We have A LOT of social workers on our team and we are proud of that. In celebration of Social Work Month we asked the MSWs on our team to share how they bring social work into our evaluation + learning consulting. Here is what they shared:
Lauren Beriont, MSW
"I love being surrounded by other social workers on my team and I think we sometimes take for granted what our MSW trainings brings to the EC team culture. I've noticed we're heavy on the facilitation in our work and this belief that a lot of change can come from dialogue and uncovering learnings alongside our partners. I've seen SW theories like - Ladson-Billings' Critical race theory, Bourdieu's understanding of power, and Freire's critical consciousness - being in the backdrop of many of our conversations. And I appreciate we're not afraid to talk it out, learn, and try to do differently. No field is perfect but I love how when other social workers meet us, they are excited to hear we're doing nerdy things like evaluation."
Leah Josephson, MSW
"I love how my social work training pushes me to honor the unique perspectives of individuals while also deeply considering how folks' context impacts their experiences. I see this orientation come through as we analyze qualitative data, and when we plan gatherings with facilitation intended to thoughtfully balance space for group learning and individual reflection. The social work approach also comes through as our team works together to build a company that can lift up all of our different positionalities as professional strengths."
Mary Mattson, LMSW
"I’m grateful for my social work training because it keeps my lens focused on people, communities, and questions of equity. It keeps me accountable for ensuring that all of the work we do advances the well-being of the organizations we work with and all of the people they serve. It engrained in me the importance of introspection, personally and collectively as well as the power of well-facilitated dialogue. I’m proud of the commitment of our profession to the messy work of change, and to the patience and courage it takes to move the needle even a little bit in the direction of equity and collective wholeness."
Ramona Perry, MSW, PhD
"My social work background manifests in my evaluation work in a few ways. Interpersonally, I am keen on engaging in equitable data collection and compensation practices and lifting up the importance of lived experience and community knowledge. As a social work researcher I am always thinking about how to use data responsibly and in ways that are in alignment with truth, justice, and fair representation."
Remby Perry, MSW graduate student doing a field placement with EC
"My approach to social work emerged from recognizing and directly experiencing the limitations within the field. It emphasizes equity, inclusion, and empathy, achieved through cultivating meaningful relationships and guiding individuals to discover their own strengths and potential while navigating the limitations associated with the challenges they face."
Shira Hammerslough, MSW graduate student doing a field placement with EC
"My social work training has taught me to center equity and justice in how I interact with the world. I have learned how to be critical of larger systems while also collaborating with individuals to help build something better, together. I practice listening more intentionally, considering a variety of perspectives in approaching a solution, and finding shared meaning in the work."