Join us as we continue to celebrate National Social Work Month by getting to know more of the incredible social workers at DOROT.
Meet Amy! Amy Wald, MSW, is the Program Director for Connect through Tech (CTT). She works closely with the CTT team to offer programs that use technology to support older adults in remaining socially connected. Together, the team operates our Tech Coaching Program and University Without Walls, an innovative program that serves those without access to computers by offering workshops, support groups, and educational sessions over the phone.
Get to know Amy below:
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Amy: I’m from outside of Boston. I spent most of my career working with CUNY (The City University of New York), supporting currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. Through this work, I became interested in how to support late tech adopters, and how to promote social connection.
Can you share a bit about your role and program area?
Amy: I’m the Program Director on the Connect through Tech team. I work closely with the rest of the CTT team to offer programs that leverage technology to support older adults in remaining socially connected. We operate DOROT’s Tech Coaching Program and our teleconference program, University Without Walls.
How is social work integrated into your program generally?
Amy: We incorporate social work principles in many ways. In our tech coaching program, we work hard to meet our clients, and volunteers, where they are, and to honor their stated goals. We also work to empower adult constituents with the tech skills they need to get connected to others and remain independent. In University Without Walls, we are always working to treat our clients with dignity and seek their feedback to ensure our program meets the needs and desires of our constituents.
How does your background in social work inform how you approach your work?
Amy: My social work background encourages me to think about the intersecting factors that impact the experience of our older adults and pushes me to ensure that we are striving to be more inclusive and supportive of a diverse range of constituents.
What do you find most fulfilling about your work?
Amy: This work is enormously rewarding! From hearing about a mutually beneficial tech coaching relationship to receiving a glowing voicemail from a UWW participant who met a new friend in a class, I’m struck daily by the impact of our team, facilitators, volunteers, and peer community!
Thank you to Amy and the entire Connect Through Tech Team - Alaina, Catherine, Melissa, Jennifer, Lily, and Yevgeniya!