Fall/Winter 2011
Practicing International Social Work At The United Nations UNICEF
Recent MSW alum, Alicia Diebold, performed her final field placement in Spring 2011 at the United
Nations UNICEF in New York. UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights
of every child are realized. UNICEF upholds the Convention on the Rights of the Child. They work to
assure equality for those who are discriminated against, girls and women in particular and they
work for the Millennium Development Goals and for the progress promised in the United Nations
Charter. UNICEF strives for peace and security and works to hold everyone accountable to the
promises made for children. Alicia answers questions about her 10 week internship experience.
Why did you choose to do your final field placement at the United Nations?
I have always been fascinated by the work and concept of the United Nations (UN). During conversations with professor Jan Rodgers and the director of field placement, Jesse Munoz , I was informed that there was a possibility of a placement with the UN. I knew this experience would offer me a great opportunity to learn more about international policy and further develop my global perspective.
After learning more about the placement and what skills would be needed, I felt that this was a good fit for me. Throughout my schooling, child welfare has been an interest of mine, specifically issues surrounding alternative care. Through this placement, I not only worked with the UN, but also worked with an agency called the Better Care Network (BCN) which is an inter-agency collaboration centered around international alternative care issues.
Describe a major project that you worked on in your field placement.
I worked as a consultant on a specific project aimed to professionalize social work globally. My responsibilities included collecting UNICEF-supported child protection workforce training materials from regional offices, assessing the trainings, and creating a database of all trainings. I also analyzed the trainings and began the process of determining global social work standards for child protection workers. I conducted research on global standards and consulted with experts in the field. At the end of the placement, I created detailed transfer notes and passed the materials on to another worker who took over the project.
What skills did you develop in your United Nations field placement?
I improved my critical thinking skills in terms of going through the planning process, utilizing a variety of resources, and determining a suitable and logical way to assess and analyze trainings for child protection workers globally. I also worked extensively with Microsoft Excel and further developed my skills using this program.
What parts of the MSW curriculum prepared you for your field placement?
A huge part of my project consisted of conducting research and completing a literature review. Both of these things were taught and practiced through my MSW curriculum. Dominican University also developed my globally-focused framework in the classroom prior to my experience at the UN. This knowledge was extremely beneficial. Lastly, being able to conduct an organizational assessment helped me to break down the large components of the UN and grasp how this large organization functions.
Do you think that the United Nations field placement positioned you for your current position as Project Assistant at Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership (ICMHP)?
Yes, I think that my experience at the UN gave me practical experience of working for a macro agency. Even though ICMHP works on a statewide level, there are comparisons with the UN in collaborating with similar agencies, dealing with funding issues, and working in a hierarchical structure. During my time at the UN, I learned the importance of keeping the bigger picture and goal in mind when completing work at the macro level. It is easy to get bogged down with day-to-day tasks and loose sight of who the work will affect (i.e. the children). I have carried this important lesson with me into my new position.
Alicia Diebold
MSW 2011Why did you choose to do your final field placement at the United Nations?
I have always been fascinated by the work and concept of the United Nations (UN). During conversations with professor Jan Rodgers and the director of field placement, Jesse Munoz , I was informed that there was a possibility of a placement with the UN. I knew this experience would offer me a great opportunity to learn more about international policy and further develop my global perspective.
After learning more about the placement and what skills would be needed, I felt that this was a good fit for me. Throughout my schooling, child welfare has been an interest of mine, specifically issues surrounding alternative care. Through this placement, I not only worked with the UN, but also worked with an agency called the Better Care Network (BCN) which is an inter-agency collaboration centered around international alternative care issues.
Describe a major project that you worked on in your field placement.
I worked as a consultant on a specific project aimed to professionalize social work globally. My responsibilities included collecting UNICEF-supported child protection workforce training materials from regional offices, assessing the trainings, and creating a database of all trainings. I also analyzed the trainings and began the process of determining global social work standards for child protection workers. I conducted research on global standards and consulted with experts in the field. At the end of the placement, I created detailed transfer notes and passed the materials on to another worker who took over the project.
What skills did you develop in your United Nations field placement?
I improved my critical thinking skills in terms of going through the planning process, utilizing a variety of resources, and determining a suitable and logical way to assess and analyze trainings for child protection workers globally. I also worked extensively with Microsoft Excel and further developed my skills using this program.
What parts of the MSW curriculum prepared you for your field placement?
A huge part of my project consisted of conducting research and completing a literature review. Both of these things were taught and practiced through my MSW curriculum. Dominican University also developed my globally-focused framework in the classroom prior to my experience at the UN. This knowledge was extremely beneficial. Lastly, being able to conduct an organizational assessment helped me to break down the large components of the UN and grasp how this large organization functions.
Do you think that the United Nations field placement positioned you for your current position as Project Assistant at Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership (ICMHP)?
Yes, I think that my experience at the UN gave me practical experience of working for a macro agency. Even though ICMHP works on a statewide level, there are comparisons with the UN in collaborating with similar agencies, dealing with funding issues, and working in a hierarchical structure. During my time at the UN, I learned the importance of keeping the bigger picture and goal in mind when completing work at the macro level. It is easy to get bogged down with day-to-day tasks and loose sight of who the work will affect (i.e. the children). I have carried this important lesson with me into my new position.
