OGA Student Posters 2015

2015 global social work day posters

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Providing Dignity Therapy at Hospice Witswatersrand and Soweto Hospice’s Adult Day Program Gift Chowchuvech University of Michigan School of Social Work – Spring/Summer 2015 Soweto – South Western Townships Johannesburg, South Africa • Johannesburg is not the capital but is the largest city in South Africa.

• The townships of Soweto developed on the outskirts of Johannesburg as a segregated area to house indigenous African workers for the gold mining industry.

• The world became aware of Soweto on June 16, 1976 when student protests erupted in the Soweto Uprising. The uprising established the ANC in the leading role of the anti-apartheid struggle.

• The city still remains highly segregated.

Soweto Hospice & Hospice Witswatersrand Hospice Witswatersrand is a non-profit organization that operates out of two locations in Johannesburg.

The Houghton location consists of medical training facilities, administrative offices and a residential hospice all housed in three converted mansions.

The Soweto location used to operate out of shipping containers in Mofolo but is now on a piece of land in Diepkloof that used to be a squatter camp. It has a residential facility that also holds the Adult Day Program and offices.

Project Information:

Connections:

I went on home visits in Soweto and sat in on counseling sessions with family members coming to terms with the active dying phase of their loved one.

SW504 – Diversity and Social Justice in Social Work. This class laid the foundation for me to understand aspects of cultural humility and privilege when entering communities.

SW799 – HIV/AIDS: Evidence Based Programs, Policies and Services. This class provided me a context for the spread of HIV/AIDS across the world and how African countries were disproportionally affected by the epidemic.

Career: What I learned about how Hospice Wits delivers care in the community inspires me to find new ways of delivering palliative care in the U.S.

Adult Day Program: The disease burden in the Houghton location is primarily cancer. In the Soweto location, most patients have HIV/AIDS and opportunistic infections, such as multi drug resistant tuberculosis.

For persons with HIV there is an added level of discrimination in finding work. Soweto Hospice offers an Adult Day Program that serves as both a support group and a place for them to create native African handcrafts to sell.

Outcomes:

Dignity Therapy: Dignity Therapy is a psychosocial intervention developed by Dr. Max Chochinov to help people at end-of-life maintain their dignity in the face of death. It is a life story process where a person is asked to recall meaningful moments in his or her life in an interview with a therapy provider. The interview is transcribed and reorganized into a more cohesive narrative. The document is then reviewed with the patient for accuracy and for edits or additional information. Once incorporated into the document, it is returned to the patient to share with their loved ones or whomever they choose to receive the document.

I was able to provide a book, research articles and a small training on delivering Dignity Therapy to the Social Workers at the Soweto location.

Patients Interviewed for Dignity Therapy: 1. A patient who was waiting at the hospice for appropriate housing before returning to a shack that was more convenient for his family members to visit and care for him.

2. A patient who recently returned to his family after not hearing from him for several years.

3. Two patients from the Adult Day Program

Lessons Learned

Skills Utilized/Developed:

Acknowledgments:

Hospice Wits operates entirely on fundraising so 85% of their patients cannot pay for their services. They make the concept of dying well a reality for all those they serve.

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Many thanks to the Office of Global Activities and the Alumni Board of Governors for their financial support, Ruth Dunkle and Shari Robinson-Lynk for their academic guidance, and to Hospice Wits for hosting me and showing me how they live their mission of providing “no end to caring.”

Advice • Write a blog/daily self-reflection – It will help you process and deepen your experience.

• Speak to and get to know the people in your community – their viewpoints will help put your privilege in perspective.

• Do not be afraid to try the food and immerse yourself in the culture. Be brave.

Cultural humility/sensitivity Bereavement counseling Conducting in-home assessments Developing a culture of care Fundraising strategies – creating social enterprises to support your organization • Development of community partnerships

Oral Histories from Guatemala Krista Dover and Helder Diaz University of Michigan School of Social Work, La Escuela de la Montana, near Colomba, Guatemala

Project

Guatemala: ● Comprised of 23 Mayan tribes ● Strong history of collective culture and action ● De-colonized in 1829 from Spain but the rich elite still maintain control ● History of political and economic corruption that has contributed to massive poverty

Nuevo San Jose, Fatima and La Escuela de la Montana ● Communities of farm workers who stayed together as collectives after displacement ● Different stories, but similar histories of collective struggle to survive, live together and gain a better life for their families and children ● Spanish Language School that works with these communities to provide scholarships for area children and sources of income with Collective of Women.

Meet Ceiba and her community

● Developing a children’s story for the community to remember and share with their children ○ The Struggle . . . The Fight ■ Organizing on the Plantation ■ Standing up for rights to live, earn a fair wage and survive ■ Standing together and unionizing ■ Working with local pastors, bearing witness to struggle.

■ Becoming displaced as result of crisis. ○ The Other Struggle . . . The Other Fight ■ Together but without a Home ■ Obtaining land ■ Getting water, housing, electricity ■ Surviving new struggles . . . together ○ Collaboration ■ Working with the Catholic Church, La Escuela de la Montana and other organizations to gain stability ■ Educational opportunities for children - scholarships, education and a community library ○ The Struggle Continues ■ Lack of work ■ Having a home but without sources of income ■ Young adults with education but no available work near home ■ Prevalence of gang activity ■ Looking for work elsewhere . . . Xela, Guatemala City, U.S.A. ● Collaborating with a local artist

Oral Histories ● Sharing voices, keeping stories alive ● Finding commonalities among differences ● Learning together a route to remember struggles of the past to create success in the future

Outcomes ● Children’s book for community that reflects the history, collaboratively written and illustrated ○ Written based on recorded oral histories ○ Providing a relic of a memory for community, by the community, of the community. ● Potential to provide more scholarships for kids to study ● Creating work for local artist

Acknowledgements Community of Nuevo San Jose and Abelino Community of Fatima and Rueben Helder Diaz, the Artist La Escuela de la Montaña: Tito Gutierrez, Rony Escobar and Anny Garcia ● Teresa Serrano ● University of Michigan School of Social Work and Office of Global Studies: Dr. Mike Spencer, Dr. Larry Root, and Katie Lopez ● ● ● ●

Global Organizing in Washington DC Grace Kozak, University of Michigan School of Social Work Where the Alliance Operates

Placement Information

The alliance secretariat is based in Washington DC but has members across the world, predominately in the United States and Sub-­‐Saharan Africa, but with over 700 members in 6 continents and over 70 countries.

Alliance members participate in webinars, conferences, and through interest groups to strengthen the alliance and the social service workforce

I helped prepare information for the annual steering committee meeting and created the notes for the annual social service workforce symposium. In addition, I travelled to South Africa for the National Association of Child Care Workers conference to help promote the alliance. I wrote pieces for the website and helped develop an evidence matrix for the alliance’s Building Evidence Interest Group

Strengthening the Social Service Workforce

The GSSWA

The alliance has a three-­‐pronged approach to strengthen the social service workforce: Planning, Supporting, and Developing

The Global Social Service Workforce Alliance is a member based organization of social service providers around the world. At the alliance, they are working to provide the knowledge and evidence to address social service workforce challenges worldwide

Outcomes

-­‐ Completed the building evidence evidence matrix -­‐ Developed a graphic map as a visual representation of alliance membership -­‐ Helped recruit over 60 members at the NACCW conference

Skills Utilized and Developed

-­‐ Social work research – developing evidence matrix -­‐ Organizational Strategic Planning – learning about theories of change -­‐ Writing skills – writing pieces for the alliance website -­‐ Networking skills – NACCW conference

Classroom Connections

Women and Community Organizing – This course taught me principles of feminist organizing which I used to ensure all groups we were working with were equal participants Social Policy and Evaluation – While working on an evidence matrix at the alliance, this class helped me sort through all of the research I had and organize it effectively.

Lessons Learned

Working at the alliance taught me the importance of working in collaboration with other people and organizations. It also taught me not to be afraid to ask for help. Maintaining communication is key in organizing to make sure everyone is up-­‐to-­‐date on all projects. Finally, I learned to make the most of travel opportunities

Career Connections

As hope to work as a political organizer during my social work career, and working at the alliance prepared me to so. I will take the lessons I’ve learned about collaboration into the future in order to build effective coalitions to make social change through policy change.

Advice

-­‐ Do as much in your host country/city as possible -­‐ Try to live with someone from your host country

Acknowledgements

Thank you to the Alumni Board of Governors and the Office of Global Activities for your support make this experience possible Thank you Amy, Nicole, and Katie for making my experience great.

Three Ways of Engaging with Disadvantaged Polulations Cherise White University of Michigan School of Social Work Quito, Ecuador: Interesting Facts

Agency

Skills Utilized and Developed

Quito, Ecuador is located in South America and known for producing commodities such as petroleum, bananas and cocoa.

A Broader View Volunteers is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity located in the USA. The organization was founded in 2007 and is based in Pennsylvania. With a love for humankind, and a motivated spirit to help others, A Broader View was created on the belief that one person can make a difference in the lives of others.

Engagement In each of my volunteer projects I was involved in some form of engagement with different populations of the community. With equine therapy I worked heavily with individuals with disabilities both physically. I often got children who did not verbally communicate so I would find other ways to engage such as smiling, talking and being more interactive through sounds as they rode the horse all the while paying attention to their nonverbal responses.

Cotopaxi (WHICH ERUPTED WHILE I WAS THERE) is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world.

Mount Chimborazo at 6,268 meters (20,565 feet) is the highest mountain in Ecuador and the peak of Chimborazo is the furthest point from the center of the Earth and the closest to the sun.

Projects are arranged for volunteers to live with, and work side by side local people in a range of fields such as orphanage work, day care, community development, teaching and much more. They offer travelers the opportunity to explore a new country while taking part in meaningful, rewarding service work.

A newly discovered species of gecko, small enough at its full-grown size to rest comfortably on the eraser of a pencil, was discovered in Ecuador.

Country with the world’s highest diversity of hummingbird species (131).

Ecuador exports more bananas than any other country in the world.

Almost 60 per cent of the world’s high grade “fine cocoa” is produced on farms surrounding the coastal city of Guayaquil – an output that makes it the world’s capital of the sweet delicacy.

Ecuador is divided into four geographical regions: Pacific Coastal Area (Litoral), Andean Highlands (Sierra), Amazon Rain Forest (Oriente) and The Galapagos Islands Galapagos island in Ecuador is the place where Charles Darwin devised Natural Selection which was inspiration for his world renowned book “The Origen of Species”.

Human Behavior and the Social Environment In both the Equine therapy project and working with the Elderly I learned to pay attention to how people interacted with others and their environment. An example, in the elderly day center individuals coming from all over the country by bus, foot and car to have social interaction with their peers. They often participated in art therapy more specifically coloring books. It was a highlight of their morning and was a time where they could both focus their attention but could also engage with the others at their table. It was soothing activity of which they would make as individual as they made it social.

Advice To the best of your ability learn the language of the place you will be visiting

Project Details

Find multiple sources of funding as deadlines come and go quickly

Angeles en Cuatro Patas • Equine-assisted therapy with mentally and physically disabled individuals Foundacion ABEI (Amigos Benefactores de Enfermos Incurables) • An integrated health facility for mentally and physically disabled children that provides language and occupational therapies and medical services.

• Cared for mentally and physically disabled children under 5yrs old • Assisted with group therapies: (rice therapy, art therapy, swimming and free play) • Participated in physical therapy sessions Fundación Abuelitos de la Calle (ABC) • Worked with elderly living in extreme poverty, people who have been abandoned by their families, and or have no work or social security.

• Facilitated color book/art therapy • Assist with meal preparation and distribution to 80-100 elderly twice a day • Participated in activities (exercising, dancing and singing)

Research the political climate and social justice issues occurring at your destination right before going.

Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge and thank the Office of Global Activities for financially supporting my first of many global experiences.

Lessons Learned I had a wonderful global experience. Not to say there weren’t challenges, times where I felt alone or worried about my surroundings. However, the greatest lesson I learned was to be open and present. Going in between the ending of the summer semester and the beginning of the fall semester I found it hard to just enjoy the now. I also stayed rather busy with three different projects, daily Spanish classes for 3 hours and family activities with my host family. As mentioned before I learned to just breathe and focus on the moment , the current experience and let it enrich my life and well-being.

I would also like to acknowledge my supervisor, Dr. Brad Zebrack for all of his guidance and assistance throughout this experience.

Last but not least I want to acknowledge all of the individuals who made my experience an unforgettable one in Ecuador including the employees at the agency, my host family and housemates and all of the individuals I had the honor of interacting with along the journey.

This poster was created for the Fall 2015 Global Social Work Poster Fair

Peace Corps Philippines Youth Development Volunteer – Children, Youth and Family Sector Jillian Albert University of Michigan – Masters International

Philippines

Host Country Agency • Peace Corps Philippines is the agency’s secondoldest country program.

• 87+ languages spoken in the Philippines • Consists of 7, 100 islands According to UNICEF • 2001- 2009, Philippines is 1 of only 7 countries where HIV cases has increased by over 25%

• 36.8% of population still lives in poverty • 47.5% living on less than $2 U.S • Philippines is a source and destination country for labor and sex trafficking. Causes include: poverty, lack of education, high growth of population, displaced families and individuals due to natural disasters, high unemployment and fraud job recruitments, lack official documentation, government and law enforcement corruption, etc.

Silliman University Extension Program & Marina Mission Clinic: Community-based institution focused on promoting holistic health of individuals and communities through numerous initiatives: • Health services in rural areas including reproductive health, family planning and alternative medicine, such as acupuncture • Trainings focused on HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, income generating projects and environmental protection and development

Community Partners Youth Advocates through Theater Arts: Develop the creative potentials of young people and produce sociallyrelevant artistic products to raise people’s awareness and challenge them towards action Visayan Forum: Innovate solutions to end modern-day slavery

Projects & Outcomes:

Lessons Learned

Special Project: Magdalena Organization • Approximately 20 women, between the ages of 24 and 58, who work in and are survivors of prostitution.

• Conducted workshops on HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, healthy and abusive relationships, and developed an alternative livelihood project.

• Embrace failure as a learning opportunity • Networking and building relationships was important in order to gain community involvement and promote sustainability • Learning the language allowed me to be more respected and approachable.

Livelihood Project: • Created doormats and pot holders out of recycled shirt materials.

• Ten women were trained, four women were identified as fast learners • Project is sustained through community partners selling the items within Silliman University.

Maternal & Child Health Grant – Health & Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) • 30 youth, between the ages of 13 to 22, were trained in life skills on topics including drugs and alcohol, nutrition, relationships and goal planning.

• Youth learned communication skills, healthy ways to resolve conflicts, refusal skills and practical ways to not fall into peer pressure.

• ARH topics: Relationships, cyber predators, contraception, peer pressure, reproductive organs, puberty, STIs and HIV/AIDS. • Activities included art and drawing, theater and role playing scenarios.

V-Day Movement & V-Girls Workshop • Movement focused on ending violence against women and girls • Position as the Chair of Finances: Held meetings with community partners regarding partnerships and funding. Supervised volunteers to follow-up with community partners and delegated organizational tasks.

• V-Girls workshop included 50 female participants, 16-21 years old • Topics: Bullying, body image, reproductive health, violence against women locally and globally (sex trafficking and female genital mutilation) and being an advocate for change and ending violence.

Advice • Try to not have high expectations of what your experience will look like. This may be harmful to your service because it is possible your expectations will not be met • Do not compare your service to the service of another volunteer • Maintain a positive attitude and learn to laugh at yourself

Career Connections • Gained practical experience working internationally alongside host country counterparts • Developed an awareness of cultural sensitivity by integrating into Filipino culture as much as possible and challenging my privilege and identity

Acknowledgements Thank you to Katie Lopez and Lawrence Root for your support and for remembering to send me letters and holiday greetings throughout my two-year service!

Dumaguete City, Philippines “City of Gentle People” • Capital city of the island “Negros Oriental” • Population of 125, 000 • Centralized location for major tourist and scuba-dive destination

Thank you to the University of Michigan School of Social Work and Master’s International program for the financial assistance and for giving me this amazing opportunity and life changing experience!

Thank you Filipino friends and family for welcoming me into your lives and homes! Salamat kaayo sa tanan!

Skills • Language skills: 170 hours of formal instruction in Tagalog & Cebuano • Facilitation and module development • Grant writing • Community organizing and network building • Problem-solving

Evaluating Water Purification Systems in the Quiché and Sololá Departments of Guatemala Abby Anderson University of Michigan School of Social Work

Guatemala Guatemala is the northernmost country in Central America and most populous, with over 15 million inhabitants. Spanish is the official language, but 41% of the population is made up of indigenous peoples that speak an additional 21 Mayan languages. The representative democracy is divided into 22 departments.

Guatemala is ranked ‘medium’ on the Human Development Index (HDI).

According to WHO/UNICEF 2010 estimates, approximately 92% of the total population and 87% of the rural population has access to an improved water source.

Clean Water Access

Placement/Project Information Our evaluation team traveled to the departments of Quiché and Sololá to assess the functionality, utilization, and impact of water purifiers in these locations. A Participatory Action Reseach (PAR) framework informed our evaluation approach. In total, 7 water purifiers were visited in four different towns. We worked with Caritas to engage the Quiché communities of Chinaton, Chicua II, and La Puerta in the Quiché district in mixedmethods evalutation.. In Sololá, sites were visited in San Lucas and San Juan.

Community Partners

In 2013, an estimated 783 million people worldwide did not have access to clean water, according to the UN. Lack of clean water and poor sanitation causes an estimated 80% of illness in developing countries and is the leading cause of child mortality. Water-borne diseases reduce the likelihood of accessing education and economic stability.

Clean Water for the World: nonprofit organization dedicated to providing water purification systems that are simple and adaptable at no cost to communities without access to potable water Caritas: a social service organization based in Quiché that promotes human development, especially focusing on improving conditions for rural families living in extreme poverty.

The Friends of San Lucas: nonprofit focused on holisic enhancement and enrichment in communities around Lake Atitlan.

IMAP: Mesoamerican Institute of Permaculture, focused on development of self-sufficient communities ODIM: Organization for the Development of the Indigenous Maya

Outcomes

Lessons Learned

6 of 7 water purifiers were tested and confirmed to improve water quality according to 3M E. coli and coliform count plates.

1 purifier was reconnected and 1 redistributed 11%, 32%, and 48% of community members in Quiché communities drank purified water always Health records suggested a 5% decrease in diarrhea in community with purified water, implying health and economic benefits.

Cross-cultural evaluation must be done in partnership with locals who know the context, language, and social norms.

Community needs and desires must take precedent over the pre-established evaluation plan.

Community change requires education, buy-in, and continued support.

Quality evaluation takes time.

Connections Classes: SW 685 provided a foundation for applied methods in evaluation such as survey and focus group development and implementation, data interpretation, and report writing SW 823 gave me a framework from which to analyze and understand social service programs and implementation in another global context Career: I plan to pursue doing nonprofit consulting work with social service organizations in Latin America and organizations working with immigrant populations. This on the field exposure to culturally competent evaluation will influence my evaluation methodology.

Skills Developed Process of quantitative measurement development to assess impact Ability to adapt evaluation methods and engagement to needs and desires of communities Empowering collaboration with local and international nonprofit organizations Evaluation implementation strategies

Advice: take advantage of the opportunity to learn and live in another context. If approached with humility, cross-cultural engagement will change your worldview.

Acknowledgements Many thanks to the Office of Global Activities for the financial support provided, and especially to Larry Root and Katie Lopez for their guidance and patience.

Thank you Janet Ray and the evaluation team for their dedication to the evaluation project and learning experience.

Finally, thank you to our passionate community partners from Caritas the other NGOs and to community members who invited us in and shared their inspirational vision for change.

The Land of the Blue Sky: Mongolia Angela Chesser University of Michigan School of Social Work Murun, Mongolia Mongolia is a landlocked country in east-central Asia, bordered by China and Russia. Mongolian is the official language of Mongolia, but students begin to learn English in primary school. Mongolia is the size of Alaska in landmass but only has a population of 2.9 million people.

I was placed in the city center, Murun, in the northern province of Khuvsgul. Murun has a population of 35,000 people living in wooden houses and traditional Mongolian gers (yurts).

Field Placement Primary Field Placement: Murun’s Vocational Training School for adolescents from ages 13 to 20. Varying circumstances bring students to the school to learn specific job skills in carpentry, cosmetology, auto motor, welding, retail, food industry and plumbing.

Being a Community Youth Development volunteer, I supported my school social worker by developing trainings, working with dormitory students and teachers, consulting with the school social worker and organized activities to increase positive youth development.

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Secondary Project

Community Partners 

Book Bridge – English Library English language lessons with students from secondary schools

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Celebrated American holidays with lessons surrounding American culture

English and health development for the Dukha community

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Cultural exchange with families

Murun’s Organizaion of People with Disabilities

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Enhancing youth voice through life skills lessons

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The Reindeer Project: Enhancing Self-Advocacy in Marginalized Communities

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English language lessons with community members with disabilities

Trainings •

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Murun’s School Social Worker’s Life Skills and Health training

Positive Discipline techniques with Murun’s Vocational Training School teachers 2014 Community Youth Development Resource Trainer for new Peace Corps cohort

Increased development of school social work within the vocational school setting Positive youth development through life skills lessons focusing on self-esteem, decision making, and peer relationships Various trainings with the teachers and staff focusing on child-friendly schools

Acknowledgments: Thank you to Katie Lopez and Larry Root for preparing me to leave the U.S. for the first time. To Peace Corps, for accepting my application. To my American and Mongolian family and friends, thank you for your support during my two years.

SW 799 – Issues in Global Social Work Practice I became aware of my own assumptions, values and positionalities that would impact my future work in Mongolia.

Having this self-awareness enabled me to develop strategies for effective practice in the Mongolian setting.

SW 625 – Interpersonal Practice With Children and Youth I learned about the interaction between environmental risk factors, protective factors, promotive and developmental factors with assessing youth and how those factors impact their lives. This helped me assess and develop projects and clubs that kept Mongolian youth engaged and interested.

SW 651 – Planning for Organizational and Community Change I learned the importance of communication and relationships were central to the success of planning projects and developing change within my community. When I first arrived in Mongolia, I focused my attention on my language skills and building relationships within my community

Classroom Management techniques with Murun’s Vocational Training School teachers

Outcomes

Connections

Skills Developed • • • •

Increased flexibility in unpredictable situations Increased ability in verbal and nonverbal communication Creativity with limited resources Increased self-awareness

Lessons Learned

• The biggest learning opportunities were during my biggest failures.

• It does not matter how many people attend an event or training; all that matters is the quality of work and effort you put into it so those people who are there are receiving the best information.

• My most successful projects started with established relationships with community members.

Career Connections:

I plan to utilize all the skills I learned as a Community Youth Development worker in Mongolia to continue my work with adolescents. I would like to continue to develop programs in the United States to enhance youth voice and provide mental health services to adolescents.

Advice • Learn to laugh at yourself.

• In any global setting, build relationships with the community members first.

• You are going to fail at one time or another, embrace it and learn from it.

Working with Refugee Children in Western Australia Julianne Fewless, MSW Special Global Studies The University of Michigan School of Social Work

Location and Agency Information • Koondoola Primary School- located approximately 17 kilometres from Perth in the city of Koondoola.

• Koondoola Primary School has an Intensive English Centre which caters for the needs of recently arrived migrant and refugee children who have a limited or no understanding of English.

• The school has a rich multicultural environment that is built to show how different groups can work and play together in harmony.

• Teachers are trained to be trauma informed, with many having migrant backgrounds and proficient in multiple languages.

• CHOICE- To gain experience working with children in a unique trauma informed environment and to observe some of Australia’s programs for refugee children.

Placement Description

Skills Learned/Aquired

During my time at Koondoola primary school I worked as an assistant teacher in a Phase 2 classroom, and a pre-primary classroom. Phase 2 classrooms are for refugee children who

• Using empathetic listening while interacting with children who have experienced trauma

have been in Australia for 1 year, and range between the ages of 8-12. Pre primary classrooms have children who are ages 5 and 6 who’s parents first language is not English.

In addition, I co-facilitated a therapy group with the school social worker, called Rainbows for refugee children who have been in Australia for less than 1 year. The English Intensive classrooms use activities to develop language. I spent a lot of time gardening, doing arts and crafts, cooking, baking, and going on excursions with the children.

• Avoiding counter transference • Facilitating group therapy on life transitions across countries • Rapport Building • Utilizing reflective supervision • Professional boundary setting • Increase competency in non-verbal communication

Advice • • • • • • •

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Take advantage of this amazing opportunity Be aware of your own American privilege, especially while aboard.

Open your mind and heart Seize each moment Acknowledge that everyone you met knows something you do not Utilize all your free moments Represent yourself, U of M, and SSW with humility, integrity, and pride

Classroom Connections Knowledge guides experience. I was able to immerse myself in a high stress environment and draw from prior class learning. Specific relevant classes were all Interpersonal Practice required courses, particularly SW 625 IP with children and youth . In addition, having taken SW 790 Trauma and Treatment before leaving was vital.

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4 weeks, that's just not long enough What is long enough I ask?

4 weeks, long enough to grow and to change 4 weeks, long enough to make connections and build relationships 4 weeks, long enough to witness various acts of compassion and hospitality 4 weeks, long enough to hold the hands of children, who’s touch extended to my heart 4 weeks, long enough to make a difference in the life of a child The length of time has nothing to do with the power and impacts of moments

Acknowledgements SSW Global Special Studies Katie Lopez David Cordova Koodoola Primary Schools

Travellers Worldwide SSW Alumni Board of Governors

Estamos Juntos in Mozambique Colleen M. Huysman Peace Corps Master’s International Student University of Michigan School of Social Work

Placement Mozambique is a beautiful country set on the coast of the Indian Ocean. I spent my first two years in Chicumbane, a small community just 15 km outside of a provincial capital.

Most people live off the land and men are often miners in South Africa, traveling back and forth.

I spent my third year in the capital city of Maputo.

Mozambique has a population of 28.3 million people.

Mozambique is twice the length of California. Portuguese is the official language, but there are 40 local languages spoken throughout the country.

My yard in Chicumbane, Gaza complete with five mango trees, two lemon trees and an avocado tree.

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Agencies • Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) • EGPAF is an international organization dedicated preventing pediatric HIV infection and eliminating pediatric AIDS through research, advocacy, and prevention, care, and treatment programs.

• Crianças Artistas Contra HIV e SIDA (CACHES) Young Artists Against HIV and AIDS • CACHES is a community based organization that provides health education to children 5-15 years old through the art, music, theater and sports.

• Stomping Out Malaria • The Stomping Out Malaria Initiative connects Peace Corps Volunteers, malaria-focused organizations, Ministries of Health and the President’s Malaria Initiative, a collaboration of CDC and USAID, to prevent and treat malaria in affected countries throughout Africa.

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation Organizational Development and Individual Capacity Building

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Sunrise over Maputo City, the capital of Mozambique.

Activities and Outcomes

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Crianças Artistas Contra HIV e SIDA (CACHES)

Skills Utilized/Developed:

A community mural at the Guija Health Center.

Peace Corps Mozambique National Malaria Coordinator

• Coordinated the PC - Stomping Out Malaria • Worked with CACHES President and five initiative in Mozambique, managed the Malaria Volunteers to restructure the organization, Implemented a health information system at the Task Force, a coalition of regional PCV establish a regular schedule of meetings and Rural Hospital of Chicumbane pharmacy for over program of events, and implement regular representatives to advise, support and evaluate 7,000 patients living with HIV. volunteer-led malaria projects. programming.

Trained three staff how to use the system • Collaborated with two volunteers to lead weekly • Served as a liaison with the President’s Malaria resulting in decreased wait times for patients Initiative’s (PMI) CDC and USAID Resident health lessons to an average of 40 children each when picking up medication in the pharmacy.

Advisors and the Mozambique Ministry of week about nutrition, malaria, hygiene and HIV/ Health’s (MISAU) National Malaria Control AIDS. Community Adherence Support Groups for Program (NMCP).

• Organized special events at the organization Persons Living with HIV/AIDS including Children’s’ Day, World Malaria Day and • Established a private-public partnership between Collaborated with hospital staff to promote Peace Corps and Vodacom to provide MISAUWorld AIDS Day. Grupos de Apoio para Adesão Comunitário approved long-lasting insecticide treated nets (GAAC) - Community Adherence Support Groups, • Coordinated and facilitated 20 weeks of and behavior change education nationwide. agriculture and nutrition classes for 10 and designed promotional posters.

• Facilitated PC Mozambique’s relationship with community health workers from local Collaborated with GAAC focal person at the other leading malaria prevention and education organizations. hospital to reorganize the filing system in the partners including World Vision, Malaria hospital’s reception and pharmacy in order to • Coordinated with a local artist to implement Consortium, UNICEF, etc. mural projects in three different communities. give priority to GAAC patients.

• Managed $37,500 of PMI funding for PCV-led • Worked with a group of 10 teenagers to write Worked with the Center for Disease Control malaria prevention and education projects. and present a health related skit in English for (CDC), PC staff and other PCVs on a new GAAC • Organized and facilitated the malaria training of two consecutive years as part of English Toolkit, designed to help the Ministry of Health all PCVs in country during all trainings.

Theater. expand the GAAC program nationwide, easily assess the readiness of each health center, and • Co-facilitated a JUNTOS group, a group of seven • Attended an intensive 10-day malaria “boot camp” in Theis, Senegal. teenagers focused on learning about health design an appropriate strategy to implement and • Represented PC on a national Behavior Change topics through the medium of theater. expand the program.

Communications Group through the NMCP.

Psycho-social Support to • Coordinated a national World Malaria Day event

Maternal, Infant and Child Health with the NMCP, Vodacom and other malaria

Worked with a nurse to organize at least 10 partners.

weekly nutritional demonstrations and

presentations when ingredients were available.

Peace Corps Mozambique Grassroot Soccer Worked with EGPAF Psycho-Social Fellow to

(GRS) Focal Person organize four monthly support group meetings • Attended week-long training at Grassroot Soccer for HIV Positive children and their mothers.

in Cape Town, South Africa Created and distributed 80 invitations for

• Organized and co-facilitated two regional partners of HIV positive pregnant women

trainings for 28 PCVs and 27 Counterparts. encouraging them to come to the hospital for

• Translated necessary material for the training Above: The English Theater group I worked testing.

and program into Portuguese. with after we won 2nd place. Below: Two of the Supported the nurse in Maternal and Infant CACHES volunteers facilitating a session on • Supported PCVs throughout implementation of Health with general counseling.

malaria. the GRS curriculum in their communities.

• Reviewed the monitoring and evaluation of all

Volunteer-led interventions.

• Served as liaison between Peace Corps

Mozambique and Grassroot Soccer Headquarters

A group of youth performing their

original music

about malaria

prevention at the

World Malaria Day My co-workers and I on my last day at event hosted in

the Rural Hospital of Chicumbane.

• • • • •

Grant writing Facilitation Skills Program Management Community Organization Monitoring and Evaluation

Classroom Connections: • I took SW 701, International Social Work, before I left for Mozambique and that really introduced me to the ideas of cultural competency and humility.

• Through the Community Organization classes I took, I learned how to enter a community, engage community members in a needs assessment and work together toward a common goal.

Lessons Learned: • • • •

Live simply.

Even learning just a little local language gives you some street credit.

Behavior change is hard. Really hard.

It is so important to just sit and be with people.

Career Connections: • Flexibility • Management of expectations • Interest in interpersonal practice and intersection with macro social work

Advice: • Ask questions.

• Be present. Live in the moment.

• Know that it is okay if a project fails. You are not a failure.

Acknowledgements: I would like to first thank Larry Root and Katie Lopez in the Office of Global Activities for being extremely supportive throughout the process. Thank you to all of my family and friends who supported me through emails, Skype calls, care packages, visits and Whatsapp messages throughout my service. Thank you to all of the Mozambique Peace Corps Staff for always being so patient and willing to help out. And lastly, thank you to all the Moz 18 Volunteers. We did it together. Estamos Juntos.

Xai-Xai, Gaza.

This poster was created for Global Social Work Week November 2015.

Hillary Jones University of Michigan School of Social Work INTRODUCTION

PREVENTION PROGRAM

REPARATION PROGRAM

I spent two weeks in Santiago, Chile working with

SERPAJ

Asociación Chilena Pro Naciones Unidas (ACHNU)

professors at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile to study how the Chilean government provides services for youth at-risk of living on the streets in Chile.

The governmental body overseeing the programs for street youth throughout Chile is the Metropolitan Observatory for Street Youth.

The programs run by the Metropolitan Observatory focus on: • Prevention: keeping children from leaving for the streets • Reparation: helping the children return home after life on the streets

STREET YOUTH

Prevention Programs: work with high-risk children and youth to help strengthen the family relationships, to keep the children enrolled in school, and to prevent the youth from leaving their family homes for life in the streets What does the organization do?

• Advocate in the schools for youth having difficulties • Visit the students’ homes to provide support for the child in the home • Teach parenting skills to high-risk families • Provide meals to youth at the organization • Night outreach with youth on the streets • Organize educational activities for the children at the center • Provide therapy to children and youth with mental health needs

“Any girl or boy who has not reached adulthood, for whom the street (in the broadest sense of the word, including unoccupied dwellings, wasteland, etc.) has become her or his habitual abode and/or sources of livelihood, and who is inadequately protected, supervised or directed by responsible adults” (UNICEF, 1983).

STREET YOUTH STATISTICS Latin America: 40 million street youth Chile: approximately 800 street youth Santiago, Chile: 310 street youth

Moises, a youth at the )center, and I during a workshop on self-care and hygiene

COUNTRY OF CHILE Population: 17 million people, 6 million in Santiago Rate of poverty: 15% of the population lives in poverty Childhood poverty rate: 25% of Chilean children live below the poverty line Childhood violence: 25% of Chilean children experience physical aggression in the home Child labor: 240,000 children engage in labor activities – 13,000 work in the streets

A mural at the youth activity center

Reparation Programs: work with youth who have left home for life on the streets due to issues such as neglect, physical or emotional abuse, substance abuse, or family distress in order to help them return home and break harmful generational patterns What does the organization do?

• Provide food, housing, and education to children on the streets • Help parents find jobs, housing, and stability • Advocate for youth in the schools • Night outreach to high-risk youth to connect them to needed services • Offer substance abuse resources to youth and their family members • Engage community members in discussion and community-building activities

WHERE THE YOUTH LIVE The youth face daily hardships such as finding a place to sleep. Some children and families live in homes made of scavenged materials and borrowed electricity. Some lived in unsuitable homes with multiple families. Others lived on the streets under dilapidated bridges.

Global Special Studies – Hong Kong LGBTQ+ Community Organizing and Social Media Jesse KersteBer University of Michigan – School of Social Work Loca%on Hong Kong is a Special AdministraJve Region of China. A former colony of the United Kingdom, the main languages spoken are Cantonese and English. Hong Kong is an internaJonal shipping and financial hub, due to this there are various cross cultural influences on culture and a range of challenges due to class and SES differences.

Connec%ons SW658 – Important awareness of social posiJons and working in diverse contexts and in an area where gender holds a strong context for group norms, through a feminist lens.

Career – I am interested in how LGBTQ+ groups organize and support through different culutral contexts uJlizing online resources and in person collaboraJon.

Lessons Learned

LGBTQ+ Social Media Groups Les Peches – Hong Kong’s largest organizaJon for lesbians, bi/queer/ trans women and their friends.

Fruits and Suits – Hong Kong’s chapter of an internaJonal professional networking group for LGBTQ+ people.

Meets weekly to cover different themes within business and the greater LGBTQ+ community in Hong Kong.

Out in HK – A group that uses fitness and sports as a basis for support and community building within greater LGBTQ+ community.

PLUG – An online and print LGBT focused magazine covering art, style and culture.

While this was not my original plan, I learned that there are oTen things out of our control, natural disasters, illness and technological failures.

Networkng and personal connecJons can prove to be beneficial in surprising areas of your professional life.

Outcomes •

•

•

Skills Used andDeveloped • Cultural Competency • Networking • Social Media as a tool for organizing • CommunicaJon skills

ABended one Fuits in Suits meeJng to support and fundrais for Pink Week, Asia’s largest LGBTQ+ pride celebraJon Informally interviewed several memebrs of various LGBTQ+ Social Media Groups Analyzed social media content and funcJons for LGBTQ+ organizing in Hong Kong

Acknowledgments

Advice • Be aware of social posiJons • Ask quesJons and listen • Take advantage of personal connecJons, no maBer how small • Put yourself out there to learn • Understand that some plans won’t work out

I would like to thank OGA for making this opportunity possible. A special thank you to KaJe Lopez and Larry Root for supporJng me through the challenges of unforseen events. And complete graJtude to Ellen Pucke for all of the connecJons made in Hong Kong!

CLINICAL SOCIAL WORK WITH CHILDREN & YOUTH IN S. AFRICA

AGENCY: OPEN ARMS

LESSONS LEARNED

Open Arms Home for Children is a

1) It’s the little things that count.

Working with my clients, simply providing consistency and reliability was the most important intervention.

residential facility founded in 2005 to provide care for orphaned, abandoned, and disadvantaged children in the Eastern Cape.

There are currently 52 children at Open Arms and a rotating staff of child care workers, cooks, and maintenance who provide full-time care for the children.

Joshua Lee, MSW Candidate University of Michigan, School of Social Work

PLACEMENT RESPONSIBILITES My role as a clinical social work intern was to provide therapeutic support to a client caseload of 12 boys, ranging in ages from 8-17. I met with them weekly and worked collaboratively with staff to address their needs.

EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA Also called the “Rainbow Nation,” South Africa is a diverse country with 11 official languages. The Eastern Cape is the traditional home of the Xhosa people and produced many national figures, including Nelson Mandela. The Eastern Cape, however, also has some of the highest poverty rates in the nation with over 2/3 of children living in poverty.

OUTCOMES 





Completed assessments, case plans, therapy, and evaluations with 12 clients Ran one-day training workshop for child care staff Facilitated and organized a sex education weekend retreat for 12 clients and 5 child care staff

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS SW 625 Interpersonal Practice with Children and Youth prepared me with a range of evidence-based treatments specifically for children and youth.

SW 605 Infant and Child Development and Behavior provided a theoretical framework for understanding human development and the role of attachment in mental health.

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT   

Cross-cultural clinical experience Educational group facilitation Interdisciplinary team work

CAREER Open Arms was my first experience with clinical work in an international setting. It gave me an appreciation for the nuances and considerations working cross-culturally. This experience affirmed my desire to work abroad one day again.

2) Patience. I was an outsider and a guest. I learned to work at the pace of the people around me, not on my own time schedule.

ADVICE 1) Observe: Though there may be time-constraints and pressure to complete projects, take the time to listen, watch, and learn before jumping into work. It will ultimately save you time (and much pain)!

2) Laugh: Learn to laugh at yourself, especially when you make a mistake. Humor gives the space to grow and makes the experience all the more enjoyable.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thank you to the Office of Global Activities and the Alumni Board of Governors for funding my field placement. Special thanks to Katie Lopez and Larry Root for their support and supervision. Lastly, a big thank you to Open Arms and the children who were gracious enough to have me join them for a summer.

Berry Street Childhood Institute: Melbourne, Australia Nina Jackson Levin Global Activitites Scholars Program Field Placement The University of Michigan School of Social Work

November 2015 “Berry Street was formed on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.

We pay our respect to their Elders, past and present, and to all the traditional custodians of land throughout Victoria.”

LOCATION

SKILLS BUILT

PROJECTS

Melbourne, Australia is located in the state of Victoria, which is the southern most state, the second most populous, and the most politically liberal. It is home to art, food, and culture from around the world. Australia has a total population of nearly 24 million, with 26% of the population born overseas. The country bears a history of British colonialism that has greatly impacted First Nation’s peoples and implicated their communities into the welfare state.

• Practice in Management of Human Services tasks and responsibilities • Build skills related to Children & Youth • Participate in trauma informed trainings, seminars, and conferences • Engage in nonprofit administrative operations and responsibilities • Collaborate with teammates and supervisors to discuss ideas, conflicts, and successes within the agency • Evaluate effectiveness of service delivery and think creatively about new strategies

• Focused on needs of children in out of home care through trainings, focus groups, and team meetings

GLOBAL FIELD AGENCY The motto at Berry Street foster care agency is “We never give up.” This has been true since the organization’s inauguration in 1877. Each year, the agency serves up to 27,000 disadvantaged children , young people, and families through foster care, education, advocacy, donation drives, and trainings. The Childhood Institute is a research team within the agency that develops youth based programs, curricula, interventions, conferences, and policies. The goal of the institute is to ensure that “All children should have a good childhood.”

LESSONS LEARNED • Respond on a national scale to complex social issues that impact children’s experience of childhood in Australia • Collaboratively build and share knowledge • Encourage public dialogue and mobilize leadership to make changes for children • Think critically and creatively about systemic successes and failures of child welfare in a post-colonial nation state.

ADVICE • Melbourne is a historic and multicultural city.

Get out and explore as much as possible!

• Participate in the Integration Seminars with University of Melbourne School of Social Work Students. It’s a great way to meet international friends, peers, and colleagues.

• Assisted University of Melbourne faculty in research initiative geared toward identifying and vocalizing needs and strengths of young people in foster care in Australia • Transcribed agency’s Substance Use Policy document into an accessible procedural manual for foster carers • Created guidance worksheets for foster carers to support health and well being of pregnant women in foster care • Analyzed participant evaluations from foster care training workshops and presented recommendations to Senior Managers • Communicated with international scholars for the purpose of initiating fellowship contracts • Completed trainings on: • Alcohol & Other Drugs • Trauma, Loss, & Grief in the Developing Child • Yarning Up on Trauma with Indigenous Communities • Life Story Therapy • Being Heard in the Foster Care System

Acknowledgements: Thank you to the University of Michigan School of Social Work and The Office of Global Activities for offering me the opportunity to learn in Australia; to The Global Activities Scholars Program and The SSW Alumni Board of Governors for funding my travel and educational expenses; to Berry Street Child Hood Institute and The University of Melbourne for hosting me; to my supervisors and teachers, Katie Lopez, Larry Root, Anita Pell, Marg Hamely and Sarah Wise; to my peers for supporting my growth and development as friends, colleagues, and fellow social workers. And thank you to all the friends along the way who made my journey so rich and unforgettable.

Contact Information: Nina Jackson Levin, ninalev@umich.edu, 248.229.6557

MEDELLIN & MANIZALES, COLOMBIA Medellin is the second largest city in Colombia. Despite its harsh reputation from the 80’s, it is considered the economic center of Colombia and is currently known for its progressive urban and social planning. Medellin is also the capital of Antioquia, a region disproportionately affected by the decades long armed con<lict. Thus, Medellin provides many of the services for individuals who have disengaged from the con<lict.

Manizales is the capital of Caldas, the coffee region of Colombia. Manizales is considered a university town, with numerous public and private academic institutions. Manizales is also known by travelers for its eco tourism but many families displaced by the con<lict have sought refuge in the northern neighborhoods of Manizales.

WHY COLOMBIA? Wherever I go I seem to connect with social service professionals. In 2013, I spent two months in Colombia, where I was fortunate to meet two amazing individuals: the supervisor at my internship and my host mother. My host mother was a therapist for a classroom of youth who had demobilized from the armed con<lict. My supervisor, an educational psychologist, and I became close through many conversations and shared experiences. When she learned I was returning, she invited me to volunteer with her organization, Colombianitos, and stay with her while I was in Colombia.

COLOMBIANITOS MANIZALES Colombianitos seeks to better the quality of life of children, young people, and their communities through sport, based in training in values, recreation, education, and health. They serve Manizales’ most vulnerable northern neighborhoods.

Global Special Study Experience in Colombia Elise Matatall University of Michigan School of Social Work PROJECT INFORMATION Prior to my departure, I conducted research on: • The psychosocial supports available for youth who have demobilized from the armed con<lict in Colombia, often called “child soldiers” • Disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) programs • Critical theory analyzing how these youth are conceptualized in international law I hoped to understand the role that service providers play in shaping the services given to youth. I split my trip into ten days in Medellin attending community events about the peace process, meeting with academics, and practicing my Spanish; and ten days in Manizales shadowing my old supervisor at her organization Colombianitos.

OUTCOMES I used the opportunity as an exploratory trip to build relationships and better understand the context. I met with academics in Medellin and service providers in Manizales. Two key <indings: • Con<lict involved youth are given services based on when they demobilize, not when they are recruited.

• The peace process will likely change the landscape of the DDR process in unforeseen ways.

SKILLS UTILIZED • Throughout my trip I re<lected on how to practice cultural humility as a visitor, researcher, and social worker.

• I made use of my research skills to better understand how context informs practice, particularly in Colombia which is currently in the middle of a complex peace process.

• Similarly, I practiced critical thinking while observing the organizational context of Colombianitos.

LESSONS LEARNED Among many things, I gained greater insight into: • The importance of respectful relationship building across cultures.

• Creative interventions to reach communities and reluctant youth.

• Cultural humility as an ethic and practice.

• The complexity of regional politics and how that affects service provision.

• Comparative international studies, especially in terms of social welfare systems such as child welfare.

CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS As a Child Welfare scholar, I take many classes focused on positive youth development and trauma-­‐informed practices. I appreciated seeing how the two could be combined.

CAREER CONNECTIONS • The jefa (boss) at Colombianitos, a social worker herself, helped me apply for a Fulbright research grant to return to Colombia with her graduate thesis advisor as my institutional sponsor. Furthermore, I was able to improve my Spanish language skills, which will allow me to work with underserved Spanish speakers in the future, especially in Michigan.

ADVICE • Participate in daily life, while being cognizant of where you might be overstepping or appropriating another’s culture.

• Purchase travel insurance so you aren’t afraid to ride on the back of the motorcycle.

• Make small gestures to show your gratitude wherever possible (e.g. cleaning, taking the dog out, translating pamphlets into English, etc.)—it shows you appreciate someone sharing their home, country, and life with you.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am indebted to Reuben Miller for advising my project, to my supervisor, Adriana Muñoz (pictured left), for allowing me to stay with her and carting me around the city on the back of her scooter each day, to the rest of the staff at Colombianitos (above) for providing such a welcoming and informative experience.

This poster was created for the Fall 2015 Global Social Work Poster Fair

Advancing Youth-Led Programs through Evaluation at Vumundzuku-bya Vana: Our Children’s Future.

Meghan McCullough University of Michigan School of Social Work Skills Utilized/Developed Community Partner Country/City This project took place in Zonkizizwe, a peri-urban township approximately 40 km outside of Johannesburg, in South Africa. Zonkizizwe, which translates to “many nations,” is a product of displacement, created through apartheid’s violent policies of “separate development.” While laws have changed, circumstances largely have not. High rates of unemployment and HIV/AIDS mark the environment, while oppressive educational systems persist.

Reflections from Youth Leaders: “In planning I’ve learned you have to prepare your things, otherwise you waste your time. If you don’t plan you might be changing ideas” “The reason we had challenges [with focus groups] it was because we want to see where they could have problems and how we could help them on their problems. We had negative and positive challenges” “We have to reflect to not repeat mistakes” “Sometimes it’s difficult to plan, we think about whether or not [the younger youth] will like the book or activity”

Two Highlights/Takeaways From Focus Groups: “The best way to discuss sensitive topics is to tell the group the topic beforehand and give them time to prepare and an option to not participate. These topics include xenophobia and rape/ abuse, as many participants have experiences these situations” “It is interesting to hear others opinions about different issues”

Vumundzuku-bya Vana: Our Children’s Future is an afterschool, psychosocial support centre, offering education, arts, and feeding programs for children and youth made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS in Zonkizizwe. It was co-founded by the Executive Director Nomusa Buthelezi and Dr. Jeanne Gazel at Michigan State University, and currently serves over 100 youth in the area.

Project Information This Global Special Studies was designed to advance the ongoing work of Vumundzuku-bya Vana: Our Children’s Future (VVOCF), by engaging youth leaders and adult supporters within the organization in participatory evaluation around youth-led programs.

Outcomes This project gave way to planning processes for youth-driven projects and programs at VVOCF. In addition to youth-led data collection (focus groups), analysis, and dispensation (presentations), two key documents, outlining major reflections shared by youth staff and project ideas, were also handed over to the organization, along with a master report documenting the processes and findings of the two-weeks.

“Like many disenfranchised groups, young people have suffered from misinformed decisions and policies intended to help them but designed without their input. The involvement of young people in the research process helps change this dynamic, providing them with the tools to develop and validate knowledge and to influence the development of programs and policies designed to affect their lives”

Over the course of two weeks, the following research and evaluation activities were facilitated, in the hopes of building on observations and reflections already gathered, and engaging systematically in big-picture planning through action and reflection: *Learning/discussion about evaluation *Focus group facilitated by adult supporters with the youth leaders *Youth leaders collectively developed focus group questions *Youth leaders facilitated focus groups with younger youth, in teams

Career Connections

*Youth leaders analysed and presenting findings

*Community organizing *Community-based participatory research and evaluation, with youth *Clinical practice with children, youth, and families *Social policy/Advocacy *Education/Educational Justice

*I conducted observations of youth-led sessions Skills Developed: Participatory planning, Dialogue Facilitation, Curriculum Development, Community Development, Cultural Responsiveness, Social Justice Pedagogy, CBPR/E

Advice

Classroom Connections SW685 directly informed the design of this project, allowing me to translate my own learnings, particularly around focus groups and participatory practices, into practice.

Lessons Learned “The interpersonal processes of youth and adults working together, or finding common ground, is as [if not more] important as the more technical processes of data collection, analysis, and dissemination” “Engaging youth in research and evaluation not only generates useful knowledge for communities and individuals, but also provides opportunities for the development and empowerment of youth participants, leading to benefits for young people, organizations, the broader community, and the research process” ~Kim Sabo Flores (2007)

*Strive to understand the connections between local, national, and global issues, and consider at all times your positionality *Use problem-posing questions to engage yourself, others, and the world *Cultivate relationships before, during, and after your project.

Acknowledgments I want to thank the Office of Global Activities for the ability to continue this work, in partnership with these amazing people: *Nomusa Buthelezi, Executive Director of VVOCF *Youth leaders at VVOCF: Wiseman (19), Deliwe (17), Nsizwa (19), Zinhle (18) *Adult supporters: Thandazile and Phakamani *Dr. Jeanne Gazel, co-founder of VVOCF

This poster was created for the Fall 2014 Global Social Work Poster Fair

VIDYA-Mali Women’s Center Process and Implementation Evaluation Mary O’Brien, University of Michigan School of Social Work

1

Background

3

VIDYA-Mali Women’s Center serves underprivileged women and girls by providing training in conversational English, computer literacy, vocational skills, and personal development initiatives in Bangalore, India.

A collaborative approach was used to conduct an evaluation of VIDYAMali in Bangalore, India. The evaluation was developed with an understanding of the key components of VIDYA-Mali Women’s Center and utilized a culturally responsive framework throughout the evaluation, including in identification of key evaluation questions, data collection methods, reporting, the development of recommendations, and the dissemination of findings.

Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka, has a population of about 8.5 million people. The majority of the population is Hindu.

VIDYA partnered with Mary O’Brien and the University of Michigan School of Social Work to carry out an evaluation designed to: 1. Document existing program components and processes for the purpose of program development and possible expansion;

• Plan to continue working on program evaluation with diverse populations

• Utilize your local counterpart • Focus on the needs of your local community / organization • Have some fun, too!

6. Further engage volunteers and leverage CSR opportunities; 7. Create an employment resource/ career services desk; and 8. Understand the life cycle of a program and conduct strategic planning for program growth.

4

Connections, Skills, and Lessons Learned Classroom preparation for this placement included: • International focused courses: SW 648 and SW 823 • Evaluation courses: SW 683 and SW 685 Skills utilized: • Evaluation design and implementation • Project management and planning • Creating a culturally relevant report and dissemination plan Lessons Learned: • Strategies to address sustainability concerns • Social and cultural context in Bangalore, India

This poster was created for the Fall 2015 Global Social Work Poster Fair

• Gained experience as lead evaluator of cross-cultural evaluation project

• Spend the time developing relationships and building rapport with program staff and participants

5. Formalize program interventions, processes, and goals;

Methods

Qualitative and Quantitative data collection methods were employed in the evaluation, including: • Semi-Structured Key Informant Interviews • Focus Group • Surveys • Observations • Document Review • Literature Review

Career

1. Support entrepreneurship opportunities;

4. Provide ongoing training to VIDYA-Mali staff and volunteers;

4. Develop VIDYA-Mali staff understanding of evaluation.

All elements of a process and implementation evaluation were carried out by Mary O’Brien, MSW Candidate. The details of the evaluation were disseminated as a report to key stakeholders and presented to program participants, local staff, and other regional staff and volunteers. An evaluation tool-kit and programmatic forms / tools were developed for VIDYA.

Career Connections and Advice

Advice

3. Offer mentorship and increased personal support to participants;

3. Identify measurable outcome indicators and recommend tools to track identified participant outcomes; and

5

VIDYA-Mali Summary Recommendations: 2. Measure self-efficacy and demonstrate program impact;

2. Assess the implementation of programming as compared to organizational mission and specific programmatic goals;

2

Outcomes

Thank you!!

VIDYA Global Activities Scholarship Program The International Institute Alumni Board of Governors

Poster created for the Global Social Work Week Poster Fair Nov. 2015

Narrating Histories in Chilean Prisons Global Activities Scholars Field Placement Lauren Reiser University of Michigan School of Social Work

Introduction

Men’s Prison: Theater Group

From May-August 2015, I interned in two prisons in Santiago, Chile, the nation’s capital.

Chile is considered to be one of the most stable, prosperous countries in South America, with similar poverty rates as the United States. It has the third highest incarceration rate in Latin America. Like the US, Chile’s penal system disproportionately affects individuals of lower socioeconomic classes.

Chilean prisons have been criticized for overcrowding, lack of rehabilitative programs, mistreatment by prison staff and violence between inmates (Sanhueza, 2014).

I worked with a theater group of 20 male inmates. Twice weekly sessions involved games, improvisations, and script writing about issues of discrimination.

The group drew upon Theater of the Oppressed (Boal, 1960s). T.O. fosters critical thinking and dialogue by inviting participants to act out different approaches to problems.

The men shared that through the workshop, communication, trust, and harmony between them improved, and they felt more motivated to develop themselves and their abilities.

Women’s Prison: Needs Assessment

My experiences have motivated me to explore issues of solitary confinement, re-entry programs, and the school-to-prison pipeline in my current SSW courses.

The theater group inspired me to take SW 513: Empowering Communities Through Creative Expression. The course has expanded my understanding of the theories and techniques of Theater of the Oppressed. I also intern with Ypsilanti’s Corner Health Center Theater Troupe, which uses theater for youth peer education on health issues.

These experiences have motivated me to incorporate participatory theater in a career focused on rights and empowerment for immigrants and prisoners in the U.S.

Lessons Learned and Advice

I conducted interviews in a section of a women’s prison considered to have very high rates of poverty and recidivism.

If there is any possibility your global experience will involve evaluation, take SW 683 in preparation.

The women shared histories of trauma, including childhood abandonment and physical and sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, and substance misuse.

Flexibility is key. Be accountable for what you can control, and willing to let go of what you cannot.

This word cloud was made using transcripts from interviews with 15 women. The most frequently used words appear larger.

The second cloud (next column) reflects the responses of theater group participants regarding their growth and workshop satisfaction after 3 months.

Classroom and Career Connections

You do not have to problem-solve alone. Utilize peers, colleagues on-site, and SSW staff to troubleshoot.

Skills Developed

- Evaluation skills, including: - Qualitative research: interview design and analysis - Needs assessment & formulation of recommendations They identified a need for psychological and social support - Process evaluation: listening and observation skills in the prison. I presented the idea of a peer counseling - Co-authoring of reports program used in other prisons. I co-authored a report with findings and recommendations, which we shared with prison - Patience and humor in communication across cultures, socioeconomic statuses and native languages staff and a university community.

Acknowledgments I am indebted to the Office of Global Activities, the International Institute, and SSW Alumni Board of Governors for their financial support. Special thanks to Katie Lopez, Larry Root, and my Chilean field instructor, Guillermo Sanhueza, for their time, guidance, and insight. Mil gracias to the Chilean men and women who welcomed me into their spaces and shared their stories.

Working with Kindergartners Cusco, Peru

The Country In August 2015, right after graduation I took off to Cusco, Peru where I worked with youth in the community for a two week global special study. My time was spent with teachers and students every weekday at a local kindergarten. I loved gaining experience working with individuals of a culture completely different than my own and developing new perspectives.

Tricia Schmidt University of Michigan School of Social Work

Classroom connections The Kindergarten •

Working with the students in Peru was a very new and exciting experience.

•

Cusco was an amazing city with lots of things to do and see

•

The language barrier made it difficult to communicate, teach, and empathize with the children; however, it did not prevent me from forming successful relationships

•

On the weekends I was able to travel around the country

•

I visited Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley!

A Broader View While completing research for my trip, I discovered an international volunteer organization called A Broader View Volunteers. The program fee covered food, housing, and connected me with a volunteer site.

•

I was still able to play, laugh, and have fun with the kids every day while learning basic Spanish

•

I enjoyed providing assistance in the classroom and observing the educational styles of the teachers

•

I was assigned a local coordinator who picked me up from the airport, connected me with a host family, and showed me how to get to my volunteer site.

The coordinator also gave me a tour of the city and was available for any questions or concerns I had during my trip. I was even able to meet another volunteer to spend time with!

Sightseeing

The students loved the additional attention of a third adult so I tried my best to engage them with interesting and empowering activities

My Child Development course provided knowledge on the importance of empathizing with children and allowing them to be heard.

Interpersonal Practice with Children and Youth and School Social Work Interventions provided knowledge and background on positive interventions for various age groups.

Advice Go with the flow and have an open mind.

Be flexible, as things might not go exactly as planned.

Do not be afraid to try new things and embrace the culture.

Take advantage of your time abroad, it will go by fast!

If you have any questions about my Global Special Study experience, email me at schmtric@umich.edu You can also check out A Broader View volunteers at https://www.abroaderview.org/

¡Pura Vida, Mae! Peace Corps, Youth Development, and Costa Rica Gina Steffey University of Michigan School of Social Work La Victoria, Costa Rica

Youth Development

The population of Costa Rica is approx. 4.8 million. The population of La Victoria, the community where I was stationed for two years, is approx. 1,500. La Victoria is located in northeast Costa Rica, has acres upon acres of Dole banana plantations, and has a hot and humid climate.

As a Youth Development volunteer, my responsibilities included partnering with local counterparts to implement projects that would teach youth valuable life skills (such as leadership, communication, and goal setting), and strengthen the net of support systems available to youth in the community by facilitating workshops for parents, teachers, and other youth workers.

During my two years of service, my counterparts and I were able to implement a weekly girls’ group, a mentor program, a series of workshops about adolescence and sexuality, a comprehensive sex-ed course, an overnight camp, and update the community basketball court and park.

Challenges Facing Youth in Costa Rica According to the most recent Costa Rican census, 19% of families in urban areas are living in poverty and 5.2% are in extreme poverty, while in rural areas (like La Victoria) 30.3% are below the poverty like and 10.6% are in extreme poverty. The high school drop out rate is extremely high with only about 1 in 3 students graduating. As a result of poverty and an education system that has a lot of room for growth, teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol use, and crime rates are fairly high amongst Costa Rican youth

Skills Utilized & Developed As any Peace Corps Volunteer will tell you, flexibility is key. Things rarely went according to plan, and my counterparts and I had to adapt our lesson plans on the fly and sometimes just be able to accept that people weren’t going to show up or that we weren’t going to be able to do what we had initially hoped to.

While trying to make my projects sustainable, it was critical to use those interpersonal skills to gain trust and community buy-in. Doing so took time and patience, but having a genuine interest and listening to what my students and neighbors had to say meant that we were able to accomplish great things.

Finally, the act of self-care cannot be stressed enough. The stress of learning a new language, the failure of projects, and being isolated in a remote banana farming community would have been too much to bare if I had not taken the time to care for myself.

Classroom Connections Nearly every single course I took in 2013 at the SSW prepared me for some aspect of my Peace Corps experience in Costa Rica.

The community organization and engagement classes I had provided me with the tools I needed to complete a community and sector analysis during my first few months of service, my IP classes prepared me to make lasting connections and relationships with my neighbors, and youth development classes helped me to figure out how to best serve the kids in my community.

Career Connections I will absolutely use my experiences collecting and analyzing information about my community’s assets and needs in future community organizing work. The work I did in Costa Rica reinforced my desire to pursue community organizing with youth on the grassroots level.

Lessons Learned The two years I spent in Costa Rica were the most transformative of my life. The biggest take away from my service was the importance of patience. Sure, things tend to take a bit longer in a culture where a 3 o’clock coffee break is a human right and the actual start time for anything is at least an hour after what it was supposed to be, but development in general takes time. It would be really naïve of me to say that I saw the fruits of my labor while I was in my community. I didn’t because two years really isn’t that long. But I can confidently say that I planted some seeds that will hopefully one day grow into trees that will produce some pretty amazing fruit.

Advice Be humble.

Always.

You do not know everything and everyone you meet will have something to teach you. Take advantage of these learning opportunities!

Be patient, but also be persistent. Yes, things move at a slower pace in developing countries, but it is often times your responsibility to be the driving force to get projects up and running.

People sometimes just need a gentle nudge to get in gear

Acknowledgements Thank you to my amazing friends and family, both in the States and Costa Rica, who have given me so much strength, support and love.

And a huge THANK YOU to Katie Lopez and Larry Root for the support and encouragement before, during, and after service! You guys are amazing!

OUTCOMES

A Survey of Social Services for the Roma Christine Su University of Michigan School of Social Work ROMANIA

PROJECT INFORMATION

Romania is a post-communist Eastern European Country. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and was inducted as part of the European Union in 2007. In the past years, Romania has experienced significant economic growtn and the standard of living has greatly increased.

The goal of this special studies was to understand the social services being provided to this population; the historical, social and cultural considerations that influence service provision/delivery; and the policies/research that inform what and how service is provided.

Interviews and site visits were conducted with 7 organizations and individuals.

Out of a population of 19.69 million in Romania (2013, World Factbook), about 700,000 are Roma (about 3.3°/o of the population) though the actual number may be closer to 2 million due to fear that identification may lead to stigmatization. The Roma number around 2.73 million in Europe.

In the course of 2 weeks I was able to speak to community leaders, service providers, and community organizers to gain a clearer understanding of the specific needs of this group and how they are assessed, the types of service delivery models and the theories behind them, and the barriers and challenges of working with the Roma.

The completed work for this project included: a literature review, a summary of the interviews, 5 reflections, and an executive summary.

SKILLS UTILIZED/DEVELOPED From this experience, I was able to practice: • Tact in handling misconceptions of my purpose • Critical and analytical skills in comparing social work in Romania, as well as globally and locally • Revisiting and re-contextualizing my personal and professional identity in global social work practice

LESSONS LEARNED • Take every lead offered to you, it opens doors.

• Don't be afraid to be assertive or ask questions.

• Remember to take a step back every so often to reassess where you are going and where you're at.

COMMUNITY CONTACTS

ABOUT THE ROMA According to the World Bank, the Roma are one of the largest and most vulnerable minority groups in Europe. This group is also historically known as or referred to as "gypsies," "travelers," "Rom," or "Tsigani" and are believed to have originally come from India.

• In Eastern Europe, 71°/o of Roma live in poverty.

• About 29o/o of Roma do not complete secondary education.

• About 50°/o of Roma men and 75°/o of Roma women are unemployed.

• The majority of Roma are no longer nomadic, but may seasonally migrate for jobs.

The following organizations/individuals were interviewed for this project: • Gina Anton, President of Roma political party, running for county district position • Sebastian Ghica, Director of IOSEF Foundation, works with vulnerable children • Claudia and Adrian, Save the Children, lasi • Marian Mendache, Director of RomaniCRISS, an NGO that works on anti-discrimination in politics, education, health, and housing. Also, a leader in producing Roma-related research and publications.

• Margareta Hertanu, former Director of Minority Affairs, current Director of a Roma NGO focused on providing support to the local Roma community.

• Father Stefan, priest doing work with Roma prisoners in Italy • A Roma health mediator in Bucharest

CONNECTIONS Classroom: SW555: Independent Study on Human Rights Understanding how a Human Rights framework is used and applied in the context of Social Work.

SW648: Issues in Global Social Work Practice and SW823: Comparative Cross-National Analyses of Social Service Systems - Critical thinking around the contexts that define social issues and influence interventions.

Career: As previously mentioned, this opportunity has given me the chance to me to re-contextualize my personal and professional identity in global social work practice and see how I can continue to do similar work locally while keeping global in mind.

ADVICE • Be prepared to be asked to take a stance on controversial issues. Know how you would choose to respond or not respond.

• Do your research and be knowledgeable about the country, the language, the issues, the culture of the organization, the individual, etc.

• Having contacts and relationships before arriving, even one good contact, makes a huge difference.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you to the kindness, openness, and generosity of time given to me by the individuals and organizations that I had the opportunity to interview. Heartfelt gratitude to my dear friend Sarina Chiper for her presence and moral support during my journey. This project would not have been possible without funding and support from the Office of Global Activities. Thank you, Katie Lopez and Professor Larry Root. And lastly, thank you to Professor Mary Ruffolo for her enthusiasm and guidance throughout this project.

Lesotho University of Michigan School of Social Work Peace Corps Master’s International Tori Raymond, Healthy Youth Adviser PCV 2013-2015

Demographics Lesotho is a land-­‐locked country surrounded by South Africa with a population of just over two million. Also referred to as “The Kingdom in the Sky”, Lesotho has mountainous terrain and overall high elevation in rural areas, where about three quarters of the population lives. More than 85% of the labor force works off the land, as Lesotho is an agrarian economy. According to the CIA fact book, unemployment is approximately 30%, life expectancy is 52 years of age, and 23.6% of the country is living with HIV/AIDS -­‐ the second highest HIV prevalence rate in the world.

Framework for Youth Development Volunteers in Lesotho 1. Educate youth about HIV/AIDS and sexual health 2. Support HIV+ peoples 3. Mitigate the effects of HIV/AIDS Host Country Partner I was assigned to the community-­‐based organization the Anti-­‐Drug Abuse Association of Lesotho (ADAAL) in the town of Mafeteng, Lesotho. The goal of ADAAL is to prepare youth, especially orphans and vulnerable children, with life skills and healthy practices that will guide them in the future. ADAAL also supports children and their families with education-­‐ and needs-­‐based financial assistance.

Project Activities A list of my primary activities in my two years of service included: • Planning and facilitating summer and winter camps for 60+ youth at a time who attend primary and secondary school • Facilitating youth activities in and out of schools throughout the community including after-­‐school meetings, creative writing competitions, Grassroot Soccer (GRS) interventions, career planning sessions, and a youth sports club • Capacity-­‐building through the creation of partnerships in the community with local business, organizations, and volunteers to share ideas and resources for improved collaboration and service delivery • Assembling a group of eight women in my village for economic empowerment through needs assessment, proposal writing, and business skills development to start an income-­‐generating project for women who are affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic and/or take care of orphaned and vulnerable children.

Top Left: Teaching high school students about risky behaviors through the GRS curriculum at summer camp. Above: Girls playing basketball at a youth sports day tournament. Far Left: Partnering with local and international NGOs to teach about substance abuse at a girls leadership camp. Near Left: The start of a women’s sewing group in my village.

Classroom Connections SW651 – Planning for Community Change I learned about how to enter a community and build respectful relationships as an “outsider” SW513 – Community Empowerment Through the Arts This class taught me how to incorporate creativity into my practice with youth.

Career Connections The skills I gained in a cross-­‐cultural context will be invaluable to my career. I have further developed the capacity to empathize with others, account for cultural considerations in planning programs and projects, work across differences, and be resourceful when materials and spaces are not available for use.

Advice • Research before going abroad to mentally prepare. Look at blogs, talk to those who have visited/lived there, and watch videos if you can. But still go in with an open mind – culture is fluid!

• Everyone has a different experience. Don’t compare yours to others’ and make the most of it.

• Say ‘yes’ to new things, you never know what might come of it!

Skills Development • Cross-­‐cultural communication • Utilizing assessment in all parts of program development • Group facilitation • Improvisation Lessons Learned • Good relationships are the foundation of organizing work • Development work takes time; 2 years is little time!

• NGOs in developing countries have unique challenges and barriers that need to be understood before giving money to and developing their programs

Acknowledgments Thank You to the Office of Global Activities for your constant support before, during, and after my service. Your words and chocolates of encouragement always arrived just when I needed them most. To Peace Corps Lesotho staff, I appreciate you putting my safety above all else, and for providing me with support and kindness throughout my service. Shout-­‐out to the wonderful women who also pursued this crazy program with me, and have helped to reaffirm my weird habits while transitioning back to the U.S. And finally to my friends and family – I would not have made it without you. *This poster was created for the Fall 2015 Global Social Work Poster Fair

Reflection Connections Competencies • 4 – Engage diversity and difference in practice.

• 5 – Advance human rights and social and economic justice.

The Basics: People & Place

The End: Perspective & Promise

Dharamsala is a village in the mountainous North Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The area is home to His Holiness the Dalai Lama (HHDL), the Tibetan government in exile, and numerous Tibetan refugees.

This project shed light on a community that feels forgotten by the rest of the world. It brought to light their every day lives and provided illumination on what is sustaining them and helping them cope. It evidenced the strength, hope, and resiliency of the human spirit and of a people dedicated to their leader and culture. It has altered and expanded my perspective, and it will hopefully do so for others, too. In terms of academic deliverables, this experience culminated in a very detailed, somewhat ethnographic account of my encounters and the various micro (e.g., intrapersonal factors, such as religious practice), mezzo (e.g., community organizations, services), and macro (e.g., Chinese-Tibet relations, Indian government, HHDL) factors affecting Tibetan refugees in Dharamsala, India. In addition, it culminated in this poster.

The Action: Process & Participation

There are a variety of services for receiving and resettling Tibetans escaping from China. There are schools for Tibetan children, monasteries for monks and nuns, and institutions for preserving and propagating Tibet’s language, culture, and (hi)story.

The Details: Project & Purpose My project is defined by stories of the Tibetan people - I wanted to hear them, know them, and give them a voice, assuming Tibetans wanted to tell them. I wanted the people there to direct and guide me and my project, which they organically did. When they asked why I had come, I answered, “To talk to you all.”

I partnered with LHA Charitable Trust: Institute for Social Work & Education, which arranged a homestay with a Tibetan family and provided volunteer ESL opportunities. LHA is a grassroots NPO that provides a range of services to the Tibetan community in Dharamsala.

Through encounters at LHA, I met many Tibetan refugees (monks, nuns, lay people), who introduced me to more, and so on.

I joined many of them in their daily life activities and on multiple excursions, listening to their life story, thoughts on the Western presence in the area, perspectives on China, and the role of Tibetan Buddhism in their lives. I simply listened to them and enjoyed their company (and helped them practice English . conversation). When asked what they wanted, they said for the world to know their story and to know “the Tibet situation.”

• 9 – Respond to contexts that shape practice.

• 10a – Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Coursework • Foundation: 500, 502, 513, 521, 560 • Specialized: IP with Adults, IP with Groups • Other: Eval in SW; trauma, attachment mini-courses

Career Carryovers • The primacy of cultural humility • The value of physical presence and quality time with, genuine interest in, and intentional listening to target community • The need to tell one’s story

Lessons & Advice • Know the community prior

The Acknowledgements: Partners & Pals

• Follow your gut

Special thanks to the Office of Global Activities for funding my trip; Larry Root for sponsoring this project; and Katie Lopez for keeping things (and me) on track.

Additional thanks to LHA; my host family; and the beautiful Tibetans who let me be a part of their lives for a brief moment. Very special thanks to all those who cared for me during my illness, especially Amala and Thinley.

• Full immersion, not partial • Be a ‘yes’ person • Roll with all of the punches • Allow for an organic, freeflowing experience rather than an overly structured one

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Madrid, Spain Global Special Studies

Alma Worthy, MSW Candidate 2015 University of Michigan School of Social Work

Location Madrid is the capital of Spain. This European city is home to almost 3.2 million people. It is the third largest city in the European Union. The is made up of medieval, Renaissance and modern architecture.

Spanish is the main language spoken. Madrid is a cultural pub, where you can find MANY museums, art centers, churches, historical sites, and restaurants. *If you’re ever able to visit, make sure to get some Paella!!!* 

My Special Study Pre-departure, you really must do your research about whatever topic you’ll be studying while aboard. Mines was IPV. Through pre-trip research, I learned that death rates by IPV are 6 times higher in the states than in Spain.

The purpose of my trip??

To gain knowledge about 1) how accurate this statistic is and 2) learn how Spain has managed to keep their IPV death rate relatively low, compared to the states.

Through meet-ups, interviews, and observations with several organizations, I sought out to gain the most comprehensive view of IPV in Spain.

Skills Used and Developed Aside from Improving my Spanish, I was about to develop and improve many skills that cross over into the social work profession, including • Maintaining Professional identity • Decision making based in values and ethics • Engagement of diversity and differences in practice • Engaging in research-informed practice • Engagement, assessment, and evaluation

Agency & Community Partners Since my project was a Global Special Study, I had to make my own connections and community partnerships. I was able to work with the following groups in Spain: International Academy of Madrid (IAM) The International Academy of Madrid is a school I was able to observe second graders’ social exchanges during recess for a series of days. The purpose of my observation was to observe gender roles and norms.

The Madrid City Council To learn more about how policy and government approaches IPV in Madrid, I was able to meet with an intern for the Madrid City Council.

Asociación para la convivencia (ASPACIA) ASPACIA was were I spent the bulk of my time in Madrid.

ASPACIA is a non-profit organization that aims to eliminate violent of all forms, protect victims, and promote equality in relationships. The purpose of this was to gain perspective from those “on the ground level” and who actually deal with IPV cases on a day-to-day basis.

Policía Municipal Madrid While in Madrid, I was encouraged by the members of ASPACIA to interview police officers, and members of a specialized police taskforce, called Grupo Luna. The purpose of this was to gain information on how police handle IPV calls and gain a ‘first responder’ perspective on IPV in Madrid.

Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE) I came across this agency while was in Madrid. They were visiting with ASPACIA, so I was able to interview a representative from there agency. WAVE is a non-profit, working throughout Europe to combat violence against women and children.

Classroom Connections

Outcomes I learned SO much about travelling, global interactions, and IPV that I never in a million years would have learned, had I not gone to Spain. Friends, family, and even Google could not have given me the wealth of unexpected knowledge I gained.

Here are some key outcomes of my trip, in regards to IPV: Definition of IPV The Spanish government defines IPV as (1) violence only expressed from a man to a woman, and (2) between and man and a woman who have been or currently is in a relationship. However, many advocacy groups and allies definite IPV more similarly to the US; violent or aggressive behavior in any form towards a household member , involving abuse, power and control.

Spanish culture and IPV Spain has come a very long way through history, like many other place. Gender roles and norms are similar to the US, however older generations are more likely to abide by ‘traditional’ gender roles and norms. Similar to the US, our grandparents and great grandparents are more likely to be homophobic, look like a ‘traditional’ family, be abused, and overall be more at risk for IPV. Spanish Policies and Innovations I was able to learn about innovations that work for Spain, that I think would be interesting to try in the states.

1. A IPV emergency number, similar to the US’s ‘911’. Spain has a ‘911’ equivalent, how additional has ‘112’, which is solely for IPV emergencies.

2. A new pilot program within the Madrid government that focuses specifically on IPV. If it goes well, it will be rolled out in all of Spain and eventually all of Europe. The major missions are to help with policy making and creating less vagueness policies, while bridging the gap between the definition of IPV in government and IPV community groups.

3. Recently, policies has changed so that children involved in IPV situations are considered, by law, direct victims of IPV. This means they also get free counselling, however it is the choose of the parent/child. Additionally, batterers MUST go through a required year of weekly, group counselling through ASPACIA, if convicted of any crime associate with IPV. H

SW 648: Issues in Global Social Work This course better prepared me for a global social work experience, helping me understand how social problems are globally identified, understood and addressed. I strongly suggest it if you plan to do a global special study, as it can be very overwhelming.

SW 691: Advanced Field Instruction Field helped me balance professional identity, while being involved in sensitive and confidential issues.

SW 708: Special Issues in Interpersonal Violence This course helped me to understand IPV, beyond the physical. It heighten my awareness to IPV across racial, ethnic, gender, sexuality, SES, religious domains.

Lessons Learned 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Setting goals is great, but plan to be flexible as well.

When outside of my home country, I am at the mercy of that country..

I may be using the same words as someone, but we might have different meaning.

Community first: Ask, Listen, Learn I represent more than myself when I travel aboard.

I am not an expert.

Advice DO YOUR RESEARCH!!!!! This can be stressful. Talk to those around you, read blogs, download apps, and use the SSW Office of Global Activities(OGA).

Acknowledgements 1. EVERYONE at the OGA, especially Katie Lopez, Lawrence Root and Brandon Patterson, for supporting me through my entire journey.

2. The Board of Governors for funding me 3. Beth Glover Reed for supporting me as my Global Advisor and overall mentor.

4. My SW648 class for blogging and being great 5. The International Academy of Madrid, the Madrid City Council, ASPACIA, Policia Municipal Madrid, Grupo Luna, and WAVE.