interactions with community, staff & leadership
Both practicum projects gave me positive interactions with community members, staff, and leadership. The PPR adult refugee art class gave me the most meaningful interactions as they involved working with a group of refugees. I had never worked closely with refugees before, and it was an honor to be present when they shared stories of struggle, pain, suffering, resilience, and hope. I regret that attendance was not more consistent so I could have possibly had deeper connections with some of the refugee participants.
I was aware of our cultural differences and always tried to demonstrate respect for their culture. I was also tuned into some of the emotional and physical traumas they had experienced and tried to always create a warm, welcoming, and above all, safe environment for them to freely express themselves creatively. My experience with them taught me that they are hard-working, kind, genuine, and despite missing their old lives and homes, they are filled with gratitude and hope for their lives in Philadelphia. I had minimal interaction with the other PPR refugee class (for families) and NSC staff, but when I did, it was always warm and professional. I am grateful for the dedicated individuals that were involved in this class and the mission of the Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience.
I had unique interactions with staff and leadership when working on the elders mural book. During the summer, I attended weekly staff meetings, which was a new experience for me. It was interesting to hear the weekly tasks and responsibilities of BuildaBridge – it helped me understand how the various people and positions all contribute to the healthy day-to-day functioning and the programs that BuildaBridge offers locally and internationally. I had weekly check-in sessions with Dr. Corbitt when I could seek advice, ask for clarification, and update him on my progress and obstacles to my work. The most challenging interactions I had were with the teaching artists. Our communication was exclusively online for the sake of convenience as they all were working professionals. Looking back at the project, it would have been helpful if we had planned several meetings in person during which we could discuss specific aspects of the book project.
I was aware of our cultural differences and always tried to demonstrate respect for their culture. I was also tuned into some of the emotional and physical traumas they had experienced and tried to always create a warm, welcoming, and above all, safe environment for them to freely express themselves creatively. My experience with them taught me that they are hard-working, kind, genuine, and despite missing their old lives and homes, they are filled with gratitude and hope for their lives in Philadelphia. I had minimal interaction with the other PPR refugee class (for families) and NSC staff, but when I did, it was always warm and professional. I am grateful for the dedicated individuals that were involved in this class and the mission of the Philadelphia Partnership for Resilience.
I had unique interactions with staff and leadership when working on the elders mural book. During the summer, I attended weekly staff meetings, which was a new experience for me. It was interesting to hear the weekly tasks and responsibilities of BuildaBridge – it helped me understand how the various people and positions all contribute to the healthy day-to-day functioning and the programs that BuildaBridge offers locally and internationally. I had weekly check-in sessions with Dr. Corbitt when I could seek advice, ask for clarification, and update him on my progress and obstacles to my work. The most challenging interactions I had were with the teaching artists. Our communication was exclusively online for the sake of convenience as they all were working professionals. Looking back at the project, it would have been helpful if we had planned several meetings in person during which we could discuss specific aspects of the book project.