Monday, October, 24, 2016, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. School of Social Work Auditorium.
Reception to follow, CEUs offered.
Co-sponsors: UMB SSW Alumni Association; ISWO; DAO; Center for Global Education Initiatives (CGEI)
Moderator:
• Goli Bellinger, Adjunct Instructor, UMB School of Social Work
Speakers:
Sara Rudolph, social work student.
Personal story of Refugees in Egypt
Shaina Ward, MSW, Refugee Council USA
Refugee legal framework in the US and Internationally
National refugee advocacy
How to get involved with advocacy
What social workers do
ZainabChaudry Council on American-Islamic Relations
What is Islam, attitudes in the US about Islam, impact of these attitudes on Middle East refugees being able to come to US (politics, state and local actions, quotas, etc.)
Kevin Meadowcroft, Senior Program Manager at the International Rescue Committee in Baltimore.
Programs for Refugees here in Baltimore Home-buying program for refugee families
Settling refugees into local communities in Baltimore and Maryland.
Panel Themes:
• Defining the issues
• What is Islam, attitudes in the US about Islam, impact of these attitudes on Middle East refugees being able to come to US (politics, state and local actions, quotas, etc.)
• Refugee legal framework: both for US and in Maryland
• What social workers can do: #s in Maryland, roles that macro and clinical social workers can play, how to get involved.
Background:
Current American presidential aspirants have been expressing differing views about armed conflicts in Syria and Iraq, about the increasing number of displaced persons and refugees in the Middle East and about American immigration policies. Social Workers should be involved in the national and international debate about the Middle East Refugee Crisis. From the perspective of human rights and social work values, we need to understand the issues and consider the implications for social policy and social action. In Maryland, Social Workers are providing macro and clinical services for refugees from Iraq and Syria. There is interest in learning about current services and future opportunities to assist refugees from Middle East countries.