Job Description

Many of you have asked me what I will be doing over the next year. I told you I would be working in aftercare, with a local short-term shelter for victims of sexual trafficking who have been rescued. I really didn't have any idea what that meant or what it would look like. But I was excited nontheless, and most people seemed satisfied with that answer so I left it at that.

I just had a meeting with my boss, and she has laid out three goals which will comprise the majority of my work here at International Justice Mission (IJM). I must say, I'm elated. Here's a basic rundown of those three goals:

1. Work with IJM and community social workers developing and implementing curriculum for therapeutic groups to be held with clients at local shelters. Group topics may include: Self-esteem, relationships, sexuality, depression, suicidal thoughts and destructive behavior, communication/conflict resolution, anger managment and aggression.

2. Learn about needs of local caregivers in shelters and find ways to strengthen and empower them to continuing doing the very hard work that they do.

3. Work specifically with "My Refuge House" a local short-term shelter with developing policy and procedures and protocols for operations in their new programming.

These three, rather broad goals (with a lot of room for creativity!) are going to be my life for the next year. I'm VERY excited about each of these three goals and cannot wait to begin!