The Faboo Listserv NYC
Comprised of over 850 NYC School Social Workers and Counselors, the Faboo Listserv is designed for members to reach out for support, resources, information, and more. So many of us are the only ones in our roles at school. Faboo is a space where we can connect and share! All are welcome to participate, whether reaching out or responding.
If you would like to join, email Emily with your school’s name and your role. Click below.
The History of Faboo
When I started as a School Social Worker in 2008, Partnership with Children hosted professional development workshops to NYC Social Workers in charter schools. There were about twenty of us. We met bi-monthly for about 2 years. As we were on email notifications about the workshops, we often reached out to one another with questions or for referrals. Once those workshops ended, we continued our communication. Those on the chain told others about our group emails. Many asked to join the conversation. I received requests to be added and then email everyone with the most up-to-date list to copy and paste when reaching out. (Old school, indeed.)
This went on for some years. Then, someone from our group email chain let me know that we needed to update our communication style. Luke offered to create the Google group and named if the Faboo Listserv (because I guess I said “faboo” a lot back in the 2010’s. Ha!) And so the Faboo Listserv became legit!
When Covid-19 hit in March, 2020, Faboo members turned to one another. “What are we going to do? How are we going to support our scholars, their families, our school staff and community… all while WE were dealing with the pandemic ourselves. We shared resources for food & supplies, parent/caregiver support, social emotional & mental health support, housing, and more. We volunteered our time to support one another’s self care with mindfulness sessions and processing groups.
Today, we have over 800 members spanning the NYC DOE, charter schools, and beyond. We have a logo created by our amazing member Ursula Campos-Getjens. We have swag with proceeds to benefit various agencies across NYC with whom we refer and interact. AND we have even planned a retreat! Being a School Social Worker or Counselor is not an easy job. But when our community shines, we all shine. And we are here to support one another along the way.