New Study on Accompaniment

After years of hard work we are thrilled to announce the publication of the first ever study on the Taller de José model of Accompaniment. Published in the October 2018 edition of the Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work, this article is the culmination of years of hard work by Leticia Villarreal Sosa, PhD;…

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The Chicagoans Know

By: Anne Many of our clients have lived in Chicago for years. They know about many social services that are available from their networks. However, knowledge does not always translate directly into action, for many reasons. We all know that we should eat healthy, but I know that as Christmas approaches, I will be eating a…

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Making it Work

By Angles A few weeks into beginning my internship at Taller de José, a client came in for a walk-in appointment. I had recently begun seeing clients on my own two weeks before. My client came in after being referred from a partnering agency. He was tired, stressed and unsure of what to do. His…

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Passing Time

By Tim On my second day at Taller de José I was presented with the opportunity to shadow a Compañero as he accompanied a client to Stroger hospital. Our plan was to meet in the main reception at 8:30 as that is where our client, would be dropped off by paratransit because she is visually…

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Alivianar

By: Christina It is neither a mystery nor a tale, it is reality. Life stories composed of oppressive systems that are supposed to “alivianar” (or help) society, but are created as unsolvable labyrinths with obstacles at every corner. It is impossible to narrow down my experience at Taller de Jose to one simple story, when…

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The Privilege of Walking

By Morgan When I first began as a compañer@ at Taller de José as a social work student I found myself wrestling a bit with the concept and practice of accompaniment. My academic coursework had instilled in me the importance of building up a client’s self-efficacy and self-determination. Accompaniment is a unique and important service…

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Beyond the Facts

Something I have asked myself recently is, “What is left after a client’s appointment with a compañer@ at Taller de José?” We hope clients leave with their questions answered, knowledge of pertinent resources, and perhaps a follow up appointment or accompaniment scheduled. We also aspire to develop our clients’ confidence that they can address an…

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