Apologies for the belated post, but my work phone was blowing up last week! However, it was for good reason – we have been completing phone interviews at rapid speed! To give some insight into my project: Siemer wants to understand caseworkers’ best practices for the families in their cities and how their network can support them. Our findings will be shared across the network to breed ideas and collaboration across the Siemer network.

What about this is exciting, you ask? Any insight they gain is helping them to serve more families facing housing crises! Listening to both the staff and the caseworkers has been inspiring; they put their all into providing the best attention and resources to the families they serve. It still feels remarkable to be a part of their team.

In addition to the many calls, I have continued to dig into some exciting literature (my area of expertise). While I may not be in the field supporting the Siemer network, I am doing my do diligence to find research that highlights their accomplishments and the great work they do. In my mind this is a small way to bridge the work of the academy with the work done by social profit organizations.

When I first came to Siemer, one of the first things that struck me was that I have a lot of research-related resources as a student, compared to those working on the ground. I’m especially referring to the gazillion articles, books, and data I always have at my disposal. I am privileged to be at a university that provides funds to subscribe to reputable journals and publishing companies. A person without a student affiliation would have to pay out-of-pocket to access this knowledge.

As an individual who wants to use my education to help others, the lack of connection between research and practice was somewhat disappointing. However, it also presents an opportunity for others to work towards bridging this gap. The academy can empower those working for social change and vice versa. Maybe in the future, I will be one of many doing such work!