Mon, 03/15/2021
LAWRENCE Social workers are trained to help people in times of crisis. But what happens when those professionals are experiencing a crisis along with the rest of society? University of Kansas social welfare researchers and students have created a body of work about the COVID-19 pandemic s effects on their education, well-being and profession.
As the pandemic unfolded in early 2020, social welfare researchers saw a call for papers on how the pandemic was affecting the field. At the same time, their students struggled as classes moved online and practicum experiences ended early.
“We felt like it would be a very big missed opportunity if our students weren’t involved in that, because they are often vulnerable in many ways that faculty members are not,” said Sarah Jen, assistant professor of social welfare. “And we wanted to represent as many voices as possible.”
Mon, 12/14/2020
LAWRENCE “We’re all in this together” has been a common refrain during the COVID-19 pandemic. It turns out that’s not the case for many LGTBQ youths, as University of Kansas researchers illustrate in a new publication.
Megan Paceley, assistant professor of social welfare at KU, and colleagues have written an essay forthcoming in the journal Qualitative Social Work in which they challenge the narrative for queer and trans youths. Through discussions with a youth advisory board, the authors illustrate how the unique challenges LGTBQ youths face, including social isolation and lack of access to mental health services, belie the idea of a shared experience.