Name: Megan Caldwell
Type of Project: Education Abroad
Program: Child Welfare and Children’s Mental Health – Melbourne, Australia 2018
1) My STEP project consisted of visiting different agencies and organizations that offered services regarding child welfare and mental health. In addition, the trip included a lot of learning about the Aboriginal culture of Australia and exploring the city of Melbourne.
2) In Australia, I definitely experienced major transformation. The trip changed my perspective in how I view members of other cultures around the world. Throughout the study abroad, there was such an emphasis on the Aboriginal culture and when the Europeans came to imperialize the continent. There were many parallels to the history of our Native Americans. In addition, I was transformed in my goals as a future high school counselor. The different agency visits gave me insight into different programs that work to put the emphasis on students and provide them with the help and resources they need. This trip also helped me to step out of my comfort zone on a whole new level. I had been on short trips a couple states away without my family but never for three weeks and on the other side of the globe. Not only was my family not with me, but I did not know anyone that I would be traveling with. It was a learning experience and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity.
3) A major transformation for me would be the way that I view different cultures in the world. Throughout the trip, we learned so much about the Aboriginal culture. We gained so much knowledge about their history and what these people went through when the Europeans came to imperialize the continent. This experience is very similar to what occurred for our Native Americans in the United States. Despite these tragedies being so significant, they are discussed so little in our education system. Learning about this history gave me more insight into what it was like for the Aboriginal and Native American populations. It gave me a new perspective and more ideas of how to help Native Americans here. For instance in Australia, it is crucial that young Aboriginals stay connected to their culture even if they are going through foster care or parents’ divorce. The organizations must work together with Aboriginal affiliated agencies to make sure that this connection to culture is a priority.
In regards to the transformation of my future goals as a school counselor, there were so many agency visits that spoke to Australia’s work in the schools. For example, at an agency visit for Batyr, one of their employees talked to us about how they train and then send young people out to speak at schools who have experienced mental health issues and seen victories in their journey, whether big or small. This kind of experience would be so helpful for young people, and I would love to implement a similar type of program at the future school I will work in. I learned about all kinds of programs like this one that really work to put the focus on the students and provide them with the help and resources that they need. At our visit to Family Life, we learned about one program in which parents are in charge of implementing a community/school-based project in order to involve them in their children’s school setting. In addition, they had a program that was called Breaking the Man Code which was all about helping young men who did not feel like they fit the mold of our culture’s idea of a man.
Stepping out of my comfort zone and traveling across the world with a group of strangers was a challenge. My excitement for the program had caused me to not even think about how there may be difficult times along the way. I am naturally introverted, so it can be hard to be thrown into a group of new people. Throughout this trip, I became more comfortable with this concept because we all did so many activities together. Being on this trip showed me more about the value in getting to know people with different perspectives than I have. Being away from family and friends was very difficult, especially with a 14-hour time change, but it was all worth it in the end.
4) These different experiences truly helped me to have major transformation in the way I view the world and the way I want to implement change in the world. By learning more about the Aboriginal culture, I understood better how I might be able to make Native American students more comfortable when I am a school counselor. In addition, I believe that learning about the Aboriginals also gave me more empathy for other marginalized populations. Empathy is so important for a school counselor. Learning about the programs of many Australian organizations helped me come up with ideas for when I am a school counselor. The visits really shaped the way that I see myself as a counselor. It is so much more than just scheduling and transcripts; there is that chance to give all that I can to help students feel valued and capable. This trip also affected my personal goals of traveling. I have had a goal to travel to every continent in my lifetime, and this trip only fueled that desire. I am so excited to see what other adventures there are in store for me in my life.
For blogposts written by me and others on the trip, go to www.u.osu.edu/australia2018.