The Start of My Time in London

June 28, 2017

From my first day at Northeastern, I knew I wanted to spend time abroad. As a native Rhode Islander and someone who has never left the east coast of the U.S., I have always wanted to experience the world beyond my doorstep. I chose to study in London in particular because it is one of the world’s most global (and diverse?) cities, and because participating in the Nonprofits and Social Change Dialogue also allows me to fulfill my internship requirement abroad. As a Human Services major, I believe I have a responsibility to learn about and understand the nonprofit systems and socials services available in different parts of the world. I’m incredibly excited to be working with Evolve Housing, a nonprofit that provides shelter, support, and resources to those who are homeless or struggling with housing instability. I will be placed at their Ingram Court location in Croydon, where I will be working to support homeless youth with a wide variety of complex support needs and running weekly workshops. In addition to my internship, I will be taking an Intercultural Studies class that will focus on the cultural issues and dynamics present in the U.K. and Western Europe. One of the topics this class will be focusing on is human trafficking, a topic I am very passionate about and an area I work in while in Boston. While in London, I am hoping to learn as much as possible about what works and what doesn’t in London and the U.K., and bring the knowledge I have learned back to my work in Boston and beyond. Although I have worked with nonprofits before, this will be my first time addressing homelessness concerns directly, my first time working full time with a nonprofit, and my first time working outside of the New England area. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous about adjusting to the culture shock and differences between England and New England. But that fear cannot match the excitement I feel about being able to travel outside my comfort zone and begin experiencing the world. This Dialogue will be a learning experience full of personal and professional growth, and I can’t wait to get started.

Written By

Danielle Dottor

Hi! My name is Danielle Dottor, and I am a double Criminal Justice and Human Services major and a double Cultural Anthropology and Ethnomusicology minor at Northeastern. I've just finished up my first year, and this will be my first Dialogue. I've never actually left the East Coast, nevermind the country, so I'm really excited for this experience! I'm very interested in and passionate about working with children and adults who have experienced trauma and all of the difficulties that can arise from that. In particular, I've worked with domestic violence, sexual assaults, hate crimes, and human trafficking cases. In London I will be working with older youth who are struggling to find, afford, and/or maintain housing, which includes addressing the domestic violence/abuse concerns that may accompany this need. I will also be taking a class called Intercultural Studies through Human Services, which focuses on understanding how the culture, politics, education, and economy of a country affect and inform their social services. Since this will be my first time abroad, I am particularly interested in learning about how London's nonprofit systems and client needs differ from those in the U.S. I plan to use this knowledge to inform and improve the way I work with clients in the nonprofit system back in Boston and beyond.