'Make our communities stronger': UNO researchers study lessons learned during the pandemic

The newly released study focuses on community organizations supporting people experiencing homelessness, refugees and immigrants, human trafficking victims, and the Latino community.

The newly released study focuses on community organizations supporting people experiencing homelessness, refugees and immigrants, human trafficking victims, and the Latino community.

WELL, YOU AND ASKED LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS WHAT THEY LEARNED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND HOW THEY CAN BEST BE PREPARED SHOULD ANOTHER ERA OF UPHEAVAL STRIKE. NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S JOEY SAFCHIK TELLS US HOW COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY COULD BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. JOEY ROBB DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE IMMIGRANT LEGAL CENTER TRIPLED IN SIZE, INCLUDING ITS MERGE WITH THE REFUGEE EMPOWERMENT CENTER. A NEW STUDY SHOWS HOW THE GROWING NEED AMONG VULNERABLE POPULATIONS NEEDS TO BE MET WITH MORE RESOURCES. THEY’RE KNOWN AS HELPING PROFESSIONALS. AS A SOCIAL WORKER. LIKE, I TURN TOWARDS THOSE THAT NEED THE MOST. PEOPLE LIKE MONICA MEYER, WHO WORK AT OMAHA’S NUMEROUS NONPROFITS OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SERVING THE COMMUNITY TO STRATEGIZED EFFORT AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN ALL OF US IS WHAT’S GOING TO HELP MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES STRONGER AND SAFER. MORE THAN 60 OF THOSE PROGRAMS PARTICIPATE IN A STUDY EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF COVID 19 ON ORGANIZED NATIONS WORKING WITH VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS IN OMAHA WHO ARE MOBILE AND ALSO VULNERABLE IN SOME WAY. THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS, THE LATINO COMMUNITY AND THE REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS WITH WHOM MAYA WORKS. WE HAVE A WAIT LIST OF OVER 600 PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE. THAT’S A MAJOR TAKEAWAY FROM THE STUDY PROGRAM. TEAMS NEED PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK. WHAT THEY OFTEN REALLY NEED IS STAFF, SO THEY NEED MONEY BECAUSE THEY NEED STAFF, THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO HIRE STAFF. AND THAT’S WHERE UNO COMES IN, TRAINING ITS STUDENTS TO ENTER THE NONPROFIT WORKFORCE OR COLLABORATING ON COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS OR INTERNSHIPS THAT PROVIDE A REALLY EXCELLENT FOUNDATION FOR THE UNIVERSITY TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUR STUDENTS TO DEVELOP AS WORKERS AT THE IMMIGRANT LEGAL CENTER, EVEN SHINING A LIGHT ON THIS NEED IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. IT’S GOING TO TAKE TIME AND IT’S GOING TO TAKE PATIENCE AND IT’S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF COLLABORATION. THE SOLUTION, YOU KNOW, RESEARCHERS HOPE, COMES FROM FORMAL COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF PEOPLE WHO CAN PROVIDE CHILD CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE, THINGS THAT ARE DEEPLY PERSONAL AN

'Make our communities stronger': UNO researchers study lessons learned during the pandemic

The newly released study focuses on community organizations supporting people experiencing homelessness, refugees and immigrants, human trafficking victims, and the Latino community.

UNO researchers ask local organizations what they learned during the pandemic, and how they can best be prepared should another era of upheaval strike. They hope collaborations between students and the community will be part of the solution.During the pandemic, the Immigrant Legal Center (ILC) tripled in size and merged with the Refugee Empowerment Center. The UNO study shows how the growing need among vulnerable populations needs to be met with more resources. Monica Meier, director of work at ILC calls herself a “helping professional,” along with others who work at Omaha's numerous nonprofits or organizations serving the community. "As a social worker, I turn towards those that need the most," said Meier. "A strategized effort and collaboration between all of us, that's what's going to help make our communities stronger and safer."More than 60 programs participated in the UNO study examining the impact of Covid-19 on organizations working with mobile vulnerable populations."There are a lot of folks in Omaha who are mobile and also vulnerable in some way," said Laura Alexander, associate professor at UNO. That includes people experiencing homelessness, human trafficking victims, the Latino community and the refugees and immigrants with whom Meier works."We have a waitlist of over 600 people across the state,” said Meier, adding she does not anticipate that decreasing anytime soon. A major takeaway from the study: programs need people to do the work and for deeper community relationships, increasing the availability of people who can provide child care and mental health care."What they often really need is staff,” said Alexander. “So they need money because they need staff."UNO, Alexander hopes, can formalize relationships with the local nonprofits, training its students to enter that workforce or collaborating on volunteer programs or internships."That provides a really excellent foundation for the university to be able to help our students to develop as workers," said Alexander. At the Immigrant Legal Center, even shining a light on this need is a step in the right direction. "It's going to take time and it's going to take patience and it's going to take a lot of collaboration," said Meier.

OMAHA, Neb. —

During the pandemic, the Immigrant Legal Center (ILC) tripled in size and merged with the Refugee Empowerment Center. The UNO study shows how the growing need among vulnerable populations needs to be met with more resources.

Monica Meier, director of work at ILC calls herself a “helping professional,” along with others who work at Omaha's numerous nonprofits or organizations serving the community.

"As a social worker, I turn towards those that need the most," said Meier. "A strategized effort and collaboration between all of us, that's what's going to help make our communities stronger and safer."

More than 60 programs participated in the UNO study examining the impact of Covid-19 on organizations working with mobile vulnerable populations.

"There are a lot of folks in Omaha who are mobile and also vulnerable in some way," said Laura Alexander, associate professor at UNO.

That includes people experiencing homelessness, human trafficking victims, the Latino community and the refugees and immigrants with whom Meier works.

"We have a waitlist of over 600 people across the state,” said Meier, adding she does not anticipate that decreasing anytime soon.

A major takeaway from the study: programs need people to do the work and for deeper community relationships, increasing the availability of people who can provide child care and mental health care.

"What they often really need is staff,” said Alexander. “So they need money because they need staff."

UNO, Alexander hopes, can formalize relationships with the local nonprofits, training its students to enter that workforce or collaborating on volunteer programs or internships.

"That provides a really excellent foundation for the university to be able to help our students to develop as workers," said Alexander.

At the Immigrant Legal Center, even shining a light on this need is a step in the right direction.

"It's going to take time and it's going to take patience and it's going to take a lot of collaboration," said Meier.

'Make our communities stronger': UNO researchers study lessons learned during the pandemic

The newly released study focuses on community organizations supporting people experiencing homelessness, refugees and immigrants, human trafficking victims, and the Latino community.

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