The Department of Social Work Service Learning Opportunities

Looking for an opportunity to get out in the community and earn course credit?  The Department of Social Work is offering several service learning classes that will give you some amazing opportunities and experiences.  Work with local children over spring break, take an online course on domestic violence, or be a part of an International Student Volunteer opportunity to go do a community building project in South Africa this summer!  Information on each of these opportunities is below.

Spring Break for Kids, CLLC L100 Class #7128

Spring Break for Kids is a two credit service learning course offered through Collins Living Learning Center.  In this course students will learn about the effects of domestic violence, poverty, homelessness, and child abuse on children through class discussion, activities, and readings.  Students will then spend their Monday – Friday of spring break working with local children from Middle Way House The Rise (a local domestic violence program) during their science enrichment camp.  This course will include trips to the Indianapolis Zoo, Children’s Museum, Wylie House, Exotic Feline Rescue Center, Wonder Lab, and many more. It is a great opportunity to make a difference in your community while earning credit. The class meets 2/17, 2/24, 3/2, 3/9, 3/23, & 3/30 from 6:00-8:30 p.m. and Monday-Friday of Spring Break 14^th – 18^th from 9: 00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for service learning experience. Please direct any questions msimonto@indiana.edu

ISV Trip to South Africa

This summer I will be leading a group of IU students as part of an International Student Volunteer (ISV) group to South Africa this summer to do a community development project.  Students will have two options.  Students can chose just to participate in the two week service trip or they have the option of doing the two week service trip plus the two weeks of adventure travel where they will join other ISV groups in South Africa to tour and do activities across the country. Students will need to fundraise for their trip and may be able to get course credit for the trip depending upon their department. If you are interested we will have information sessions on December 11^th from 12:00 -4:00 p.m. (presentations will start at 12, 1, 2, and 3 p.m. for an hour session) in Ballantine Hall Room 344.  If students are interested you can email me at msimonto@indiana.edu .If you sign up for trip online it is important to use the group code USA-IN-UL004 to identify that you are going with the IU Bloomington group.  

 Here is a video link about the program that was done by Larry King. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHkUSlEIsPo&feature=youtu.be   and more information on the work done in South Africa  http://www.isvolunteers.org/destination/south-africa/volunteer-projects

ISV is the world’s highest rated volunteer program by over 35,000 student participants with an average rating of 4.85 out of 5.ISV has 34 members of the U.S. Senate/Congress serving on ISV’s Board of Reference as endorsement of the on-going volunteer efforts that ISV students accomplish globally. ISV is certified by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation to distribute the President’s Volunteer Service Award with a congratulatory letter signed by President Barack Obama.ISV was named as one of the “Top Ten Volunteer Organizations” by the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy in conjunction with the U.S. State Department.

Contemporary Issues in Domestic Violence, SWK S300, Class #12607

This is an online course offered through the school of social work.  This course will explore contemporary issues related to domestic violence, also known as Intimate Partner Violence (IPV).  Students will review the history of the movement to end domestic violence. Theories of the cause of domestic violence will be surveyed along with local, state, federal and international public policy issues. Prevention and intervention models relevant to social work and other helping professions will be explored, as well as community level practice and contemporary research issues. In addition, students will examine the co-occurrence of domestic violence and racism, homophobia and other forms of oppression to explore the impact on survivors who are part of other at-risk groups. The relationship between poverty and domestic violence will be an area of focus. Theoretical and practical approaches to advocacy, including empowerment based interventions, will be presented and applied to select case scenarios. The criminal justice response to survivors and batterers will be surveyed. The course will analyze research related to the impact of violence on the lives of survivors and their children and how that affects psycho-social development across the lifespan. If you have any questions please email Monte Simonton at msimonto@indiana.edu