(5.1) Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination.
Field: I witnessed the advocating process at the Vulnerable Adult Protection Interdisciplinary Team (VAPIT) meeting, where the Ombudsman spoke with other professionals to advocate for the justice of victimized individuals in long-term care facilities. This link provides information about the bill that enacted the monthly VAPIT meetings. Due to the highly confidential nature of the meeting, I am not able to provide more evidence.
Class: The “Why Poverty?” paper that I wrote for Social Welfare (SOCW 212) highlights the ways in which poverty can oppress individuals and/or cause them to be discriminated against.
(5.2) Advocate for human rights and social and economic justice.
Field: I witnessed the advocating process at the Vulnerable Adult Protection Interdisciplinary Team (VAPIT) meeting, where the Ombudsman spoke with other professionals, including local detectives and APS workers, to advocate for the justice of vulnerable adults in long-term care facilities. Here is more information about the monthly VAPIT meetings.
Class: For Social Welfare in Policy (SOCW 434) I completed a Human Rights activity that looks at the social and economic issues (according to the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights) that I have seen in my practicum placement and ways that I have responded to those human rights issues.
(5.3) Engage in practices that advance social and economic justice.
Field: I created a HIPAA presentation that discusses how the implications of the policy relate to professionals working with older adults, and shared it with the Volunteer Ombudsmen at the quarterly training in February.
Class: For Social Welfare in Policy class (SOCW 434), I had the opportunity to compose a Letter to the Editor on a local current event topic that I felt passionate about.