I’ve been lucky enough to have had plenty of great experiences these past few weeks working with the Care Coordination Team of Heartland Alliance Health! For some highlights, I’ve assisted in organizing outings to Lincoln Park Zoo and the Chicago Botanic Gardens, which were successful and offered fun, community-building activities to participants and staff. I’ve worked closely with one particular case manager in dividing up some of her weekly tasks involving participants, and have formed connections with participants while supporting them with attaining resources such as entrance into our program, public benefits, bus cards, medical care, and disability parking permits. I’m refining my administrative skills, especially by practicing case-noting, and am noticing an increase in my comfortability levels with directing my own tasks.

I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed this work experience, and have felt a sense of empowerment from it in ways that I did not expect. While I did not have clear expectations going into this, other than expecting to put myself in a position to learn something, I feel as though I will be walking away from this experience more capable of taking on and being excited about new challenges that may have otherwise seemed too intimidating. I feel more comfortable than I thought I could be with new tasks such as navigating programs that are unfamiliar to me; participants showing up unannounced with a concern for me about something like their mail, or how to obtain X,Y,Z; and with conducting my own IM-CANS meetings to discuss participants’ goals for their life and their use of our program.

A huge part of that confidence has been due to the support I am privileged to receive from my team at Heartland Alliance, as well as the uplifting nature of the CAPS program and those working to uphold its design of empowering fellows through reflection on purpose and calling. With the seemingly small actions done through this program, I am working on my larger goal of showing up for people who need someone to show up for them, creating a space that provides relief and empowerment for others. I am learning this by looking to the people, places, and experiences that have allowed me to feel comfortable and confident.

I feel as though it would be doing a disservice to myself, as well as to the staff and participants I have worked with, if I were to walk away from this without the motivation to go and try something new that is working towards creating that space of comfortability and confidence for others. Not everyone has the opportunity and privilege to have a space to reflect on purpose and calling as well as to have programs in place to further support their learning, and so I don’t want to take that for granted. The refugee and immigrants participants have shown me so much about what it means to be resilient and to navigate one day at a time despite an unkind world filled with struggles that may seem unending; and the staff displays great love in their work of giving back to their community because they feel as though they have a duty to do so, despite the stress, and being underpaid for their invaluable work. I have developed a greater appreciation for the space I have to say “yes” to learning opportunities, and in my future professional and personal life alike, I will do what I can with the privileges I have to collaborate and create spaces for others to grow, and to feel comfortable and confident.

– Cylia Srmek, Heartland Alliance Health