Resumen

The University of Cincinnati School of Allied Health Sciences leads semiannual cross-cultural learning programs for Social Work and Health Science students in Costa Rica. \\\\  The University began working with community partner Viva Nicaragua Abroad twelve years ago in Nicaragua and now sustains this partnership through study abroad programs that support the Nicaraguan asylum-seeking and refugee community in Costa Rica. This long-standing partnership is a model for ethical and sustainable study abroad programs that benefit both students and community partners. \\  The University collaborates with Viva Nicaragua to provide students with a greater understanding of global topics while facilitating needs-based activities that support the efforts of Nicaraguan asylum seekers and refugees to integrate into Costa Rica. \\  This unique program brings together Nicaraguan immigrants and refugees, \\ Costa Ricans, and international students to engage in cross-cultural activities that promote cultures of peace, tolerance, and acceptance. \\  \\ This tripartite global approach provides multiple benefits for Social Work and Health Science students and community members. Students and community partners collaborate on workshops that focus on topics including nonviolent conflict resolution, trauma-informed care, self-care, gender equity, health disparities, diversity, and inclusion. \\  \\ All participants engage in rich discussions about global topics including human displacement and social justice. \\  \\ Students work alongside community members to facilitate activities that promote cultural competence, inclusion, and tolerance and provide tangible products that support the needs of the Costa Rican and Nicaraguan communities.\\\\ \\  Similar efforts can be reproduced locally and internationally to incorporate global perspectives in social work and promote dialogue and action about social inequities, tolerance, and inclusion.

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

social work, cross-cultural learning, cross-cultural collaboration, experiential learning, interdisciplinary programs, immigrants, asylum seekers, refugees, tolerance, inclusion, social integration, diversity, cultural competence, human rights, global social work, human displacement, ethical study abroad, sustainable study abroad, Costa Rica, Nicaragua.\\\ 

Resumen

The world has never been more visibly and viscerally connected as a global society, given increasing violence, shifting economies, and political disruptions. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified, fostering a greater collective awareness of ‘interconnectedness’ in various ways. In this presentation, we, as spiritually sensitive social work educators, acknowledge the fundamental importance of incorporating spirituality as a universal aspect of human experience and development to significantly advance social work practice and teaching for racial, economic, and environmental justice. The pursuit of meaning, purpose, morality, well-being, and connectedness has been central in spiritually sensitive social work (e.g., Canda et al., 2020; Dudley, 2016). The ‘eco-spiritual approach’ offers a fresh framework within social work, allowing the inclusion of spirituality, indigenous voices, and authentic cross-cultural exchange, thereby challenging the Western-centric imposed paradigm (e.g., dualism, determinism, extreme individualism, modern capitalism) (Besthorn \& Canda, 2002; Coates et al., 2006; Gray \& Coates, 2013). Building upon this understanding, we will elucidate the core concepts and values of the eco-spiritual approach, resonating with the core principle of ‘interconnectedness and interdependent relationships’ found in Won Buddhism, a modernized and integrated form of Buddhism originating from South Korea. To support both theoretical and practical development of the relatively new eco-spiritual approach in social work, we will delve deeply into the teachings and practices of ‘Fourfold Grace’ and ‘Gratitude’ in Won Buddhism. By integrating insights from Won Buddhist perspective, attendees will be guided towards a new framework, reinforcing eco-spiritual concepts and practices, and fostering more inclusive learning environments in social work education and practice. Ultimately, these efforts will propel social work towards an interdependent, interconnected, and sustainable society for well-being.\ 

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

#Eco-spiritual approach, #Eco-spiritual social work, #Interconnectedness, #Won Buddhism, #Grace, #Gratitdue, #Spiritually sensitive social work

Resumen

The 2018 IPCC concluded that humanity has 12 years to give itself a 67% chance of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees by cutting CO2 emissions in half. The socio-ecological transition cannot be a matter for governments or the market alone. It has to include communities and local entities, in particular those concerned by territorial development approaches (TDA). We define TDAs as different forms of structured collective action that, by mobilizing the populations concerned and organizing local actors (institutional, communities, privates), target collective issues related to living conditions and quality of life by identifying priorities, mobilizing resources and carrying out concerted actions. These approaches take various forms and have acquired expertise in cross-sectoral action over the years that can be beneficial in managing the climate crisis and the socio-ecological transition.\ The aim of this paper is to present the preliminary results of a research about the experience of a group of organizations involved in territorial and social development in their community and who has decided to prioritize socio-ecological transition issues in their latest strategic planning. Three data collection methods were used to document the collective structure's process. 1) individual semi-directed interviews (n=11); 2) observation sessions of the TDAs (2); 3) analysis of the documentary sources produced by the TDAs (minutes, action plan, annual report, funding agreement with donors, etc.).\ The initial results show that territorial organizations wishing to make the socio-ecological transition face several obstacles. These include agreeing on a common definition of socio-ecological transition, maintaining priority on ecological objectives while the challenges of poverty and other social development issues are becoming increasingly worrying, the lack of expertise and experience of local actors in managing the socio-ecological transition and the difficulty of being recognized as a credible player in a new area of intervention.

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

socio-ecological transition, territorial development approach, Eco-Social Work,\ 

Resumen

Intervening essentially with vulnerable groups (Molgat, 2016), so with the poorest individuals, families, groups and/or the least integrated in the primary networks of solidarity (families, local communities), social workers (SW) exercise a profession which, since its origin at the end of the 19th century, has been the first witness to the suffering caused by the oppressions of class, gender, race, age, among others. The social Workers are their voice in the public or private organizations that employ them. The transformation of national and transnational socio-political contexts impacts the form and level of inequalities (Piketty, 2020) as well as the institutional forms of solidarity (Esping-Andersen, 1990; Merrien, Parchet, Kernen, 2005). The identity malaise of social workers is often presented from this perspective of macro-social analysis or that emphasizing the transformation of social protection systems. This proposition is confirmed by numerous studies that have documented the suffering at work caused by the privatization of social services or new public management. Nevertheless, the disciplinary socialization of social workers in higher education networks is an explanation that has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Based on two studies analyzing written productions in social work academic reviews (SSHRC funding 2022-2024) and work on theorizing the discipline (Maugère, 2023) and critical research perspectives (Maugère et al., 2022), our communication will demonstrate the importance of producing and circulating research emancipated from the hegemonic rationalities in institutions (Boltanski, 2009 and Smith, 2005). They guarantee the pursuit of friendly mediation (Mascolo, 1958) of the profession with all the citizens of a society. They also contribute to solidifying a strong identity and the recognition of social work as a practical discipline (ISTW, 2014, Jaeger, 2020).

Palabras Clave (separar con comas)

Social Protection System, Practical discipline, identity, institutions, research, critical perspectives