! I needed way less than I brought • Know how to use the GeoBlue insurance and find a good hospital before you need it
Volunteering with the Community Technical Assistance Collaborative (CTAC) and my first field placement also prepared me for this GFP in Zambia
Acknowledgments
Lessons Learned
Thank you to UNZA Professors Patrick Chanda and Isaac Kabelenga for supporting my visa and campus visits. Thank you to my supervisor Winnie Kanyanta and the whole Tehila team: Hannah, Sam, Martin, Billy, Lauren, Yotam, and Shika. Thank you to the platform leaders and the SCAR network members for courageously working to improve child safeguarding in Lusaka, Zambia.
Patience, flexibility, and persistence. The pace of life in Zambia is much slower than in the US. Project results are often relationship-focused instead of taskfocused. Community organizing is often done inperson or through phone calls and text messages instead of by email or facebook/social media.
In Zambia’s traditionally orally based culture, standardized Western written evaluation tools must be adapted to be effective for measuring impact. Zambian people are very friendly and welcoming.
Thank you to the OGA, the Alumni Board of Governors, and the SSW Financial Aid department for assisting with funding this placement.
Thank you to Jonathan Van Trek, Tehila’s 2018 UM GFP intern; Sam Verde, a returned Peace Corps Volunteer from Zambia; and Change Kwesele, a native Zambian PhD candidate at UM’s SSW who patiently answered my many questions as I prepared for this internship. Thank you to my partner David McClain for his support and company on this journey.
This poster was created for the UM SSW Fall 2019 Global Social Work Poster Fair
Asset Building and Community Development in Singapore Seyoung Oh University of Michigan School of Social Work
Background Singapore is city-state approximately 4.4 times smaller than Rhode Island (which is the smallest U.S. state) but has 5 times the people (5.64 million to be exact). The official language is English and the four main ethnic groups are Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Other (in order of majority to minority in numbers). It is a racially and religiously diverse country with a positive net migration rate, meaning there are more people entering to work and live in Singapore than people leaving the country.
Lessons Learned
Field Placement I was placed at SCC FSC, which is a non-governmental agency that provides case management, community development programming, and open activity space.
1. I keep finding myself resisting what is naturally happening. This summer taught me how to be more accepting of change. 2. Sometimes it is nice to stand amongst strangers and watch them chat in a language that I do not speak. I do not always need to be part of what is going on. 3. The critical lens that I developed there deserves to be used here, which for me means advocacy for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in spaces that often minimize us.
Connections
Skills
There are things I learned for the first time and things that I was able to refine: - Designing a research study and ensuring methods are culturally sensitive - Conducting home visits with clients to assess their case - Creating a theory of change model - Navigating the complexity of when an agency downsizes - Understanding the power dynamics between the funders and the staff
Advice For anyone interested in doing social work in a global context whether that is in the US or abroad, read below: 1. It is okay to be curious and to ask questions, but before you do think through what your intentions are and how the questions may land, i.e. the impact 2. Your time might be better spent doing selfreflection on your identity and privileges than reading through a guidebook on the place that you are going.
“They Told Us to Move tells the story of the relocation through interviews with the residents from the Dakota community and reflections by the volunteers. ”
From the classroom
“The conditions in rental flats are deprivation, insecurity, and undignified because these too are the everyday realities of life in Singapore.” You Yenn Teo, This Is What Inequality Looks Like
Outcomes During my time there I managed cases for the KeyStart housing pilot program, which is meant to help low-income families living in rental housing become home owners so that they can begin to accumulate assets and break the cycle of poverty. My major accomplishments include: • Compiling literature review on home ownership and assetbuilding in a ASEAN context. • Conducting home visits and collecting information for cases • Facilitating group outings for at-risk secondary school students. • Planning a staff work plan retreat.
Problem-Solving Initiative: Access to Justice (offered through the Law School) This course was multidisciplinary so I worked with two law students and an engineering student on a semester-long solution to a local problem, selfrepresentation in eviction cases in Washtenaw county. This experience in housing policy and project management was helpful for my field placement. SW 530: Introduction to Social Welfare Policy and Services This course laid a foundation for my policy knowledge and equipped me with the skills to read in between the lines and to better understand the implications of policies, which directly translated into my work at SCC.
For my career I was drawn to social work because I had a desire to make sure others who felt helpless like I and my family have would no longer have to feel that way. My time in Singapore also helped to articulate why I am interested in a PhD– I want to study how this feeling of helplessness is created and designed by people who implement it into entire systems. I would like to do research on how inequality is perpetuated by social welfare policy.
Acknowledgements: Thank you to the Office of Global Activities and the Alumni BOG for financially supporting my global field placement. I am grateful for my support system both in the US and in Singapore, especially my mentor, Peiyi Woo. Thank you to my coworkers at SCC who have become my reason why I would want to return to Singapore someday.
Palliative Care in Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
Outcomes
Advice • •
•
•
• •
• • •
Skills Developed
Reflections
• • • •
St. Vincent’s Hospital
• • • • • • •
Acknowledgements
LGBTI ASYLUM POLICY ACTIVISM Effective strategies for policy change employed by LGBTI asylum activists in the Netherlands by Emily K Piellusch
Project
Skills
For this self-guided research project I interviewed three experts in the field of LGBTI asylum advocacy in the Netherlands: Sabine Jansen of COC Netherlands, Samira Hakim of Transgender Netwerk Nederland, and Sandro Cortikas of LGBT Asylum Support.
Although the number of research participants who were able to be interviewed for the project was too small for the project to be considered scientific research, I still gained research experience which will help my career as a social work researcher. These activities include:
Each interviewee provided me with unique insight into the methods that they used to affect policy change to improve either (1) the procedure of filing a claim and attain ing status, or (2) activism that addresses the conditions and access to resources for asylees during the asylum claim process.
- applying for the IRB - recruiting participants - transcribing interviews - performing qualitative coding - synthesizing findings - developing the manuscript - designing and formatting report content - editing photos - designing visualizations
The Netherlands
Deliverables
In 1981, the Netherlands was the first country to recognize sexual orientation as a grounds for persecution by a nation-state (as seen in Jansen & Spijkerboer, 2011), and according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA World) the Netherlands ranks 2nd out of all European Union countries for positive LBGTI impact based on asylum laws and polices, just below Belgium (2019). However, according to LGBTI asylum rights activists, there are still many more changes in LGBTI asylum policy needed.
The final product of the project included a report of findings that provides detailed information on the asylum application process along with findings from the interviews.
I chose the Netherlands becasue of their historical relevance to International LGBTI asylum policy, the country’s general climate for LGBTI people, and my culutral connection to the county.
The report is written in a journalistic style, was designed in Adobe Illustrator, and includes some visulals. The report and the editable visuals will be provided to interviewees as well as to a few organizations who had expressed interest in the final product when I had contactd them for an interview and were unable to provide me with an interviewee. Interviewees will also receive the recordings and transcripts of their interviews for their own records.
Coursework Many courses prepared me for this experience including - Social Work 818 Special Seminars in Practice, Intervention, and Policy with Marginalized Populations - Social Work 522 Scoial Work Research - Public Policy 510 Politics of Public Policy - Information 520 Graphic Design
Acknowledgments Thank you to Dr. Shanna Kattari for guiding me throgh this process. Thank you to the Alumni Board of Govenors and the Office of Gobal Activities for fnding my experience.
Advice Be sure to have a professor that will allow you the time and freedom to enjoy and experience being in a foreign country in additon to getting your important work done!
asylum seeker arrives in the Netherlands and starts application for asylum
Dutch Asylum Procedure
1. application 2. registration 3. 1st interview
IND decides to reject
assessment
appeal (district court)
applicant must leave the country
appeal dismissed
2nd interview
appeal upheld
appeal dismissed temporary residence permit (refugee status)
assessment
appeal upheld
appeal (council of state)
Exploring Social Justice in Budapest, Hungary J. Robert Quillen University of Michigan School of Social Work Budapest, Hungary With a population of nearly 1.75 million people, Budapest serves not only as the capital of Hungary, but also represented the largest city in the country. Formerly operating as two separate cities, Buda and Pest were first officially connected in 1849 after the construction of the Széchenyi Chain Bridge and officially merged as one city, Budapest, in 1873. Having experienced the totality of both World Wars, as well as the Communist occupation of the Soviet Union following the conclusion of World War II, Budapest is a melting pot of world history, cultural identities, and social crossroads. Given current events both in Hungary and domestically in the United States, Budapest was an ideal choice for an exploration in social justice.
Social Justice
Connection to Course Work
Next Steps
“Social justice is amorphous and multitudinous… The idea, both conceptually and in practice, is both vastly complex and tremendously simple. It [social justice] works to shape, form, and define cultural and subcultural contexts while being shaped, formed, and defined by the same. Social justice is organic, it lives and dies in cycles reflecting the very constructs that have worked to define, shape, and influence it throughout time. It is contextually dependent, and as such, extremely diverse in its existence. Social justice is found through embracing diversity; accepting the reality that we are stronger together than we ever could be apart. Social justice is realizing there is strength in our differences, and it is through these differences that society is provided a true opportunity to grow. In short, social justice is both a dream and a reality, and as such, presents one of the greatest opportunities, and challenges, of our time” (Quillen, 2018).
SW 504: Diversity and Social Justice in Social… Continued to develop knowledge and skills geared toward working for justice while enhancing critical consciousness. Additionally, was provided an opportunity to explore issues of power and diversity.
For those who are exploring the possibility of engaging in a global experience, I highly encourage it. The faculty and staff available to you are wonderful and given the right connection, a faculty sponsor is not hard to secure.
Acknowledgements / References A special thanks to Professor Hodge and the Office of Global Activities for your work in facilitating this experience. Quillen, J. R. (2018) Social Justice and Diversity Capstone. Paper submitted towards partial fulfillment of course objectives in Social Work 504, Diversity and Social Justice in Social Work; at the University of Michigan School of Social Work.
SW 530: Intro to Social Welfare Policies and … Applied critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgements while engaging in diversity and difference in practice. Work towards advancing human rights and social economic justice through analyzing policy. SW 560: Introduction to Community Org… Applied critical thinking in order to assemble qualitative data collected during the experience resembling a quasi community assessment.
Additional Offerings For those looking to gather more information; please feel free to explore my website which was constructed following my global experience. Additionally, feel free to email me with any questions. https://rquillen2.wixsite.com/robert-quillen rquillen@umich.edu
Community Health Work in Zambia Nate Robertson University of Michigan School of Social Work Loca/on Lukomba, Zambia
Zambia is centrally located in Sub-‐Saharan Africa and holds a rich cultural and ethnic fabric that influences the country. The official language is English, however ci/zens o]en speak more than one of the 70+ different languages found across the 10 provinces. Project As a volunteer in Peace Corps Zambia, I worked with the Community Health Infrastructure Project. The main project goals were to provide resources and support regarding: • Maternal and child health • HIV/AIDS preven/on and treatment • Malaria preven/on and treatment. Our work u/lized exis/ng rural health clinics, clinic staff, and volunteers to help community members determine their own health goals and build capacity within the community to solve issues they face.
In Lukomba I had the privilege of working with a diverse group of counterparts/host country na/onals. I quickly learned that the efficacy of a program or interven/on started with community research and iden/fying a community member who was invested in changing the problem their community faced. While my support did not end there, the project became theirs. None of the primary projects below would have existed without such people and their vision. Child Health and Nutri/on (Under-‐5’s): Under 5’s were an exis/ng program of weighing children and providing vaccina/ons. I worked in tandem with these volunteer groups to provide nutri/on counseling, cooking demonstra/ons, and general health informa/on to caregivers. HIV Support Groups / Beekeeping business: Provided a safe space for individuals who are HIV posi/ve to access informa/on, educa/on, resources, and psychosocial support. Beekeeping workshops were integrated to provide extra income.
Notes
Add your information, graphs and images to this section.
.
Outcomes
Background
Church Health Groups: Health educa/on and resources were brought to churches in the Lukomba area, with a focus on HIV informa/on, preven/on, treatment, and support. S/gma and discrimina/on were a focus as well. Peer Educator Youth Group: A local youth group affiliated with the Lukomba clinic was created with a nurse at the clinic. The aim was to empower local youth leaders to learn and teach about HIV and sexuality, and train them to be resources and posi/ve role models for their peers in the community. The youth group included lessons from the Grass Roots Soccer program, a way to teach HIV preven/on and treatment through soccer games and ac/vi/es. SW 648 : Allowed me to prepare by reflec/ng on what to expect and what iden//es I was bringing to Zambia.
Things I’d like to tell myself and Americans: Peace Corps facilitates an opportunity that can illuminate a vital path toward deconstruc/ng na/onalis/c narra/ves that impede global equity. Personal engagement and embracing the some/mes messy products of cultural exchange is a meaningful way to engage in humanis/c interac/on in a world that is gedng smaller. The further removed we are and the more constructed the rela/onships, the blurrier and more manipulated the cyclical influence of western culture’s power dynamics in the world become. Being a Peace Corps volunteer doesn't equate to doing something of value. Doing something of value means doing something of value. To do so in the context of development work, everyone must learn what’s valued from the people most affected by any external presence. Any job, any role, any single moment holds the ability to help and hurt others, as well as your self. The way I looked at myself as a US ci/zen upon arriving in . Zambia was not how people looked at me. Some conjecture: I believe this rings true with most Americans in most other countries outside America. I may have nuance in some areas, but they most likely see things that I do not. They’re not always right, but they're o]en not wrong. As Americans, really belonging in this world most likely means relinquishing a sense of power and psychological comfort to open the door to opportunity and equity. Doing so is libera/ng as well as just. As I believe this is true for posi/ons of privilege I hold back in America, I believe it’s true for all Americans to live thoughfully in the world.
Restorative Justice Practices: Juvenile Victim-Offender Mediation Juri Sanchez University of Michigan School of Social Work
Location: Santiago, Chile Santiago is Chile’s capital and it sits in a valley surrounded by snow-capped Andes and the Chilean Coast Range. It houses approximately 5.641 million people. While Spanish is the official language there are indigenous communities (Mapudungún, Aymará, and Rapanui) that preserve their language.
Juvenile Victim-Offender Mediation -
-
-
In 2016 the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights made it a priority to promote consistent approaches to confronting the problem of juvenile offenses in Chile. In 2017 Ivan Navarro piloted restorative justice practices that focused on juvenile victim-offender mediation in Santiago, Chile. Professor Daniela Bolivar from Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile evaluated the pilot and was able to show the success that led to the expansion to two other major cities in Chile; Valparaiso and La Serena.
Project Information:
Classroom Connections:
I studied at Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile where I was hosted by Dr. Bolivar who was the led researcher for victim-offender mediation pilot program. I was interested in learning: • What motivated the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to move forward with a juvenile victim-offender medication model • How the model was designed • What were the key measurements of success I interviewed key informants, Pilot led; Ivan Navarro, Evaluator; Daniela Bolivar, Research Assistant; Bianca Baracho, and Mediating Lawyer; Marcela Saldias. Outcomes: • The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights decided to move forward with a juvenile victim-offender mediation for three reasons: 1. High juvenile recidivism 2. Influence from other countries in Latin America and Europe who use victim-offender mediation 3. After the dictatorship in the 1990 all the government and civil services were reformed to include mediation so it made sense to incorporate it with youth offenders • The model was designed by Ivan Navarro, Juvenile Justice Lawyer, and a Public Administrator. They received training from the European Forum of Restorative Justice. Throughout the designing process they held round table discussions with academic professional in the field of child welfare and juvenile justice to get feedback. • The key measurement for success were: • Reparation (victim) and Responsibility (offender) • Satisfaction of the court process • Recidivism is a secondary objective
SW 725: Juvenile Delinquency, Juvenile Justice and Social Work This course provided me with the context about the United States Juvenile Justice system. We covered the structure barriers, systems of oppression and how intuitional racism pushes youth into the juvenile justice system. The content provided with a lens to compare and contrast the juvenile justice system in Chile and the United States. SW 648: Issues in Global Social Work This course challenged me put my U.S. values to the side to be able to immerse myself in another country. We discussed and prepared for ethical dilemmas that may arise when aboard and how to handle them. SW 683 Evaluation in Social Work This course introduced me to program evaluation, and gave me the skills to conduct interviews. I used the interview skills during my meeting with key informants.
Career Connections: Studying in Santiago, Chile I realize that as I move forward in my career as a Social Worker, I want to ensure I keep a global lens. I want to partner with other countries globally to exchange information to create a society that will keep marginalized communities at the forefront.
Skills Utilized/Developed: 1. Analyzed models of assessment, intervention, and evaluation 2. Collaborated with colleagues for effective policy action 3. Practiced empathy and other interpersonal skills
Lessons Learned 1. Youth who get pushed into the juvenile justice system both in Chile and the United States are usually from underserved communities. Lack of resources in schools and neighborhoods, and youth being stigmatized are leading causes. 2. Chile has a similar economy to the United States because of the contribution of the Chicago Boys. The Chicago boys were economists prominent around the 1970s and 1980s, the majority of whom learned libertarian economic theories at the Department of Economics of the University of Chicago. Organized by the U.S. State department the University intended to design a program for international economic development.
Advice I highly suggest taking SW 648: Issues in Global Social Work with Katie Lopez. I also recommend to research a country of interest and talk to your professors. A lot of the professors have connection globally and can connect you with people.
Acknowledgments: Thank you to the Office of Global Activities and the Alumni Board of Governors for financially supporting my global independent study.
Also, I greatly appreciate the faculty and staff at Pontificia Universidad Catolica De Chile for welcoming me to their campus; Dr. Daniela Bolivar, Bianca Baracho, Jorge Ojeda, Valentina Garrido, Carolina Guzman, Jose Gutierrez, Juan Saadedra, and Maria Jose Alfaro. Thank you Ivan Navarro and Marcela Salidas for allowing me to interview them. A special thank you to my host friends, Vale Moran and Mario Ramos. Thank you to Dr. Guillermo Enrique for the friendly welcoming to Chile. Lastly, I want to thank Katie Lopez and Dr. Laura Lien for helping make my dream to study abroad come to light.
This poster was created for the Fall 2014 Global Social Work Poster Fair
RPCV 2017 to 2019
ESWATINI / SWAZILAND Tammy J Scully University of Michigan School of Social Work Placement/Project Information
Eswatini / Swaziland My placement was located in the mid-veld region of Manzini, in the Chiefdom of Mlindazwe and in the community of Mgotjane, Eswatini. It was during 2018 that Swaziland celebrated their 50 year anniversary of independence and it was during this celebration that the King Mswati III announced that the country of Swaziland would rename the nation in their native language of SiSwati. It was at this time that Swaziland became Eswatini. Geographic Location: Southeastern Africa Size: approximately the size of Connecticut Population: 1.2 Million Capitol: Mbabane Regions: HhoHho, Manzini, Shiselweni, Lobombo
Peace Corps: I was a Youth Development Agent. YD volunteers focused primarily on building capacity in youth on topics such as; HIV/AIDS awareness, health and hygiene, employability skills and financial literacy.
Agency/Community Partner Community Partner(s): I worked mostly with a woman teacher/pastor in my community. She had endless insight, a huge heart for the children and youth and an energy that never quit. In addition, I worked with government officials and teachers. Population Focus: Mostly youth girls ages 14-24. This population is considered the most vulnerable population in Eswatini.
Outcomes PROJECTS 1. Employability Skills: College/Career Fair (x2) 2. English Language Education: Preschool Renovation and ESL Curriculum Design 3. HIV/AIDS Awareness: March, mural painting, education, testing, song and dance. 4. Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) + Creative Skills Building and Entrepreneurship: She Power Conference and Creatives Club - Building Powerful Minds, Powerful Bodies and Powerful Futures.
Career Connections
Skills Utilized/Developed 1. Cultural Humility - every day was humbling, educating and renewing my way of moving within a different culture. 2. Community Organizing - learned how to mobilize a community from the reality that the community lacked motivation, desire and hope for change. 3. Intentional Relationship Building (IRB) - without first starting here - there will be little to no progress forward.
Classroom Connections I would have to say that the Community Organization and Management course in year one was the most beneficial from an academic standpoint. However, courses which discussed identity and cultural awareness were equally as beneficial.
My focus at the University of Michigan is at the micro level however, the Peace Corps experience is highly macro. Learning how to mobilize a community from ground zero will have the most substantial impact in my future as a social worker.
Advice The Master’s International - Peace Corps program is life changing. It will challenge you in unimaginable ways. It will break you down in order to build you back up with a new strength, confidence and perspective on life as a whole. You will leave as one version of yourself and come back another. If you are only looking to build your resume, there are easier ways to accomplish that. This experience is for those of you who really want a practical experience that works to stretch you way beyond the bullet points on a resume and make change not only in your community, but within yourself.
Lessons Learned 1. Intentional Relationship Building should always be the most important part of my work as a social worker. 2. Do not start an effort/project until you find a local powerhouse counterpart to spearhead the project with. Without their insight; a social worker will always miss the target in some capacity. 3. Work with all people from a place of love first, everything else second.
Acknowledgments University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Peace Corps Eswatini, Montigny Investments, Mbabane Rotary Club and numerous online donors (friends & family). Phendulile Mlangeni, The Bonsey Family, The Rehmeyer Family, Helen and my fellow RPCV’s.
This poster was created for the Fall 2019 Global Social Work Poster Fair
Missing Migrants of the Mediterranean: The Narrative of Mothers of Missing Migrants Antonio Siciliano University of Michigan School of Social Work Location: Tunis, Tunisia Tunisia is a north African country part of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU). It shares borders with Libya to the east and Algeria to the west and is a short 155 km (96 miles) from Sicily. Their two official languages are Arabic and French. Despite this, Tunisians speak primarily in their dialect, Tounsi or Darija, with each other in casual settings.
The Migration Crisis of Tunisia
Global Field Agency The agency I worked with in Tunisia is called ‘La Association La Terre Pour Tous, organized by Imed Soltani. Imed’s Association is a Tunisian version of an independent non-profit association that is privately funded by himself exclusively and few very select other sources. His goals are to advocate for the families of missing migrants who have unfairly not received closure of their family member’s disappearance in Italy.
Tunisia being an impoverished country with high rates of unemployment coupled with the most progressive government of the Arab world makes it a popular launching point for hundreds of thousands of migrants, illegal and legal, to get to Europe. Unfortunately, not all immigrants make it to their destination, or do and are never heard from again due to unfortunate circumstances . In turn, they leave behind family, friends, and most importantly, legacies.
• Testimonies are to be used on a website developed for Imed’s Association • Feb. 1-Mar. 28 the stories and pictures of each parent will be on display in Weisser Hall here on campus • 3 academic papers (one written by myself) will be completed using the process and data from this project • Conference presentations (hopefully!)
Advice for Future OGA Students
• Really make sure you can dedicate the time to this project. It is a long process • Understand that you will likely be going to a place where expectations of yours may be different than your communities. Learn to navigate that. • Connect with as many people as you can in-country. Resources on-site are invaluable. • Go somewhere you want to explore and have fun with it!!
Acknowledgements I would like to firstly thank the Office of Global Studies and the School of Social Work for the primary funding that made this project possible. I would like to thank Dr. Odessa Gonzalez Benson for allowing me to help with one of her bigger projects and helping me complete this field work. Lastly and certainly most importantly, I would like to thank Imed Soltani, The Association, and all of the parents and families who bravely took time to share their stories with us as survivors of intense trauma resulting from their heart-wrenching fight against systemic oppression.
Goals/Future Outcomes
What I did
• Developed Interview questions and framework • Used clinical skills to conduct interviews and learn the stories of the families in Tunisia • Created a write up testimony for each parent
Challenges in International Development Mallory G. Sprague
University of Michigan School of Social Work
The Gambia The smallest country in continental Africa, The Gambia hosts dozens of international aid organizations within its 4,361 square miles. One of its oldest partners, Peace Corps, has been operating within The Gambia since 1967, just 6 years after the global organization was founded. Volunteers serve in the Agriculture, Education, and Health sectors.
Global Field Agency Peace Corps main goals are (1) to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women; (2) to help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served; and (3) to help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. Where We Fall Short The average volunteer is an upper-middle class white person, newly graduated from university. The shadow of this description is that they likely have limited experience in the work they will demonstrate; they are not reflective of the diversity of Americans; and while in service travel is discouraged, thereby encouraging a limited view of the country and people about which they are later asked to speak as experts. This question of intention, efficacy, and ethics causes much doubt and dissonance, and was the most reported source of stress for volunteers. Where We Succeed It is an immersive two-year experience that allows an individual to gain massive amounts of perspective. But perhaps development is happening primarily for volunteers, rather than the host country.
Advice for those going Abroad
Program Development From 2014-2016, I volunteered with Peace Corps The Gambia. During my service, I noticed a lack of mental health resources available in country. I proposed a GIS project aimed at providing training to their Volunteer Support Network. However, when I began interviewing current volunteers, nearly everyone attributed their stress to “doubting why we are here in the first place.” • 701 Practice in International Social Work. I My project refocused learned to think critically about global to collecting feedback practices and impacts, and how we might alter on the perception of the the paths of those that are problematic. international aid organ• 560 Introduction to Community Organization, ization as seen by the workers themselves. This was done in Management and Policy Evaluation Practice. collaboration with the preceding volunteer in the village of This course taught me to consider the broad Geniya, and our shared counterpart, Saikou Nyassi. and specific impacts of organizations, and What we found was a lot of questions of what makes practice when to intervene. efficacious and ethical. This experience was integral to my future aspirations of practicing interpersonal therapy with diverse populations domestically and abroad.
Connections
• Interrogate why you want to go abroad in the first place, and what you might contribute. • Partner intentionally and ethically with communities, and seek training beforehand. • Remain open to new directions.
Lessons Learned • Adopt a consistent focus on ethical community partnership. • Pay attention to institutional knowledge; the way forward should be informed by appropriate measures and thorough program evaluation. • Aid organizations should be working with the goal of making themselves unnecessary. x Skills Developed
• Cross-cultural partnership. • Multi-lingual, multi-party meeting facilitation.
• Sustainability Evaluation. • Qualitative Data Collection.
This poster was created for the Fall 2019 Global Social Work Poster Fair. Thanks to the Global Independent Study Grant, Peace Corps Prep & Wolverine Wellness, Peace Corps, the many volunteers that shared their stories, & the host family that has treated me as their own.
Costa Rica: 2 años en Tiquicia Taylor Thurman | University of Michigan | School of Social Work Projects & Committees
--Cyber-Safety Computer Classes
--Provided online risks awareness curriculum and basic computer skills to 1st through 7th grade students.
Los Chiles, Alajuela
--Weekly empowerment workshops with 7th grade girls to address self-esteem, healthy relationships, gender equality, and goal setting.
---
Parenting Workshops
Located 6 kilometers from the Nicaraguan border, this town of 16,000 people has a cultural identity rooted in the traditions of Nicaraguan migrants who settled the Guatuso indigenous land to raise cattle and harvest rubber. This influence can be seen in local cuisine, traditional dances, religious celebrations and more. Despite the drive for crop and livestock cultivation, a large wetlands area has been protected nearby, known as Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge. It is home to a prehistoric fish species called Gaspar, along with hundreds of species of migratory birds. This town is still an important point of passage for Nicaraguan migratory workers and their families, some of whom stay in the region working for pineapple farms, while others carry on to the central valley to work in coffee plantations.
Youth in Los Chiles ---
Youth represent a large portion of the population in the town, with 42% of residents being age 19 or under. There are options for primary and secondary education as well as several different sport groups, soccer being the most popular. Some challenges they face include school attrition, substance and alcohol use, poverty, and negligence in the home. Adults and youth also report wanting more recreational access, leadership opportunity and higher education institutions nearby.
Chicas Poderosas Club
Youth Development Specialist ---
Peace Corps’ approach to positive youth development is “to provide boys, girls, and youth with the education, skills, and resources necessary to assume their positive roles in their own healthy development; with the constant support of their mothers, fathers, and service providers.” Collaborated with local service providers in elementary and high schools, community members and parents to increase youth access to leadership, sports and sexual health information.
Community Partners Colegio Técnico Profesional Los Chiles Patronato Nacional de la Infancia Ministerio de Salud Municipalidad de Los Chiles Comité de Deportes Cantonal Ministerio de Educación Pública Community Members of Los Chiles
---
Get involved with local Peace Corps events, talk to a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, reach out to a current volunteer serving in a region that interests you. Maybe even try some language class to boost your confidence going in. Peace Corps service is so challenging but it truly can be so rewarding. Most of us say it’s “The toughest job you’ll ever love.”
--Education for parents about communication styles and child developmental stages to effectively reduce instances of disruptive classroom behaviors. ---
Monitoring, Reporting & Evaluation Committee
--❏ Collaborate closely with program staff and local grants manager to better support volunteers in their efforts to track the outcomes of their community projects. ❏ Responsible for developing volunteer trainings, reviewing biannual volunteer reports, and create additional materials. ❏ Support the Peace Corps Costa Rica efforts to maintain consistent and accurate nationwide reporting. ❏ Selected to represent Youth Development volunteer perspectives in a meeting with several Costa Rican Ministry of Public Education stakeholders to update countrywide project goals and objectives.
---
Escuela Mélida García Flores
Words of Wisdom
Lessons Learned
--“It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work and when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.” - Wendell Berry
Acknowledgements ---
Thank you to the community of Los Chiles and Peace Corps Costa Rica for providing me with the richest experience of my life. A special thank you to the Office of Global Studies for providing me with the chance to reflect on this experience as it pertains to my future career and current studies. I am also extremely grateful for all of the encouraging notes from the office and occasional chocolate deliveries on mail days. This whole experience would not have been possible without the immense support from my family and friends both in the United States and Costa Rica.
¡Pura Vida!
RITSONA REFUGEE CAMP Female Friendly Space
Maki Usui University of Michigan School of Social Work COUNTRY & CITY ◆ GREECE is a country in southeastern Europe with thousands of islands throughout the Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean seas. It is the crossroad between Europe, Africa and the Middle East. ◆ CHALKIDA is a quiet yet vibrant city an hour away from Athens, located on Evia, the 2nd largest islands in Greece. ◆ GREECE & REFUGEES: At its peak (2015-2016), 0ver 1 million refugees and migrants arrived to Greek islands from Turkey via boats. Despite the economic crisis, Greeks have come together to assist the refugees to provide the basic needs, and the assistance is ongoing. Though the peak has passed, there are new arrivals every day to this day.
AGENCY/COMMUNITY PARTNERS
CONNECTIONS
◆ CROSS-CULTURAL SOLUTIONS (CCS): Host organization. US-based not-for-profit international organization. Runs the shop, distribution center, laundry room, and the FFS. ◆ SOLIDARITY NOW: Greek NGO with interdisciplinary team (social workers, psychologists, anthropologists, lawyers, etc.) funded by UNICEF. The agency of the counterpart and runs the FFS. ◆ OTHER ACTORS ON SITE: IOM, I AM YOU, Light House Relief, Keelpno, Global Brigades, UNICEF, Cafe Rits, etc.
CLASSROOM: ◆ SW 657 MULTICULTURAL, MULTILINGUAL ORGANIZING focuses on multicultural, multilingual organizing as a process of promoting intergroup relations and social development at the community level. The class prepared me well to serve in a heterogenous community. ◆ FR 101 ELEMENTARY FRENCH provided me with basic French knowledge that assisted in communication and rapport building with the French speaking community. If possible, I would recommend learning Arabic. CAREER: ◆ You will learn and practice grassroots global community organization serving multicultural/multilingual populations, but also IP skills on a daily basis. You will also connect and possibly collaborate with UN agencies such as IOM.
. FIELD PLACEMENT RITSONA REFUGEE CAMP: ◆ LOCATION: A former air force base, 20 min from Chalkida. ◆ RESIDENTS: Approx 900 residents. Majority Arab and Kurdish communities from Syria, Iraq, Turkey, etc. Some African communities from Somalia, DRC, Cameroon, etc. ◆ LANGUAGES: Arabic, Kurdish, French, Greek, English
SKILLS DEVELOPED & LESSONS LEARNED ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
PROJECTS & OUTCOMES PROJECTS: ◆ Co-facilitated the Female Friendly Space (FFS) with counterpart. Organized sustainable activities to empower the female residents. Activities include; discussion groups, info sessions, yoga, fitness, dance, self-defense, pot-luck, open mic, beauty workshops, language, arts/crafts/music. OUTCOMES: ◆ The number and the diversity of the FFS users increased ◆ The relationships between different communities improved ◆ Cross-agency communication/collaboration enhanced ◆ FFS activity/event schedules created based on needs
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ◆ Thank you to the Office of Global Activities for the support throughout the process, and GASP, Alumni Board of Governors, and International Institute for financial support. Big thank you to CCS, Solidarity Now, IOM, and all the residents and actors at Ritsona Refugee Camp for providing me with this invaluable learning opportunity.
Multi-cultural, multi-lingual organization skills Female and youth empowerment programming skills Community organization and facilitation skills Communication and collaboration with multiple actors can lead to long-lasting positive impact ◆ When working globally, know the safety precautions, the evacuation routes, and the procedures when “Code Red” ◆ Meeting the needs of the camp residents while setting boundaries to provide organized and equitable services to all community members is at times difficult but crucial
ADVICE ◆ Always think about project sustainability when practicing community organization ◆ Patience, flexibility, and adaptability are keys to working in a global setting. Learn from the community
Harm Reduction in Switzerland Sam Verde University of Michigan School of Social Work
Background
Amidst an opioid epidemic in the mid 90’s, some cities in Switzerland implemented a creative idea for people who used heroin; pioneering an approach we today call harm reduction. The national drug policy features a 4 column model (depicted below) following a procedural approach to remedying suffering for people using drugs and society at large. The steps are education, treatment, harm reduction, and enforcement/prevention. While the pillars can be thought of as “steps” to prevention, (with incarceration and legal intervention being the last measure) Swiss social workers interact with every stage of intervention. “Street workers” carry around education materials and new paraphernalia to dispense to people who they find using in public. Treatment centers are covered by health insurance (which everyone has). Enforcement and incarceration only apply to dealers and smugglers. Harm reduction services range from safe using sites to drug assisted therapies for people using opioids, including heroin assisted therapy.
Methodology After networking with some personal connections I had, I began to follow leads to form a convenient sample for finding people to interview. Treatment centers and city governance offices proved to be very accommodating with allowing me to interview staff and peers. I assembled a group of key informants consisting of a policy advisor and HAT researcher, a peer specialist from ARUD clinic in Zurich, a psychiatrist and nurse from a HAT clinic in Chur, and several street workers from the Stadt Zurich Social Work department. Interviews were recorded and transcribed.
Findings
The nature of my research was informative and qualitative rather than evaluation or analytic. Nonetheless, I was able to glean that Swiss drug policies are working well to meet the goals of those policies. Suicide and overdose rates have declined from previous decades. Crime rates are lower. There are fewer people who are homeless, and most impressively; fewer new addicts. The harm reduction approach has created a safe and inviting space for people still using heroin, methadone, Subutex, or morphine and given them a safety net that provides them with another opportunity for recovery. The nature of this recovery looks different than how we would typically picture it in a US setting where abstinence is the standard. Many people who are using in Zurich are living on government assistance and have been for decades, but they are still living. What was most surprising was that the justification for these approaches was based on data and capital rather than on a moral judgement. The cities are more attractive when there aren’t so many people homeless.
Relevance to US social work
Current treatment modalities emphasize abstinence over harm reduction for most treatments of Substance Use Disorders (SUD), and award participants on their length of sobriety. This creates problems for populations who are unable to isolate themselves from triggering environments due to a lack of social support or resources. These factors combine to create a climate of fear and discouragement in the United States towards treating OUD and SUD's. Meanwhile, in Switzerland, heroin is so destigmatized that it is readily available to addicts as a form of treatment. This public perception, combined with the availability of treatment, has led to lower crime and homelessness rates, and healthier lives for addicts and the general public. Furthermore, this is a social justice model that could be learned from and applied in a country where a disproportionate amount of people are imprisoned for drug related offenses. A harm reduction model could play a role in providing recovery for those currently incarcerated instead of repeating the cycle of prisoner reentry that our country is so infamous for.
Cultural Awareness
Understanding Swiss culture and history proved to be essential to my building any relationships or bridges that allowed me to pursue this work. I found that over half of my conversations ended up focusing on the broader cultural context then on opioid policy or addiction specifically. These conversations are a prerequisite to other learning.
Advice
I found out about this topic by listening to a podcast. The concept sounded so strange and counterintuitive that I just wanted to know more. From there I only found encouragement through the school. If you have any inkling of an idea you’d like to pursue, start your application and figure out the rest as you go along.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to all of my friends in Switzerland who I made and helped direct my project. In particular Matt Z, Oliver Neubert, Florian Meyer and Joel Bellmont from the Stadt Zurich Soziale Einrichtungen und Betriebe, and Margarith Meier-Kessler from Psychiatriste Dientse Graubunden. Special thanks to Rainer S. for making these connections possible.
2 Months in Peru with Manos Unidas Paige Wakeland
Connections: Classroom Connections
The University of Michigan School of Social Work
Outcomes: •
•
I travelled to Peru with the intention of learning about special education in a setting outside of the U.S. I learned about the resources, the structure, and the general outlook on children with disabilities. Academic Product: collaborated with teachers and psychologist to create a social story about treating your classmates with kindness.
•
•
Career Connections • Spanish improvement: I can connect to a broader scope of people thanks to my immersive Spanish experience. • Unique populations: I am comfortable working with a population that is very different than myself.
Location: Cusco, Peru •
SW 504: Diversity and Justice in Social Work • This course introduced me to the concept of cultural humility, which was the most important practice throughout my trip. In this course, I learned how to practice cultural humility in my social work role in the U.S. however, this trip gave me the opportunity to put it in action outside of the U.S. SW 612: Mental Health and Mental Disorders of Children and Youth • This course prepared me to work with children with disabilities, particularly children with Autism. I was able to use the knowledge I acquired from this class and apply it when working with the students in Peru.
Cusco is located high in the Andes mountains, at about 11,000 ft in elevation (Ann Arbor sits at 600ft, for comparison). From 1400 to 1533, Cusco was the capital of the Incan Empire and today is still considered to be the heart of the Incan heritage. The Incan culture still plays a heavy role in the Cusquenian lifestyle and can be seen in the architecture, the food, the clothing, and the festivals. Cusco is the closest city to Machu Picchu, one of the 7 Wonders of the World. Therefore much of Cusco’s economy is fueled by tourism.
Left: The teacher reading the social story we created together to the preschool classroom.
Advice: • If possible, stay with a host family for a completely immersive experience. • It is possible to do an independent study without extra funding but budgeting is very important.
Local Agency: Manos Unidas International • •
“Building inclusive societies for children with special needs in Latin America” Specific programs include:
1. School for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder 2. Vocational training program for adolescents with disabilities 3. Inclusion program (Students with Autism in general education settings) 4. Café employing young adults with disabilities
Skills Developed: On this trip I practiced and developed: • Patience • Compassion • Cultural humility • Observational skills
Acknowledgements: My Role: Observe, Learn, Volunteer • • •
Observed the school psychologist on variety of projects Learn about the local culture and experiences of families with children with disabilities in the Peruvian education system Volunteer to serve the students, teachers, families, and staff where they needed me
Lessons Learned: I learned the value of listening. I understand Spanish better than I can speak it so I found myself just listening a lot. Because I’m not a native Spanish speaker it took me longer to comprehend and process what people were saying. This taught me to take in what people were saying and forced me to deeply reflect on it before responding or acting on it.
Thank you to the Office of Global Activities for funding my Global Independent Study, without which this incredible opportunity would not have been possible. Thank you to Odessa Gonzalez-Benson for being my faculty advisor and guiding me through this process seamlessly. And lastly, to Manos Unidas and my new Peruvian family.
Community Engagement and Assessment in Mumbai, India Gabbi Wassilak University of Michigan School of Social Work Mumbai, India Mumbai Population: 22 million Estimated Slum Population: 41.3%
The city of Mumbai, previously known as Bombay, was built on a series of seven islands, joined together in 1784. Mumbai’s history and current culture is heavily influenced by its Islamic, Portuguese, and British colonial history. Education in Mumbai, and India as a whole, is split into public and private education with immense learning and resource gaps between the two. Nongovernmental Organizations often take on the work of education due to these gaps. Many families cannot afford to send their children to private schools, so programs such as VIDYA Mumbai provide educational services for these families.
Need Assessments and Program Logic Models
Outcomes
Margam Need Assessment
o
DEP Need Assessment
o
Need Assessment Guidebook
o
Logic Model Workshop
o
Building Program Logic Models
o
Outcomes Developed and implemented need assessment plans for VIDYA Mumbai’s Margam and DEP programs Authored and submitted two funding proposals for new Margam and DEP centers based on need assessment findings Created a need assessment guidebook for all of VIDYA Mumbai staff to encourage sustainability Crafted a logic model workshop for all program heads followed up by 12 individual meetings to complete models and explore indicators Analyzed the 2019 India Education Policy and compiled analyses of VIDYA Mumbai staff to send to VIDYA headquarters in Delhi
VIDYA Mumbai – Women, Youth , and Children Beyond School An after-school program focusing on English, Math, and Science curriculum Digital Literacy and Empowerment Providing digital classes to improve the literacy and job ready skills of youth
Youth Program Helping students to complete their education and gain employability skills.
Classroom and Professional Connections The courses that prepared me for global work were the ones that taught concrete skills. These courses include: SW 685 Methods in Evaluation, SW 670 Analytic Methods for Policy Practice, and SW 647 Social Welfare Policies and Services. Outside of courses, my field prior to departure prepared me. My professional connections made in Mumbai have and will serve as support in my future career. Lessons Learned o Evaluation practices were formalized and made mainstream through Eurocentric practices. The methods that are employed in academic or rigorous evaluations often do not fit the needs, capacity, or context of the community. o Saying “no” does not mean I am necessarily losing an opportunity, it can mean that I have more time and energy to spend on opportunities in front of me. o Project management is a difficult and complex task. It is important to figure out what can be delegated to the team so that the management and direction of the project is owned by the team. Advice Instead of making concrete project goals before you go, understand the skills you have and the work you would enjoy doing. Be open to what the organization needs, but don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.
Margam A women’s empowerment program providing skills training in tailoring, basic literacy, and entrepreneurship School Partnership (Spoken English + Digital Literacy) VIDYA teachers work at underserved schools who have no spoken English or digital literacy classes. Includes Bhavishya-yaan that only teaches English
Connections and Lessons Learned
o o o o o
Skills Utilized and Developed Community Engagement Strategies Need Assessment Planning and Processes Multiple Project Management Cross-Cultural Capacity Building Group Facilitation
Acknowledgements I would like to thank the Office of Global Affairs for financially supporting me in this field placement. Thanks to Katie Lopez in for the support given throughout the whole placement process. In addition, I would like to thank all of the staff at VIDYA Mumbai for trusting me and for providing an amazing professional and personal experience. Specifically, I would like to thank my supervisor Lata Narayan for her confidence in me and for taking care of me during my time in Mumbai. Finally, I would like to thank my husband and family for supporting my MSW education and this global field placement.
Photovoice in the Philippines
Through the Lens of a Survivor HAILEY WHITAKER UNIVERISITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Manila, Philippines
Connections Classroom • SW 799: Advanced Topics in Social Work, Photovoice. Our class explored Photovoice research while participating in the process at the same time. This class guided my work in the Philippines.
The Philippines is made up of over 7,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The country is located in Southeast Asia and the islands are broken into three regions: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. My travels took me to Manila, the capital of the Philippines located in Luzon. There are over 12 million people in metro Manila alone and within the whole country there is estimated to be over 106 million people. Throughout the country there are over 170 dialects spoken.
• SW 715: Adventure/Experiential-Based Social Work Practice. I was able to incorporate group facilitation techniques and activities. The check-in and check-out activities were a highlight of our sessions.
Community Partner My partner organization She WORKS (Women Of Reliability, Knowledge and Skills) is a training program for women formerly involved in sex trafficking who are interested in leadership, livelihood training, advocacy and have a desire to serve their communities. The survivor-advocates had used photos in the past as a means to process their experiences. However, the photos were not culturally relevant to the Philippines, and She WORKS wanted to create more relatable content. They also wanted to use photography to promote discussion and awareness in their communities about the realities of human trafficking. Before I even proposed using Photovoice, the women attempted to fund their project “Through the Lens of Survivors;" however, they never received the resources. It was because of the funding through the Global Independent Study Grant and the CEW+ Research Fellowship that we were able to make this project a reality.
Placement/Project Information
Outcomes
Photovoice is a community-based participatory research method that equitably involves community members in developing research questions and gathering information through photography.
The She WORKS leaders found Photovoice to be a powerful research method, and they will be using the information we gathered for social action, popular education and tools for processing.
My Photovoice proposal was embraced by She WORKS because it filled a need that was already identified within the organization prior to my proposal. In August 2019, I worked with a team of five core survivor-leaders going through the Photovoice process. Not only did the women engage in the research, but we worked on a training of trainers to focus on building leadership capacity for them to facilitate Photovoice in the future.
• She WORKS will be displaying their photos this November at a public prayer gathering held annually in the Philippines. They are currently looking for other partners that will display their photography and narratives about their community realities.
The She WORKS leaders developed their own research question for Photovoice, and they chose to look at their “Community Reality.” Each session they selected three questions that they would go back to their homes to photograph. Through looking at their communities, the women explored the many systems that have impacted their own journeys.
• SW 683: Evaluation in Social Work. This was the class that first introduced me to Photovoice research. Career My GIS has provided me the opportunity to pass on my education and continue to be involved in my Filipino community. My long-term goal is to work within the international social work community, and exchange information across cultures. There is such a wealth of knowledge that can be shared in social services, and I hope that Photovoice can be a means to learn from other cultures. I hope to explore different ways of recording and documenting the services provided to people in different communities where language barriers exist.
• She WORKS will be using the photos to create a packet of 50 culturally appropriate photos to use in group sessions for women to process their experiences. • The women are also using the photos to create a calendar that will be used for livelihood and advocacy purposes.
• Always be willing to follow the culture when it comes to “time.” I came with a schedule, only to learn that there were three holidays while I was in country. All my plans changed within 24 hours of being there. • Working with women who are committed to the mission of their organization makes a difference in the success of an organization and their commitment to their community. • There are times when you do not fully see where your research is headed, but the process is so important when working with communities. Advice: To any student considering a Global Independent Study, do not think twice. My GIS has been the highlight of my time in the MSW program. Also, professors are excited to work with you. Do not be afraid to ask someone you do not know.
Acknowledgements Thank you to the staff in the Office of Global Activities for making it possible for all of us students to participate in Global Independent Studies. A special thanks to Katie Richards-Schuster for advising me throughout my project. My GIS was also made possible through the CEW+ Research Fellowship. Lastly, to my partners, She WORKS, thank you for your hospitality and many hours spent translating!
• We are collaborating to create a facilitation tool-kit in Tagalog. • The She WORKS leaders will facilitate Photovoice with 60+ survivors in February of 2020 at their leadership camp.
Lessons Learned
Skills Utilized/Developed • Facilitating Photovoice and learning about community-based participatory methods • Community organizing within a culture that is different from my own which required a commitment to building authentic relationships and working with cultural differences and language barriers. • Listening and taking a step back when the Photovoice research took a different direction then we had originally planned