The Use of Autobiographical Poetry to Process Trauma, Promote Awareness, and Shift Views on Sexual Violence: Exploring the “Against Our Will” Campaign

This article explores a televised campaign featuring poetry by survivors of sex trafficking, a growing domestic and international problem resulting in symptoms of posttraumatic stress. An integrative framework, incorporating feminist autobiography theory with trauma theory, empowerment theory, and a strengths perspective, is used to explore these poems and how poetry can be used to address sexual trauma, endorsing the progress of feminism and feminist methodology. Further support is provided through a systematic scoping review of extant research on the use of poetry to address sexual trauma. Implications are offered for researchers, educators, practitioners, and policymakers in this emerging area of study.

STRENGTHS-PERSPECTIVE DALAM PENGEMBANGAN KEBIJAKAN SOSIAL

Strengths-Perspective sebagai pendekatan dalam pekerjaan sosial telah mulai digunakan dalam pengembangan kebijakan sosial. Penggunaan pendekatan ini sejalan dengan cita-cita yang ingin dicapai dalam intervensi pekerjaan sosial yaitu untuk mewujudkan self-determination serta keadilan sosial. Oleh karena itu, setiap kebijakan yang disusun seharusnya memuat nilai-nilai di atas. Tulisan ini akan membahas pentingnya Strengths-Perspective dalam pengembangan kebijakan sosial, apa manfaatnya serta bagaimana kerangkanya. Tulisan ini akan menggunakan studi literatur berupa buku, artikel, dan sumber lain yang relevan dengan topik yang dibahas. Hasil kajian menunjukkan Strengths-Perspective sangat diperlukan dalam pengembangan sebuah kebijakan sosial. Strengths-Perspective dapat menjadi pendekatan yang memperkaya sebuah kebijakan sosial sehingga dapat menjawab masalah sosial dengan lebih efektif. Dengan demikian, kebijakan yang dihasilkan juga akan memberikan nilai tambah bagi setiap sasarannya seperti kemandirian, ketahanan, keberdayaan, keterlibatan, dan sebagainya. Walaupun terdapat tantangan sebagai sebuah pendekatan yang baru, Strengths-Perspective dapat terus diperjuangkan oleh pekerja sosial dalam praktik makronya.

The Theoretical Framework of LEAD

The L.E.A.D. Program provides many learning opportunities for teacher candidates in supporting in-risk youth in elementary and secondary schools. Within the course, there are theories and perspectives explicitly taught through presentations, workshops, and activities, which include: risk and resiliency, strengths perspective, and teaching personal and social responsibility (T.P.S.R.). There are also the theoretical underpinnings that make up the pedagogical strategies employed by the course as well as the structure of the field placement component. This chapter brief explains these important theories as well as an explanation of their importance in the L.E.A.D. Program.

Childhood, Play and School: A Literature Review in Australia

Around age three, First Nations children in remote communities in Australia undertake a major transition from the home to formal schooling. This very important period of child development is typically monitored by non-First Nations educators. Yet these educators typically know little about First Nations child development of children aged birth to seven. The purpose of this review is to demonstrate the importance of describing the process of acquiring social and cultural practices that enable a child to become a dynamic, knowledgeable participant in a First Nations context from a strengths perspective.

Life-Changing Events

A key element in social work and social work education is a belief in the ability to change, discovering previously hidden strengths along the way. Study participants were asked to look back on their careers as social work educators and recount a life-changing event (for themselves and/or their students). The stories they told were diverse, amazing, and heartfelt. Events are presented in the following categories: lessons learned from students; life’s lessons outside the classroom; coming out as a gay person; the great realization; serendipity; a strengths perspective story; saving a marriage; discovering that a social work major is not the best fit for all students; and a spectacular going-away party.

Resilience and the Strengths Perspective in Action

“Resilience and the Strengths Perspective in Action” connects the summer camp experience to the strengths perspective and related concepts. Major principles of the strengths perspective, identified by Dennis Saleebey, are summarized. The constructs of risk factors and protective factors are reviewed in relation to the positive outcome of resilience. The strengths and resilience perspectives link to empowerment practice in social work as associated with Simon, Solomon, and Gutierrez. Positive youth development—often found in the youth services field—focuses on skill building, character development, health, and prevention. Michael Ungar suggests that camps can bolster resilience by identifying and meeting campers’ individualized needs. The milieu offered by camps described in later chapters embody these social work approaches as do few other settings.