The 2016 Shari Prestemon Social Justice Interns have graciously agreed to share their experiences with all of us. From time to time, we’ll be posting ‘journal entries’ from Sharell Shippen and Sheryl Garcia. Below is one of these entries.
When I decided I wanted to go to school for social work there was no doubt in my mind that I made the right decision. I knew I wanted to make a difference in the world and be a part of the bigger picture’, whatever that meant. The question still remained: what area of social work do I want to focus on? Just like that, I felt like I was back at square one. I know I want to work with children, but again to what degree? As I began researching the different fields within social work I found that ‘working with children’ could mean anything. Do I want to be a school counselor? Maybe I could be a probation officer, or run a day care center… the list goes on and on and on.
I knew coming to Back Bay Mission would not necessarily help me make a decision since the population they serve does not have many children. My hope was that what I learned this summer would be an introduction to social work and I would walk away still wanting to focus on children. Unfortunately (for me) I cannot say I have a better grasp on what exactly I want to do. If anything, it is even more unclear. Back Bay Mission has opened my eyes to a side of social work that I never even considered.
Working with those experiencing homelessness and assisting with the emergency assistance programs I have found a different passion for helping people. There are many programs here that give people a hand up (not a hand out), and are able to help a person get back on their feet and (hopefully) reach self sustainability. Back Bay Mission does so much and has their sights set even higher for future projects and programs and I wish I could stick around to see them all unfold. This is the first true nonprofit organization that I have worked with, so maybe I am just overly excited about the things they seek to accomplish… but I am truly inspired by all that Back Bay Mission does, and if given the opportunity I would love to follow in their steps and make a difference in my own community.
A few weeks ago Dr. Graham was introducing me to previous board members and jokingly said something along the lines of “oh, she’ll be back in a few years as a new board member or director herself.” I laughed at the time because it was never something I truly wanted, but as I spend more time reflecting on it… it does not sound like such a bad idea or an unreachable goal. When I think about being a part of the ‘bigger picture’ and making a difference in my community, Back Bay Mission is one of the first things that pops into my head. I look forward to the next few decades and seeing how this new inspiration impacts my education and career choices.
