The Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University’s Post

"The Struggle for Survival: Uneducated Families" #Lack of access to quality education perpetuates the cycle of poverty. #Limited awareness about healthcare and sanitation practices leads to preventable illnesses. #Economic opportunities are restricted, trapping families in low-income occupations. #Difficulty in understanding legal rights and accessing justice exacerbates vulnerability. #Challenges in making informed decisions about family planning and child-rearing. #Higher susceptibility to exploitation and manipulation due to lack of knowledge. #Social stigma and discrimination against uneducated individuals further marginalize families. #Limited understanding of environmental issues contributes to unsustainable practices. #Struggle for basic rights and dignified living conditions persists without education as a foundation. #Breaking the cycle requires comprehensive efforts in education, healthcare, economic empowerment, and social inclusion. #Education #internship #learning #Development #DSS #Diamondstaffingsolutions #Growth #Upskilling

Yesterday, at my final admitted students event at Muhlenberg, I had the chance to engage with hundreds of potential students, parents, grandparents, siblings… and (as an essential part of my practice) today I am reflecting on the conversations. Here are some key takeaways: 1️⃣ Parents AND students are thinking about ROI, and when admission decisions are being made, outcomes are an essential piece of the thought process. This signals to me, that we need to support learning and growth about outcomes ACROSS campus and SHARE resources that will increase knowledge and competency about internships and the path to employability. 2️⃣ Time (especially lack of time due to overextension) continues to be a factor. Sure, we can complain til we’re 🔵 in the face, but actions are how we can make a difference. As career practitioners we MUST up our integration and collaborations to reach students where they ARE. This means participating across campus and never missing an opportunity to partner with faculty and other staff members, creating “force multipliers” instead of “add-ons” for our communities. 3️⃣ Parents, grandparents, siblings and other supportive people CARE about their student’s sense of belonging and access to resources. Career centers, when we are at our best, need to ensure that programming and interventions are designed for NO LESS THAN 100% of our population, and that we are an essential part of the “web-of-support” that our students must experience to establish psychological and physical safety, so they can start thinking through higher-order challenges. 💡In all, the message for #HigherEd remains crystal clear: 🛖It takes a village… What other elements help a career center shine? I would love to hear from career pros, students, and those in a student’s support network — please share what innovative and inclusive practices you’ve seen, and what they mean to you!

In Australia on average Careers Advisors/Guidance Counsellors work with 408 students per year, roughly 45 minutes per student. In this short time Career Advisors need to get to know students, build rapport and recommend a clear pathway, while addressing stereotypes and stigma for traditionally gendered jobs. The final stop of my Winston Churchill Trust (Australia) Fellowship was in Bielefeld, Germany, where the Competence Center for Technology, Diversity and Equal Opportunities (Kompetenzz) is running the initiatives Cliché Free by Scientific Specialist Frauke Kordtomeikel and Girls Day by Project Manager Tabea Schroer, funded by multiple Federal Ministries. Founded as a result of comprehensive research conducted by the German Government, Cliché free recognises stereotypes are formed by parents of their unborn child, so programs are introduced into daycare, primary and secondary schools, vocational training, higher education training as well as companies. The onus isn't falling onto one section of a child's upbringing, everyone is involved in making a difference. 15 Team Members work to address these biases. It's making impact with 26.7% Apprenticeship dropout, versus the Australian 50% as just one of their amazing outcomes.

We are happy to share feedback from our interns with you! Catherine Manise from the Relais Social de Charleroi, Belgium, after an internship at Provivienda Madrid, Spain "One of the special features of the HOUSING FIRST project in Spain is that the customer receives accommodation managed directly by PROVIVIENDA. Unlike in Belgium, most of the accommodation offered comes from the private housing stock (80% private housing/20% public housing). The customer - or beneficiary as we call them in the HOUSING FIRST programme in Belgium - has a choice of several homes. (usually 3 different ones). The quality of the accommodation we were able to visit during our trip appears to be superior to that offered to our homeless clients in Belgium, in terms of comfort and finish. The beneficiaries of the project are not grouped together in blocks of flats, but the social mix is preserved and encourages social integration with the other occupants of private buildings. What's more, customers receive fully furnished accommodation. When they move into the accommodation, the beneficiaries are welcomed by the team that will provide them with support, but the first shopping they do with them is limited to foodstuffs and a few cleaning products. In my opinion, this is a real added value to the project compared with Belgian HOUSING FIRST support. We were able to visit a women-only (alcohol) consumption room (in a shelter for women victims of violence) and interview two of the centre's workers. It was an enriching and inspiring experience, given that the Relais social is involved in discussions about setting up a drug consumption room here in Charleroi, and that a consumption room could be part of the projects currently being developed (Médi-halte). Personally, I was able to talk to my colleagues and the social workers we met about specific problems (Diogenes Syndrome) that I might encounter in my professional practice." #ecett #ecettnetworks #testimonial #mobilitygrant #grants #psychology #psychotherapist #psychiatry #socialworker #socialwork #internships #bonnepratique #exchange #training #trainingcamp

Policy Change: JAMB’s New Admission Age and Its Implications Given our tendency towards emergency policymaking, this move wasn’t surprising. Here is my response to UTME’s (JAMB) resolution to increase the admission age to tertiary institutions to 18 years old (from 16). Although subject to change, here are my thoughts: 1. Change management principles stress the importance of allowing time for the diffusion and implementation of innovation. While this policy is set for next year, one year is a short notice for such a significant change affecting young students’ academic journeys. 2. Over the years, the age and maturity of students have declined as they skip primary 6. We now have younger students in secondary school, leading to undergraduates who may lack the mental and psychosocial readiness for tertiary education. 3. Setting the admission age to 18 might encourage parents to let their children experience the holistic educational process. They won’t be admissible to tertiary institutions until they turn 18. 4. The waiting period can be used for acquiring tech skills, internships, learning trades, job shadowing, and equipping students with relevant skills. 5. These experiences can help students make informed career choices. If I had an internship before university, I might have pursued a career in education earlier. 6. UTME, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and other agencies should create opportunities for internships, job shadowing, tech scholarships, and vocational training to keep youths engaged and away from negative influences. 7. Finally, if the legal age is 18, all sectors should adhere to it, including addressing issues like child marriage. I’m Oluwatosin Mogbadunade, committed to SDG 4 (Quality Education). I speak at conferences and seminars on education and am open to collaborations, partnerships, and policy initiatives to improve education for Nigerian and African children. #EducationPolicy #SDG4 #QualityEducation #Nigeria #YouthDevelopment #EducationReform #PolicyChange #JAMB #UTME #WAEC #University #Postsecondaryeducation

Thoughts from an Assistant Professor/Director of Practicum and Internship, aka Field Education: If you're a #socialwork educator, you know how important it is to treat your students with dignity and respect. It's not just about teaching them how to become the best social workers out there but also about modeling the same behavior in and out of the classroom. How we treat our students can significantly impact how many of them enter the social work profession, stay in it, and ultimately go on to help others in need. Sadly, some social work educators don't always follow the code of ethics or take responsibility for treating their students and clients. If you're feeling burnt out, dealing with compassion fatigue, or struggling with secondary trauma, please don't hesitate to seek help. Whether it's therapy, taking a sabbatical from academia, or simply taking some time to practice self-care, it's essential to prioritize your well-being to continue to be the best educator you can be. #assistantprofessor #directoroffieldeducator #empoweringsocialworkers #cswe #nasw #socialwork #socialworkers #socialworkmonth #toxicleadership #toxicworkplace #codeofconduct #codeofethics #highereducation #compassionfatigue #burnout

Empowering communities, fostering equality, and igniting positive change. Social sustainability is the heartbeat of our commitment to a better world. 💙✨ Join us in building a future where everyone thrives. 51% of our equity belongs to @nikacaptital, our social responsibility partner. This way, we make sure that our contribution directly fuels our mission. 1. Help build affordable private Christian schools in disadvantaged communities. 2. Develop the principals and executives of our schools into courageous leaders. 3. Facilitate discipleship programs with our students. 4. Connect our graduates with employment or internship opportunities. 5. Let each of our private schools influence one public school in the same community. 6. Establish a quality online school with accessible resources for disadvantaged communities. #SocialSustainability #CommunityEmpowerment #EqualityForAll 🌍🤝"

The world today faces a multitude of challenges – violent conflicts disrupt education and stability, a polarized online environment fosters negativity, and persistent economic inequality limits opportunities. These issues threaten not only individual futures but also the overall stability of societies. It is crucial to equip youth with the skills needed to foster a culture of peace, nurture responsible global citizens, and promote sustainable development, in order to build a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future for all. In the spirit of cultivating a more inclusive space, we’re unpacking May East’s “Leverage Point 2 – Developing spaces for gathering and belonging” – where summer youth interns of Eye on Ivy relook at their everyday public spaces with lens of curosity. Seeing what that place means to them, what makes that place unique, is the place living up to its full potential? Creative Production By: Simra Ibrahim, Simky Naveed Zia & Aiza Aqeel from SICAS Girls Campus Gulberg and Eye On Ivy Interns #PublicSpace #Inclusive #SDG4 #KaarvanCraftsFoundation

In higher education, social mobility is a crucial metric, reflecting a university's commitment to equalizing opportunities. In this blog, we explore: → University of Bradford and Aston University as standout institutions on the English Higher Education Social Mobility Index → The impact of embedded work-based learning programs. → The importance of collaboration between academia and the employment sector. Dive into our latest conversation with Professor Shirley Congdon, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Bradford, and Elsa Zenatti-Daniels, Postgraduate Student Development Lead at Aston University, as they discuss the actions they take at their respective institutions to foster socio-economic growth through academia. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dSHnw6_9 #VIontheBlog #employability #VIpartnership