Volume 46 | April 2020

OGA Newsletter

The Office of Global Activities (OGA) is dedicated to connecting MSW students to international social work opportunities through   funding ,  special programs , academic resources, internationalized curriculum, and  arranging faculty and student exchanges   at partner institutions.

ELI Conversation Circles Going Virtual for Spring 2020

The English Language Institute's long-running Conversation Circles program is going virtual this spring in order to create connections among international students and scholars at U-M, beat the isolation, and boost morale during this difficult time. Each circle consists of up to six participants and is led by a volunteer facilitator. Participants meet via an online platform to talk about any topic of interest, play games, and share pictures and videos.  Spring 2020 Conversation Circles run for six weeks: May 11th - June 21st   Facilitator registration is open: April 13th - April 30th Click HERE for more information , and to sign up to facilitate. For international students to join as a participant: Click HERE for more information

Upcoming Virtual Events

[Remote] Ramadan 2020 (click here to attend) Time: April 23 to May 23, 2020 Brief Description: All Ramadan events and resources are now online and happening remotely! Check out this website more more information .

COVID-19: Stigma, Physical Distancing, and Solidarity (click here to attend) Time: Thursday, April 16 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm EDT Description: This week we will have special guest at our conversation on stigma in the time of COVID-19: Charles Sanky, MD Candidate from Icahn School of Medicine, Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York City.

U-M RPCV Virtual Happy Hour (Attend Zoom meeting here) Time: Friday, April 24 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EDT Brief Description: This virtual happy hour is for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Rock your favorite garb from your host country, have a picture of a special place from your service, and join the happy hour!

Emergency Funding

MSW Students can contact the Office of Student Services Please contact the SSW Office of Student Services ( [email protected] ) if you are in financial hardship due to COVID-19. OSS staff will assist you to find funding to support you.

Dean of Students Student Emergency Fund (click here for more info) If you are facing financial hardship due to COVID-19 or any other unforeseen situation, the Dean of Students Office stands ready to assist you.

CEW+ Emergency Fund (click here for more info) CEW+ is able to offer small emergency grants to current U-M Ann Arbor graduate students. These grants are for unexpected financial emergencies that threaten to derail degree progress including funding issues that are a result of COVID-19.

Resources

International Federation of Social Workers COVID-19 Webpage (click here for more info) Check out the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW)'s updates to learn how social workers from around the world are coping, responding, and being change agents in light of COVID-19.

EPI-WIN: WHO Information Network for Epidemics (click here for more info) EPI-WIN seeks to give everyone access to timely, accurate, and easy-to-understand advice and information from trusted sources on public health events and outbreaks: currently the COVID-19 public health emergency.

80,000 HOURS A long list of opportunities amidst COVID-19 (click here for more info) 80,000 Hours compile this list of opportunities to help the global response to COVID-19. The list is focussed on opportunities in research, policy, technology and startups based in the U.K. and the U.S.A.

CAPS Mental Health Care Package (click here for more info) The Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) is reaching out (virtually, of course! #PhysicalDistancing) and sharing ways to help you take care of yourselves, no matter if you are in Ann Arbor, in Michigan, in the US, or across the globe.

How to help during the Coronavirus Pandemics (learn about opportunities here) The organizations/individuals listed need volunteers to support their crisis response to COVID-19. If you are an MSW student, the hours you volunteer may be counted towards your field hour requirements. Check with your field faculty instructor and have your volunteer opportunity approved in advance as a supplemental field experience activity.

Resource to Share: Poverty Solutions at U-M Explains How to get your $1,200 Stimulus Check (click here for more info) Please share with your network: The eligibility for these payments is broad, but vulnerable families are most likely to be left out if they don’t take action. The vast majority of Michigan residents are eligible to receive a stimulus check from the federal government this year. Even without income, you are still eligible, but need to take action to receive your stimulus payment. This includes individuals with low or no earnings who normally don't file taxes. To learn more please visit: https://poverty.umich.edu/stimulus-checks/

To find previous OGA Newsletter volumes, click the   OGA Newsletter Archive  . Email [email protected] if you have any questions.