Become a NextGen Leader | Apply by November 20
Career Advice from VNSNY Community Mental Health Panelists
Last week, our office sponsored a panel discussion with VNSNY and their community mental health professionals to learn about their career paths and what led them to this work.
If you missed the session, here are some key takeaways:
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- Meet and build relationships with folx in the field, because networking is still one of the most effective ways to land opportunities.
- Seek mentors and supervisors who are invested in your development. Surrounding yourself with a strong support system is key to growing and advancing in an organization.
- Take risks by being open to new opportunities or exploring new paths—these experiences can help you build career agility, find meaningful work, and expand your professional network.
- Take ownership of the job you have right now; it will not only help you build character and skill sets for your current role, it will also prepare you for future ones.
- Make sure to prioritize self-care. When interviewing, ask questions about initiatives that are in place to support the well-being of employees and the agency as a whole.
Thanks to those who attended, as well as to our speakers Jessica Aitken, Natasha Anderson, Deborah Cho ’15, Sabrina Machuca, and Echelle Norman, and Keith Peters and Leah Blumberg for collaborating with us on this event!
You can find the presentation slides and speakers’ contact information in Career Connect within our Document Library under the Employer Events / Information Sessions folder.
Register for the 2020 Social Enterprise Conference!
The 19th annual Social Enterprise Conference, Capital for Good is going virtual! The Digital Event Series, hosted throughout the academic year, will cover a range of topics in the social impact capital space.
Unlike past years when the event was in person, this year’s conference is entirely free of charge!
The conference will bring together industry leaders, investors, philanthropists, professionals, faculty, students, and alumni to share best practices and engender new ideas surrounding the intersection of capital and society. Speaker presentations will catalyze conversations of change and embolden a generation to take risks in order to create a world in which everyone, regardless of where they were born, has the equal opportunity to succeed in creating a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities.
KEYNOTE KICKOFF
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2020
10:00 AM – 1:45 PM
Digital Event Series
Don’t miss out on an upcoming event! Sign up for their newsletter to receive updates on their latest event programming.
SAVE THE DATES
October 30, 2020
November 13, 2020
December 4, 2020
January 22, 2021
February 5, 2021
February 19, 2021
March 12, 2021
March 26, 2021
UPCOMING PROGRAMMING TOPICS
Capital for Justice: Using Impact Investing for Racial Equity | The .06%: Founding and Fundraising as Women of Color | Solving Renewable Energy Intermittency: Can the United States Rely on 100% Renewables? | Sustainable Fashion | News + Money | Sustainable Real Estate Development | Impact Investing | ESG Investing | Scaling Social Impact for Social Ventures | Sustainable Farming | Microfinance | Education Reform | and more!
Vera Institute of Justice’s Graduate Student of Color for Justice Collective | Apply by August 31
Developing Anti-Racist Professional Identities and Practices
Update (6/9/20): The CSSW Action Lab (previously the CSSW COVID-19 Action Group), which aims to address anti-Black racism and other key social justice issues, has curated resources for engaging in anti-racist action.
Take a look at their website, in particular, their working document of action items, for educational resources, volunteer opportunities, and new advocacy initiatives that you can join.
We’d like to take a moment to acknowledge what a trying time it has been, especially for our Black colleagues, friends, students, and alumni, as we grapple with the continued manifestations of hate and injustice that seep through the fabrics of our society, both overtly and covertly. We too are outraged and heartbroken.
The lives of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Sean Reed, and Tony McDade, and experiences shared by Christian Cooper and countless others–too many unnamed and unrecorded–remind us of the critical need to proactively engage in anti-racist action, in particular, action against anti-Black racism, both in our personal and professional lives.
Much of this work begins from within, including reflecting on our own knowledge, practices, and values. Below are links to resources that we have personally found useful in engaging in this work.
What tools and resources have been helpful in developing and enhancing your own anti-racist professional identities and practices? We invite you to share them with us by emailing [email protected].
In solidarity,
Tomomi and Rawlisha
Office of Career Services and Leadership Management
NOTE: The Columbia School of Social Work Council of Deans has issued a Call-to-Action to address anti-Black racism. Read their statement and co-sign here.
Applying an Entrepreneurial Spirit to Your Career
With the world of work operating remotely, how do you stand out when the traditional means of making an impression, from networking events to coffee chats, no longer apply? Consider the framework of entrepreneurship.
An article in Forbes describes the entrepreneurial spirit as a mindset: “It’s an attitude and approach to thinking that actively seeks out change, rather than waiting to adapt to change. It’s a mindset that embraces critical questioning, innovation, service, and continuous improvement.”
Here are some ways you can incorporate this framework into your professional identity and brand:
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- Engage in critical discussions: Attend virtual conferences to meet professionals in the field who are having important discussions about the world of work in the COVID-19 era. Use these as opportunities to connect with others, learn best practices in the field, and become a resource for your field or organization. You can also start your own communities of practice.
- Innovate or influence: Have you been following the latest trends and practices on serving communities particularly impacted by the pandemic? Share relevant thought pieces and articles on LinkedIn so others can benefit from the knowledge. You can also publish your own articles to highlight new ideas or initiatives you have worked on.
- Embrace the value of service: Remember the personal values that brought you to social work: helping others in need. Wherever you are, look out for the call for volunteers in your community. Contributing your time and skills will help you stay connected and engaged in a meaningful way, and at the same time, showcase your value to others.
- Seek continuous improvement: If you’re job hunting, this is a prime time to invest in your professional growth. Whether you choose to learn a new language or further develop your technical or clinical skills, taking time to up-skill will show that you are open and able to adapt to changing needs and priorities–qualities that will make you attractive to any employer.
The world needs social workers now more than ever. Leverage your natural ability to lead the way in problem solving and effecting change! Doing so will not only enhance your chances for employment, it will also make you marketable for future opportunities.
Solicitation for Applications: Free SAMHSA Train-the-Trainer Event on Trauma-Informed Criminal Justice System Responses | Apply by February 21
Free SAMHSA Training: How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses
Application deadline: Friday, February 21, 2020
Are you an experienced trainer interested in developing your capacity to provide trauma-informed training to your local agencies and community? The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation has a free training just for you!
“How Being Trauma-Informed Improves Criminal Justice System Responses” is a train-the-trainer event designed for community-based criminal justice system professionals such as law enforcement, community corrections (probation, parole, and pretrial services), court personnel, and human service providers that serve adult justice-involved populations. While not a requirement to apply, this year’s training events will place special emphasis during the selection process on applicants who provide training to drug courts and/or re-entry programs.
When applying, you can choose from three two-day training events in 2020, all of which will be held at the Sage Colleges in Albany, New York:
- June 10-11
- July 22-23
- August 12-13
While selected applicants must cover their own travel expenses, there are no fees for registration, tuition, materials, or follow-up technical assistance and support associated with the event.
Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to become the local expert in trauma-informed training for your agency or community!
Learn more and download the application here
Please direct questions to
SAMHSA’s GAINS Center
Policy Research Associates, Inc.
345 Delaware Avenue
Delmar, NY 12054
Attn: Amelia Allen, Training Coordinator
Phone: 518-439-7415 ext. 5237
E-mail: [email protected]
Learn more about the GAINS Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation
Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy (ICP) Open House | Friday, February 7
Become a NYC CBT Social Work Liaison for the 2020-2021 Academic Year
NYC Cognitive Behavior Therapy Association (NYC CBT) is currently seeking Social Work Student Liaisons for the 2020-2021 academic school year. See below for details on how to apply.