AsylumWorks Fellowship Training

The National Capacity Building (NCB) Project at the Center for Victims of Torture is pleased to announce a special training for NCTTP Members and ORR SOT Grant Recipients, “AsylumWorks Fellowship Training”.

Thursday, April 4th, 2024 from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST.
(1:00 – 2:00 CST, Noon – 1:00 MST, 11:00 – 12:00 PST) 

Session Title: AsylumWorks Fellowship Training

This virtual training will be conducted as a 4-part series. The initial webinar is scheduled for April 4, 2024, followed by the subsequent three panel sessions on May 9, 16, and 23, 2024.

Description:

The primary objective of the initial webinar is to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of AsylumWorks’ fellowship program. By the conclusion of the webinar, attendees will have the ability to articulate the purpose and scope of the fellowship initiative, distinguish its boundaries, and recognize the substantial benefits that fellows bring to Survivor of Torture (SOT) programs. The webinar will conclude with a set of inquiries designed to assist learners in assessing the suitability of a fellowship program for their SOT program. It is advisable for SOT personnel with decision-making authority or significant influence to participate in the initial webinar.

Who should attend?

The initial webinar will be geared toward program/ organizational decision makers (i.e. program directors, human resource managers, executive directors, etc.) of Survivor of Torture (SOT) programs that are funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement and/or are members of the National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs.

Objectives:

 After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:  

• Articulate the purpose and scope of the fellowship program.
• Recognize the contributions that fellows make to Survivor of Torture (SOT) programs.
• Evaluate the suitability of a fellowship program for their SOT program.
• Recognize the administrative, managerial, and programmatic time and effort needed to successfully implement a fellowship program.

The subsequent three webinars will discuss the mechanics of the fellowship program across three distinct stages:

Stage one, two, and three will take the form of Ask the Expert panel sessions, lasting approximately 90 minutes each. They will be facilitated by at least two AsylumWorks staff, one of whom will identify as a graduated fellow. Each webinar will reserve at least 30 minutes for Q&A. By the end of each webinar, participants will have a better understanding of the administrative, managerial, and programmatic time and effort needed to successfully implement the fellowship program.

Stage One: How to recruit prospective fellows, suggested hiring criteria, interview best practices, best practices to guide fellow on-boarding, fellowship training topics (fellow challenges and program challenges).

Stage Two: Navigating challenges during the first 90 days, communicating corrective actions, fellow supervision (fellow challenges and program challenges), and managing group dynamics.

Stage Three: Supporting fellows during the second half of the fellowship (6 months – 1 year), boundaries, graduating fellows, and post-graduation.

About the Presenter

A social worker by profession and a torture treatment specialist by trade, Joan Hodges-Wu, MA, LGSW has worked with asylum seeking survivors of torture for nearly 20 years. Joan founded AsylumWorks in 2016 with $4,000 from a GoFundMe campaign. Her goal was to disrupt the cycle between health inequity, poverty, and immigration legal outcomes. In just over seven years, AsylumWorks has provided nearly 3,000 newcomers with culturally and linguistically appropriate services proven to increase their access to justice. In doing so, AsylumWorks has become a nationally recognized nonprofit, highly respected service provider, and sought-after thought leader. Joan holds a Masters in Refugee Care from the University of Essex (U.K.) and a Masters in Social Work from The Catholic University of America. She is proud to be a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.