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During my tour and interview assignment, I spoke with Alesia Ortiz, LMSW, who is the
case manager of After8ToEducate agency. After8ToEducate is a non-profit organization that
caters to homeless young adults aged 14-21, primarily high school students. The agency offers
residential and drop-in services, which include food, clothing, showers, and laundry facilities.
They can accommodate up to thirty-five individuals on an emergency or transitional basis. In
addition to the necessities, the agency also provides academic, emotional, and social support
services such as tutoring, job training, counseling, and resources for family reunification. The
agency accepts both referrals and walk-ins for assistance. BSW interns are welcome to apply for
internships. Interested candidates can contact the agency by phone or email to discuss their
internship information, and someone from the agency will get back to them. After8ToEducate
serves the Dallas/Fort Worth community in Texas and the Dallas Independent School District.
The organization has collaborated with other non-profit organizations to offer comprehensive
services.
During the interview, I became more aware of services available for at-risk and homeless
youth, which aligns with my passion for working with young adults. Below is the interview:
The After8toEducate Interview
“What are your specific roles (e.g., counselor, case manager, broker, etc.) and
responsibilities?”
I graduated in August and recently transitioned from part-time to full-time as a
case manager. We are a very low-funded and low-staffed non-profit, so I am the
one who is catching up on the case management and trying to capture some of the
teens we serve who have fallen through the cracks. So that is my focus. My job is
to meet with the kids who come in and do touchpoints. What we do is assess what
their goals are, and we do stress education. We meet with them where they are
and build from there—lots of one-on-one. The program is in a developmental
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stage, but we know the programs and ideas we want to bring in, but it will take
time. (A. Ortiz, personal communication, November 14, 2023)
“Could you share about the population you serve and some of the population's
everyday needs?”
The youth we serve are unsheltered, usually living on the train or couch-surfing,
in and out of shelters, etc. A significant thing we face is the trust of the youth
trying to build that rapport. A lot of them do not have to share their stories
repeatedly. Some do not like authority or do not have support, or those they
thought were friends or family have turned on them, so they trust no one and are
fully shut down. After8toEducate is meant to be a hub/safe place for them. (A.
Ortiz, personal communication, November 14, 2023)
“What does your work schedule look like in a week?”
Monday-Tuesday, my hours are 12 pm-9 pm, just in case primary needs arise
earlier in the week, and then Wednesday-Friday, 10 am-6 pm -most shelters are
full by 2 pm, so it becomes a struggle to find a place for the teen to go, so that
time window gives me enough time to reach out to other organizations to ask for
assistance to house the teens. (A. Ortiz, personal communication, November 14,
2023)
“What types of other professionals do you collaborate with to help the clients you
serve? How do you collaborate with them?”
We are always looking to work and collaborate with different programs. We are
currently looking for mental health resources. Grant Haliburton is a top
collaborator with whom we work. We also work with the Dallas Police
Department, which often comes to interact and support the youth and create a
healthy presence. (A. Ortiz, personal communication, November 14, 2023)
“Explain your agency's helping process with clients regarding engagement,
assessment, intervention, and evaluation.”
The youth like to meet where they are and start with assessing what their needs
and goals are, and then from there; we help them establish what it is that they
need to work on (school, applying for jobs, working on the resume) tour facility,
do intake, having conversations. (A. Ortiz, personal communication, November
14, 2023)
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“Can you share how you keep appropriate boundaries between your professional
and personal life?”
“Because of my social work background, I am huge on my boundaries, thinking about
ethics and professionalism. Open to a certain extent. Be mindful of what you decide to
share (A. Ortiz, personal communication, November 14, 2023).”
“What is your self-care plan?”
“I love self-care! Mine is constantly changing. I used to weight lift super heavy while
doing my BSW field. Then, when I started my MSW practicum, I started trying yoga,
meditation, and aromatherapy (A. Ortiz, personal communication, November 14, 2023).”
“How have recent world events affected your practice of social work?”
This question is better for someone who worked in the Pre/post-Covid time. I was
in my BSW program when COVID-19 hit, so I only knew about a social work
career. Now that I am in it, you see the effects that Covid caused, so I feel like
that is the difficulty. I remember seeing when I was in school, just hearing and
watching videos of people in the field starting to pull out. They realized this was
the time to leave or start something new because they were not caring for
themselves. So now there is even more need from the population and within the
field. (A. Ortiz, personal communication, November 14, 2023)
“How do you incorporate practice-informed research and theory into your work
and stay current with social work literature?”
Right now, I have not done too much. As stated, I have recently received my
license, but I plan to incorporate it. I always follow people in the field, whether on
LinkedIn or Instagram. I want to be surrounded by people in the field to know
how they are doing because, often, you can learn from others. I have been
reviewing everything I did for my licensure so that I can be prepared for any
CEUs or conferences and such that are coming up. (A. Ortiz, personal
communication, November 14, 2023)
“What is the value of interprofessional collaboration (i.e., with doctors, teachers,
shelters, etc.)?”
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I enjoy collaborating with others and seeing firsthand what is happening with our
touchpoints and how we can reach our clients. I am always open to learning about
other organizations to see if we can benefit from them and vice versa. We are
always looking for more ways to collaborate because the community we serve
really needs it. (A. Ortiz, personal communication, November 14, 2023)
“What examples of oppression and discrimination do you experience?”
We see it without population, for sure. The teen will tell us about things that
happen when they are not here or out in the street: racism, discrimination, and
profiling. They are given a different opportunity than many other community
youths. (A. Ortiz, personal communication, November 14, 2023)
“Is there+anything else you think is helpful for students to know who are interested
in this type of work?”
Always be open-minded, but do not let everything you see, deal with, or affect
you personally change you. Our work tends to do that to an extent but try not to
let it change who you are. Try to incorporate those self-care techniques and
boundaries. (A. Ortiz, personal communication, November 14, 2023)
“How can I or anyone else help support the agency or clients? Volunteering,
donations, needs. etc.?”
We always need volunteers, or anyone willing to share their time. We also accept
food, clothing, hygiene items, even water. We do need winter coats as well. We
take individuals, groups, etc. We do also have an Amazon Wishlist, if anyone
wants to know and you are free to share as well. (A. Ortiz, personal
communication, November 14, 2023)
https://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/3VOPNYG0BK09M/
ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_ws_Yt3pCbAXQTRM8
“What tips/tricks do you have to offer to upcoming or new social workers?”
“Network, network, network! Make the most of the opportunities you are given, even if
you think it is not for you…it may change your mind. Always be transparent. Find a
support system and stay connected (A. Ortiz, personal communication, November 14,
2023).”
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Conclusion
During the interview, I had the opportunity to gain experience about various services and
resources that are available for at-risk and homeless youth. This experience has further
strengthened my passion for working with young adults and has given me a deeper
understanding of the challenges that they face. I am now more aware of the different ways in
which I can support and empower these individuals to overcome their difficulties and achieve
their goals.
References
https://after8toeducate.com/
