Welcome to the Mother Ship!
It was wonderful to have to opportunity to see the "flagship" of all of our agencies. I had been at the Vera Institute prior to this visit to listen to David Kennedy speak. One thing I noticed was the drastic change of environment compared to my placement. At FedCap its a 3 story building in South Bronx with empty halls, computer labs, and blue and beige walls. I was wondering whether work environment made an impact on my supervisors or even myself. Anyways, it was a warm welcome on behalf of Karen Goldstein, Margaret diZerega, Shameeka Mattis, Nick Turner and Fred Patrick.
According to the Vera Institute Spin-off Took kit the spin-off process should deliver two fundamental returns (1)" allows the demonstration project to grow to scale and continue innovating according to its particular mandate and vision" and (2) "allows Vera to remain focused on its own mandate and vision: exploring and developing new avenues for innovation in justice". In your own true opinion, do you believe that your particular agency is maximizing its development in order to improve the persons lives it serves? I know that many of us are placed in agencies that address similar issues such as reintegration into society by providing job readiness skills and educational opportunities, but what makes our agencies "a unique and distinct identity from Vera's"?
Referring to the Demo's and Spin-off Over time, particularly with the subject and focus area nearly half is criminal justice with juvenile justice, employment, and SUMH being the most dominant topics. It amazes me how little immigration makes up on this rough breakdown. I am glad to hear that Danyeli and Bekah's placement have acknowledged this growing issue. Maybe in the future there will be a spin-off of Safe Horizon with an emphasis on immigration.
All four speaker were passionate of what they spoke of. What resonated with me from the session was what Ms. Mattis said, "everyone has a role". She was referring to those working at Common Justice. Everyone has a role and none of the roles are pointless. Towards the beginning of my placement I wondered and was unsure of what my role would be at FedCap. I spent the first two weeks observing but it was not until recently that I felt like I had a meaningful role in helping student prepare for the TABE test and assisting those customers who speak primarily in spanish. All the spanish speakers have found jobs and are no longer in the program, and a young man who I helped pass the TABE test has just got hired as a security guard. I've accepted being Ms. Barbara at my placement but at least I know that I have made an impact with those individuals. So I ask you all, have you found your role at your agency? If so describe how your role makes an impact on the individuals, your supervisors? If not, how can you create a role within your agency (no one wants to be a fly on the wall)?
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16 comments:
Brenda, the experience you described in your placement is very much like mine. Before I started working at CJA, everyone from the agency would tell me I was lucky that I was going to the newer office in Brooklyn. They told me there were fewer bugs in the new office. Suffice it to say, I now have recurring nightmares of water bugs and sewer rats (*inwardly shivers*).
However, not very nice environment aside, I really enjoy my placement. I feel I play a role in CJA. In the beginning, I felt thrown into the interviews. I was very nervous, so my supervisor told me she would watch one of my interviews. After that, I was on my own. I now feel much more comfortable interviewing and like part of the team at Brooklyn CJA. I like to think my 8 hours per week make their lives a little easier. I also feel like I make an impression on the defendants. I always treat my interviewees with respect and kindness. They are human beings and deserve to be treated as such. I actually had a very nice conversation the other day with a defendant about the Cowboys, but I digress.
I wish I could incorporate the alternative to bail program in Brooklyn like they have in Queens and Manhattan. I believe these programs could make a big difference in the amount of people going to Rikers, especially considering Brooklyn is the busiest in terms of arraignments.
What I'd like to know is whether there is a purpose behind the plush offices we saw in Vera and our not so plush environments in our placements. While I was discussing this with one of our fellow verons, we considered whether the Vera office was used to promote social policy overall while our individual placements benefit the individuals who are actually receivers of the policies Vera creates. Thoughts?
My situation is so complicated! As an employee at Jobpath, I really think my work is very important and I make a positive impact. I love my job, my supervisors, my co-workers and the individuals I support. I work in the residence which is gorgeous. I am very jealous of the ladies' apartments. I like being a support worker. It can be stressful and emotionally draining, but it is completely worth it.
On the other hand, I am not so fond of my placement, aka my special project. I definitely see the importance of the project, but I do not feel that I am making any progress. In fact Monday, while I was there, the individual I am teaching diversity acceptance and respect for others physically attacked her support worker. She started hitting, punching and scratching. The support specialist, who was there doing administrative work, and myself had to use the SCIP-R training to remove and restrain the individual.
From what I have witnessed and from my sessions with the individual, her issue with staff (there race and culture) does not spawn from her disability. Her complete disregard for others is not because of lack of insight or intelligence. She rationally knows what is right and wrong. Her issues stem from attitudes of those she grew up around, and her behavioral problems come from knowing disregard for others with the knowledge that legally no repercussions can be enacted by Jobpath. As much as we can reduce reenforcement for the maladaptive and hurtful behaviors, we cannot punish or restrict her when a behavior is bad. And many of the people in her life continue to excuse these behaviors as outcomes of her disability, which just encourages the behavior.
I am not the first person to work with her on these issues, her therapist, her MSE, her mother (supposedly) and the supervisors are constantly working on teaching her respect and appropriate behavior. I feel my work with her, as it continues, will merely frustrate and annoy her more. I think because she knows that we cannot punish her, make her do things she doesn't want to do or even restrict the things she wants to do. She will just become more and more agitated with me each time I try to talk with her about sensitive issues. It isn't that I am uncomfortable or unwilling to continue, I just don't think it will work. I feel my efforts are wasted. I know that is a bad way to think about it, but I don't know what they think I can accomplish in this project. I am not a specialist in race relations. I'm not a special education teacher. I am not a behavioral therapist. I really don't think I have the knowledge or expertise to effect the kind of change the individual needs and what my supervisors want.
I honestly do not know how to address this issue. It is completely inappropriate for me to tell my supervisors that the task is pointless and that she can't change, and I do not want them to think I am fearful or lazy. Its especially tough because they are my work supervisors and I am excelling with the other individuals.
Hi Brenda, great questions! With regards to Vera's plush environment, it's simply a space for conducting research and providing technical assistance, and therefore looks like a formal office. It also regularly hosts top government officials and criminal justice leaders which is why it was probably designed as such. (On a side note, I wish we could visit all of our agencies if that were possible).
With regards to my role, I'm not involved in direct service delivery as most of you guys are, but I'm part of a team that facilities the provision of important services to the incarcerated. With regards to Professor Reitz's prompt in the previous blog post, the Pathways project has both short and long term impact, in that the inmates would not just receive a degree but also realize a slew of other benefits like increase in employability prospects, better chances of reintegrating into the community etc.
I also believe another impact of the project is that it indirectly helps counter the widely held notion that the incarcerated population is not worth investing in. As Fred mentioned, so many Pathways inmates go on to achieve success in life and essentially, become testimonies of the power of second chances. They are the examples that will in time reduce the stigma that society harbors for the incarcerated in general, which might hopefully lead to the reinstatement of Pell grants (after all, the Pathways project exists because the government essentially withdrew its financial support for educating inmates).
Thanks, Brenda, for a timely post -- and for remembering! It is hard with all these field trips to keep track of things.
You are right to note your response to the Vera physical environment and to raise questions about what messages physical spaces send/reinforce, etc. Gina provides a good explanation for why it looks the way that it does, but I would add into the "formal" offices that Woolworth Building, jewel-encrusted lobby. On the one hand, I love the idea that our justice reform organizations would have the grandeur of churches and the serious feeling of important intellectual work being done (it should feel like a Chipotle -- people's lives are at stake!). On the other, all spaces have messages. In the past, some students have referred to Vera as looking "corporate" or insular (all quiet individual workers at his/her separate stations). I noticed when I visited CASES over the summer how "court-involved" for lack of a better word the offices felt. Metal detectors to get in the building, a lot of old, falling-apart rooms and walls (I know CASES is moving, so this might change). Imagine if CASES classes were held in that Vera conference room, with free breakfast provided. What might the difference be (Monica, this is a shout out to you, sister)?
Let me take a moment to address Sydney's concerns. First of all, feel free to reach out to any of the Profs about this. That goes for any of you. But Sydney raises the kind of concern that is exactly WHY we have a Mentors Coffee assignment/exercise (I'm about to send an email to you all about this). It is good to hear that Sydney (and Brenda and Lauren) feel that they have made good adjustments to some of the challenges at your placements. But of course nothing is perfect, and each one of you will face an obstacle (at least one) this year. Sydney, your client feels like an obstacle and I think your mentor/co-workers would get a lot out of a frank conversation about your experience. Since you really like the majority of what you are doing and feel busy and challenged, maybe your Mentors Coffee assignment should be about how you might plan and enact a conversation about the difficult issue you present: when is a disabled client's "problems" a function of the disability, when aren't they and how does the worker (you) negotiate between these two ideas? I think your co-workers might find this a very valuable conversation to have.
I've talked to my co-workers about it and they all agree that the problem isn't because of her disability, but I find it difficult to tell my boss that she is wrong and that having me talk with her once a week is not going to help. I don't want her to think I'm giving up because it's hard.
Dear All,
Thank you for sharing your work experiences and developing these interesting ideas. If we compare our first trip to the Criminal Court last week with the Mother Ship trip this week, I believe that they include very different perspectives about the process of achieving social justice.
I left Vera with the same question that Brenda (a.k. a. Barbara) used in her last paragraph. What if we have an idea that might help a lot in creating a better future for «broken» people? What if we can really help in improving lives for people with disabilities? How can we start the ball rolling?
I spoke to Evelyn about that right after the panel was over. Of course, we can do a research, test hypothesis on our own. Then, we might go to one of the programs within Vera Institute of Justice to propose a project. Chances are low that someone will listen to us unless we have something to prove it. There are blurred lines between the limitations of examination.
Even if the project would be considered by Vera, how big is the chance to find funding? While discussing all these great opportunities to realize the American Dream (make your voice heard and become a hero), the words of Thomas Giovanni came to my head. NOONE WILL LISTEN TO YOU UNLESS YOU HAVE A CERTAIN POSITION TO BE HEARD. Is that a really high chance for us while being interns or full-time workers to get our voices heard? After certain time working on other project, many people might lose track of their ideas.
WOW….. What I just wrote sounds very depressive and lazy. But as Evelyn told me: «Do not expect that it is going to be easy! It will never be easy!»
I came home thinking how. Many of us can start from very small population. We can help to people that our agencies work with (Jobpath, FedCap, CJA, etc). How can we help people while doing research? It is the longest process. My experience in SUMH Program tells me that it might be even longer sometimes. I always wanted to hide myself behind the books. However, our last panel makes me think more creatively toward finding solutions.
I do understand why SUMH is taking one of the leading roles in Vera’s breakdown. It is just too much being behind drinking and using drugs. Most of the criminals are being convicted while under influence of some substances, such as alcohol, cocaine, etc. This issue has to be addressed aggressively. SUMH helps public officials and community organizations develop responses to the substance use and mental health needs of people involved in justice systems. Mostly, SUMH deals with examining the interaction between public health and justice systems and evaluate existing programs. However, it lacks immediate action. I guess if there is any action, it will turn any Vera’s program into spinoff agency.
So, I am coming back to Brenda’s question about what makes spinoff agencies "a unique and distinct identity from Vera’s"? I guess the keyword is action.
Remember the very first projects that are described in the book about Herb Sturz. When one program identifies a real solution for the problem, the small boat starts the journey into futurity and leaves the Mother Ship. Mother Ship is looking for other inspirations. I do not want to think about spinoff in terms of business and economics. I just want to believe that Vera would continue produce ideas and let the grow separately.
Thank you for leading this great discussion, Brenda, and to all for these compelling insights and for your honesty in describing your concerns (e.g., Sydney).
It's so interesting and important to think about the connections OR disconnections between theory (the mission towards social justice)and what happens on the ground, in real life and in real settings. If there are disconnects (you've already started to identify some of these), then the next challenge, I think, is to figure out what the specific obstacle is to overcoming it (lack of resources? how the agency is structured/organized to deliver services? lack of larger political will? something else?).
I also love the question about differences in the built environment (the look, feel, design, image, etc.) of the work and service delivery spaces, why that is, and what those differences might mean. Some of you have touched on how the space reflects the kind of work being done in it, but I also wonder how it is shaped by assumptions about what is appropriate for those for whom it is designed (Gina points this out)--who are they? clients? the workers (what kind/ level of worker)? funders? govt officials?
Hello Brenda and All,
I was also very shocked that the immigration sector at VERA was so small compared to the other issues that the organization targets. As you may already know, my life is pretty much immigration rhetoric and I know so much about it that I can confidently say the immigrant community is extremely negatively impacted by the criminal justice system— both as victims and “offendants”. Immigrants are often scared to speak out against crime because they think the perpetrator will out them to the authorities about their status. While when an undocumented immigrant is actually the perpetrator, they have more trouble cooperating with the authorities because they know they will eventually just end up deported. The current immigrations system is dysfunctional and when it crosses the criminal justice system, it accumulates even more victims and creates more issues.
In regards to your question about placement and role, I am still searching for my role in my placements. Unfortunately, I am only in Safe Horizon one day a week, so it is difficult to be as involved and as fully cooperative. I do what I can and complete the tasks that I am assigned, but I am eager to start a project of my own. I am just not sure why. However, completing applications does fill me with a sense of joy, especially having the client personally thank me for helping them out.
Addressing Professor Waterston, I find extremely troubling when I hear the political games organizations must play in order to get funding, combine funding, and obtain support from a government that is present for the people. I think this is when we must consider structures and how hierarchies make it extremely difficult to create social change. Government programs are great, but I personally nonprofits should receive more support than simply playing politics when they are trying to receive funding. There must be a way or a loophole for nonprofits to help people without having to go through such a long process of legislation. Common Justice really inspired me. The issue of having the victim and perpetrator lack communication and not work together to obtain a solution seemed so obvious, but yet not many were targeting the issue. This organization really opened my eyes to how much service the community needs and how sometimes we must look at what’s right in front of us before we attempt to “change” the world.
Hello everyone,
I am really grateful to have the opportunity to visit the Vera Institute. By reading Robert’s book “A Kind of Genius”, we were introduced to this idea of spin-offs. Now we had the opportunity to hear from Vera’s leaders to talk about the organization goals and future. Mr. Turner talked about how Vera doesn’t try to compete with its spin-off (e.g., Trying to get funds from government to work in the same area than a spin-off). I wanted to know more about the relationship of the Vera and the spin-off once they separate. Also, since some of the organizations provide similar services, I would like to know more about the relationship among the spin-offs.
To answer Brenda’s question about the environment’s impact, I believe the environment affects both employees and participants. Luckily, I am interning on a brand new location. There are three nice-looking floors at my placement exclusively for CEO. When I asked staff (Only two people so far) about the conditions of the previous locations, they told me they the precious building was old and deteriorated conditions. It would be interesting to compare the staff’s performance (e.g., job placement) before and after they moved to the new location. CEO’s new location has a spacious waiting room. We have newspapers that participants can read while waiting to meet their job coaches. We also provide free coffee, water, and a vendor machine (They have to pay for this). Again, one way to find out whether the environment has an impact on participants may be to compare participants’ late arrivals and missed meetings before and after CEO moved to the new location. We could also ask participants to see how they feel.
Although I am not directly working with participants, I believe the work I do has an impact on them. I am currently working on two projects. The first one is translating from English to Spanish all the forms participants have to sign in order to be part of the program. The second project is update the database of participants who have done any specialized training (e.g., OSHA, forklift, etc.) while in the program. My supervisor will present this data to current and potential donors.
Thank you for this post.
I think the physical environment in which we work has an impact on the outcome of our work. I personally believe that the way that our environment looks have an influence on the type of work we produce. Just like we judge individual by their physical appearance, I think it’s also the same way that most of our agency get ranked by our clients, in terms of its effectiveness.
To answer your first question, in regard to my agency (Common Justice), I think we have been successful in promoting the fundamental principles of the Vera Institute of Justice. One way that I see common Justice fulfilling this mission is the attitude that the staff holds towards the mission statement of the agency. Understanding the situation of the clients is very important in this field of social work. As Mrs. Mattis pointed out, “Everyone has a role” and one way that we give one each other the space to make a meaningful impact is through the notion of accountability. At Common Justice we hold each other accountable for the actions that we take and we believe that being responsible of our action serves not only as a fundamental element of any functioning community but also reinforces bonds that makes us a society.
As for my role at Common Justice, I am confident to say that my role is contributing to the development of this agency. Although I am there only once a week, I am still considered as a valuable member and my voice is heard during staff meetings. In addition to this, I also maintain a very good relationship with all the staff.
In terms of my relationship with the clients, my current schedule does not allow me to have direct contact with our clients. However, this is one of the project that I have on my plan for next semester. I am setting up my schedule in a way that I will be able to attend my internship twice a day.
Following our visit at the Vera Institute of Justice, I realized that most of the Vera projects tend to focus on helping those already affected by the criminal justice system. Wouldn’t it be more effective to serve those outside of the system? Why not invest in education or sports, so that people don’t end up falling in the trap set up by the system?
Kevin, I am so glad to hear that you've been thinking about what you can change to enhance your internship experience. That is a perfect kind of practical plan that will allow you to understand a different side of the agency (and yourself!). I just want to say that I often have that same thought -- so much money spent on problems, how great to spend that money on the front end. Perhaps as you all begin to brainstorm for your spring classes you could identify either a program or a problem that tries to address this issue -- of the timing and expenditure of resources and the impact they have on social justice.
I actually rolled my eyes at the environment at Vera. As usual, the priority is impressing big government officials and funders. It is obviously good to have your best foot forward and to portray yourself in the best light possible as an organization I completely understand that. However, I also believe that the way these funds are allocated just goes to show what type of society we live in. This scene and how I felt reminded me of our reading from the beginning of the semester about why charity is so problematic. Of course, Vera facilitates change; I truly believe that Vera and spin off agencies are undoubtedly amazing resources for the participants and their loved ones. It is a double edge sword to see that although Vera is doing great work that they are still part of a system full of red tape and all kinds of bureaucracy.
As I read Dr.Reitz’s question to me, I thought to myself so wait, what is the message we are sending when us, as Vera fellows, visit and are greeted by all kinds of pastries and coffees and teas? What is the message we are sending when we are in a conference room that could fit half the space that some of our placements have? What is the message sent when this is what is presented to us when we see all the needs of our populations at our placements.
In regards to CASES, our students would be joyful if we have them toast and orange juice. Refreshments, and other economic incentives, are used to entice some of the voluntary participants into coming to workshops and other services. Unfortunately, the grant CASES had to fund these incentives is now over. This has lead to a decrease in participation. They are not gaining anything tangible from showing up to these things and so of course some students don’t bother. It is a shift from getting food vouchers, metrocards, textbook money amongst other things to literally being focused on supporting them in whatever they are doing whether employment or education related (of course this work is literally priceless to me). This is really annoying to me when I know how much some of these students could use it yet we get to sit at Vera in a bougie conference with food that’s going to go to waste. What makes us more deserving then them? Have we really earned the privilege of pastries and coffee? Are we really entitled to this treatment?
I think youth should have access to these resources, but they do not. I think all marginalized populations should have access to whatever resources the individual may need but they do not. I think our distribution of resources is absolutely horrible and unjust. Again, this just goes to show what we value and how much we devalue marginalized populations. Our lovely economic system values humans and humanity less and less. These organizations need to portray themselves as catering to the desires of the funders and government officials while somehow pushing an agenda in support of marginalized people. It is very twisted.
Good discussion students! I love hearing about how you perceive your role. I'd like to take the question further- How would you like your role to expand and grow? This is good prep for the mentor coffee Thurs. Sydney, have you brought the whole family in for a session? It sounds like her challenging behaviors are being reinforced at home making it difficult to address her behavior at the agency. I have some tools for behavioral interventions for both one on one and family sessions if you'd like to come and meet.
Yes environment is critical and a crucial aspect of environment is the culture created by the people there. How does the environment feel? Are the people, warm, real, friendly, hospitable, accessible? Is there reception? If so is it helpful, respectful, warm? The "shmanciest" environment becomes real shabby when the people are cold and elitist.
monica i love your fury.
it's amazing that so many of you were disgusted by the environment at the "mothership" I thought it was rather quaint compared to other non-profit headquarters. I have to admit, and this is perhaps because I don't work for a VERA spin off, but things are quite luxe at my placement. There are regularly bagels coffee and orange juice accessible to the residents and the staff and the buildings themselves are all renovated cooperatives. URI has basically everything it needs to thrive--right now my boss is asking for capacity to do fingerprints in-house.
As for your question about environments, I am having such a hard time figuring out the social code of the environment at my placement. My interactions with the residents are superb, but I've had a few incidents that were less than satisfactory. I also feel like my role at my placement is very restricted. My department is only allowed to take on immigration cases and that means most of my work is listening to the clients stories, lamenting with them, and then telling them "well, we can;t actually help you with that but here are some resources that can". But even if it is an immigration case and we CAN take it on, we have to tell the clients "it could be anywhere between 1-3 years before you get work authorization" which sounds a lot like "you're going to live in extreme poverty for 1-3 years" when you are sitting in their chair. It's always bad news. I find myself becoming more and more bitter. And i'm having a really hard time finding where I fit into the organization and what I can offer it, because everything in my department seems pretty straight-forward and generally robotic.
With regards to my role in the Pathways Project at Vera, being a fly on the wall has actually benefited me greatly. A large part of my time at Vera is spent on meetings where I get to witness how decisions are made and compromises are brokered, which is an essential element of project management. Also, siting in on phone calls that Vera has with the local stakeholders in the 3 Pathways states has given me an idea of how projects are run. I do directly contribute to the Project by building detailed profiles of the 3 states.
I am actually contributing more on a new project that's a spinoff of Pathways, called Expanding Access to Postsec Education (EAPE) Project which is essentially the creation of a knowledge bank for criminal justice officials interested in implementing postsec education in prisons. As of right now, my tasks are small and focused on adding content to the project webpage. As the project picks up pace, I am sure I will learn more about how I can contribute on larger tasks.
What I treasure most about my experience thus far at Vera is my exposure to the different projects happening there- sometimes I am able to just attend a meeting and gain insider perspective of the project and other times, I am researching background information for the project.
So Bekah, in addition to loving that you love Monica's "fury," I'd ask you to brainstorm ways in which you might have the conversation you are clearly interested in having and with whom. You are picking up on vibes, social realities, contradictions. These are things, I'm sure, that your co-workers think about and/or have figured out how not to think about (or not to have them incapacitate them). Perhaps your spring assignment is less about tasks and more about creating the conditions for a meaningful conversation?
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