Monthly Monitor: Summer -- In and Out of Academia
In this issue:
What’s Your Ideal Summer Vacation?
The Importance of Recognizing Juneteenth As A National Holiday
Planning Wellness: Why Scheduling Time For Yourself Matters!
Learning From Black Scholars: Part 2 of 3
Slowing Down
Rainbow Allyship
Social Work Careers in the Federal Government
Applying for a F-31
Social Work Snippets
What’s Your Ideal Summer Vacation?
We asked several of our committee members about their ideal summer vacation. Here’s what some of them said; as you’ll read, the exercise brought up many sweet and savory memories. Hopefully, they give you some creative and fun ideas regarding how you can spend your summer!
My ideal summer vacation includes an internal meeting (it’s okay to talk to yourself) prior to departure that my laptop is not joining me, and articles (paper or electronic) are not invited. The destination needs to include the following: a beach (Caribbean pre-COVID), a room with a balcony, great food, and intermittent naps. My vacation maximum is about 3-5 days, but as of late, three days has been pretty refreshing.
Two weeks of camping, hiking, trail running, climbing, biking, and playing in rivers and lakes. I don't need much else. Just good, local coffee for the mornings, a couple of good books for downtime, and a journal to write for me (not school).
Some of my favorite family vacations were getting to go to the beach! Nothing beats being able to sit in the sand and do some fun reading or sunbathing with no reference on what time of day it is. In between reading, sunbathing, and possible naps, you can cool off in the cool ocean or lake water.
My ideal summer includes spending time with family and traveling together. My family and I try to discover a new country or state every year (we love taking cooking classes abroad). I also try to allow time to connect with friends and take a real break from work. The goal is to feel refreshed and renewed when returning.
Growing up in hot and humid North Carolina, summers always included finding a place to cool down, move a little slower, and enjoy the outdoors. We always would go to the beach for a day on the weekends to swim and enjoy the sunshine. We would drive in on Saturday morning around 10 o'clock and find our spot on the beach where we would spend the entire day. We would have chutney sandwiches, chips, and water for lunch, and we always grabbed pizza in the evening to picnic on the beach before making our way back home when the sun set. These memories are some of my most fond summer days!
The Importance of Recognizing Juneteenth as a National Holiday
In the United States, the systematic discrimination of displaced African people is woven into the very fabric of a country that was built on stolen Native land. During a time of civil unrest where innocent, unarmed black people have been murdered by the same police officers who are sworn to protect them, historical and contemporary social issues have taken the forefront of many conversations and debates. Recently, Juneteenth (June 19th) has been the topic of many debates. On June 17th, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law that Juneteenth would be recognized as a federal holiday.
President Biden’s move to make June 19th a federal holiday came with a lot of praise as well as criticism. Recognizing Juneteenth as a federal holiday does not change the experiences of Black people in this country. It also does not serve as a mechanism to magically undo racism. However, what Juneteenth does is give us a chance to educate those who may not even know what the day signifies and all that it took to make it a reality.
In 1863, then president Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which many wrongfully attribute to the end of slavery in the US. However, many southern states still had slaves after the proclamation was signed. Even the end of the Civil War in 1865 did not put an end to slavery in the south. Emancipation was not granted until June 19th, 1865, when southern slaves were finally made aware of their emancipation. This symbolizes the day that we Black people choose to celebrate as the end to slavery. The importance of this information highlights how historically in the US, it takes a great effort for Black people to achieve justice, which is often delayed and takes tons of effort to become a reality.
Juneteenth as a holiday serves as a reminder that the US still has a ton of work to do to reckon with its racist historical past, and we are still fumbling over the same hurdles today.
Planning Wellness:
Why Scheduling Time for Yourself Matters!
As graduate students, we often think of the competing priorities in our day-to-day life. Will our time be spent in class, working on coursework, teaching, starting our own research project, completing our research assistantship work, writing that next chapter? The list goes on and on. Notice how the first 10 “to do’s” are usually centered solely around research and coursework. We can easily think of and prioritize the tasks we need to complete in the week for others and our careers, but we often spend less time thinking about honoring our needs as a human being!
Recognizing your wellness needs can seem daunting; there are many aspects of wellness you can focus on (e.g., mental, physical, emotional, etc.). As we approach the start of another academic year, consider taking the next few weeks to begin a few wellness habits and put yourself in the top ten, or even the top three, items on your to-do list. Schedule time into your day or week to tend to yourself. This focus paid to your own wellness may lead to improved focus and has been considered tied to our quality of life (CDC, n.d.).
If you’re not sure where to start, check out the additional resource links on the Eight Dimensions of Wellness (Physical, Social, Vocational, Intellectual, Financial, Emotional, Spiritual, and Environmental; see Figure and Resources above). Additionally, consider those in your social circle, as almost 9% of adults shared they rarely or never received social-emotional support (CDC, n.d.). Perhaps you’re already thinking about these dimensions, but aren’t following through or other priorities are taking over. Try scheduling in your calendar, or however you manage your time wellness activities, and hold the spot as you would a high priority scholarly task!
Wellness Dimensional and Habit Resources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.). Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL). https://www.cdc.gov/hrqol/wellbeing.htm
Living Well (n.d.) Your Guide to Living Well. University of Maryland.
https://umwellness.wordpress.com/8-dimensions-of-wellness/?blogsub=confirming#blog_subscription-4
Stoewen D. L. (2017). Dimensions of wellness: Change your habits, change your life. The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne, 58(8), 861–862. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5508938/pdf/cvj_08_861.pdf
Learning From Black Scholars
Part 2 of 3
By: Stefani N. Baca-Atlas
The height of white privilege is being able to truly rest, and to take that concept for granted. G., an international rising second-year student from a south African country, shared this thought with me, and the sentiment seems to reverberate around the country every day. This is why I started this three-part series that explores well-being, identity, and allyship of several Black social work scholars. This is the second post in the series, and you can find the first post in February’s issue of Monthly Monitor. This piece is for students who want to be better allies to our Black colleagues. For reference, I am a Latina and rising sixth year at UNC-Chapel Hill, and I am grateful for this group of individuals who took time and energy to share their experiences with me despite the emotional and cognitive toll.
Black colleagues and mentors contend with chronic stress. G. explained that there are some fears that most white students will never have to consider. There is no worry that the police will be called because they do not belong in a certain neighborhood, no fear of being murdered by law enforcement, no anxiety of being told to go “back” to “your country” – because this is America. This is a country that belongs to white people, where white skin is not interpreted as a threat. Black bodies and minds carry this weight every single day. Yet Black scholars show up to class, they do the work, they Zoom alongside you with the same ferocity. This is the picture of resilience. If we can support our colleagues in this struggle, let us try.
D. (a doctoral candidate on the west coast), G. (mentioned above), L. (a rising fourth year at an HBCU), M. (a rising fourth year in the south), and Dr. I. (a faculty member at a PWI in the north) each shared some actions they would appreciate from their colleagues, and this list was born.
Advice for Allies
Think
Think critically and use common sense before asking questions.
Critique social work systems, the history of the profession, and the agencies, organizations, and institutions we actively and passively condone.
Engage with the NASW Code of Ethics and consider how you embody the values of the profession.
Ask yourself about the value of your actions. Are you simply demonstrating that you are a nice person? Are you being supportive? How do your actions improve culture?
If you are offered a research or lecture opportunity, a seat on a committee, etc., ask yourself if you are the best person for the job. If you know of a Black scholar who is equally or better qualified than yourself, suggest them instead. Anti-racism requires being willing to step back so that others can step forward.
Act
Call out racism when you see and hear it – no matter who it is.
Help colleagues who deny that racism is pervasive see that they might be contributing to the problem.
Share concerns with decision-makers about practices that may pose undue stress or burden on Black students.
Ask how people are doing and be genuinely interested.
When peers offer resources, utilize them.
Advocate for policies that promote more funding for Black students, recruitment, and retention of Black faculty, and employ organizing skills to gain support and encourage action from others.
Acknowledge contributions of Black colleagues – in meetings, syllabi, publications, whenever and wherever it is due.
Support initiatives created by your school or university’s Black student movement (or similarly titled group).
Teach from a diversified syllabus.
Step up and step back during in class discussions, meetings, and conferences so that Black colleagues have space to contribute.
Learn
Hear what is important to your colleagues and act accordingly.
Study the impact of structural, systemic, and institutionalized racism – and appreciate the resilience of your colleagues and mentors.
Discern between a country from a continent, as in, Africa is a continent, not a country.
Recognize that “Black” is not a monolith.
Remember that being physically present is not equivalent to being emotionally well or cognitively prepared to engage.
Understand that a person who is educated can also be racist.
Memorize quick phrases to shut down racism when you hear it or see it – even if it comes from a person in power. For instance, Can you say more about that?
Possess a baseline knowledge of objective American history.
Remember that COVID was not a great equalizer as we’re all in this together might suggest. For Black communities, COVID had/continues to have disproportionate complications and deaths and coincides with protests, advocacy, and racial trauma.
Respect
Don’t become defensive during discussions about racism, anti-racist frameworks, white privilege, slavery, reparations, or pro-Black issues.
Don’t worry about what you “should” do so that you might impress others; do what is right.
Don’t downplay the seriousness of current events or the reactions of your colleagues.
Don’t talk about Black colleagues like they are not there.
Don’t speak of Black colleagues like they are commodities.
Don’t believe that statements are required. They are not worth much without follow up action.
Don’t waste marginalized people’s time with obvious questions, surveys, or information you can Google.
Don’t let racism and racist policies go unchecked.
Don’t ask something of your Black colleagues you would not do yourself.
Don’t take credit that is not yours to take.
Don’t let this movement become stagnant.
In speaking with these social work researchers, I realized that we need not respond in “the” right way because that does not necessarily exist. This may be owed to cultural context, personal expectations and preferences, and bandwidth. What is clear from my conversations with D., G., L., M., and Dr. I. is that we can support rather than increase the burden of our Black colleagues. We can listen instead of ask question after question. We can listen to suggestions when they are made. We can ask the uncomfortable questions of ourselves, colleagues, and systems. In short, we must actively demand change. As students, we are training to be the leaders of this profession, and it is our duty to be better than our predecessors. There is no time like the present to start taking those responsibilities seriously so that our colleagues can take their safety for granted within the walls of our schools.
This article would not have been possible without brainstorming and editing from the individuals who shared their stories. Because I am not Black, I am limited in my understanding of this topic, and I am grateful for this group. Students who are interested in sharing advice for allies or other feedback are welcome to email me at sbaca-atlas@unc.edu.
Slowing Down
While in my MSW program, I was talking to an older-adult volunteer at my practicum about how excited I was to graduate and get some time back from no longer having to do course work. In his wisdom, he said, “If you’re not careful, you will fill that time with more busyness.” He was right. Once life starts getting busy, being busy becomes a norm or habit we must consciously work to break.
Here are some things I do intermittently to remind myself I do not need to always rush or be productive. Consider picking one to take up over the next month.
One to two times per week, I drive the longer route to a destination. Sometimes I do this to make the route more scenic but other times I do it just to get my brain to shift gears from the need to be efficient-and-fast.
When I am already running late, I drive the speed limit and don’t pass other cars. I choose to be late. It’s not my norm so it will be okay. If late is your norm, plan to get somewhere 10 minutes early and drive in the same slow way. Then enjoy the space to take a brief walk, visit, or settle before your event or meeting starts.
I choose cut off times for my work so there is closure to my days. I do not do this every day but I shoot for having this cut off time three days a week. Sometimes the cut off time is 5pm or 7pm or even 9pm. The specific time matters less than giving yourself a closing moment where it is clear to your body and brain that today’s work is over. You have done what you can do, and it was good for today.
I try to intentionally stop working while I still have energy to work. This practice keeps me from being at my max when I walk away from my writing or research task and leaves me energized to engage and connect with the world instead of needing to hide and disconnect. This is a newer practice for me but has made a huge difference from when I started my PhD work until now (2.5 years in).
I have a morning or evening time to read or sit and talk with my kids. If you don’t have kids, a pet, a partner, or yourself will do just fine- but do something in a spirit of rest. This should not be time for a hobby but truly the practice of sitting around without media or the reward of producing something. Some people see leisure as a privilege- in our society, it is- but it should be a basic human right. Consider leisure as a sacred right and gift that is needed and intended for all. Then, fiercely claim it. However, if you have not recently practiced doing-nothing or enjoyed wandering moments, your whole being will rebel. Expect an upswing in restlessness and racing thoughts. It won’t feel like a sacred gift until you practice enough to re-set. If you experience this, like I did, let it be a learning moment and listen to what the restlessness or discomfort is telling you.
Rainbow Allyship
June is recognized as LGBTQ+ Pride month across the United States. During this time, numerous festivals and events are held to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Many organizations rebrand themselves with rainbow logos and statements of support, and many folks make statements around being allies to the LGBTQ+ community. What are some ways to be an ally to this community beyond Pride Month?
Learn the history of Pride month. Pride began as a riot led by queer and transgender women of color, not as a festival. Marsha P. Johnson, Stormé DeLarverie, and Sylvia Rivera are often recognized as prominent leaders in the Stonewall riots that began on June 27th, 1969. These riots were in response to police officers in New York City raiding the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in the city, evoking continued riots and activism across the city. The first pride parade was held one year later from the same location.
Educate yourself around the needs of the community. Learn proper language and terms, take actions against anti-LGB+ and anti-trans legislation, and help in educating those around you. Step up when you hear anti-LGBTQ+ comments or misgendering. Find supportive organizations to learn from and donate to them on a regular basis. Uplift the queer and trans folks in your community, particularly individuals of color. This could include smaller things, such as asking your library to carry more books and movies by trans artists or about trans issues, or volunteering on a campaign for a transgender candidate. Do the work and raise your own awareness all year long, not just during June.
Learn where your money is going and where your institution’s money is going. Many large companies take part in performative allyship with their new logos and statements of support, only to continue funding oppressive organizations and policies and participating in a degree of ‘rainbow-capitalism’ to gain patrons. Additionally, many conferences or events may take place in states, schools, or organizations with discriminatory practices and laws. There has recently been an uptick in anti-trans legislation across the country, which ought to be accounted for in showing support for queer and transgender individuals. Learn about where your dollars are really going.
Happy Pride!
Social Work Careers In The Federal Government
Have you ever considered using your social work research capabilities in the federal government? Or, have you thought about opportunities to gain additional professional experience before entering into the academy? How about internship opportunities that may lead to full-time permanent positions?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions above, consider searching for the following opportunities in your area on USAjobs.gov:
Social Science Analyst
The following agencies have active announcements:
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Veterans Affairs
U.S. Secret Service
Department of Homeland Security
Program Analyst
Student Trainee (internship - paid)
Pathways Student Trainee (internship - paid)
Student Volunteer Intern (internship - not paid)
If you are interested in any of the internship opportunities listed above, be sure to read the credit hour requirement. In most instances, agencies request students to be at least half-time. Additionally, Spring and Fall opportunities usually offer full-time or part-time schedules, while summer appointments may require full-time opportunities only.
A few pointers for putting your best foot forward in your federal resume:
Before applying to any position, ensure that you have built your federal resume using the resume builder within USAJobs.
Be sure to edit your resume each and every time to align with the position in which you are applying to.
Be sure to highlight skills required for the position in your previous job descriptions. Also, consider the language used in the job announcement to assist in the highlighting of tasks as well.
In most instances, bulletting your duties is acceptable in federal resumes. Also, it is okay that your federal resume is longer than one page.
Best of luck in your search!
Applying for a F-31
What is the purpose of an F-31 Grant?
The overall goal of the NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) program is to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists is available in appropriate scientific disciplines to address the nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. The purpose of the F-31 grant is to provide support for promising doctoral candidates who will be performing dissertation research and training in scientific health-related fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) during the tenure of the award.
Why Apply?
If you are already fully funded, what’s in it for you? You can be provided with an institutional allowance of around $4,200. You will be provided approximately $2,200 to fund your project/travel and $2,000 for your health insurance. In addition to funding, the F-31 grant is a competitive award that adds prestige on your CV. If you obtain the grant, you are more likely to be funded for a postdoctoral fellowship and/or a career development award.
How to Apply?
Here are the following steps you should consider when applying:
Talk to your mentor (sponsor) & program chair.
Meet with your departmental grant administrator (also known as the Pre-Award Specialist, etc. Your program chair will know who this is.).
Read the funding opportunity announcement (also called FOA or guidelines) for your particular program.
Read the individual fellowship application guide.
Talking to your Sponsor
If you are considering applying for an F-31 grant, it’s important to include your sponsor in every step of the process. When you first meet with your sponsor, you will need to:
Determine if you and your sponsor are eligible
Determine if now is the right time to apply
Determine which NIH institute is most appropriate
Discuss expectations and timeline
Obtain contact information for department grant administrator
Meet with Department Grant Administrator/Pre-Award Specialist
Make contact as soon as you know you are going to apply. The grant administrator will be the person that uploads all of your necessary documents to the system, so it is important to meet with them as soon as possible. Discuss expectations and timeline. Since there are certain tasks they will need to complete for you, they may need your application materials a week or so before the deadline. They will also be the person who communicates and gets permission from university staff to submit the application, so they will need ample time to complete these items.
In short, the department administrator will help you by
Adding the PI role to your NIH eRA Commons account
Completing all your forms
Uploading the components of your application
Routing the application for institutional signature – allow sufficient time for this (~7-10 days)
Answering many questions about the process
How to Apply
FOA (guidelines)
Check the following:
Eligibility requirements
Award information
Review the selection criteria
Application Guide
The application guide outlines required elements of the application. There you will find the instructions for formatting, page limits, and references. The application guide is long and complete; read it all very carefully.
You do not need to download the application package or complete the forms
The department administrator will complete all the forms for you using ERA Assist and ERA Commons
The fellowship application guide is part of the general NIH application guide. A link to the supplemental instructions for fellowships may be found in Section F.100, page F-4.
Formatting requirements are in Section F.110, page F-7.
Cover letter attachment instructions (Section F.200, page F-29)
Letters of Reference instructions (Section F.130, page F-14)
Note that FOA instructions always supersede application instructions
F31 Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Parent F31) awards now require an institutional letter that describes the institutional commitment to ensuring that the appropriate policies and procedures are in place to prevent discriminatory harassment and other discriminatory practices.
Your department grant administrator will obtain this letter for your application.
Currently, this is only for F31 Diversity applications
The Basics
Follow all instructions for formatting and page limits; these are non-negotiable.
Create your application documents in Microsoft Word (or similar) and convert to .pdf just before submitting
Do not worry about registering for systems or gathering data for completing the forms. This will be done for you.
Requirements of Sponsor(s)
Your choice of sponsor can determine if you are awarded your fellowship. This is required of your sponsor:
Federal research funding
Covering the first two years of the fellowship
Preferably NIH R01 or equivalent (other major grants can be acceptable)
Recent publications
Established student track record (you will have to list brief information on your sponsor’s former students)
Students with first-author papers
Students with fellowships
Graduated and are now postdocs or faculty
If your sponsor lacks credentials, a co-sponsor may help
Required Sections
It is important to allow yourself several months to plan and write your materials, as there are many. For your application, you are required to provide:
Cover Letter
Abstract
Project Narrative
Specific Aims
Selection of sponsor and institution
Doctoral dissertation and previous research
Training Plan
Resource sharing plan
Respective contributions
Facilities and resources
Equipment (not required but commonly included)
Description of graduate program
Letters of Support
Biosketches
Letters of reference (3)
Evaluation Criteria
When your application is being reviewed, the reviewer will consider the following when scoring and determining if your application will be selected.
Research training plan
The applicant
The sponsor
Environment and institutional commitment to training
Training potential
Thinking about the Project
When you are crafting your grant application, you should be able to answer ‘Yes’ to the following questions.
Is it an important question?
Is it feasible?
Is there a high probability of success?
Is it conducive to training?
Can it be linked to public health?
Successful Applications
Successful applications are considered to have the following:
The sponsor has a strong publication record (students and self)
Training plan that is comprehensive and well-related to project (this is largely your sponsor’s responsibility, but you can “encourage” them to do a good job)
Writing that has been reviewed by others and feedback is implemented
Applicant has excellent academic record and strong letters of reference
Tips for Success
Start early
Write for a cross-section of readers (scientists may be from another field)
Follow instructions
Assess final documents for readability and organization
Ask for feedback – and implement it
Keep everyone in the loop (Sponsor, Letter writers, Grant administrator)
Stand out for excellence, not errors
Be sure the link to public health is very clear, especially for basic science projects
What do you do when you are awarded?
Let the following people know right away:
Your sponsor (he or she will have also received notice)
Your graduate program administrator
The departmental research administrator
2. You will have up to six months to begin the fellowship
Your sponsor, program administrator and research administrator will help you determine the most strategic time to begin your fellowship. Start dates must be at the beginning of any given quarter.
Good Luck and Happy Writing!
Helpful links
Application Guide: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/forms-f/fellowship-forms-f.pdf
Funding Announcements:
F31 Diversity, PA-19-196: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-19-196.html
F31, PA-19-195: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-19-195.html
Social Work Snippets
Call for Papers/Proposals (CFPs):
Abstract Deadline: August 1, 2021
We would like to invite you to submit a chapter proposal for an edited volume tentatively titled Kids in Cages: The History, Politics, and Lived Experiences of Child Migrant Detention (see description below). Should you be interested in participating, please send a title, abstract, and author bio by August 1, 2021. Should the abstract be accepted, we would notify you by mid-August and would expecting to receive drafts for review by November 1, 2021 and finalized chapters by January 15, 2022.
The detainment of migrant children has recently become well-documented in news media, with viral images of “kids in cages” being attributed to the Trump administration. However, the migration of children to the United States is not new, nor is their detainment. In this volume, we seek to provide greater context to the history and current realities of child migrant detention.
The “surge” of children migrating alone since 2012 became a reminder of our precarious understanding of this population in the social, legal, and political immigration discourse of the United States. It also became clear that our social, legal, and political remedies are vastly inadequate at be stand cruel at worst. When and how did the detention of immigrant children become the norm? What has been the evolution of legal remedies and its connection to American politics? What has been the impact on immigrant families in the United States that endured the detention and forced separation from their children? Who profits and how much has the detention of children increased? What has been the response of the American public to the detention of immigrant children over the decades?
In this volume, we will bring together interdisciplinary work that explores the practice of detaining migrant children. We hope to address the longer history of child migration to the United States, with a particular focus on the government interventions throughout the decades. We would like to include insight into the political and activist battles surrounding child migrant detention. Finally, this volume seeks to provide accounts of the impact of detention on children, their families, and their communities.
The European Institute for Social Work (ERIS) Journal Winter
Deadline (Full Papers): August 10, 2021
The European Research Institute for Social Work (ERIS) is a scientific-research center of the Faculty of Social Studies involved in formal cooperation agreements with six European universities in Finland, France, Germany, Britain and Slovakia and other associated member universities across Europe.
Philosophy and ethics are at the absolute core of social work practice. The values which underpin the skills, methods and knowledge which we utilise in social work, around the world and within our own particular countries, is of key importance in relation to meeting the rights and needs of vulnerable people who stand in need of our social work services, as set out by the International Federation of Social Workers, and the International Association of Schools of Social work, as well as a number of national documents.
This edition of Journal addresses these issues from a critically based perspective, at both macro and micro levels, in how social workers and social work educators consider the use of philosophy, ethics and values in practice and in teaching, which we know requires constant review and development. This edition of the Czech and Slovak journal invites articles which address the variety of ways in which these can be taken into account within a critical evaluation of the application of such matters within education and learning.
Aging Societies: Extended Working Lives and Discrimination Against Older Workers
Proposal Submission: August 23, 2021
Aging & Social Change: Eleventh Interdisciplinary Conference is a forum for discussion of challenges and opportunities for a rapidly growing segment of the population worldwide. The process of aging is a concern for individuals, families, communities, and nations. The social context of aging provides a rich background for community dialogue on this, one of the critical questions of our time. We seek to build an epistemic community where we can make linkages across disciplinary, geographic, and cultural boundaries.
We invite proposals for paper presentations, workshops/interactive sessions, posters/exhibits, or colloquia addressing one of the following themes or special focus
Relational Social Work Journal
Deadline: August 31, 2021
The Relational Social Work Journal (ISSN: 2532-3814) is an international open access peer-reviewed journal with no article processing charges.
The journal analyses and promotes the relational approach in Social Work and in related areas. (social policy, social welfare, social development and human services).
It addresses academics, policy makers, managers, social workers and Social Work students engaged in several fieldwork topics.
The Journal is published twice a year (April and October) and it is composed of two sections.
Articles section, that includes theoretical contributions, empirical studies and research on Relational Social Work, and papers studying the implications of relational principles in case, group and community Social Work, with a focus on the interconnection between these three levels.
Voices from practice section, shorter contributions related to practice of Relational Social Work, Social Work education, service users and carers’ voices and experiences
Grant and Fellowship Opportunities:
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Focused on Behavioral Health Topics Across the Lifespan
Deadline: August 5th, 2021
The Center for Behavioral Health Research and Training (CBHRT) at the University of Central Florida is actively recruiting for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. This role will prepare the fellow to become an independent investigator in behavioral health research by maturing skillsets in grant writing, manuscript development, and interdisciplinary collaboration. CBHRT is seeking a highly motivated fellow to research behavioral health topics across the lifespan with the goal of fostering community, clinical, and academic partnerships that address complex behavioral health problems and disparities. This role, commencing in Spring 2022, will span one-year (12 months) with the possibility of an additional year of renewal contingent on funding availability.
Emerging Poverty Scholars Fellowship
Deadline: August 15, 2021
The Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison invites applications from junior scholars from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations for its 2021–2023 Emerging Poverty Scholars Fellowship program. The JPB Foundation has generously funded this initiative.
IRP’s Emerging Poverty Scholars Fellowship aims to support the career development and success of promising emerging poverty scholars from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations by:
enhancing the resources available to them;
providing high-quality one-on-one mentoring from nationally renowned senior poverty scholars;
fostering interaction among a diverse set of scholars through quarterly meetings with the Emerging Scholars cohort and experts in the field; and
providing opportunities to highlight the research of the Emerging Scholars through IRP products and events in order to broaden the corps of U.S.-based poverty researchers.
IRP anticipates providing five Fellows with $60,000 in flexible funding over a two-year award period beginning in early fall 2021. IRP will match each Fellow with a senior poverty scholar mentor for each year of their fellowship. Scholars will meet by phone or video for one-on-one meetings with their individual mentors once per month and with IRP twice a year. In addition, Emerging Scholars will participate in quarterly meetings with their cohort. In year 1, scholars will have two in-person meetings and two virtual meetings as a cohort. In year 2, scholars will have one in-person meeting and three virtual meetings as a cohort.
Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity
Deadline: August 16, 2021
This notice solicits applications for projects to establish a Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity (CIIHE), for which OMH will provide the organizational structure and operational framework. The CIIHE will support efforts including education, service and policy development, and research related to advancing sustainable solutions to address health disparities and advance health equity in the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) populations. The CIIHE award recipients (awardees) will function as a single initiative, coordinated by OMH, through two cooperative agreements to be awarded through this funding opportunity.
Framework to Address Health Disparities through Collaborative Policy Efforts: Coordinating Center
Deadline: August 23, 2021
The Coordinating Center (MP-CPI-21-003), combined with the Office of Minority Health demonstration projects (MP-CPI-21-004), constitute the “Framework to Address Health Disparities through Collaborative Policy Efforts” initiative. The goal of the initiative is to demonstrate the effectiveness of a methodological framework, structured process, and tool in supporting the assessment and identification of policies that may create or perpetuate health disparities by contributing to structural racism, as well as the modification, development, and implementation of policies to improve health outcomes.
The Coordinating Center will oversee and coordinate complementary and collaborative efforts among the participating sites (OMH-funded and self-funded) through leadership and management toward the goals and objectives of the initiative.
This notice solicits applications to establish and operate a Coordinating Center that will:
(1) Lead the development of a methodological framework, process, and tool for the assessment of policies that may create or perpetuate health disparities by contributing to structural racism, in collaboration with MP-CPI-21-004 “Framework to Address Health Disparities through Collaborative Policy Efforts: Demonstration Projects” recipients.
(2) Provide technical assistance to MP-CPI-21-004 recipients and self-funded participant organizations on utilizing the framework, process, and tool.
(3) Lead the evaluation of the implementation of the methodological framework, process, and tool.
Deadline: August, 24, 2021
This initiative will support (1) observational research to understand the role of structural racism and discrimination (SRD) in causing and sustaining health disparities, and (2) intervention research that addresses SRD in order to improve minority health or reduce health disparities.
Job Opportunities:
The Center for Guaranteed Income research at Penn is hiring two PhD level staff scientists. One position is in Biostats and the other is for a qual specialist. Expertise in guaranteed income is not required, but experience with field experiments and original data collection is a requirement for both positions. These positions are well-funded with ample opportunity to publish and launch your career in this growing research space. Priority will be given to those with social work experience. Feel free to contact amybaker@upenn.edu with questions.
Communications Associate, Women’s Congressional Policy Institute (WCPI)
Established in 1995, the Women’s Congressional Policy Institute (WCPI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy organization whose mission is to bring together a community of bipartisan women policymakers and trusted partners to advance issues of importance to women, develop the next generation of women leaders, and foster a more effective and representative democracy. WCPI sponsors programming for women Members of Congress and women congressional chiefs of staff, a congressional fellowship program, policy briefings on Capitol Hill, and several signature events focused on key bipartisan women’s issues.
We are seeking a proactive, energetic communications professional to increase WCPI’s reputation among its key audiences; promote WCPI programs; fundraise; and improve overall communications capacity. This position reports to the Vice President and will be a valued member of the WCPI team.
Qualified candidates should e-mail a cover letter, resume, and 1-2 samples of your communications work to webmaster@wcpinst.org; please indicate “WCPI Communications Associate” in the subject line. Interviews will begin immediately for selected candidates. No phone calls please!
Communications Associate, Florida Policy Institute
Florida Policy Institute (FPI) is an independent public policy research nonprofit dedicated to advancing policies and budgets that improve the economic mobility and quality of life for all Floridians. We do this through research, strategic outreach, coalition building, and policy advocacy.
FPI seeks to hire a Communications Associate to support the organization’s day-to-day external communications and grant writing. The successful candidate’s primary responsibility will be to manage and strengthen FPI’s social media presence, publishing to and updating FPI’s website, copy editing and formatting research blogs and briefs, developing graphics for social media, helping to coordinate media outreach and events, and supporting grant drafting.
Associate Director, Restorative Practices and Culture, Deep Center
We are currently hiring an Associate Director, Restorative Practices and Culture. We are seeking an individual with first-hand knowledge of working inside a school in any professional capacity, along with expertise related to social emotional well-being or transformative justice in education.
In addition to the Associate Director, Restorative Practices and Culture, Deep is hiring for a number of other positions, all of which are listed on our Idealist website.
All of our positions are based in Savannah GA, Mel Kutner, Director, Restorative Practices and Culture, Deep Center (912) 662 - 6175
Disclaimer: This newsletter is created as free service by SSWR Doctoral Student Committee Communications Subcommittee members:
Pari Shah
Alberto Cifuentes, Jr.
Veronica Timbers
Latoya Hogg
Durrell Malik Washington, Sr.
Agnès Nzomene Kahouo Foda
Victoria Carter
Tasha Childs
Riley Hostetter
Guest Contribution: Stefani N. Baca-Atlas
The opinions expressed in this newsletter are the opinions of the individuals listed above alone and do not claim to represent the opinions of SSWR or the SSWR Doctoral Student Committee.