Stephanie Gillanders (back row, left) was one of a number of NorQuest College social work students to travelled to Peru this year as part of a practicum experience organized by instructor Marcia Tait.
NorQuest’s real-world education at work
“It is an eye-opening experience that will push your boundaries, but it is so worth it.”
No one said life in Peru for a handful of Canadian women from NorQuest College’s social work program would be easy. Stephanie Gillanders had an idea of what she was getting herself into when she signed up for a six-week student placement in the South American country, but when it was all said and done, she came away amazed at the professional and life skills she gained.
Living with Peruvian families, taking Spanish classes at a local school, shopping at local markets; the immersion was total and the lesson was clear:
“Everyone went in thinking we are going to be doing social work jobs,” said the 23-year-old who along with four other NorQuest students, and under the watch of NorQuest social work instructor Marcia Tait, made the trip from April to early June this year. “But, at least for me, it wasn’t so much about the practice of social work as it was about the internal factors of social work. Things like cultural sensitivity.”
Gillanders was born in Canada and is of Filipino descent.
“It hit closer to home than I thought it would. I thought I knew a lot about cultural sensitivity because of my own family’s Filipino background. But no, this experience increased my awareness immensely.”
She recounts a day in Spanish class as the moment she became fully aware of the struggles many people go through in Canada and around the world.
“I cried in class because it was so overwhelming. It gave me the real perspective of what life is like for newcomers arriving in Canada.”
And that is exactly what Tait, who is the brainchild of this annual NorQuest-specific project, wanted her students to learn.
“As it told them, there is not only one way to do things, and these lessons are going make a huge difference for them here at home. Edmonton is such a multi-cultural city and there are many people who will benefit from social workers with this level of sensitivity.”
Tait says the Peru visits will continue on a year-to-year basis as long as there is interest from students and the availability of funds. While the students did receive a small grant from Campus Alberta, the majority of the costs is left to them.
I cried in class because it was so overwhelming. It gave me the real perspective of what life is like for newcomers arriving in Canada. It is an eye-opening experience that will push your boundaries, but it is so worth it.