2023 National Tribal TANF Institute Embraces the "Heartwork" in Practice
Nearly 200 participants from 40 tribes and 10 states came together in Sacramento to share their experiences, celebrate one another’s culture, highlight successes, and enrich the spirit of collaborative learning and growth.
From July 17-20, Human Services at UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education welcomed tribal council members and elders to the table alongside human services professionals for the 2023 National Tribal TANF Institute in Sacramento. Now in its 18th year, the in-person event served as an overwhelmingly positive and empowering step toward improving collaboration between human services professionals and the families and communities they serve in a post-pandemic environment.
The theme for this year’s event, Together at the Table – Planning for Success as We Evolve, resonated both literally and figuratively, with participants from different tribes and professional backgrounds engaging in a series of activities that celebrated and even expanded upon tribal traditions.
Exemplifying the creative and collaborative spirit of the institute, participants flooded the event app's photo library with shots of new beadwork that had been constructed from the event's built-in creation station, igniting excitement around this tradition.
“Beading is my life saver, stress reliever, and joy,” one participant shared into the event app after posting a photo of their own beadwork.
Author, singer/songwriter, poet and Diné and Duckwater Shoshone Nations citizen Tanaya Winder leaned into this creative spirit with her opening keynote, Let Your Heartwork Lead You, a motivational presentation weaving resilience and empowerment into storytelling and performance that helped participants discover how to overcome obstacles by turning struggle and pain into deep and meaningful power.
“Her message really hit home for me,” one participant shared in the post-event evaluation. “Thank you so much.”
“She shared from the heart,” stated another participant in a larger, extremely positive review.
With the creative and collaborative “heart” of the institute set, the workshop sessions branched out into four distinct tracks: A 101 track designed to introduce first-time attendees and/or case managers to the nuts and bolts of the federal TANF program; an Advanced Case Management track for experienced workers looking to further improve their skills and abilities to provide solutions to specific challenges; a Supervisor and Management track focused on improving effectiveness and efficiency; and a Leadership track for the leaders looking to enhance their organizational systems thinking, boost their communications impact, and improve their strategic decision-making abilities. The final day of the institute included capstone sessions for each track hosted by Carl Rabun, Jackie DeLaCruz and Glen Basconcillo, respectively.
“Amazing opportunity to connect with incredibly valuable individuals and resources,” wrote a participant enrolled in the Leadership track following Glenn Basconcillo’s workshop, Reimagining Your Program, “much appreciated!”
“This training really resonated with me and for my community,” shared an Advanced Case Management track enrollee following Laura Hernandez’s workshop, Mental Wellbeing in Tribal Communities. “I can’t [wait] to implement these tools and tips into my everyday interactions with clients.”
Following the capstone workshops on the morning of July 20, the event closed with a mid-morning keynote emphasizing togetherness and gratitude to our ancestors, relatives, communities, teams, and friends—and expressing a deep commitment to continue advocating for the strengthening of the families and communities served by Tribal TANF.
Save the Date!
The 2024 National Tribal TANF Institute will be held July 15 – 18, 2024.
Human Services at UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education would like to thank everyone who came to the table from disparate regions and backgrounds and emerged from the 2023 National Tribal TANF Institute with a common understanding and a united purpose.
"We have new sisters....we have new brothers….we are ONE." - Roseanna Lukes, Tulalip Tribe
2024 National Tribal TANF Institute
July 15-18 at the University of California, Davis
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