Building Beyond Boundaries: Being a Social Worker, World Citizen & Building a Pre-school

This project is building an actual pre-school. My leadership and participation in this project allows me to stimulate the existing human resources of the village. The basic purpose of this presentation is to shed light on the importance and utility of making investments in early childhood education. This is human capital investment in young children who are economically disadvantaged.

In 1999, I graduated from UW’s SSW with huge amounts of idealism. I was energized to do good and to make a positive impact in the world. Over the years my idealism shifted and I became an ‘employee’ of our industry. I discovered that social change is incredibly hard work. This presentation is not about learning the mechanics of Impact Investing and it is not a lecture about social capital. This presentation is a simple idea. It is subsequently, my choice to offer support or get out of people’s way. A couple of years ago I decided to become a yoga instructor. For me, yoga represented a means by which to become solidly grounded and connected to others. I traveled to Chiangmai to receive training and immediately felt a spiritual shift. I always wanted to do something enduring in Northern Thailand. I discovered that the pre-school is the responsibility of the village. The state is responsible for educating those in kindergarten and beyond. In a village in Ubon, the existing pre-school was built on low ground. The residents needed a new building and an opportunity to engage my head and heart was found. As a first step, I met with the village leader, the teachers and grandparents, and the students. They shared with me what they needed, sharing their building design and vision. I agreed to help and established a gofundme account because more than anything they needed money. So, this presentation is about grabbing my passport and my wallet and fitting myself into supporting the project of the village. My vacation would be spent helping to build a needed pre-school. In so doing, I would use all of my human skills, cultural competency, and extend my own humanity. I would make friendships that will last a lifetime and I would make a difference in the lives of young children and their families.

I believe making a difference in the life of an individual can still be exponential and uplift others. I am in Chiangmai, Thailand helping to build a pre-school in a village located in Ubon. This project represents many things that organically came together: love of adventure and travel; social consciousness and personal agency; and, my integral values which influence my professional life. I endeavor to show how all of these things contributed to the success of this project. This pre-school project concerns the Isaan people of Northern Thailand, specifically in a village in Ubon. Next, I will provide a contrast from farm life by discussing who gets to go to university. Finally, I will examine how the pre-school functions as the center of the village and its relative importance.
Final Description:

I am delighted to discuss Building Beyond Boundaries: Being a Social Worker, World Citizen & Building a Pre-school.
I spent my summer vacation traveling in Thailand. The majority of my trip was focused in Northeast Thailand where the Isaan people and culture dominate. In a small village in Ubon, I specifically assisted in fundraising for the construction of a pre-school. The Isaan people are primarily rice farmers. Generations have farmed the same land. Public school is afforded to children which often means travel outside of their village. Each village maintains a Temple and, if fortunate, a pre-school for children 2 to 4 years old. This lecture will examine the intersection of being a social worker, world citizen and pitching in to help build a pre-school.

Almost 20 years ago, I sat in UW’s SSW, hoping to participate in an effort that would positively impact the world. Today, that idealism has only changed in scale and scope. The evolution of this pre-school project was completely organic. The idea formed while drinking coffee and having a casual conversation. The “desire to help in some way” was how I put it. The context of this presentation is provided through a brief discussion of the agrarian (rice farming) life of the Isaan people. This project underscores my belief in the importance of early education and the belief that people will self-organize to meet their own basic needs. This project also makes clear the centrality of the village Temple, village leadership and pre-school. These components work together to evidence that indeed, “It takes a village to raise a child.” As a passport holder and acting against the noisy rhetoric of building walls—I moved beyond boundaries through globe-trotting to see the world and to function as a world citizen by taking part in this essential community building—the literal roof raising of a pre-school. I used social media as a tool of fundraising to support the efforts of a local community. The results are tangible and my human spirit and work-life are extended.