Twelve aspiring social workers traveled to Ireland over the summer to explore the intersections of history, social welfare, and cultural resilience in a country shaped by conflict and change.
The social work program’s bi-annual 12-day trip is attached to the SW 785/885: Comparative Social Welfare Systems: Dublin and Belfast course, focusing on the “Irish/Anglo troubles.”
“We found that the Ireland connection to our civil rights journey, and what the Irish have been through, really resonates with our students,” says Trish Cox, clinical associate professor and director of the Masters in Social Work program.
Gaining a Global Perspective of Social Work
Undergrad and graduate students visited social service agencies, trauma centers, and universities. Professors Cox and Gretchen Bean led the trip, continuing the legacy of retired professor Martha Byam.
"This trip enables many first-generation students to travel," Cox says. "Some have never left the state or been on an airplane."
Kat Antczak ‘26G appreciated her first opportunity to travel abroad and see social work in a different context. She was particularly moved by the emphasis on active listening.
"Every person we met said active listening was the most important part of social work,” Antczak says. "That really stuck with me.”
Finding New Areas of Inspiration
Antczak says the trip has inspired her to do more advocacy in social work, especially after she observed the persistence of a local homeless services agency that continuously expanded its services to meet the needs of its clients.
"I’ve worked at a homeless shelter before and often felt my ideas were dismissed. Seeing how services in Ireland strive to improve was inspiring," Antczak says. "It reinforced my commitment to client advocacy."
For Mikayla Tobin ‘26, the trip provided valuable insight into Ireland’s mental health landscape and inspired her to learn more about mental health in America.
"There’s a cultural reluctance to talk about mental health issues, which I think often overlaps with what we see in America," Tobin says.
Tobin said the most meaningful conversations came from locals talking about Ireland's history, including an experience at the Wave Trauma Centre in Belfast, where she listened to a man named Alan share his story of loss during The Troubles.
"His wife was killed, but he wasn’t resentful,” Tobin recalled. “He just wanted to create a safe space for others to heal. It was so powerful; everyone in the room had wet eyes."
What UNH Social Work Students Gain from the Ireland Trip
Cox believes the Ireland trip is one of the most impactful hands-on experiences offered by the social work program, providing lessons that students will carry with them into their careers and lives.
"It allows them to understand the global impact of trauma and how we can address it within our own systems,” Cox says. “They learn how to travel, engage with diverse communities, and compare different approaches. It's about discovering creative ways to tackle challenges.”
