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SSW Launches Academy for Social Work Educators
Sweating for a Good Cause
SSW Launches Academy for Social Work Educators
This June, the School of Social Work launched its first Academy on UnDoing Racism and Social Justice. Sponsored by SSW with support from the Massachusetts National Association of Social Workers, the academy was the first of it kind in the Commonwealth.
Coordinator and SSW Professor Johnnie Hamilton-Mason '78SW said the academy was created in order provide a more holistic view of race issues to social work professionals. “Current social work education on racism and social justice is inconsistent and often doesn’t address the unique racial history of Massachusetts,” said Hamilton-Mason. Pharnal Longus, M.S.W., professor emeritus at Salem State College and creator of the Institute for Undoing Racism at Salem, was the leading coordinator of the academy and worked with Hamilton-Mason on the Simmons project.
A total of 18 faculty members from various colleges in Massachusetts attended the academy. The faculty themselves were diverse in their races, gender, ethnicities, and areas of expertise, which included human services, undergraduate teachers, graduate teachers. As an outcome of the academy, each faculty member developed an Undoing Racism Action Plan that will be implemented in their respective institutions.
“Our goal was to engage in dialogue and to develop a model curriculum and materials for teaching,” said Hamilton-Mason. “This program exceeded our expectations furthering both conversation and actions toward antiracism activities at our institutions.”
Stay tuned for more details and information on future sessions.
Sweating for a Good Cause
It was a long day of hammering, painting, and good old-fashioned elbow grease, but the end result for members of the School of Social Work (SSW) community was well worth the physical labor. This spring, the SSW paired up with the Scott/Ross Center for Community Service to introduce a pilot service learning concept into their professional education program around the issue of families and homelessness.
This innovative program was centered on the construction of a house in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood. In collaboration with Habitat for Humanity Greater Boston, SSW faculty, students and alumni took part in the daylong project that was followed by a structured reflection session. Earlier in the week, participants in this program spent an evening with Stephanie Brown, Executive Director of Homes for Families to learn and discuss how homelessness effects families and what role social workers can play in advocacy. They heard a first hand account of what it is like to be homeless with children from a HFF representative and a report on current statistics from Rachel Heller, Senior Policy Advocate.
According to Associate Dean Carol Bonner 74SW, the goals of the program are to increase awareness of the critical issue of family homelessness, to help build coalitions of social workers, and to bring together members of the Simmons community, including faculty, alumni, students, and staff.
Executive Director of Alumnae/i Relations, Lorita Williams took part in this first building project working side-by-side with students and alumni. “This was a fabulous experience and I can’t wait to do it again,” said Williams.
If you are interested in community service please contact Carolyn Grimes, Director of Graduate Service Programs, Scott/Ross Center for Community Service, carolyn.grimes@simmons.edu, 617-521-2235, www.simmons.edu/communityservice.