A wide world for BC School of Social Work Global Practice students - bc.edu

"The placement in Romania gives me the skills I'm looking for, and to me that's more important than location," said Vincent Sweeney, in an interview a couple of weeks before leaving the U.S. for his JRS placement in Bucharest. "I tend to thrive in a crisis situation, and this feels like a good setting for me. Even if the war in Ukraine were to end tomorrow, there are many complex issues here that need to be addressed."

Refugees face many daunting challenges, note the Global Practice students, and one of these is the perception that they are beyond the capability to lead any kind of normal life. This view, say the students, ignores the physical and mental trauma refugees endure, and discounts the resilience and strength of character they possess.

"This assumption reinforces power imbalances that strip refugees of any agency and deteriorate individual and community resilience," said Carney. "In the Global Practice program, we discussed how displaced persons can go through distressing events, but with mental health and psychosocial support, basic needs, and other services, they can make decisions to promote their own well-being and thrive. As a social worker in a humanitarian space, I consistently and consciously counteract this narrative by aiming to operate with humility, awareness, and intention."

 "[Refugees] have proven themselves capable by escaping from the dangers they fled, across mountains, deserts, oceans, hostile cities, and dangerous borders," said Furey-Rosan. "If they were completely helpless, lacking in skills or aptitude, how could they have made it? Triumph can still come at a cost, though, and no one can do it all alone. Now, in a new, strange, and in some cases unwelcoming country, they will need help to adjust, to recover from the difficulties and adversity they faced, and learn new skills to match their new home."

Sean Smith | University Communications | January 2023