Micro skills, Macro change
So part of my job that ISN'T mindless and boring and unskilled is the planning and leading of trainings for university staff people on LGBT issues - mainly student staff but not entirely. I don't always agree that standard "diversity trainings" are terribly helpful and sometimes they do little more than make people feel defensive, so it's kind of nice to have a hand in this sort of thing. And of course we all know I love the adolescents and young adults, so when I get to chat with a bunch of undergraduate workers, it's a good time.
A billion years ago when I was applying to social work school, I had an idea that I wanted to do more macro-level (big scale) work as opposed to micro-level (smaller scale, individual) work. Unlike most of my school peers, I never wanted to be a sit down therapist. Of course I wanted to be a superhero. But whatever. I'd thought about what sort of social work to study and thought that for me it would be better to actually STUDY clinical social work even with little desire to actually PRACTICE a lot of clinical social work. I always reasoned that the sorts of people skills that one could glean through a clinical social work program could be equally as valuable, if not more valuable, in a macro setting. Besides, I could always learn how to write grants in my spare time.
Doing these trainings with my boss have really shown me ways in which my relationship-building and communication skills have really helped with macro-level organizing, larger group facilitation, and more. To be able to look out into a larger crowd of people and make that sort of connection with the individuals as opposed to the greater group is a sort of technique that probably is underutilized in macro work. Anyway, I left that training last night feeling pretty darned good about how things had gone, that instead of some boring old powerpoint presentation on What It Means To Be a Nice Ally to Queers, I had facilitated a discussion about ACTION. And it was nice.
I still feel like I made the right choice in my education, and that's a pretty cool thing as well. (And hey, what can I say? I'm also hoping my boss noticed the energy in the meeting and is, at the very least, pleased that he passed these things onto me. Although a promotion would be nicer!)
A billion years ago when I was applying to social work school, I had an idea that I wanted to do more macro-level (big scale) work as opposed to micro-level (smaller scale, individual) work. Unlike most of my school peers, I never wanted to be a sit down therapist. Of course I wanted to be a superhero. But whatever. I'd thought about what sort of social work to study and thought that for me it would be better to actually STUDY clinical social work even with little desire to actually PRACTICE a lot of clinical social work. I always reasoned that the sorts of people skills that one could glean through a clinical social work program could be equally as valuable, if not more valuable, in a macro setting. Besides, I could always learn how to write grants in my spare time.
Doing these trainings with my boss have really shown me ways in which my relationship-building and communication skills have really helped with macro-level organizing, larger group facilitation, and more. To be able to look out into a larger crowd of people and make that sort of connection with the individuals as opposed to the greater group is a sort of technique that probably is underutilized in macro work. Anyway, I left that training last night feeling pretty darned good about how things had gone, that instead of some boring old powerpoint presentation on What It Means To Be a Nice Ally to Queers, I had facilitated a discussion about ACTION. And it was nice.
I still feel like I made the right choice in my education, and that's a pretty cool thing as well. (And hey, what can I say? I'm also hoping my boss noticed the energy in the meeting and is, at the very least, pleased that he passed these things onto me. Although a promotion would be nicer!)