Campus Compact AmeriCorps Member Serving at the

Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, IL

TCSPP Community Partnerships COVID-19 Impact What is next & Long-term Goals
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology’s Department Throughout the 2020-2021 Academic year, TCSPP operated The Academic Skill Building Program: In addition to HHR, an
Soon, Oakley will have its very own integrated health care services.
of Community Partnerships strives to strengthen relationship completely virtual, as all campuses were closed. Academic Skill Building Program was added in efforts to meet the
Recommendations made in the Needs Assessment report will be
and build capacity between itself and its various partner needs of Oakley youth who could benefit from extra support in
used to help guide program implementation.
Volunteer Recruitment: All stages of recruitment were made reading, writing, math, etc.
sites. Community Partnerships offers a wide range of hands-on Services To be Offered:
suitable for remote operation. ➢ Teaching youth how to read
learning opportunities to all TCSPP students as well as faculty ➢ Presentations, workshops, support groups on key topics for youth
➢ The Fall & Spring Volunteer Fair were both held virtually • 14 reading evaluations delivered
and staff, through which they can challenge their biases and & adults
➢ Job descriptions were posted online via Handshake • Teaching youth K-5 in the program, fundamental reading skills
gain new perspectives. The department priorities its two ➢ Individual and family counseling services
➢ Interviews with students took place via Zoom ( phonics, fluency)
learning outcomes ”Professionalism” and “Diversity”, helping to Work That is to be done:
2019-2020 Student​​ Word Fluency Word Fluency Sound Sound
cultivate social justice-centered and well-equipped ➢ Collaborate with Oakley Square's community life manager and Sue
➢ 108 students serving through community assistantships long-term Then​​ Now​​ Fluency Then​ Fluency Now​​
Gin Staff on deciding wellness center hours that best serve
psychologists who understand the value of service. The ultimate ➢ 14 HHR tutors managed
Eg. 1 4 4 15 8 16 6​ 26​ 1 residents
aim is to improve the quality of life in the communities served. (4th grad Correct Not Correct Not Correct Not Correct Not ➢ Create an advisory board
Oakley Square: er)​​ per min​​ Yets per min​​ Yets per min​​ Yets per min​​ Yet​​
➢ Implement solutions for countering mental health stigma
Community Partnerships x Oakley Square: ➢ HHR: HHR was reconstructed to operate as a virtual program via
Eg. 2 1 6 12 1 6 20 22 5 ➢ Offer extra support for Oakley’s Young Adults
While Community Partnerships collaborates with various non- Zoom. Tutoring sessions are held one-on-one in breakout rooms.
(3rd grad Correct Not Correct Not Correct Not Correct​ Not Long Terms Goals: Expanding services
➢ Older Adult Group: The Older Adult Group, aka Soul Art, is a
profits, it works closest with The Community Builder’s Inc
(TCB)., Oakley Square Apartment Complex. For the past 9
years, TCSPP has ran a Homework Help Room Program on
psychoeducational group for Oakley's senior residents that was
intended to be held in person. However, due to COVID-19, the
er)​​ per min​​ Yets

➢ Improved Academic Performance

per min Yet​​ Per min​​ Yets per min​​ Yets
Square ComplexIn persona
➢ Open services up to community members outside the Oakley

➢ Open Wellness Centers at the other TCB units

site for Oakley youth K-12th. It’s through this long partnership
that has been built over time, that the need for mental health
services was distinguished.
Project Goals
This year, TCSPP and the Interwoven Counseling
Center embarked on a new project with the purpose of
launching a satellite counseling center at Oakley Square to tend
to the mental health needs of the community. In its first year of
the project, a community needs assessment is being
developed in preparation for the center’s launch during the
project’s second year.
The Mental Health Needs Assessment Report will include:
➢ Data from interviews with Oakley stakeholders & key
informants
➢ Data from a focus group of proactive residents of Oakley
➢ Data from a larger scope resident survey
➢ Highlights of the wants and needs of the community
➢ Culturally sensitive recommendations on next steps
Aside of the latest initiative towards the creation of mental
health services for Oakley residents, TCSPP also prioritizes
building program capacity of the Homework Help Room
Program (HHR). Through recruiting student tutors and
developing trainings that promote Trauma Informed Care
tutoring, TCSPP is helping to ensure Oakley youth receive the
support they deserve that will benefit their academic and social
health.
sessions switched to virtual.
➢ Community Needs Assessment: All interviews and focus
groups were held virtually via Zoom. Currently the
survey component of the need's assessment is being offered
online as well as by paper.
Sue Duncan Children's Center (SDCC)
➢ While planning for its own virtual tutoring program, SDCC
decided to join forces with Oakley Square's virtual HHR
program.
Challenges
Volunteer Recruitment: Due to COVID-19, not all partner
sites are able to run at full/mid capacity, some sites closed for
the time being. Therefore, Community Partnerships was unable
to collaborate with at least 13 of its usual partner sites.
Community Needs Assessment:
➢ COVID-19 restrictions made it difficult to engage new Oakley
residents
➢ In order to abide by measures to keep Oakley and TCSPP
members safe – the advisory board, which was supposed to
take place in person – got put on hold
HHR & The Older Adult Group
➢ Inconsistent Attendance
➢ Zoom Burnout
➢ Technical Difficulties
➢ Raised Test Scores
➢ Participation Points 306,450 points earned = $306.45
➢ Parent Satisfaction
• A survey was sent out to parents/guardians of Oakley & SDCC
youth to gather their feedback and satisfaction with this year's
program.
• 5/5 reported they were "Strongly Satisfied" with the program
Maintaining connected with students
➢ 194 student applications received via Handshake
➢ 132 volunteers recruited, 138 serve community assistanships
➢ 34 new volunteers managed, 24 HHR tutors managed
➢ 387 volunteer hours managed
Building Capacity
➢ 22 organizations received capacity building services
➢ A trauma informed care workshop was developed to train new
tutors in taking a trauma informed approach teaching
➢ Strengthening Preexisting Partnerships
o Although, we collaborated with less partner sites this year, we
were still able to strengthen partnerships and work with partner
sites like never before. (e.g., SDCC)
Sustainability
➢ Ongoing partnership with community leaders has been built
➢ The Community Needs Assessment will be utilized to ensure the
wellness center meets the needs of Oakley Square
➢ Creating reports that combine relevant data to share with
stakeholders and funders to solidify financial health of programs
HHR:
➢ Next Year HHR will be a hybrid program:
➢ In person Social Emotional Learning will be incorporate
➢ Sustaining Academic Skill Building: A professional development
course for Bachelor's students is being built – students can train
with the program's supervisor to learn how to conduct evaluations
and create lesson plans
Lessons
➢ Practice accountability, humility, and patience
➢ You get out of this experience and its project what you put in –
time, respect, care, and effort
➢ Prioritize building rapport with the targeted community create
multiple avenues to build rapport
Recommendations
➢ Get more community exposure: Set up drop-in hours
so residents can drop-by to simply say hi or to stay to chat
➢ Collaborate with more organizations near Oakley
Square and West Side Chicago (e.g., Malcolm X College)
➢ Prioritize reducing stigma & debunking myths: Common
mental health disorders, Medications, DCFS
➢ Offer in-person AND virtual anonymous workshops,
support groups
➢ Break ground for individual counseling by emphasizing
family counseling or youth-based therapy
Transitioning from virtual back to in-person: The sustainability
binder with be used to ease transition – methods used when
remote will be outlined and distinguished from the in-person.
Next year, pair In-person operations with efficient and feasible
virtual tactics to get the best result.