Is ETS a "foreign university"?

Dear Students:

Last week a student who attended ETS for a short time (and then left ETS last term) sent an email to several NGOs applying seeking a job. This student misrepresented themselves as a current student at ETS and also misrepresented ETS as a foreign university stating that s/he earned a BSW from Michigan State University. ETS is not a “foreign university”; though we use a foreign curriculum and our professors are almost all educated in the US, Canada, or Europe, it is not honest to claim that you attend a foreign university. 

Though I know that all of our current students are responsible and ethical, I also understand that some people feel it makes them look better to claim to attend a foreign school. It doesn’t! To be dishonest is unethical.  Individuals who claim to graduate from a program which they did not attend are not practicing social work ethics and, if applying to work for the government, could even be guilty of a crime. 

The presence of foreigners and the reasons why students may want to complete a curriculum that abides by CSWE standards is a subject that we have discussed at length over the past two years.  Once you gradate, you can apply for CSWE to recognize your degree. IF your degree is reviewed and they recognize it, it useful when you study in the US for an MSW (or a PhD) to demonstrate that you do not need to repeat the BSW or MSW that you earned in Haiti; but getting your degree recognized by CSWE does not mean that you are studying at an American university. 

Please, make an effort to be clear with everyone (those you serve, those you interact with at your internship, and those you interact with while seeking employment): ETS is a new institute that is in the process of being recognized by the MOE. ETS is not part of Michigan State or any other foreign universities. The diploma earned at ETS comes from ETS, not from a foreign university. Please be clear on this. We will continue to clarify it when we find that misunderstandings or misrepresentations have occurred.

Jennifer Balistra

Being Honest on Social Media

Dear Students:

Some students and former students have misrepresented themselves on Facebook and other social media by saying they are studying in the United States or for an American university in Haiti. Some students have also represented themselves as clinical social workers, even though they only a first or second year student in the BSW program.

Sometimes it seems like a good idea to present yourself as more successful than you are or that you are attending a well-respected or well-known university. But it's important to be honest. This is an ethical issue. You can be proud of your studies at ETS; you don't need to pretend that ETS is a foreign university or that you are getting a degree from a foreign university. It's okay to be honest and to say that you are a social work student and to be honest and say that ETS is an institute in Haiti which is in the process of recognition.

Claiming to attend a university that's part of the University of Florida, Michigan, or New York is not just dishonest, it devalues the good work that you are doing in Haiti. You don't need to be affiliated with foreigners or a non-Haitian university to have legitimacy. A good reputation and the legitimacy of your education comes from your own behavior. When people see that your are ethical, that you are competent, and that you are able to engage in effective social work practice, you will earn their respect.

We know this is difficult to hear, but we hope that you will take it seriously. And most of all, be proud of who you are and what you are doing. Celebrate the fact that we are working together to improve social work and social service delivery in Haiti. Together we can show that Haitians can and should lead human services organizations and social welfare agencies in Haiti. Together we can raise up a new generation of ethical, committed, competent Haitian social workers!

Yours in solidarity,

Profs. Kolbe, Puccio, Campbell, and Balistra

ETS students at the Haitian Studies Association conference

Marie Bettie Pierre

Marie Bettie Pierre

 From November 7th-9th, four ETS students attended the 25th Annual Haitian Studies Association conference. Marie Bettie Pierre presented her research on adolescent pregnancy in the post-earthquake context. The conference took place at the Karibe hotel in Petionville.

To the right, you can see a couple of photos of Ms. Pierre presenting her work. 


In addition to Marie Bettie, Enstiti Travay Sosyal held a contest to send additional students to the conference. We held a contest where students were asked what they thought the top priority for research on Haiti should be. Three students won the contest, Chadson Pierre, Bernard Paul Evans, and Louiceus Ozias. They are pictured together below.

Left to Right: Bernard Paul Evans, Chadson Pierre, and Louiceus Ozias

Congratulations to all four students who attended the conference. ETS is looking forward to providing more professional development and research opportunities in the future. Well done!

presenting at conferences

Good evening.

Recently we sent out information about presenting at conferences. If you are interested in the IASSW conference (see email below!) we need to complete your abstract submission soon. Remember that there are  other conferences we discussed at the workshop last month: the CSWE conference, the SSWR conference, and the Caribbean Association of Psychology conference.

Please contact me soon if you would like to take advantage of any conference opportunities.

Athena Kolbe

Dear colleagues,

Let me draw your attention that call for abstracts for the Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development is open till 18th of October, 2013. Details and submission are here: http://www.swsd2014.org/call-for-abstracts.

The theme of the Conference is “Promoting Social and Economic Equality: Responses from Social Work and Social Development”. It will be held from 09-12 July 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. IASSW members who paid their annual dues will have discounts for registration.

Withe regards,

Dr. Tetyana Semigina

****************************

Secretary of the International Association of Schools of Social Work

E-mail:iassw.secretary@gmail.com

IASSW official web-site: www.iassw-aiets.org

IASSW at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/IASSW.AIETS

IASSW at Twitter: @IASSW_AIETS

IASSW at Linkedin: International Association of Schools of Social Work (group)

Welcome to the Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development (Melbourne, Australia, 09-12 July 2014) : http://www.swsd2014.org/

Improving Mental Health in Haiti

Students may be interested in this blog post from Partners in Health.

http://www.pih.org/blog/improving-mental-health-services-in-haiti

call for abstracts for the Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development

Dear students:

Below please find an email from the IASSW, of which ETS is a member. Please let us know if you are interested in attending or presenting at this conference. I understand that the languages of the conference include French and Spanish, as well as English.We are happy to meet with any of you who may be interested in talking about this opportunity.

Jennifer Balistra and Athena Kolbe

Dear colleagues,

Let me draw your attention that call for abstracts for the Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development is open till 18th of October, 2013. Details and submission are here: http://www.swsd2014.org/call-for-abstracts.

The theme of the Conference is “Promoting Social and Economic Equality: Responses from Social Work and Social Development”. It will be held from 09-12 July 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. IASSW members who paid their annual dues will have discounts for registration.

Withe regards,

Dr. Tetyana Semigina

****************************

Secretary of the International Association of Schools of Social Work

E-mail:iassw.secretary@gmail.com

IASSW official web-site: www.iassw-aiets.org

IASSW at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/IASSW.AIETS

IASSW at Twitter: @IASSW_AIETS

IASSW at Linkedin: International Association of Schools of Social Work (group)

International Association of Schools of Social Work

Good morning:

ETS recently became a member of the International Association of Schools of Social Work. You can find out more about IASSW by looking at their website: http://www.iassw-aiets.org/

"IASSW was founded in 1928 at the First International Conference of Social Work, held in Paris. It was initially comprised of 51 schools, mostly in Europe, and was known as the International Committee. Revitalized after World War II, the organization expanded its membership to include a wider range of countries and was renamed the International Association of Schools of Social Work. The association has member schools in all parts of the world; 5 regional organizations in Africa; Asia and the Pacific; Europe; Latin America; and North America and the Caribbean are affiliated with the IASSW and represented on the Board of Directors."

We are proud to be a member of the IASSW and to promote the profession of social work, both in Haiti and globally.

Yours,

Athena Kolbe

Bon maten:

ETS dènyèman te vin yon manm nan Asosyasyon Entènasyonal la nan Lekòl nan Travay Sosyal. Ou ka jwenn plis enfòmasyon sou IASSW pa gade nan sit entènèt yo: http://www.iassw-aiets.org/

"IASSW te fonde nan 1928 nan Konferans Entènasyonal la Premye a Travay Sosyal, ki te fèt nan Pari. Li te okòmansman konpoze de 51 lekòl yo, sitou nan Ewòp, epi yo te li te ye tankou Komite Entènasyonal. Revitalisé apre Dezyèm Gè Mondyal, òganizasyon an elaji manm li yo . genyen ladan yo yon seri pi laj de peyi yo ak te chanje non Asosyasyon Entènasyonal la nan lekòl nan Travay Sosyal asosyasyon an gen lekòl manm nan tout pati nan mond lan; 5 òganizasyon rejyonal nan Lafrik di; Azi ak Pasifik la; Lewòp; Amerik Latin; ak Amerik di Nò ak Karayib la yo afilye ak IASSW la ak reprezante nan Konsèy la nan Direktè. "

Nou fyè dèske nou dwe yon manm nan IASSW a ak ankouraje pwofesyon an nan travay sosyal, tou de nan Ayiti ak globalman.

kenbe fèm,

Athena Kolbe