When I applied to the School of Social Work I did not have research in my mind. For me research was something that was conducted by hard science. I never put any thought as to how programs and community development initiatives came into fruition. I thought that being a social worker involved working with clients and advocating to elicit change in their lives. The introduction course, 1710, that all students had to take before being able to apply to the School of Social Work covered briefly the roles of social workers, not mentioning research.
As I entered into my first year of Social work my perceptions started to change. I realized that there was so much more to social work than just working with clients. Through the courses that I was enrolled
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I thought I was going to go through the program and work with people in mental health and addictions. This semester has changed my perception; I have realized that I am interested in community development. The interest came from my community development course and my experience in the field. I have learnt that you need to work with community members, funders, politicians, community developers, and other social workers to be able to meet the needs and wants of the community to ensure the right measures are taken to accommodate the needs in the community. You need to be able to form a proposal that has adequate research done to ensure that funding will be approved, you need to research the longevity of the project to make sure it is sustainable and you have to research the impact it can have on the community or if the community even wants the …show more content…
In this paper I am going to argue that the lack of resources in rural communities contributes to the overall negative well-being and mental health of its members. In order to demonstrate this argument, I will examine three aspects associated with mental health concerns. In the first section I will analyze the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Health Canada, and The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health to determine the need of services for people with mental health concerns. Secondly, I will address the systemic barriers that are associated with mental illness and lack of resources by critically analyzing the power differentials within society, the policy players and the oppressions that people with mental illness face on a daily basis. Finally, I will look at the positive recovery process for people who have access to services. In order to ensure validity within this research I will look at the quantitative research derived from Statistics Canada to see the objective numbers that correlate with the rising needs for mental health services. I will also conduct qualitative research by interviewing members of rural communities to see their perceived notions on how the lack of resources in rural communities contributes to the overall
I knew I loved to help others but it was not until I was an emerging adult that I knew what my calling was. My devotion to improve the quality of life for those who are disadvantaged is one of the reasons I have chosen to pursue a Master’s in Social Work. After obtaining my masters, I plan on diversifying my masters by getting licensed and becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I would like to study social work because I feel it will lead me directly to one of the most emotionally fulfilling careers available, as well as giving me the chance to combine helping people 's mental well being with their physical
A. My interest in social work began at a young age. In middle school I started attending my school’s church and became heavily involved in the church’s youth group. It was then that I was first introduced to the act of service and what it really means to help others. As part of our activities, we would feed the homeless and visit convalescent hospitals to volunteer. By participating in these activities, I began to take interest in the homeless and elderly populations. Another avenue that sparked my interest in Social Work was a classmate’s father, who was a Social Worker for the county. He and I would have discussions about the duty of a Social Worker and I would constantly ask him questions to satiate my curiosity about the profession.
I am passionate about social work, motivated, adaptable to new environments final year, postgraduate, social work student. I am committed to social work values and I am confident that I share Hackney Children and Young People’s Services values and core principles. I share a vision for the local area described by the Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS). I share the Council’s vision of a community based on fair and equal treatment for all and respect for the dignity and value of each person is summed up in its Equality and Diversity Statement. I am committed to promoting and to protect equality of opportunity for all groups of staff and service users and to challenge discrimination, racism, sexism and other forms of unjust behaviour. I am also committed to other Council’s core values of public service, quality, and empowerment. I am committed to the seven Principles of Public Life which are as follows: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty, Leadership
This paper is about a reflection on a class interview for a senior social worker. The teacher gave every student ten minutes for this interview. The students did not have an idea of what their situation was about until couple minutes before the interview. This paper will focus on the limits of confidentiality for the client, potential assessment for the client, engagement with the client, and evaluation of the social worker.
I think we need to start with discussing what social work is and where it started. Social work, social problems, and the organizations that were developed is an attempt to cope with problems have had almost a parallel history. There are many people who have helped develop more progressive attitudes and programs toward the poor, the mentally ill, the unemployed, and children at risk. Many of the social welfare policies and programs we take for granted occurred quite recently in our history. Social work is an exciting career area that is highly related to psychology. Many individuals earn an undergraduate degree in social work and then go on to their masters. You can do so much with a social work degree. Social worker has a broad range
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.
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.
My view on social work has changed dramatically because of what I’ve learned so far in this course. I now realize social work is a global profession, and can take many forms. I was unaware that social work has become a global awareness across countries. Learning this has really interested me in
Social work practice requires many skills, which need much practice themselves. This needs social work students to be open to trying within safe environments and scenario’s for mistake, such as with their peers and with emotional safe scenarios such as stress at University. This begins with a requirement to do 5 minutes of interviewing with a peer which includes many social work skills such as active listening, encouraging, paraphrasing, being/creating a welcoming and safe environment and other such basic and beginning skills.
Working with others and improving own learning and performance are highly essential skills in social work. In this essay I will reflect on how well I have developed these two skills and what I need to do to improve them.
My reasoning behind deciding to pursue a career in social work stems from my seemingly innate desire to see others succeed in fulfilling their potential. Although it feels somewhat of a cliché, my passion and desire for the field of social work originates from a genuine desire to make a positive difference in people’s lives. The one thing I have always known I'd like to do with my life is to help people. I'm applying for a job shadowing a social worker because essentially making a difference in people's lives is the most important aspect of a future career for me, than any other. This is certainly an area I would like to gain more knowledge of.
Social work practice has become a vital part of our society. They are found in almost every aspect of our community as well as our schools. Social workers are problem solvers that help people deal with daily issues that may become problems that affect them. As our society becomes more challenging, social workers help bridge the gaps for people who face extraordinary challenges in their lives. The social worker’s scope of practice may contain helping at risk or overwhelmed individuals find resources, develop new coping strategies, resolve problems and conflicts, and secure opportunities to improve their quality of life. (Flynn, 2013) Although the scope of practice is basically the same, there are various types of social workers with various levels of education. It doesn’t matter if you are a medical, clinical, school, military, psychiatric or community social worker, the goal is
Over the course of the semester, I have learned a variety of many things regarding social work. These things vary from learning how to help oneself to understanding how to help others. Not only were the textbooks very useful, but also the materials that furthered this textbook learning. The in class presentation, activities, and guest speakers gave us insight and a different perspective on the material we were learning. I feel like this course has given me a good foundation and prepared me as a future social worker (1).
families, and communities to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social workers are change agents and because of that, they aim to help people develop their skills and abilities to use resources provided to them to strengthen and improve their lives and communities to resolve problems. One of the main goal of social workers is to improve the well-being and lives of the most vulnerable populations, fight against poverty, unemployment, domestic violence and the underserviced population by emphasizing on the person-in-environment and social justice model. The social work profession, considerers the individuals’ internal and external struggles, while working with the individuals to examine their relationships, family, work environment, community, and other things that might impact them and identify ways to help address problems and challenges.
I find the literature quite interesting and enjoy thinking abstractly about the many theories of human behavior that make up the social work world. The cornerstone of my BSW education was the systems theory mixed into the core competencies of social work. Systems theory was the first theory taught in all my undergraduate classes and frequently referenced throughout the entire program. My understanding of social work at the most basic level stems from the systems theory. Knowing that every move I make affects everyone else in a situation keeps me honest and guides my work to produce the highest quality of care for all clients. As interesting as the theories of social work are, my own personal experiences in the field have shaped my identity as a social worker much more directly than the theories and methods in the books ever