OGA Student Posters 2013

2013 global social work day posters

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Hohoe, Volta Region, Ghana In 1957, Ghana was the first country in SubSaharan Africa to gain independence 0 Offic ial Language-English 0 Ethnic Language-Ewe 0 Population- 25 million 0 Relig ion- 69% Christian, 16% Muslim, 9% Traditions, 1% Other

----------------------Cross Cultural Solutions

Cross Cultural Solutions (CCS) is the volunteer organization we worked w ith for our special studies. CCS has a partnership with the community, and is devoted to addressing the needs of the community. The three major components of CCS are: 0 Cultural Immersion 0 Positive Impact Through Volunteer Work 0 Country Exploration

Community Development Initiatives 0 Participating in educational learning activities w ith young people 0 Incorporating arts-based activities in curriculum 0 Providing micro financing strategies to promote savmg money

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0 Apply an African Centered Approach when working with communities.

0 When working with communities consider the culture as a component towards change.

We would like to thank the Office of Global Activities and the Alumni Board of Governors for financially supporting our global field placement with Cross Cultural Solutions. We also would like to thank Cross Cultural Solutions for providing our placement, hosting , and introducing us to the Ghanaian Culture. Lastl y, we want to thank Dr. Hollingsworth for supporting us through our global placement. was

ECO-FUEL AFRJCA LIMITED 1 .. ..

Lugazi, Uganda

In Lugazi, as well as the rest of Uganda and most of Eastern Africa, over 80% of households use charcoal to cook food, boil water, and heat their homes.

Lugazi is considered the sugar capital of East Africa, there are a series of lndian-Ugandan subsidiaries owned by the Mehta Group; this has created a pronounced disparity in economic prosperity between native Ugandans and lndian-Ugandans in the community.

Currently, 2,500 marginalized farmers in Uganda use our kilns to make biochar on their farms. These farmers no longer have to spend money on fertilizers and many have been able to increase their food harvests by over 50%.

This product is then sold by women microentrepreneurs, who are often able to double their household income.

Project Information Work: Measured the Social Impact felt at each level of the value chain from production to end user in the community by the firm Eco-Fuel Africa.

Eco-Fuel Africa Process: EFA works by training marginalised farmers to turn locally sourced biomass waste into a product called char using simple, locally made kilns. These farmers are trained for five days and after the training, they take home a kiln on a lease-to-own basis, and begin to make char out of waste sourced locally from their communities.

Special Studies: Worked with staff and executive team to identify how Eco-Fuel Africa was serving their communities

Outcomes Social Impact Report (draft): +Drafted Social Impact Report +Completed Social Investor Prospectus Grant Award: The Social Impact Report was finalized following my departure and used to secure continued funding from the United Kingdom's International Development arm, called DFID.

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Skills Utilized/Developed +Practicing recognizing Prrvilege Oppression .

Diversity and Social Justice (PODS) In a real world context

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+Implementing evaluation methods through measuring the social impact of Eco-Fuel Africa +Improving my cultural competency by having expenences truly ootside my norms

Classroom Connections SW 654, Community Participation T' is course gav., t at I used when 1ntaractmg wi1l1 members of the communtt1es I worked w1th r SW 683, Evaluation Takmg tt 1s cl~ pnor o th1s expenenoed enabled me to accurately and efficiently assess the soc1al Impact that Eco-Fuel Afnca effects

Lessons Learned This was the flm prolonged expenence truly outside my comfort zone, this made me reconsider what I hold to be true about myself Living, and working in an entirely new community helped me practice humility and be ever cogmzant of what 1 rep~ented whether I wanted to 01 not Having th1s opportumty IS tremendously benef1c1al and odd 1 am Fortunate enough to enter a community for a short tlme then leave IS that e poSitive effect on those 1met or am I acting selfishly In that I am takmg more than I am g lvtng?

Career Connections This experience has expanded my comfort boundaries, which will hopefully allow me to work more effectively in more places.

1 have become more conscious of how I am

perceived and what it means to give and receive respect

+Assumptions are inevitable, and usually wrong +When you realize you are incorrectly assuming, learn from it +If you are not assuming, you may not be far enough outside your comfort zone

Thanks to Sanga Moses-CEO of Eco-Fuel Africa Larry Root- Faculty Advisor Katie Lopez- 00,.,

Peru Peru is located along the western coast of South America and is home to nearly 30 million people. Peru's indigenous population is vast with 45% of the population identifying as Amerindian. Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara are all held as official languages.

The capitol city of Lima is home to 31 % of the population and receives approximately 150,000 new migrants each year. Lima is considered the hub of political and economical activity.

Lima's economy is based on the export of minerals and other natural resou rces and whi le Peru is experiencing economic growth \ wealth is not trickling down to the poor sectors and is creating growing disparity among the rich and the poor.

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My daily responsibilities varied during my time at Los Martincitos which allowed me to participate in the wide array of services they offer. This included anything from helping to prepare meals, assist in physical therapy, participate in needs assessment during home visitations, and providing eager ears to listen to stories and develop relationships.

I spent a lot of time research ing and interviewing residents about the history of Villa El Salvador including the impact of the Shining Path on residents of VES .

I also researched national and local services available to older adults in Perut

Connections Classroom: SW 701.· International Social Work

Villa El Salvador Villa El Salvador is a district on the south end of the capital city of Lima. It was founded in 1971 as a shantytown when some 200 fami lies o rganized a land invasion to address the need for more housing in Lima.

This course helped me think critically about my role as a US trained social worker and what I brought with me because of that.

SW 697 Social Work Practice with Community and Social Systems

40+ years later VES has g rown into one of the largest and most populous d istricts in Lima with nearly 380,000 residents.

This course prepared me to think about different ways in wfiich individuals engage with their communities which allowed me to identify various levels of social participation in VES. Career: My field placement at Los Martincitos reminded me of the power and importance of human connection and reminded me of why I went into social work in the first place.

The community has been internationally recognized for their organizing and development efforts and were even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.

Los Martincitos

Lessons Learned

Los Martincitos is a senior center located fn VES serving 104 abuel@s three days a week. It is the only senior center focused on working with sen'iors living in extreme poverty and addressing basic needs on a weekly basis.

Services include: • Two hot meals a day • Literacy Programs • Physical Therapy • Skill-building Workshops • Educational Events • Home Visits

Outcomes As a result of my research, interviews and interactions I developed several resources to be made available for future international volunteers to enhance experience at Los Martinctios and expa nd their understanding of the community.

• Respect is the foundation of any relationship build ing process • Embrace every moment as an opportunity to learn and acknowledge thaf everyone has something to teach • Language is extremely i mportant, but when words fail there are many ways to commu nicate

These resources include: • An Eco-Map of the organization within a global context • An Informational guide on historical trauma within the VES community • An informational guide on Peru's Pensi6n 65 program

Skills Developed Skills developed through this experience include: • • • •

Relationship bu ilding skills when entering a community as an outsider Empathic listening and strength based interviewing Navigating a multicultural, multilingual setting Integrating multiple resea rch methods into a cohesive product

Advice • Seek out opportunities to develop relationships with local people. They can show you their commu nity/country in ways you couldn't experience otherwise.

• When preparing for departure explore the country you are visiting through a cva riety of resources. Don't just 'read' up on the country, but listen to the music, look at art, watch movies, listen to the language. You'll get a better picture.

Acknowledgements I want to thank the Office of Global Activities as well as the Alumni Board of Governors for supporting my international experience. I also want to thank Tenny Palomino for his incredible guidance at Los Martincitos as well as Jose Leon for sharing his common ity with me.

Photo Credit: www.amigosdevilla.it

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NESBITT CENTRE Engag1ng, EnnchJng, Empowenng People With Learnrng 0Jsabthlles

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ERIN ELLY 11 UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

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HONG KONG

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DISCOVERING HONG KONG Hong Kong is located on southern coast of China. It is one of the most vibrant and densely populated regions in the world. Hong Kong was under British rule from 1842 until 1997, when sovereignty was transferred to the People's Republic China as a Special Administrative Region (SA R). Hong Kong currently observes a "one country, two system" policy.

At least 7 million people call Hong Kong home, according to the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department. That means it supports roughly 17,000 people per square mile.

Hong Kong has been called the vertical city, with over 7000 skyscrapers shaping the landscape. The landmass 1s approximately 426 square miles, and includes several outlying islands. Hong Kong has a sophisticated transit system that makes it convenient to travel across the region.

The official languages are Cantonese and English. While English is widely used, approximately 89% of the population speaks Cantonese.

THANK YOU I am grateful to have had a global f ield experience. I could not have completed this journey without the financial support and guidance of the Office of Global Activities. A special thank you to The University of Hong Kong, the Nesbitt Centre. and the people that make Hong Kong so extraordinary. To Professor Alvarez, Anthony Cheng, and Joannes Lee for sharing a world of experiential-based learning opportunities and ideas with me. To Maggie Vail, Kyle Brickner, and Kent Youil for the valuable advice as I prepared for my placement. Finally, to my fam ily for their love and support.

Janelle Fa'aola University of Michigan School of Social Work Cape Town, South Africa An excerpt from one of my first blog posts abroad: Town is absolutely beautiful-mountains in my backyard with an oceanfront only 10 minutes away. can walk up to the mountains or take a train lalcmo the coast, it's really magnificent and 1 feel so lucky to be here. However, the city's beauty often masks the issues of the very apparent discrepancy between the townships' poverty and the wealth in the center. Townships are informal settlement areas th~t developed during apartheid as a result of unjustified forced removal of black and 'coloured'

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Africans from their homes and communities were nearer to the city center. T hese areas were ••h·-~ destroyed, reconstructed and deemed "whites . These townships are where CCS volunteers are primarily placed, as they are the areas with most need. Also, geographically, these infermal nts were purposely pushed to the outskirts of city therefore they are further from transportation. lso·cial service organizations and other resources." injustices that took place in this country are tro•:::io1 .. , however I witnessed a sense of solidarity resiliency of an entire nation The country's reconstruction is built on truth, reconciliation, peace justice for all who went through the struggle. re is truly no place in the world like South Africa .

Skills Utilized/Developed

Navigating Two Field Placements: AdontsMusati PYOyd There are approximately 65,233 refugees residmg in South Africa and a remarkable 230,442 asylum seekers. With xenophobia present ih the country, there IS a need for both physical and mental health support. AMP provides humanitarian assistance to vulnerable and disenfranchised asylum seekers and refugees in Cape Town. The goal of the agency is to provide the support necessary to facilitate a transition to self reliance.

I provided additional capacity and administrative support in facilitating services to the refugee community and the organization's pilot Peer Counselling Program. Through my contributions to AMP, I was able to leave evaluation tools for future Peer Counselling Programs. I developed a new and effective system for donation distribution which included direct service at the door and outreach to the community.

~!mJ!re___ HFH aims to provide supported and supervised foster care for orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children in small family homes in their own communities. Lizo Nobanda is HFH's educare center for the children in Khayelitsha Township.

While placed at HFH, I co-organized a holiday program for the older children in the community during their school vacation . I also provided support to the educare facility through teacher assistance and psycho-social support. 1 also had the opportunity to conduct research, create and facilitate workshops while building meaningful relationships with the foster moms in Khayelitsha.

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• Flexit>ilit)l Learning to be adaptable and take on tasks that were not nece~sa.rily comfortable or my area of expertise was cruc1al1n my learning experience and the needs of the organizations.

• A utono m y There is not always clear direction of what an agency wa~ts you to do, thus taking initiative and creating prOJects for myself within the organizations was a major contributing factor to my learning outcomes.

• Relationship B uilding Taking the time to get to know the people 1 served and the co-workers who surrounded me daily was essential in professional and personal growth.

Career Connections The experience navigating two field placements that went through major organizational changes while 1 was there will be useful for my future in this field. It pushed me to take initiative, be a leader and develop sk1lls 1n areas I knew little about. It also presented the reality of working in NGOs which is that they can undergo many shifts and changes and we must adapt quickly and keep moving forward.

Classroom Connections Comparative Cross National Analyses of Social Service Systems (SW 823) provided the opportunity to anal~ze the similarities and differences in policy, serv1ce delivery and the affects it has on the refugee and asylum seekers in the U.S. and South Africa

Advice

Women and Community Organizing (SW 674) gave me new vocabulary to understand the complexity of intersectionality and skills to facilitate the workshops with the foster mothers.

•Build on small wins- do not devalue your experience or accomplishments •Let go of the things and people you cannot change · Say and show your gratitude and appreciation

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Lessons Learned Acknowledgments • Trust your instincts. You didn't get to where you are today by not knowing anything.

• You build relationships with people, not textbooks.

• Honest self-awareness; practice it and continue to work on understanding you.

• ~elf-care , self-care, self-care: know when you need 1t and take the time to do it.

I would like to thank the Office of Global Activities for providi~g me the Global Activities Scholarship. 1 would .l1ke to thank CCS South Africa, The Adonis Musat1 Project and Home From Home staff and consumers. Lastly, a huge thank you to the friends and family who donated to my fundraiser to help make this all possible. '

SAARTJIE BAARTMAN CENTRE FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN Samantha Giacobozzi

Saartjie Baartman Centre

University of Michigan School of Social Work ISSUES The Saartjie Baartman Centre is working toward the creation of a safe and secure society and a human rights culture where women and children have agency to exercise their full rights.

The majority of the women who access services at Saartjie Baartman Centre have limited financial resources, formal education and employment skills. Services include emergency and short-term accommodation, counseling, life and job skills training, and legal assistance. The centre is also involved in research, community education and awareness-raising, and advocacy efforts.

As an intern J was largely responsible for overseeing the support group programs in place for the women we served. This included curriculum development, facilitation, planning and execution of all group sessions. The group programming included parenting, relaxation, arts & crafts, storytelling and support.

South Africa, with its history of Apartheid, continues to address its unique social issues.

Considered a middle-income country and a burgeoning democracy, South Africa is dealing with the affects of the disenfranchisement and marginalization of large segments of its population.

South Africa is an incredibly diverse country with 11 official languages, many religions and a variety of ethnic groups. Its multicultural society has earned South Africa the name, Rainbow Nation.

Although my focus within the School of Social Work is Community Organization, much of my time at the Saartjie Baartman Centre was spent in group work.

Through this, I was able to increase my knowledge and capacity for interpersonal practice. Additionally, I was responsible for the management of the support group program thereby creating the opportunity to gain skills in assessing and executing programs and managing other interns.

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South Africa is purported to have the highest rates of gender based violence, including rape, in the world.

• "Among women aged between 15 and 44, acts of violence cause more death and disability than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war combined." (UN Women, 2011) • "In South Africa, a woman is killed every 6 hours by an intimate partner." (UN Women, 2011)

Throughout my field placement with the Saartjie Baartman Centre, I was able to:

PASSION and PRAGMATISM: As social workers, we can only do what we have the skills and capability to do. That is always better than nothing. We should not be satisfied with the status quo or with mediocrity, rather, there are times when we simply do not have the tools or the ability or, in my case, the time, to do all that could possibly be done within the communities we serve. Balancing investment and intentionality with humility has been an absolute lesson learned.

• Create and execute a comprehensive 8-week support group curriculum.

• Assess current programming and offer suggestions for changes to the current support group programming and structure.

• Expand knowledge of trauma-informed and empowerment focused social work.

l CLASSROOM Since beginning the program, I was able to ground my MSW experience in both theory and practice principles situated within feminism. I have chosen classes in the School of Social Work and within the Department of Women's Studies that has centered on feminist organizing. This has included: Women and Community Organizing, Transnational and Multicultural Feminism and Feminist Practice.

CAREER

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Thank you to the Office of Global Activities and the Alumni Board of Governors for financially supporting both my education here at the School of Social Work and, most importantly, my experience in South Africa.

I have learned about forgiveness and survival and healing and love in ways that I never expected and for that, I am incredibly grateful. Without question, this would not have happened without the women of Saartjie Baartman.

In tailoring both my classroom and field experience to issues related to women, gender and feminism, I have firmly established myself in pursuing future work that allows me to apply that knowledge.

When I graduate, I hope to work within the intersections of individual practice and community empowerment- simultaneously building capacity for individuals and communities.

After spending 3 months in Cape Town· engaging, working and learning daily· issues of race, gender, culture, privilege and oppression (among many other things) have only become more complex in my mind.

Attention paid to positionality is critical as a social worker, however, it is also crucial to not allow that awareness to impede your ability to invest in the work. The salience of intersectionality in social work practice only became more evident within a global context.

Project Information I worked in collaboration with Professor Lorraine Gutierrez, PhD and her Empowering Families and Communities: Community Action in Contemporary London undergraduate class. The focus of the

project was to explore community action and social change within London and study community groups working for positive change. I individually researched mental health services and their progression over the years within mental health facilities in London and within the community. I maintained a particular focus of study on the black, as well as the homeless population in London.

Agency/Community Partners I worked with Tony Warner, Black History Walks Director and the Brixton and London Community.

Black History Walks provides information about the British history of African/Caribbean people for residents and tourists. I worked within the Brixton and London communities and learned about areas of social change

Classroom Connections Social Work 560 and Social Work 502 were two courses used in preparing and gaining insight into understanding organizational structures as well as how to create social change without eliminating cultural values and traditions.

Becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable in new settings Ideas on how to make social change in America and in what capacity Practiced applying S.W.O.T. Analyses and concepts of Ethnography

Learned/Outcomes Black History Walks is an initiative that broadens the knowledge of others who are not familiar with black people of Britain. They work to eradicate stereotypes of black people.

• In America we use the term African American. whereas in London, black is the socially acceptable term.

• Experience other countries/settings individually rather than relying on the thoughts and opinions of others.

• The homeless population in London is not as noticeable as it is in major cities with the U.S. London is very diverse and people embrace their individual culture rather than seeking to conform to the idea of a "mainstream" society.

Negative attitudes toward those with a mental illness has decreased over the years, according to UK National Statistics Taking the Tube (public train) using my weekly Oyster card was the best way to get around.

While visiting Buckingham Palace, I was able to see the Queen and the crowd's reaction. It was great to see such high respect for a woman without the presence of a man by her side.

Career Connections • I plan to advocate for other professionals to go outside of their comfort zones and experience people of other cultures within their individual communities.

• I am working towards using the social change efforts learned while in London to put towards making social change in America (e.g. mental health and African American empowerment) .

• Keep your passport in s1ght! The night before leaving, I misplaced mme. Luckily, I found it in the middle of the mght.

• Speak with locales and other visitors at least twice a day.

• Remember you are a visitor in the home country of others. embrace their differences.

Acknowledgments I send many thanks to Professor Lorraine Gutierrez, PhD and her family for their hospitality and guidance.

I would also like to thank the Office of Global Activities for their traveling expertise and financial support.

Home Based Life Saving Skills in Quito, Ecuador University of Michigan School of Social Work Caroline Kritzalis Home Based Life Saving Skills

Skills Developed Projected Training Cascade

Home Based life Saving Skills (HBLSS) is an evidence-based community-level program that was developed by the American College of Nurse M idwives. The goal of the program is to reduce maternal and infant mortality though education of women, their famil ies, and their communities. Program topics center around prevention, problem identification, and first aid as they re late to complications that may arise before, during, and after childbirth. The format of the sessions encourages community members to build on their existing knowledge by way of discussion, demonstration, role-play, repetition, and use of illustrations. The instruction materials take into account diversity of cultural practices, literacy levels, and distance from health care facilities.

Our goal for the summer of 2013 was to pilot HBLSS in Ecuador by implementing Phase I of the program: training professional midwives on how to deliver the HBLSS curriculum. After Phase I, these midwives enter the field and train traditional midwives and community health workers, who in turn train members of their own communities. In addition, we aimed to administer pre- and post-tests to evaluate the success of the training, to follow up with participants and observe them initiating Phase II.

HBlSS

• Spanish language & ability to work with diverse populations

Training Team Phase • Six·dav training on how to 1 ~ administer the HBI.SS cul'l'kulum 20 Professional Midwives

Phase II

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Each professional trains a group of

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• Understanding the importance of cultural humility • Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team • Appreciating the need for community participation in all levels of interventions

200 Traditi-onal Midwives & Community Hea~h Workers

Lessons Learned Phase Ill

Each CHW holds community meetings tote~

the curriculum to groups of-s communlcy members

1000 Pregnant Women, families & Community Members

Partners For my internship, I was part of a multi -disciplinary team: • Megan Eagle, University of M ichigan School of Nursing • Cecilia Tapia, an Obstetriz (professional midwife) of the Universidad Central del Ecuador • Dr. Bernarda Viteri, a Pediatric Resident at Maimonides Infants and Children's Hospital of Brooklyn

• Being flexible is an invaluable skill • Many of the Obstetrizes had difficulty taking time off work and none were ready to perform Phase II of HBLSS while we were in the country, so we had to adjust our schedule and expectations accordingly • Attitude and body language speak as loudly as words • My Spanish language skills were minimal at the start of my internship. However, I was still able to have positive communications with our trainees without a lot of spoken communication

Career • My global experience gave me a broader perspective of social work, experience with diverse communiti es, greater ability to communicate with Spanish speaking populations, all of which I w ill carry into my professional career

Contact & Information

Megan Eagle RN, MPH, FNP-BC University of Michigan School of Nursing megeagle@med.umich.edu

Outcomes

Why Ecuador?

Classroom • My foundation courses taught me a lot about group faci litation, real world PODS issues, community engagement, and understanding historical factors that shape current inequities. All of my classes helped make me better informed and better able to help implement a program aimed at reducing health disparities.

Car oline Kritzalis MPH, MSW Candidate University of M ichigan ckritzal@umich.edu

For Phase I of the training, we targeted both new students and returning professionals who were earning their Master's degrees and who worked in high risk areas

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Classroom & Career Connections

Planned and implemented Phase I of HBLSS, a five day training for 26 professional and student

Ho me Based Life Saving Skills www.midwife.org

Obstetrizes

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Maternal mortality in Ecuador is about 96.3/100,000 live births and Infant mortality is 20.4/1,000 live births

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infant increased f rom 71% to 89% among tested

• Apply for funding from multiple sources

The Quito Project http://thequ itoproject.org https://maizepages . umich.~u'u

participants

• There are striking disparities within the country itself; Data from I NEC, 2009

Advice

topics. Scores for post-partum bleeding increased from 64% to 93% and scores for low birth weight

These ratios are roughly nine times and three times those in the United States, respective ly

Women in the rura l highlands of Ecuador face a far greater risk of death than those in urban areas

Administered pre- and post-tests for two training

• Keep an open mind •

Developed and translated evaluation materials and training tools

• Don't be afraid to seek advice from a supervisor

Work Su pported by: University of Michigan

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School of Public Health Women's Health Summer Internship Fund School of Social Work Office of Global Activities

Skills Utilized Course Design/ Tailoring Interventions to Individuals I planned lessons suited to my students' specific needs, assembled all necessary materials, taught the lessons, and followed up with student critiques

Engagement with International Political Organizations

Partners along the way ...

r The Destination ...

Mcleod Ganj, India Home of His Holiness the 141h Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in Exile, Mcleod Ganj is located in the foothills of the Himalayas of Northern India.

Tibetan people originate from the Tibetan plateau in the Himalayas, currently part of China. Oppressive pressures on Tibetan culture caused Tibetans with in Tibet to seek refuge in other nearby countries, like India and Nepal. Recently, Tibetans have started to self-immolate (set themselves on fire) to protest Chinese involvement in the Tibetan 'Region.

Community Agency

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Lha Charitable Trust is the largest social work NGO in Mcleod Ganj and focuses on improving the lives of Tibetans through education and support. 'Lha' is a Tibetan word meaning 'lovingkindness'. The agency utilizes the high volume of tourists desiring to "help the Tibetan cause" as tutors and teachers.

The Experience

Choice of Placement

Placement Information

Opportunity to valuably contribute to the Tibetan Cause Immersion in Tibetan family life through home-stay program Fascination with Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama. and Meditative practices

Volunteer Coordination I translated and typed emails from the Tibetan Volunteer Coordinator, set up hospitality functions for incoming volunteers, and maintained lha's evaluative database

The Journey Continues ...

Career Connections I anticipate using some of the meditation techniques that I learned to reduce stress within me, which will in turn yield a more balanced coworker and compassionate case worker.

Lha also settled me with a Tibetan host family, who made the experience incredible. The family made traditional Tibetan foods, traditional Indian foods, and delicious new creations!

They also welcomed me to experience many of the daily rituals, such as circumabulating (walking around the outside of) the temple before dawn and public addresses by the Dalai Lama.

Why go?

My desire to explore this part of the world:

I engaged in political dialogue with local offices, many of whom were headquarters for international Tibetan efforts.

I raised questions regarding methods of protest and the use of self-immolation (setting oneself on fire)

I tutored two Tibetan women in English during my three-week placement with Lha. They wanted to learn enough to teach a cooking class, so I developed lesson plans around food preparation terms related to traditional Tibetan foods, like making momos (a delicious dumpling). In addition to tutoring, I also helped out the volunteer coordinator, Rabsul, to arrange future volunteer placements as they contacted th.e agency.

Preparation for the Journey: Classroom Connections My SSW 628 class emphasized stress reduction techniques, including meditation, which I explored more while in India

If I'd only known ...

Lessons Learned and Advice

Souvenirs!

Outcomes from Special Studies Project I had anticipated tutoring taking up the majority of my time. Instead, I found myself having dynamic conversations with my host family about Indian culture. I took lessons from a local on the Nepalese Flute and Shaman Wood Flute. I read Buddhist texts with a cup of Masala Chai tea and sat in on conversational English classes with people from around the globe.

Himachal Pradesh, the region where Mcleod Ganj is located, banned plastic bags- I wish I had not used plastic bags to protect my travel gear when I left the US! Take advantage of all the yoga, reike, meditation, cooking, and Tibetan language classes offered!

Mail a package home- it's a trip!

Proll'loting Healthy Relationships among Children Liz Mojica University of Michigan School of Social Work CasaHogar: Sagrado Corazon de Jesus •!• During my special studies, I volunteered at Casa Hogar: Sagrado Corazaon de Jesus. This translates to House Home: Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Casa Hogar is an orphanage for children aged 4-11 years old. ·eI volunteered there, 15 children were living in the home. Some of the children have lost both parents, and some have living parents but have limited to no contact with them Since I am fluent in Spanish, I was able to ·read to them and assist them with their homework. I was also privileged enough to plan art activities and games for the children as well as socialize with them during breakfast.

As a volunteer, I assisted them in getting ready for school and drove with them to their nearby school.

This poster was created for the Fall 2013 Global Social Work Poster Session

Career Connections •!• During my special studies, I learned significantly more about myself. I became aware of how my American values impact my views of the world. I was reminded that I am a human being that will continue to grow and develop. I have learned to accept that I am constantly changing and thus I will not completely understand myself. However, I should continue to explore who I am. I believe this is important for social work because in order to better understand our clients, we must first know who we are

Skills Utilized •!• I learned to apply being culturally humble and curious about Peru's traditions, values, and beliefs.

•!• I used my knowledge of the Spanish language to interact with others.

Lessons Learned

Classroom Connections •!• Afrocentric Approach to Interpersonal Practice prepared me for this course. It was a safe place for open discussion regarding race, culture, and traditions. We were encouraged to be culturally humble which was something I greatly used while studying abroad.

Outcomes My daily routine consisted of the following: •!• Promoting positive interactions among the children through breakfast •!• Assisting the children with their homework •!• Encouraging creativity through activities and games •!• Helping the children get ready for school A reflections paper was produced at the end of the special studies with the hopes of being published into the Reflections Journal.

ile in Peru, I learned to be sensitive to the norms of others.

•!• I learned to be aware of my actions and how others may perceive them based on their cultural.

•!• I learned that community members are experts of their community.

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Advice ••• •

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Be open-minded and accepting of change.

Be aware of who you are and what role you play when interacting with others abroad .

Acknowledgments: Thank you to the Office of Global Activities and the Alumni Board of Governors for financially supporting my global special studies. Also, thank you to Cross Cultural Solutions and Casa Hogar for making my placement possible. In particular, the children who were accepting and open to my presence. I'd especially like to thank Dr. Leslie Hollingsworth and Katie Lopez for their support while I was abroad.

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Advice

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Interdisciplinary Global Health Internship: Diabetes in Bolivia Natalie Romatz University of Michigan School of Social Work

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Location: Cochabamba, Bolivia • Landlocked country located in central South America • Ecologically diverse due to its varied landscapes and climates- ranging from tropical forest to arid mountain regions • 424,1 63 square miles in area, which is relatively large for having a population of only 10.5 million • Spanish is the main language, though indigenous languages Quechua and Aymara are also common

The Interdisciplinary Global Health Internship was organized by U.S. based non-profit Direct Relief and various graduate schools from the U of M. The 4 person team consisted of graduate students in public policy, public health and social work to serve in a "consultant-like" capacity to El Centro Vivir con Diabetes, one of the only clinics in Bolivia specializing in diabetic care .

Community Partner El Centro Vivir con Diabetes (CVCD) is a non-profit diabetes clinic , located in Cochabamba, Bolivia. CVCD strives to prevent diabetes on a community level through education , and assist all individuals in treating and managing their diabetes, regardless of their socioeconomic status. In addition to clinical services , CVCD regularly hosts community wide outreach and education events to raise awareness about diabetes and existing treatment options.

Advice • Have fun and work hard, but take care of yourself in the same ways you do at home • Limit your expectations and planning so you're open to whatever comes your way • Talk to community members as much as possible . Listen and learn.

Acknowledgments Special thanks to SSW Office of Global Activities, SSW Board of Governors, Direct Relief, and El Centro! Vivir con Diabetes.

Outcomes Over the course of the 10-week internship, our team worked with clinic staff to identify areas of need or improvement at CVCD. Team members then developed projects based on the clinic's needs that aligned with their experience and interest, including: • Development of educational presentation for clinic lobby • Food access mapping • Grant writing • Clinical data analysis • Program evaluation • Patient satisfaction survey • Diabetic knowledge survey • Technology training

Skills Utilized & Developed This experience allowed me to develop a variety of new skills and perspectives, including: • An appreciation for the importance of working across disciplines to promote positive social change • The role of social workers in a global context • Increased understanding of "cultural humility" and "cultural competence" for social workers • Improved Spanish speaking abilities

Lessons Learned Building relationships takes time, but it is probably the most important thing you can do for your self and the agency

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Connections

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Classroom:

• SW 699, Social Work Practice in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: Developed my understanding of how social workers can promote positive health outcomes and consider how this was being done at CVCD .

• SW 748, Issues in Global Social Work Practice Re-Entry and Professional Practice: Helped me reflect on my experience and understand the its connections to my education, career and the social work profession.

Career: • This experience affirmed for me that throughout my career, I want to continue to work with colleagues from different fields. Inter-disciplinary work helped me understand better gaps in my knowledge, strengths in my knowledge base and how fields can work together to make the biggest impact on social

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Special Studies in Rwanda Grace Rudatsikira University of Michigan School of Social Work

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Rwanda /Kigali Rwanda is a country in the eastern part of Africa. It is located south of the equator. The capital city is Kigali. Kigali is the largest city in Rwanda. It is the economic, cultural, and transportation hub of Rwanda.

Women's Equity in Access to Care and Treatment (WE-ACTx) is an international community-based HIV/AIDS initiative. The project began in 2003 as an effort to assist Rwandan genocide survivors access HIV/AIDS medication.

Experience My time in Rwanda, working for WE-ACTx, was enlightening. Observing WE-ACTx interventions validated the notion of a synergetic connection between one's physical and mental health. For instance, if an individual's physical health is poor, their mental health can be affected and vice versa.

Placement Information For my special studies project, I created workshop and training materials that covered various topics.

In addition, I assisted the mental health staff with new projects.

Skills Utilized/Developed •Critical Thinking •Presentation •Communication

Career Connections

Agency/Community Partner WE-ACTx provides medical and mental health services to individuals who have HIV/AIDS. While working with WE-ACTx, I primarily worked with young mothers and children.

Outcomes

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Classroom Connections SW 799: Issues in Global Social Work Practice is a course that I took, prior to my departure.

This course prepared me for my global social work experience. In this class I learned the importance of cultural humility.

One project I worked on entailed putting together a comprehensive support group report. It outlined the objectives, history, purpose of each support group.

While working at WE-ACTx, I saw how important integrative health is. In the future, when I work with clients, I will assisted them to meet their physical and mental health needs.

Advice •If you are interesting in pursuing a special studies, complete the application ASAP.

Lessons Learned I learned one key lesson, while working with WEACTx: to do more with less requires innovative ways to meet the needs of clients.

•Do research and put together a plan, prior to submitting the application.

Acknowledgments I would like to thank the Office of Global Activities for providing the Special Studies Grant, which covered most of my travel expenses. In addition, I would like to thank the Alumni Board of Governors for their award, which allowed for my unmet travel expenses to be met.

Special thanks to Leslie D. Hollingsworth, Katie Lopez, and Larry Root for their advice and support.

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Organizational Capacity Building in an HIVI AIDS--Affected Community Christie Wilde University of Michigan School of Social Work Cape Town, South Africa

Etafeni Day Care Centre Trust

South Africa is home to 53 million people of various cultures, languages, and religions. Starting in 1948, legally institutionalized segregation, known as apartheid, established a racial classification system that marginalized black and coloured South Africans. In 1994, Nelson Mandela was the first democratically elected president of South Africa; his administration established a liberal constitution and eradicated apartheid.

South Africa still faces severe social issues post apartheid. SO% of South Africans live below the poverty line. The unemployment rate is 24.9% due, in part, to a lack of equal education and technical training. 5.6 million South Africans live with HIV/ AIDS, making it the country with the highest prevalence in the entire world.

Life expectancy at birth is only 49.4 years old.

Et afeni coordinates a spectrum of services to address problems faced by community members of Nyanga, a sub-economic township of Cape Town established during apartheid to house black South Africans. Many programs are devoted to the care of children affected by HIV/AIDS, including a preschool, an after-school program, and psychosocial support groups for caregivers.

Etafeni also provides programming for adults which focus on learning and practicing skills that will lead to gainful employment.

Skills Developed

Connections

From my 12-week global field experience, I increased my ability to:

To the classroo m: • SW 560: Intro to Macro Practice This class provided me with a foundation for writing grants and project proposals.

• Engage appropriately with community members of d ifferent backgrounds.

• Remain flexible in the field and adapt to unforeseen circumstances.

• Remain humble in regards to my work, my abilities, and my identities.

Placement Information My supervisor at Etafeni was Barbara Miller, Development Manager. I was tasked to work on projects that built capacity within individual programs of Etafeni and the organization as a whole.

• SW 651: Planning for Community Change This class prepared me well for respectfully engaging with community members and involving community members in the change process.

To my career: The skills I have learned through my placement at Etafeni will be invaluable in my future career. Grant writing, curricula building, and conducting assessments are useful tools for any social worker. Culturally humble engagement is also important in working with individuals or communities.

Advice Outcomes

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My major accomplishments include: • Drafted six project proposals to secure funding for individual programs of Etafeni • Developed a holiday break curriculum for the orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) program • Conducted a needs assessment of the income generation program and began initial research on forming a co -operative for graduates • Created an assessment tool for the nut rition program and utilized the tool during distribution site visits • Co-coordinated Mandela Day volunteer activities

Lessons Learned Before coming to Cape Town, I did not understand how I could practice global social work if I was o nly ever working with one community. After drawing parallels between Nyanga and Detroit daily, I began to see how global social work extends beyond location.

We are all members of a global community, thus everyone's welfare is intrinsically linked. If I purposefully practice social work-regardless of my location-with global welfare in mind, then I am practicing global social work.

Before your trip, talk with previous Cape Town interns to hear the strengths and challenges associated with Cross Cultural Solutions (CCS).

Reflection and debriefing are not a part of the CCS experience. Keep a journal while in fie ld and schedule peer supervision with the other MSW interns.

Acknowledgments Thank you to the Office of Global Activities, the Alumni Board of Governors, and the International Institute for funding my global placement. Thank you to the Cross Cultural Solutions South Africa staff for coordinating my experience and welcoming me into your family .

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New Vision School Arusha, Tanzania Darcy Wygtt University 0f Miehigq:n School of Soo.ial W.ork

Location: Arusha, Tanzania • Tanzania JS a breathtakmg country located m EastAfnca.

• Arusha IS a c1ty 111 the northeast part of the country • The population of Tanzania 1s over 48 million with approximately 120 tnbal groups • The mam languages spoken are K1swahJIJand English .

The currency IS the Tanzaman Shilling (TSh) • The majority of the population are Islamic or Chnstian.

Tanzanian Education Facts • According to Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), 75.5% of males and 60.8% of females 15 years of age and older can read and write Swahili, English, or Arabic.

• According to The World Bank 94% of children in primary level education are enrolled 111 school.

Tanzanian Social Work Needs ccording to the CIA: • 1.4 million individuals in Tanzania are living with HIV/AIDS which is the cause for 86,000 deaths per year.

• 16.7% of children in Tanzania under 5 years old are underweight.

Skills Developed

Project Information and Outcomes My special studies was completed through Volunteer HQ. I stayed with a host family and volunteered at a school called New Vision. Over the two weeks that I spent in Tanzania, I had the opportunity to work with two teachers. The school had approximately 20 students in two classrooms (ages 4-5 years old and ages 6-7 years with one 12 year old student).

• Commumcatmg 1n creat1ve ways w1th adults and children that speak little or no English • Learn1ng and ut1hzmg teaching methods • KiswahiiJ language acqUISition and mcreased understanding of cultural beliefs and expectations

Advice • Learn common phrases and words in the local language prior to leaving the U.S. • Be curious and ready to ask questions

Acknowledgments

While volunteering at the school! was able to: • Assist the children and teachers in improving their spoken and written English by using photography, drawings, and flash cards

• Plan activities for the children during recess and in the classroom • Engage in the teachers' and students' questions about the United States

• Expectations at the beginning of a placement are different from the actual experience. Flexibility is critical and allows for growth to occur.

• Engaging in open communication provides new perspectives and brings an increased awareness to an individual's privilege and power.

I researched the role of social work including the strengths and the needs in Tanzania. I communicated with an individual that worked at the Tanzanian Association of Social Workers Association, as well as, a professor from the University of Maine that hopes to assist in starting a School of Social Work in Moshi Tanzania.

• Provide one-on-one tutoring to students that needed extra assistance

Lessons Learned

Connections Classroom:

Thank you to the Office of Global Studies for the financial support provided for my Special Studies placement. Thank you, Dr. Ortega, for being my faculty sponsor. I also want to thank my friends that donated money to buy resources for New Vision School.

• SW696:Social Work Practice with Children and Youth • I applied a strengths-based approach to my interactions with the children and understood the role that their families and community have played in their lives.

• SW605: Infant and Ch1ld Development and Behavior • By understanding the developmental stages of the children, I was able to engage at their level.

Career: • This experience will help me to work in new settings where resources are limited. The ability to work with mdividuals and groups is also invaluable.

This poster was created for the Fall 2013 Global Soc1al Work Poster Fair