Social Workers Break Barriers
In recognition of Social Work Month in March, the IU School of Social Work kicked-off its Social Workers Break Barriers campaign highlighting amazing professionals and students who break barriers every day.
IU Fort Wayne, Lecturer, Amanda Wyatt #
“My name is Amanda Wyatt, and I have been working as an MSW for the past seven years. I use social work to break barriers in every part of my practice as a clinician and as faculty for the IUSSW. I am an LCSW and also a Registered Play Therapist, and social work helps me break barriers for the young children I work with and their families as I can empower vulnerable populations, use play to heal and process trauma, and break barriers within families but also the barriers that stand between families and the ability to access services and resources they need. In my role as an educator, social work breaks barriers for my BSW and MSW students every day, as it pushes them to expand their minds and perspective, confront social justice issues, and use their knowledge in field placements to bring their skills to new populations and service settings. For me, social work is social justice and radical empathy, and it allows us to connect to others in a genuine, powerful way.”
IU Bloomington, Associate Professor, Dr. John Keesler #
“As a social work educator, I strive to break barriers by providing students with opportunities for interprofessional education and service learning situated in rural communities. Collaborative work is an integral part of social work practice. It is essential for students to get exposure to this early on in their formation. While we have much to contribute to interprofessional dialogue, we also have much to learn. In addition, as a state that is 70% rural, we need to break barriers associated with stigma toward rural practice. Rural communities are rich with opportunities for social workers to make a significant difference. But, in order for them to do that, we need to get them there!”
Student, Shaina Bradley #
“My name is Shaina Bradley, and I graduated from the IU School of Social Work, receiving my MSW with a concentration in Mental Health & Addiction. I work in the social work field of addiction and recovery, and my role is driven by breaking barriers every day. I serve as the Director of Peer Recovery Services & Addiction Services for Daviess Community Hospital. In addition, one of my roles is implementing and educating the community on Trauma-Informed Recovery Systems of Care. I meet with all workforce organizations to educate and discuss trauma-informed approaches to care, as well as hiring individuals in recovery into the workforce. Social workers change lives!”
Director of Youth & Family Services at Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (C.A.F.E.), Jamarro Johnson #
“My name is Jamarro Dupree Johnson Jr., and I currently serve as the Director of Youth & Family Services at Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (C.A.F.E.). I developed a love for service and youth work at the early age of 13 when I began working for C.A.F.E. as a junior camp counselor/ After-school program tutor. As I began working with youth and connecting with families through the various youth/family programs offered by CAFE at the time, I learned that my calling was working with young people who looked just like me and come from the same community that I do. I was growing and walking right into my purpose of connecting people, creating a safe and loving environment for youth (the same as I was provided), and ensuring the well-being of the entire family by connecting them to the appropriate resources, services, programs, and/or people. After graduating high school, I went on to pursue both my Associate’s and Bachelor of Science degrees in Human Services. As I complete my MSW at IUPUI I am constantly inspired by other Social Workers that are leading major change across our country. If you’re ever looking for me, don’t look too far, I can always be found in the community. People, Community, Service, and Connectivity are all extremely important to me. I BREAK BARRIERS by connecting people across cultures. I teach both English & Spanish classes at the community level with the goals of connecting people, valuing differences, and breaking language barriers. I BREAK BARRIERS by ensuring my community has a seat and voice at each table where decisions are being made on behalf of them, and most importantly, I BREAK BARRIERS by ensuring the youth and families of our community are seen, heard, valued, and served in every aspect.”