Embedded Files
"I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept."
— Angela Davis, U.S. political activist, academic and author
Human Services is a broad category that includes social work, mental health and addiction services, services for people experiencing poverty or homelessness, and working with people with disabilities, the elderly, and other historically underserved and underrepresented individuals.
People who enter these professions often want to make a difference, or see themselves as helpers, advocates, or change agents.
Look at Angela Davis' quote above. What is something that we should not accept in our society or world, and should be fighting to change?
Learn more about Angela Davis' life and ideas!
Writing Practice:
Writing Practice:
To get more writing practice, answer the question above. Try to build your response into a full paragraph (or more), using examples and details to give the reader a clear picture of your idea! Share your writing with your teacher.
How to learn with these resources:
All people need help at some point in their lives. This is a collection of stories about people who needed help and people who provided help in different contexts. We hope you will learn about resources available in our community, as well as ways you could get involved! Human services is a growing career field too, so there are professional opportunities available in our region, if this career pathway is a good fit for you.
Before you begin, it's important to activate your thinking! Read the title and the introduction. What do you think this piece will be about? Have you read anything like this before? Get a piece of paper and a dictionary (your phone is fine to use!). Be prepared to take notes and write down words you do not understand.
The first time you listen, try to determine the main idea of the article. Can you understand what is happening even if you don’t know every word? Then, listen and read again and write down any new words. Check your dictionary and then read the sentence again. Do you understand the sentence better now? Read and listen to the story as many times as you need to. Repeating helps you learn and remember.
At the end of each study session, use the recall strategy! Recall (sometimes called "retrieval practice") is a powerful learning strategy because your brain is very active. It's difficult! Here are the steps. To learn more about brain-based learning strategies, check out the Learning Scientists website!
When you are finished, write down your thoughts about this topic by answering the following questions:
Have you or someone in your family needed some help?
Have you helped someone out who needed some care?
Would you like to work or volunteer in Human Service?
Choose 3-5 vocabulary words you want to practice. You can write your new words on flashcards, use them in sentences, and practice them with your friends and family.
Remember to report your independent work to your teacher!
Thanks to Sarah Lynn for sharing her "Total Recall" strategy with us!
Food Insecurity
Food Insecurity
Did you know you can get free food in times of need?
We Speak NYC is a great website for English language learners. You do not need to sign in or have an account. Just click on the link below and you will be on the website. There are lots of comprehension activities for you to do when you finish watching the video.
The Thrive Center at HCC can provide you with a large bag of food for your family every month, and can help you apply for SNAP (food stamps) and other resources.
Talk to your advisor if you are worried about having enough food for yourself or your family. We're here to help! We will keep your information confidential.
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence
Photo by Sydney Sims on Unsplash.
Everyone has the right to be safe in their relationships. Domestic violence can take many forms, and it impacts children in a family as well as the adults. Watch this video for ideas of how to get and offer help.
We Speak NYC is a great website for English language learners. You do not need to sign in or have an account. Just click on the link below and you will be on the website. There are lots of comprehension activities for you to do when you finish watching the video.
Confidential Local Resources for Domestic Violence
Confidential Local Resources for Domestic Violence
services offered by phone
Offers 24/7 hotline in English and Spanish with interpreters available for other languages. Hotline can provide support in a crisis, but you do not need to be in a crisis to call. Advocates provide emotional support, help with safety planning, and help connecting to resources.
Contact: 413-733-7100; español 800-223-5001
Offers 24/7 hotline advocates provide emotional support, safety planning and help with next steps for accessing services and resources.
Contact: 1-877-536-1628, info@womanshelter.org
If you are in a dangerous situation, call 911.
You can always talk to your advisor, your teacher, or someone you trust at HCC about an unsafe or unhealthy situation. We are here to help.
Homelessness
Homelessness
Watch this story about a man who was struggling with homelessness and alcoholism, and got help.
StoryCorps is an NPR (National Public Radio) site with lots of interviews, and some of them are animated. You do not need to sign in. Just click on the story below and you will be connected to the website.
Local Resources
Local Resources
Help with homelessness: Homeless Shelter Directory
Help for alcoholism locally: Phoenix House, Springfield
Vocabulary check!
Vocabulary check!
You've read many different articles so far! Take some time to review the new vocabulary you are learning. Send sentences with some of your new words to your teacher here.
Elder Care
Elder Care
Read about a nine year old girl who helps elders with dementia.
Newsela is a news website for students who are learning English. Follow these steps to read the article:
The first thing you must do is sign in to the Newsela website. In the upper right hand corner, select the blue button that says SIGN IN.
Then select sign in with Google, click on the Google button. Use your HCC email.
In the upper right hand side of the page, there is a black and white button that allows you to change the difficulty of the reading. The higher the number, the more difficult.
There are learning activities included on the website. Click the tab on the right hand side of the page called activities and check your learning.
After you log in, click to read the article:
Local Information
Local Information
Learn about services available to elders and find local resources on this website: Eldercare Locator
Check out local Senior Centers for activities and resources that are open to the community and low-cost or free:
In Springfield, the Raymond A. Jordan Senior Center is located at 1476 Roosevelt Ave. Their phone number is (413) 787-6785.
There are often volunteer opportunities available at senior centers!
Mental Health
Mental Health
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 8% of adults experience major depression, making it one of the most common mental health issues.
Read about this person's experience with depression in the Change Agent:
Change Agent is an online newspaper, written by and for adult learners.
You must sign in to the Change Agent website.
Click on the link below, and use these credentials to sign in: Username: massachusetts Password: changeagent
After you sign in, you will be able to read and listen to the story.
Here's another Change Agent article about dealing with stress:
Resources for you:
Resources for you:
CHD provides free mental health support for HCC students. Click here for information about how to get support, in person or online. You can also talk to your advisor any time -- we're here to make sure you get the care you need.
Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity
Have you heard the word "neurodiversity" before? What do you think it means?
There are many ways that our brains are different from one another. Some differences, like autism or ADHD, are often viewed as problems. Imagine if we first focused on the strengths that people have, instead of the ways their thinking might be a "problem." This is part of the concept of neurodiversity. Read more about it here.
Lots of families have children with disabilities. Read about this mother and her sons who have autism. This article is from the Change Agent, an online newspaper written by and for adult learners.
Resources:
Resources:
Understood is a great website with suggestions, strategies, and resources for many areas of learning difference and parenting. Check it out! The website is available in English or Spanish.
Home City Families offers many resources, playgroups, workshops, and other support for Springfield families with children ages 0-8 years old.
Pathways for Parents has similar opportunities for families in Ludlow, East Longmeadow, and Wilbraham.
Vocabulary check!
Vocabulary check!
You've read many different articles so far! Take some time to review the new vocabulary you are learning. Send sentences with some of your new words to your teacher here.
Health Disparities
Health Disparities
What are health disparities? Read this article for lots of information and ideas to make change. It is from the Change Agent, an online newspaper, written by and for adult learners.
In Massachusetts, everyone is required to have health insurance. The Caring Health Center (Springfield) and Holyoke Health Center have "navigators" who can help you sign up. Talk to your advisor for help.
Incarceration
Incarceration
Photo by Grant Durr on Unsplash.
Incarceration -- the prison system -- is very complicated. In the United States, our history of racism is often visible in who gets arrested, prosecuted, and imprisoned. Read about the roots of racial disparities in the US criminal justice system in an article by Richardson Francois, a student and creative writer who is incarcerated at the Dade Correctional Institution in Florida.
Want to learn more? The Change Agent did a full issue about incarceration. Click here to access the issue. The username is massachusetts and the password is changeagent.
Below is an article about an education group that works with young people who are in prison.
Newsela is a news website for students who are learning English. Follow these steps to read the article:
The first thing you must do is sign in to the Newsela website. In the upper right hand corner, select the blue button that says SIGN IN.
Then select sign in with Google, click on the Google button. Use your HCC email.
In the upper right hand side of the page, there is a black and white button that allows you to change the difficulty of the reading. The higher the number, the more difficult.
There are learning activities included on the website. Click the tab on the right hand side of the page called activities and check your learning.
After you log in, click to read the article:
Local Resources:
Local Resources:
Talk with your advisor if you or someone you know needs help with any aspect of the incarceration system. We're here to help. We'll keep your information confidential.
Careers & Education in Human Service
Careers & Education in Human Service
Are you interested in a career in Human Service?
Are you interested in a career in Human Service?
According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, the wide-ranging field of Human Services is booming. "Employment of social and human service assistants is projected to grow 17% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. A growing elderly population and rising demand for social services are expected to drive demand for these workers."
Click on the "Pathways in Social Assistance" map to see possible steps in a Human Service career.
What kinds of careers are included?
How do these careers relate to some of the issues you have learned about so far?
You can click the links in the map to learn more about some possible careers in Human Services.
If you are considering these careers, talk to your advisor about how to achieve your goal!
Educational Opportunities
Educational Opportunities
HCC has a strong Human Services program with multiple areas of focus, short-term certificates, and degrees.
Community Health Worker is a FREE, one-year certificate program.
Earn a free 26-credit certificate as a Community Health Worker at HCC! Community health workers (CHWs) are often employed by health centers, clinics, hospitals, or social service organizations, and work as case managers, health navigators, and in similar roles. If you’re interested in helping people, this might be a great career for you! Please contact: Milissa Daniels, mdaniels@hcc.edu, Cell/Text: 413-237-1241 and talk to your advisor to register.
Learn more about other Human Services degrees and certificates, including developmental disabilities, mental health, and addiction studies on the HCC website.
Talk with your advisor about your career and education goals!
Reflection
Reflection
Photo by Paul Green on Unsplash.
You have dedicated significant time and energy to your learning throughout this Learning Kit! Congratulations!
Now is a good time to reflect and notice how much you have learned. Please complete this final reflection form. A copy will be sent to you and your teacher automatically.
Help us improve! Please tell us your comments, ideas, and any problems you had with this Independent Learning Kit here.
Page updated
Report abuse