Juliana Davis' Story
My name is Juliana Davis, a recent graduate of NSCC’s Social Services program, and was a participant in the ‘International Days in Social Work’ experience in Austria in 2023. During this experience, I was able to network on an international level, as there were over 100 participants, from 17 nations around the world. I was not only able to create international relationships, but was also able to create an amazing bond with those who participated in this experience from home. I was also able to learn a lot about myself, and who I am as a person.
I absolutely loved every moment of this study abroad experience, from the lectures from amazing individuals throughout the world, site visits to various organizations that met my interests, and adventuring to explore the culture.
One thing that I will take back from this trip is to think critically when working in the helping field. I found myself often being critical of the organizations that we visited when we were abroad, and often comparing the organizations in Austria to those in Canada, including the strengths that are prevalent in both countries. I find that I need to take the same critical lenses when referring clients to organizations within our system in Nova Scotia, ensuring that the referred organization meets the needs of the client best.