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; Silvia Diaz-Ponce, MSW; and Rosalba Hernandez, PhD. Our unique model has never been studied with this type of depth before and their research has helped us to better understand and articulate how we approach our work, the outcomes we generate, and the overall impact we create.
The literature review of this study contains evidence of many of the different phenomenons that anecdotally we experience when working with clients. The researchers cite evidence for the barriers that many of our clients face such as discrimination faced when accessing social and health services. The history of accompaniment in different contexts is explored; especially the way in which it has been used to empower individuals. Similarities between accompaniment and other social service models are also explored in order to distinctly position accompaniment as “new among social service providers and has the potential to inform practice with marginalized populations.”
The approach that the researchers used included focus groups with staff members as well as service participants. Data from these groups revealed many distinct characteristics of the accompaniment model. Themes throughout include:
- Participant expression of discrimination felt when accessing services at other services and resources in Chicago
- Which leads to a sense of hopefulness and pessimistic point of view
- Participant expression of relief of isolation that many service participants had felt previously
- The sense of hope, tranquility, and safety that participants felt after working with Taller de José
You can click here to read the article. Taller de José is always eager to partner with universities, students, and those seeking to learn more about our community, better understand the type of work we do, or assist us in furthering our mission. We welcome all types of partnership and encourage you to reach out to learn more about how we can work together.
