Building Relationships in Chicago

by Allison Brower

Hello, my name is Allison Brower. Currently I am a senior at Hope College (Holland, MI) and am spending my last semester doing Chicago Semester. My Social Work internship this semester is at Youth Organizations Umbrella (Y.O.U.) in Evanston, IL. Already a month has flown by with so many fun activities and learning experiences. The thing that sticks out most from my experience so far is the relationships I have made.

 

At my internship I work as a YOUth Serve Member working with middle school students in an after-school program. The program meets everyday in the school cafeteria where we have an hour of homework. Then we cross the street to a church basement to have snack and finish the last hour with enrichment groups and life skills. Seeing the students everyday has really helped in getting to know them. A favorite moment with the students was when we went to a Northwestern football game. We had a wonderful time watching the game, eating food, and having fun just hanging out! The students are such an honest, carefree, and outgoing bunch that I have loved working with them.

Another group of people that I have enjoyed getting to know is my team at Y.O.U. We call ourselves #Team Chute. Working alongside these staff members I have learned things about myself and how to better work with others. Everyday consists of planning the program with one another where we share our ideas, opinions, and passions that we have for working with youth. Nothing is ever going to be picture perfect in the workplace, but my experience so far has been full of positive and exciting experiences.


And of course, I can’t forget the first people I met when I arrived in Chicago -- my classmates! The list of things to do in Chicago is endless and you can bet that we are all trying our best to do it all. One of the first weekends some friends and I enjoyed a White Sox vs. Tigers game (yay, MI). Then mid September a group of us enjoyed food together in a Progressive Dinner that Chicago Semester planned for us. And as smaller groups we have bonded over trying new restaurants, visiting breweries, hitting up Yogurtland, and attending church with one another.

Overall, my time in Chicago has been a semester to remember! I am looking forward to continuing building relationships with people, learning more about myself, and trying new things. Below I have listed some great tips that have been helpful for me while in Chicago!

5 things to do with a new (or old) friend (especially while in Chicago!)

●        Take a selfie with them

●        Eat a meal with them

●        Go to a sporting event

●        Try a new beer with them

●        Attend a concert together

Getting Settled in the Windy City

by Ann Hersey

Hello everyone! My name is Ann Hersey and I am a Social Work student at Hope College in Holland, MI. I moved into my tiny studio apartment a little over a month ago and time is flying by! Although it’s small, it’s furnished, safe, and in a great location in the Gold Coast. My roommate and I get along really well, which is a huge relief. The first week was filled with orientation activities, learning to use the CTA public transportation, and getting to know the other students in the program.

This fall semester I am doing my practicum with Chicago Semester. I am interning at a nonprofit organization in West Town called Erie Neighborhood House that works primarily with Latino immigrants. The organization was founded in 1870 and is the oldest “settlement house” still providing services (sadly, Jane Addams’ Hull House closed a few years ago). Erie provides an extremely long list of services to clients, including early childhood education, after school programs, ESL classes, citizenship and immigration services, technology programs, workforce development, and much more. I work in the YOU (Youth Options Unlimited) department, an after school program for youth ages 12-18.

A typical day for me will involve administrative work in the morning. For example, making sure client files are up to date in their folders and in the computer. In the afternoon, I am with the kids for the rest of the day. The kids have to do at least 45 minutes of homework and I help out during this time with any questions the kids have and keeping them focused. The kids can hang out, use the computers, play video games, or go to the gym/outside for the rest of the time. These first few weeks I have been trying to get to know the kids better. It has taken a while for some of the kids to open up, but each day the kids get more used to having me around. This past Friday  some of the high school students planned a party to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. We played pin the tail on the donkey, danced, hit a piñata, played a Hispanic bingo game, and ate amazing Latino food made by the parents.

On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, I work in the Citizenship and Immigration department. I am assisting clients with the Application for Naturalization, a very long and detailed 21 page form! I am learning so much about immigration and the citizenship process. Every day that I spend in this department makes me thankful that I was born a U.S. citizen, because the naturalization process is long, selective, and confusing.

With that being said, my first month in the Windy City hasn’t been all work and no play! I have done a lot of sightseeing and exploring. I have been to Navy Pier, The Art Institute of Chicago, Shedd Aquarium, The Lincoln Park Zoo, Jane Addams’ Hull House, a local farmer’s market, and the beach to name a few. I love to eat and Chicago has no shortage of great food and restaurants to try. I have had delicious Chinese food in Chinatown and classic Chicago deep-dish pizza at Lou Malnati’s. There are so many things to do in this city and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the semester brings.

Semester wrap-up by Mark Davis and Kirsten Harms

Hello Jenna’s blog’s followers!  Today, we (Kirsten and Mark) are guest bloggers who are going to wrap up the semester for you.  We are both senior social work majors at Trinity Christian College and are participating in Chicago Semester with Jenna, and we would like to give you a little overview of where we have been interning and how the semester has been coming to a close.

Mark:  I have been interning at West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, Illinois.  This internship has enabled me to gain further insight as to what it is like to be a medical social worker.  Over the course of the semester, I have been learning about what it is like to perform social work assessments/initial evaluations, discharge planning, and consults related to domestic violence, substance abuse, psychiatric, and child/elder abuse.  These experiences have shaped my understanding of the social problems that are impacting neighborhoods in the Chicago-land area.  I have experienced many difficult and troubling situations, but it is a joy to see God working in these times.  My worldview and foundation have been strengthened and are an essential aspect in helping me to be a successful intern.  I have really appreciated being a part of the social service department at West Suburban and it has been a joy to be a part of such a wonderful staff.

Kirsten: I have been interning at the Council for Jewish Elderly’s Adult Day Services program (ADS) in Evanston, Illinois this semester.  Over this semester, I have learned a lot about myself and working with the elderly.  My confidence has grown exponentially as I built relationships with the elderly clients, led groups such as the Feelings Group, and worked with the social worker and the nurse on staff in care plan meetings.  The Adult Day Services program is a welcoming and joyful place for elderly to come to during the day and be able to socialize, participate in activities, and feel loved, and I am so grateful that I was able to be a part of that for one semester.  Throughout my time at ADS and Chicago Semester in general, I was exposed to a lot of diversity on a daily basis, which opened my eyes to new experiences and made me grow in my own faith and relationship with God.  Participating in Chicago Semester as my last semester in my college career has helped me to grow not only as a professional social worker but also as a Christian.

As the semester comes to a close, we would both like to say that we are very thankful that we had the opportunity to do Chicago Semester.  It has been an amazing experience not only interning in Chicago but also living in the city as well.  We have had many fun opportunities in Chicago such as going to a Cubs game, exploring museums, experiencing neighborhoods, attending church in the city, and eating in historic places such as the John Hancock Building.  We are appreciative of what Chicago Semester has done for us, and we are looking forward to the end of the year celebration dinner tonight in Greek-town!