Social Work brings more hands-on opportunities

This month, UTRGV celebrated social work with activities ranging from a conference, to workshops to help aspiring social workers address issues of diversity.

“We are here to expand the school of Social Work in Brownsville,” Lecturer Jack White said.

After the scheduled Department of Social Work faculty meeting last Wednesday, three guest speakers expressed their need for help from the social work faculty and students to fill positions as interns, employees and volunteers.

“We brought in people who were trying to communicate about how can we better serve with field placement students, how can we serve some of your employees by expanding the social work curriculum here in Brownsville,” White said.

Cesar Garcia, executive director of the Recovery Center of Cameron County, said that the center hires social workers, licensed chemical dependency counselors and licensed professional counselors.

The Recovery Center of Cameron County, “a place of healing and hope,” is dedicated to serving those who want to make a change in their lives from addiction, mental and emotional disorders, according to its website. (recoverycentercc.org)

“We want really empathetic people to help us solve the problems, but we also want people who are compassionate,” said Wendy Hanson, vice president and community impact director at United Way of Southern Cameron County. “We want them to be able to feel and have the emotional attachment to the issues that people have. More than that, we want people who are going to be proactive.”

United Way focuses on education, health and income, Hanson said. The organization supports the All-In internship program, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and the Mental Health Task Force, among others.

The Brownsville Housing Authority mission is to provide low-income residents of the community access to “affordable, quality housing, and [to] achieve self-sufficiency through education and collaborative partnerships,” according to its website. (hacb.us)

“One of the partnerships that we actually entered into with UTRGV is bringing in interns to our housing authority,” said Carla Mancha, chief executive officer of the Brownsville Housing Authority. “… I have talked to Mr. White and Dr. [Sudershan] Pasupuleti about how can UTRGV come in here and have a presence.”

Last Thursday, the Department of Social Work hosted a conference to celebrate Social Work Month that focused on the role of social work in addressing issues of diversity.

For more information, call the Department of Social Work at 665-3575.