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Essays on becoming a social worker
My journey to social work
Essays on becoming a social worker
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Educational Experience. My path to McGill University took a slight detour in the beginning; I started with a Bachelor degree in Political Science at Ryerson University. My advisor and one of my professors commended my success in the program and shared his observations on my liberal and social justice perspectives and suggested that I explore direct social work (this is also when I learnt the difference between direct and in-direct social work). As a political analyse, he proposed that social workers were being sought after in policy development and that he saw that I would succeed in this field and directed me toward his colleague who has a Master’s degree in Social Work. The process in Ontario to become a social worker is long and it took me a couple months of weighing options and investigating the opportunities a social work degree would avail to me. At last, I came to the decision that combining political science with social work was my comfort area and started the long path through a two-year …show more content…
As I mentioned earlier, at the beginning of the BSW program I was still primarily activist and policy minded and that was the only thing I wanted to do, now I have more of an interest in clinical work and an awakened curiosity and attraction to investigating where issues stem from for adults and how to prevent prevent/manage the long-term affects trauma and intergenerational trauma have on mental health. With the recent influx of refugees it seems that there will be more opportunities to practice with those who are challenged by trauma and stressor-related disorders and to still work as an activist or in policy development (international social work context) that better support holistic treatments for mental
I first became interested in social work when I took a human rights course as a part of my political science major requirements. Throughout the course, I was fascinated and disturbed by the historic oppression of many large groups in society, and I realized my interests lie outside of the political arena; thus, I double-majored in social policy & practice because of my desire to learn more about how to enhance human well-being, fight social injustice, and pursue social change. I soon realized I wanted to pursue graduate social work education in order to gain a more holistic understanding of social problems and human ailments and, in turn, better understand the best ways to fix them. My background in political science and social policy gives me a unique perspective on the field of social work, as I have gained immense knowledge on social issues, the law, and public policy that will be useful in my graduate school and professional endeavors to fight for social
The MSW degree along with my bachelors in psychology gives me a great opportunity to build my career as a social worker who will strive to act as a leader and empower others to help those in need. When I have gained efficient experience and expertise in my role as a social worker, I want to educate others on child welfare and family violence. Sharing knowledge and educating is a boundless way to make an impact and promote resilience within the
Becoming a social worker is dependent on numerous factors, one of which being education. “A bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) degree is the most common minimum requirement to qualify for a job as a social worker, however, majors in psychology, sociology, and related fields may be sufficient to qualify for some entry-level job” (Chao & Orr, 162). Many people when pursuing the goals of being a social worker, however, are most interested in jobs in public agencies and/or having their own practices. “A master’s degree in social work (MSW) is necessary for positions in health and mental health settings and typically is required for certification for clinical work” (Chao & Orr, 162). One’s level of school is not the only thing employers are focusing on when looking to hire social workers. Along with one’s education, a social worker must have “a broad liberal arts base which includes a knowledge of the social sciences (sociology, psychology, anthropology, history, political science, and economics) to provide explanations about the nature of human society and the human condition” (Johnson, 48). There are many more skills that are just as essential, if not more beneficial, to the employer as well as client.
Social Workers are very important to everyday life. They are the ones that help people in need when they have nobody else to turn too. Also, they provide resources and better understanding of predicaments that you could be experiencing. I will reflect on how the class has affected me, my own experiences and how some theories have connected to my life experiences, and lastly, if the class helped toward my major. This class is important for someone that wants to become a social worker and wants to learn about the different theories used. Also, learning about me during this process of completing this class is fun and a way to see if the social work profession is right for me. There was many theories explained throughout this class but many will not be said because it wasn’t the main points that I was trying to get across. There are two tools that are used that can help a social worker organize a client’s life: Bubble map and Briefcase exercise. There are so many different ways a social worker can help a client deal with their problems and come up with a solution. It is up to that social worker to identify the client’s problem and see what theory fits.
The social problem we have chosen to address is the mental health status of refugees. Refugees are exposed to a significant amount of trauma due to fear, war, persecution, torture, and relocating. The mental health illnesses that can affect refugees due to exposure to traumas include post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Research indicated that refugees relocating from war-torn countries are particularly vulnerable to mental health concerns because many have experienced early traumas and face further post-traumas after relocation (Cummings, et al., 2011). However, despite the prevalence of mental health issues concerning refugees, mental health needs often go unrecognized and untreated.
My current job as a Behavioral Intervention Specialist for Bakersfield City School District has motivated me to pursue my masters in social work. Working with troubled students on a daily basis has allowed me to see the great need for social workers at schools. Many students are not successful in school due to their emotional and social issues in their daily lives. I want to be a professional social worker so I can better understand behavior, trauma, and learn of more ways to assist the students at my school. I truly feel The Master of Social Work (MSW) program will prepare me to help create that change in the schools that is desperately needed.
Competencies are “measureable practice behaviors that are comprised of knowledge, values, and skills.” (Kirst-Ashman, 2010). Thus it can be said that competency takes more than skills and knowledge, it requires the right and appropriate attitude that eventually translates to behavior. For the reason, it is the "means" to achieve the "ends." One should always bear in mind that the competencies of each job position differ from one another and may influence our career decision making. I have mastered several skills that would enhance my performance in a professional social work setting. These include but they are not limited to problem identification and solution with the use critical thinking, excellent communication and organizational skills, building collaborative and trust worthy relationships, flexibility etc…
According to the National Association of Social Work (NASW), Social work is defined as, “The professional activity of helping individuals, groups, or communities enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning and creating societal conditions favorable to this goal.” As such to pursue a career as a Social worker one must contain some key values. Such values include: one must be able to provide help, resources, and benefits to people so that they can achieve their maximum potential in life, they must also uphold that all citizens should be treated equally despite their socioeconomic background. In addition, they have to be willing to maintain trustworthiness and sound adherence to moral ideals, value the dynamic reciprocal interactions
It’s hard at the age of 17 to know what you want to do with your life. There are stresses coming at you from each and every direction: what your family wants you to do, what your school wants you to do, what your friends are doing, what you want and what you know what you should do. Then a couple of months into the process you begin to question everything. That’s the process for almost all grade 12 students when applying for post secondary schooling; and from personal experience, it sucks. So most students end up in vague programs, that they’re not too sure about, until a couple years into their degree when they realize what they want to do. While I always knew I wanted to be in social work, I was never sure how I would get there,
Theory is defined as “…”. In the social work profession, it is not enough to just understand the definition of theory, but rather be able to integrate theory into practice when working to plan interventions at multiple practice levels. This integration of theory into the social work practice is an emphasis of the profession as noted in the profession’s core competencies. Core competency 2.1.6 “engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research” (NASW code of ethics) is the basis for theory integration within the social work profession. The profession’s practice behaviors state that social workers must “use research evidence to inform practice” (NASW code of ethics). In other words, social workers should “attend to findings
I believe that having a background in the field of social work is not a curse. In fact I believe that it is a blessing. With any situation there is always different way a person can view the topic. How can a person truly relate to someone if they have never experience the same situation? For example how could I relate to someone who just lost his or her brother from cancer if I never lost anyone before? There is no way I can truly relate, I might be able to understand the situation but I would not be able to relate. Having a background in human services is a benefit. If a person did not have a background in human service they probably wouldn’t have been in this field. Their background could have been what put them in their career. I wish that everyone had a perfect childhood, but that will never happen and the past cannot be altered so its best to look at the positive side about having a background in human services.
As someone involved in the field of Social Work, I am regularly challenged to assist individuals and families to cope through, work on. and deal with internal and external issues that can affect their ability to feel empowered. These factors can undermine their personal sense of well-being and their self-esteem. Therefore, it is important that I am aware of the available ways to effectively assist my client, while at the same time maintaining boundaries and professionalism.
A social worker works with individuals and their families, their aim is to help improve and empower the service user to improve outcomes in their lives. Social work is a profession that is based around people, from babies through to the older people.
In future, I see myself as work I often find myself thinking about doing something more than just social work. I am really interested in treating mental problems health related problems and helping them to overcome the stress and depression. I believe that with a degree in social work, I will be able to make a difference in the world. I will be able to reach out to those who need help. I do not want to among those people who feel pity by looking at people who are suffering and just pray for them. I want to do something and make a difference in their life. I want to take the responsibility of making our society better. This is only possible if I have proper education and knowledge of all the rules and methods to help out the society. Graduate school will prepare me to make a difference in the
I obtained my Masters in Social Work (MSW) degree from India in the year 2006. As with most countries around the world, the emergence of social work in India was from charity aiming to eliminate poverty. Gradually it shifted from philanthropy to rights based approach and then to organized social work. Community organization surfaced as the most central method of social work practice along with practice of casework. Although social work is much more structured in nature now, it still operates along the conventional perspective of social work. Social work is not even recognized as a profession in India. An indicator of an occupation being publicly recognized as a profession is exhibited by