Fordham University
Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service offered an innovative initiative titled, Moving Stories Project: Older Adults Talk About Their Experiences Before, During, and After Immigration. In this project BSW students partner with older adults who share their personal or family immigration experiences. This intergenerational relationship enables students to: (1) learn and conduct culturally competent oral history interviews; (2) work collaboratively with their older adult partners to create poster-size visual accounts of their lives and/or cultures; and (3) give a public presentation about their collaborative work experience during a spring semester group forum.
An oral history guide created specifically for this project provides students, instructors, and other individuals with the basic knowledge, values, and skills for documenting the significant life experiences of older adults, especially personal or family histories of immigration. This guide, along with audio and video podcasts on how to conduct oral history interviews, is available to other social work educators and students at the Moving Stories website.
Courses that Included Experiential Activity:
Gero Practice Behaviors:
- Respect diversity among older adult clients, families, and professionals (e.g., class, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation).
- Address the cultural, spiritual, and ethnic values and beliefs of older adults and families.