Professional Development

Professional Development

            As usual, the Safe Line office was buzzing with clients, office chatter, and the ring of incoming phone calls.  Through the ringing and conversations in both Afrikaans and Xhosa, I researched, planned, and discussed group activity ideas with the staff social workers.  After a week of planning, I completed my children’s group plan on Thursday afternoon.  My plan was divided by session and theme.  Under each session I included the outline for the session including activity descriptions, a supply list, and the purpose or goal that session. 

            I printed off a copy of my plan and handed it to Safe Line’s director.  The director slowly sipped her tea and looked over the plan.  As she flipped through all ten pages, she asked me to explain certain activities or crafts.  At the end of the plan, she looked over at me and told me that she loved my plan.  She said that she was interested in how I wrote my plan and asked me to host a staff training session for this coming week about group planning and using art therapy.  I left the short meeting with a feeling of pride and a very very long “to do” list.

            After the staff meeting on Friday and throughout this weekend, I have worked on planning a quick workshop on creating a group plan using a logic model.  I have also worked on making examples of the crafts I am hoping to work on with the children.  I can feel the weekend and time slipping through my fingers, but I can also see a clearer picture of the “Social Worker” me forming.

            Please see attached copy of the Children’s Group Plan. 

                

Sushi & White Wine

            After Friday’s lunch, the CCS home base was quiet.  Most of the crew left that afternoon for a weekend trip around the Western Cape of South Africa.  The remaining three interns and I had stood at the gate to wave goodbye to our friends as their white van sped off.  I knew I would miss the busyness of the group, but I also knew that soon the group would be gone.  Within the next week, all of the group except the remaining four interns would be back in their home countries.  I turned to head back in the quiet house. 

            With an almost empty house, the four of us decided to plan a relaxing weekend together.  For our first “night of bonding” we headed out to dinner.   After our group “foodie” debate on the sunny porch, we decided that we all wanted some good sushi.  We headed out to the small, but posh Wakame. 

            Over white wine and “fashion” sushi, our quartet laughed, shared, and talked until late into the evening.  Back at home we fell asleep piled on bunk beds and bean bags as Julie & Julia played in the background.