MSW students at UW often seek out traineeships to specialize their education and explore fields of social work, including behavioral health, child welfare and oncology medical social work.
Administered by Aida V. Wells, associate teaching professor at the School of Social Work, the Social Work Practice with Latinx Communities Traineeship offers targeted skill-building for MSW students committed to the health and well-being of the Latinx community. The program equips students to be effective practitioners by deepening their understanding of practice models and interventions that resonate with Latinx individuals, families and communities.
Established in 2017, this traineeship, formerly known as “The Latinx Specialization,” graduated its first student cohort in 2019. Participants complete their specialized field placement at a field site that demonstrates a strong commitment to serving Latinx populations while advancing and supporting the student's learning and growth. Students in the Latinx Traineeship receive extensive mentorship; they participate in a year-long seminar that integrates theory and practice and embraces the expertise of Latinx community leaders, field instructors and partners.
Cohort sizes vary between eight to 14 students. 2024 applications are due April 26th. Please contact Aida Wells for more information on how to apply.
Featured below is a Q&A with former traineeship graduates, offering their first-hand perspectives on their transformative journey through the program, and its impact on their careers thus far.
Carlos Vargas, 2022-’23 cohort
Current Occupation: Community Mental Health Therapist at Seneca Family of Agencies
Carlos Vargas, a community mental health therapist, said “My desire to engage in the Latinx Traineeship stemmed from my personal commitment to give back to the diverse Latinx community who provided multiple forms of support to me and my family while growing up in a rural, agricultural, migrant family household since childhood.”
1. How did the traineeship allow you to connect with and serve the communities you are passionate about?
It allowed me to hone in on my commitment to work with Latinx community members as my practicum supervisors ensured that I had at least a quarter of Latinx clientele. The traineeship also allowed me to sign up for Latinx focused courses and helped me by keeping a small consistent cohort of mixed specialization (i.e., clinical, admin/policy, community-centered integrative practice) students in our year-long integrative seminar. That consistency was helpful for me to collaborate and develop clear ways to serve Latinx community members in a school district and a hospital setting for my practicum sites.
2. How did the traineeship impact the direction of your career?
This traineeship really helped me clarify my desire to become a Latinx mental health clinician by regularly embracing conversations around social and environmental factors and taking deep dives into cultural aspects of Latinx families regarding access to healthcare and community resources. Actually practicing these discussions in Spanish was a highlight for me. I felt that the language aspect was super important because we got to practice communicating clinical jargon into adaptable, easier-to-understand language that is literally a building block for interpreting important information to only Spanish-speaking members of the Latinx community.
3. What did you find most meaningful about the traineeship?
Our group members and our instructor were fantastic! I liked that we were a connected cohort who stayed in touch to talk about how things were going with our practicums and what our plans post-graduation looked like.
4. What advice would you give to students considering participating in the Traineeship?
You should do it! If you know that you’re going to want to help with Latinx communities in some capacity, then this is the program for you! There is always flexibility with the traineeship regarding what practicums you’d want to pursue during your studies and how that practicum can connect to Latinx populations, so I encourage everyone (Latinx or ally) to consider the program and reach out with questions.
Kenia Ramirez, 2019-’20 Cohort
Current Occupation: Medical Social Worker at Seattle Children’s Hospital – Hematology/Oncology Division
Kenia Ramirez, a medical social worker at Seattle Children’s Hospital, pointed to the lack of Latinx providers and healthcare services in the Latinx community. “My purpose is to help my Latina/Hispanic/Mexican community during these vulnerable, difficult and intimate moments when they’re fighting just to survive,” says Ramirez.
1. How did the traineeship allow you to connect with and serve the communities you are passionate about?
I have always been interested in working with Spanish speaking individuals navigating the healthcare system. I knew that participating in this traineeship would be a pathway to connecting with the Hispanic/Latinx communities since it required students to have a practicum placement that served and worked with the Hispanic/Latinx communities. It was the perfect fit for me!
2. How did the traineeship impact the direction of your career?
The traineeship served as a confirmation of what I wanted to do as a social worker. It gave me the opportunity to get hands-on experience doing what I thought I wanted to do, working for and with my community in the healthcare system.
3. What did you find most meaningful about the traineeship?
It’s not only building strong and diverse clinicians/providers, but it is also uniting a community of professionals who are dedicated and passionate about working with the Hispanic/Latinx communities. Having a place to connect with others who share the same goal is powerful, it brings movement and change.
4. What advice would you give to students considering participating in the traineeship?
My advice to students considering participating in this traineeship is to do it! The healthcare system, like every other system, needs diversity and representation. I have been a medical social worker for almost four years, and I can say that we need more of us who have the privilege of having a degree representing, advocating and empowering our Hispanic/Latinx communities.
Ashley Parra Lopez, 2022-’23 Cohort
Current Occupation: Cultural Orientation Coordinator at Lutheran Family Services, Refugee & Asylee Program
Ashley Parra Lopez is a cultural orientation coordinator and spoke about how growing up as a first-generation Mexican American with undocumented parents solidified her commitment to advocate, support, and connect with the Latinx population. “Like many other first-generation Americans, I spent the majority of my youth translating and interpreting for not only my parents, but also their coworkers at doctor appointments, interacting with their bosses, filling out job applications and translating mail. As I looked for supportive resources, I quickly became aware of the discrimination my community faced, especially the threat undocumented individuals were met with the moment they stepped out of their homes. I have, and most likely always will be, a bridge that connects my community to U.S. culture and society. I want to ensure the success of my community for as long as possible, so that they know that they are not alone as they experience hardships.”
1. How did the traineeship allow you to connect with and serve the communities you are passionate about?
When connecting with my peers in this traineeship, I got to learn more about the Latinx populations in Washington and the similarities and differences compared to Colorado, which is where I was born and raised. Through this traineeship, I got to meet practicing professionals in Washington who were fresh out of university and others who have been practicing for years.
2. How did the traineeship impact the direction of your career?
It solidified my desire to work with immigrants and refugees. Previously, I worked in helping them to tackle life stressors (e.g., rent, language accessibility, job searching, etc.). I felt that I could provide the most support in continuing to tackle life stressors within my community.
3. What did you find most meaningful about the traineeship?
The level of community I felt with my peers, without a doubt. I struggled to find my place at UW, given that I was only going to be in Washington for one year, and the traineeship ultimately became my safe space and my community.
4. What advice would you give to students considering participating in the traineeship?
Build those connections with your peers and put your heart and soul into the work that you do. Have the tough conversations with your cohort and don't hesitate to rely on them for support. You would be surprised how much can be done when everyone trusts one another and values their experiences. For those who may not identify as Latinx, be mindful and truly learn from the lived experiences of your peers. And of course, remember that the work you are doing, whether it is interpreting or working to increase language accessibility, is valuable.