Case Studies

  • Solitreff Neukölln is a group of self-organized and politically active social workers who meet monthly to raise political consciousness amongst social workers in Berlin and advocate for better working conditions. I first got involved with Solitreff Neukölln in 2024, when I hosted a 2 hour workshop on integrating anti-oppressive approaches in social work practice.

    I connected with the group again in 2025, and I supported them during a comprehensive 2-day workshop in kicking off their newest advocacy campaign. Our process followed an ideas-to-action framework: we started by identifying the purpose and values of the project so that we had a reference point for the subsequent planning. We then identified and learned about the issues their advocacy campaign would address, so that the team was on the same page in generating campaign ideas. We then brainstormed ideas, created criteria upon which to narrow down ideas, and decided on which aspects to implement based on our shared criteria. The group then created action plans for their campaign which were ready to implement into action!

    Throughout the process, Madeline brought a motivated spirit despite working in 30 degree heat on a Sunday, twice! With a broad and fun variety of methods, we achieved in those two days what we normally would have needed a year for. We definitely recommend her support for any type of facilitation. -Solitreff Neukölln

  • I supported Sarah* (not her real name), from Frauenzentrum Brennessel, in a one-on-one consulting capacity in German. Sarah is a social worker who leads a gendered violence prevention project that includes: capacity building for anti-violence concepts in schools and community organizations; self-determination workshops for women and gender diverse people; and anti-violence training for community members.

    Over the course of five months, I supported Sarah in a one-on-one consulting capacity by providing methods and anti-oppressive approaches for her to integrate in her workshops. In our first two sessions, we took a diagnostic of her current work and what was working well and what needed improvement. I did this through the use of various methods such as storytelling methods, Iceberg Diagnostic, 3D Modelling, and structured journalling. We then examined the methods on a “meta-level” and discussed how Sarah can bring them to her own practice. In our later sessions, I provided Sarah trainings on trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and diversity-sensitive facilitation approaches tailored to her work context.

    Madeline’s perspectives, input, and methods have greatly helped me to improve my own workshops- especially in how I convey content to my participants in a creative but clear way. Her empathetic approach when working with me, in particular, has always made me feel very comfortable and helped my learning process so much. I highly recommend Madeline! -Sarah

  • For this project, I collaborated with a group of undergraduate students who wanted to explore the topic of neurodivergence in a participatory dialogue setting.

    We began our co-designing process by discussing how the students could create a “calling question”, or a relevant, inclusive question that would invite others to join the workshop. We then co-created a workshop to explore: “how does our workload affect our mental health and daily functioning, especially for neuro-diverse persons, and how can we build the right support systems to foster care during times of stress or overwhelm?”. We opened the workshop with a supportive, open dialogue and then did a 3D modelling activity in which the students built the “system” of mental health and neurodivergence in physical form using craft materials. We then used the mini sculptures as a reference point for a generative discussion about mental health, neurodivergence, and support systems. We ended the workshop with a “harvest” of how the students can implement better support systems for neurodivergent people in their university setting.

    Maddy’s workshop was absolutely spot on! As a student, this topic is super sensitive and personal, and Maddy really understood these nuances and created a safe environment for us to discuss our mental health. The 3-D Modeling activity was such a great tool to get hands-on engagement from participants, especially when dealing with such sensitive topics like mental health. Her approach allowed for a lot of rich discussion and and creative ideas. -Bard College Students

Trainings

40 hour California Domestic Violence Training

AORTA Skill Up Advanced Facilitation Intensive

Community Boards The Basics of Mediation Training

AORTA Facilitate for Freedom Fundamentals

Generative Facilitation Certification Program

Art of Hosting Practitioner Training

Statefree e.V

Solitreff Neukölln

Bard College Berlin

Betterplace Labs

Frauenzentrum Brennessel

Hero GmbH

SPARK Queer Collective

Alice Salomon Hochschule

W.O.M.A.N Inc.

Girls Inc.

Sexual Assault Center of the McGill Student’s Society

Facilitation Clients

Social Work

Volkssolidarität

Center for Domestic Peace

La Casa de las Madres

W.O.M.A.N Inc.

Sexual Assault Center of the McGill Student’s Society

Education

Masters of Social Work as a Human Rights Profession - Alice Salomon Hochschule

Bachelors of Arts - McGill University