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The center hosts its biannual Networking Alliance meeting

The center held its spring Networking Alliance meeting on March 18. In attendance were staff, university faculty, and community partners from state agencies and nonprofits. Marvel Welch, with the NC Commission of Indian Affairs, provided an informative overview of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Public Health and Human Services agency. She shared the agency’s vision and mission; provided some background information about the August 2013 resolution that authorized the forming of their agency; and expanded on their child welfare program units of Child Safety Assurance, Family Integrity Preservation, and Permanency Planning.networkinalliance

Following Ms. Welch’s presentation, center staff Deborah Moore and Susan Gasman led the group in a short workshop, Self-Care: What have you done for You lately?, a shortened version of what they presented at the June 2015 International Association for Social Work with Groups Annual Symposium. Ms. Gasman provided a holistic framework within which to view stress and consider interventions. Ms. Moore followed by helping participants identify how they already take care of themselves and formulate some ideas to expand their self-care tools. They concluded with a fun exercise where the group offered their ideas for self-care in a bumper sticker format. These quotes were pithy reminders to pause and remember to take time to use their self-care tools, once back at home and work. A few group favorites were “Yabadabadoo,” “Take control (it’s your time),” and “Hakuna-Matata” (Lion King).

The next Networking Alliance meeting is scheduled for Friday October 14, 9:30-11:30 AM.