Time is flying and I cannot believe that I have logged over 200 hours at the City Justice Center and Medium Security Institution getting the TEP program off the ground. It is safe to say that I never expected to spend this much time within a correctional institution, but this is really just the beginning of the study.
This group we have had for our trial has been beyond incredible. I have learned so much from each of them and it is going to be really hard to see them go next week knowing that my professional boundaries will prohibit me from maintaining contact with any of them. I never say myself working with clients due to me being a macro thinker, and because of that my attention to techniques we learned in our Practice 1 course, like closing a group session, pretty much went in one ear and out the other (shh). Little did I know that at the end of week three I would be trying to find a way to maintain contact with out students, because it seems like we are cutting the cord WAY too soon. I think closing the session is going to be the hardest thing we have done yet. I want to know if they are going to job fairs, using the resource book, writing thank-you letters like we taught them, and eating citrus fruits that they missed so much. Unfortunately this is not my role, but there will be another person there to help them on the other side. Or at least this is how I have to think in order not to get too upset.
In today's class Kelly and I focused on interviewing. The guys laughed about wearing pinky rings and tennis-shoes into interviews as obvious no-nos. After going over basic interview attire, we chose to do an activity that we di as students during orientation to the Brown School. It was a stereotype activity. Around the room we had six posters which were titled, "Black man driving a Benz," "Latino man," "Asian man," "Black man with dreads," "Blonde woman wearing a skirt," and "Father holding a child's hand." We gave the participants a marker and asked them to go around to each poster and write stereotypes or things they believe about these people on the poster. If there were any characteristics that were written by another participant that they had also heard or agreed with, we asked them to put a dot next to that comment. It was a welcome addition to have movement, hear laughter, and conversation in the room while Kelly and I sat back and watched. By the end of the activity, the posters were full of comments. It was clear this activity got them thinking, especially when a participant identified with the stereotype on the poster (which we did intentionally). One particular participant with dreads saw stereotypes about himself being "locked up" and a "thug" and seemed super dejected about seeing the stereotypes in writing, which was hard to watch. It was painful to see young black men writing disproportionately negative stereotypes about themselves and know how much they will be up against when apply for jobs. In the end we came back as a group and asked them why we weer talking about stereotypes and interviewing in the same session. They were not fools and knew how much weight these stereotypes have and we as facilitators know how this plays out (in the City of Saint Louis the unemployment rate for Whites is 8.3% and for African Americans 23.3%). We wanted to be realistic with participants, but also empower them to break these ideas for themselves and others. We encourage you to think about how stereotypes impact your life and how you can be a part of reducing the weight of negative ones.
Until next time,
E & K
This group we have had for our trial has been beyond incredible. I have learned so much from each of them and it is going to be really hard to see them go next week knowing that my professional boundaries will prohibit me from maintaining contact with any of them. I never say myself working with clients due to me being a macro thinker, and because of that my attention to techniques we learned in our Practice 1 course, like closing a group session, pretty much went in one ear and out the other (shh). Little did I know that at the end of week three I would be trying to find a way to maintain contact with out students, because it seems like we are cutting the cord WAY too soon. I think closing the session is going to be the hardest thing we have done yet. I want to know if they are going to job fairs, using the resource book, writing thank-you letters like we taught them, and eating citrus fruits that they missed so much. Unfortunately this is not my role, but there will be another person there to help them on the other side. Or at least this is how I have to think in order not to get too upset.
In today's class Kelly and I focused on interviewing. The guys laughed about wearing pinky rings and tennis-shoes into interviews as obvious no-nos. After going over basic interview attire, we chose to do an activity that we di as students during orientation to the Brown School. It was a stereotype activity. Around the room we had six posters which were titled, "Black man driving a Benz," "Latino man," "Asian man," "Black man with dreads," "Blonde woman wearing a skirt," and "Father holding a child's hand." We gave the participants a marker and asked them to go around to each poster and write stereotypes or things they believe about these people on the poster. If there were any characteristics that were written by another participant that they had also heard or agreed with, we asked them to put a dot next to that comment. It was a welcome addition to have movement, hear laughter, and conversation in the room while Kelly and I sat back and watched. By the end of the activity, the posters were full of comments. It was clear this activity got them thinking, especially when a participant identified with the stereotype on the poster (which we did intentionally). One particular participant with dreads saw stereotypes about himself being "locked up" and a "thug" and seemed super dejected about seeing the stereotypes in writing, which was hard to watch. It was painful to see young black men writing disproportionately negative stereotypes about themselves and know how much they will be up against when apply for jobs. In the end we came back as a group and asked them why we weer talking about stereotypes and interviewing in the same session. They were not fools and knew how much weight these stereotypes have and we as facilitators know how this plays out (in the City of Saint Louis the unemployment rate for Whites is 8.3% and for African Americans 23.3%). We wanted to be realistic with participants, but also empower them to break these ideas for themselves and others. We encourage you to think about how stereotypes impact your life and how you can be a part of reducing the weight of negative ones.
Until next time,
E & K
No comments:
Post a Comment