Change is a product of passion. This statement highly relates to the social work profession. For example, Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr may not have opened the Hull House in 1889 to create change in Chicago if they did not have a passion for helping others (DuBois & Krogsrud Miley, 2014, p. 31). The social work profession has developed since 1889, but its central passion of empowering others has not waivered. I want to be a social worker because I desire to use my passion for helping others in a career field that would be a privilege to represent. How Social Workers Help Others While consumers who work with social workers have their own individual stories and challenges, social workers support them with the same foundation. Rather than …show more content…
I am considering returning to the hospital environment not as a patient but as a social worker to encourage others going through a similar journey. Throughout my lower-level coursework, I realized the difference between empathy and sympathy is highly important. Being an empathetic social worker means seeing yourself in the consumer’s situation versus feeling sorry for them with sympathy (DuBois & Krogsrud Miley, 2014). I can advocate for and empathize with consumers because I personally went through my own struggle when advocating for myself. This ability to relate to consumers is highly important to create a trust-filled working relationship. In addition to being empathetic, I have great time management skills. I have had to balance maintaining my grades, monitoring my health, participating in extracurricular activities, being an active volunteer at my church and local food pantry, and transitioning between both of my parents’ homes on a weekly basis. I maintained all of these commitments while earning a 4.0 grade-point-average. This skill is crucial for a future social worker to have because many positions social workers fill require independent work for a large caseload of diverse consumers. Several of my future consumers will have different backgrounds than me, and I have learned to embrace these …show more content…
I tend to want to do everything I can for someone else. While warmth and care are positive character qualities, I have learned that creating a work-life balance and taking some time for oneself is beneficial. Finding a balance decreases the chances of burnout and helps social workers maintain active commitments to their consumers (Corey & Corey, 2011). In my Introduction to Social Work Practice class, I have enjoyed applying my knowledge to role-play situations and mock case studies. I have learned about various theories of practice such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution Focused Brief Therapy. As I proceed further into my coursework, I anticipate building my knowledge of how to apply the textbook material to the field. I hope these practice situations will continually challenge me to grow because I know that not every situation in the field will be easy to manage. Nonetheless, I am willing to undertake any challenge to become a part of a profession I deeply admire and have the chance to help others from all areas of
Sheafor, B. W., & Horejsi, C. R. (2012). Techniques and guidelines for social work practice (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Allyn & Bacon. (Sheafor & Horejsi, 2011)
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
There are stereotypes about social workers in the healthcare field that can hinder a social worker’s performance. Many people automatically assume that social workers are only to make referrals and locate specific services (Borst, 2010). While there are social workers who do make referrals as part of their work, there are all different kinds of social workers, ranging from research to policy change. Many assume that a social worker in the healthcare field is there to find a way for an outpatient to get home when this is simply not the case. Social workers in the healthcare field typically work on an interdisciplinary team, along with doctors and nurses. Social workers in these teams are typically the ones who look at the patient’s culture, look for client strengths, and look beyond the medical ...
The value of service involves the social worker placing the needs of the client above personal interests. The social worker accesses their knowledge base to assist clients and engage in social problems to evoke change. Additionally, social workers are expected to be philanthropists by allocating time to pro-bono work. It is expected that such contributions are categorized as volunteerism and does not include the service provided in the professional setting where there are earnings involved. Social justice lies at the foundation of social work. Social workers continuously strive to advocate for vulnerable and disenfranchised clients facing oppression and social injustice. They exhibit efforts in the name of social change in arenas of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, amongst others. Social workers seek to continuously educate themselves on cultural diversity as well as connecting client’s with necessary resources to improve the quality of their lives and empower them to sustain lasting change (Reamer,
Kris became a social worker because she has a passion and needs to help people. Her passion comes from years of abuse and neglect when she was younger. She stated, “It feels right to be a social worker. Although there is no thank you cards and the work may be meticulous at times, seeing smiles is a great reward”. I have learned most social workers enter this career due to personal experiences and they were to help make a change. I am one of them. Although I know I cannot change the world, I know I can make a difference in the lives I touch. I too will find the smiles of my clients
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.
I interned as a court advocate and attended court hearings while also working one on one with the client. I felt that this was the real test to see if the passion I’ve always had for helping others could now be applied in the social work profession. After the first month at Haven I was excited because I had finally found a job that I could actually see myself pursuing as a career. Not only has Haven taught me how to implement social policies and work with a variety of clients, but it also has changed me as a person. One of the things I was greatly affected by was trauma stewardship. I would find myself worrying constantly if I did everything correctly, but also replaying the cases in my head. I never really thought about self-care for myself while also helping others. This experience taught me that you have to be really self-aware of your feelings and take care of yourself. Attending weekly debriefing sessions at Haven has helped me greatly. My experience with Haven has also helped me with not only being a better professional but also has allowed me to be more aware of what I’m feeling; something I know that will be paramount when I enter the social work
I want to become a social worker to help connect people to available resources when they may be in a place of injustice or despair and offer them the guidance they may need to make important decisions that can be life changing. Also, I am interested in being a social worker because the work can be extremely rewarding. I do understand, some days will be extremely difficult, but I also understand that when you can go home at the end of the day, knowing you’ve done your best to help someone, that is a rewarding feeling and I will know that I chosen the right career path. I also believe strongly that people are inherently good and capable of doing good. All together, through different day to day experiences and my drive to do good and help facilitate change are just some of the reasons I am applying to a professional degree of social
This paper will explore what the primary mission of social work as a professional means to me. Through self-reflection of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, I will delve into why I chose social work as a career, the type of social worker I want to become, and ponder what challenges and obstacles may impede my chosen path.
The one thing that I have always known I loved to do with my life is to help people. Cicero had once said that, “Non nobis solum nati sumus. (Not for ourselves alone are we born)”, a statement that I have always held close to my heart as it means that we are put on this earth for a purpose and one of those purposes is to be there for people who are asking for help, as we should not only worry about our own purpose in life but others as well. I am applying to the Faculty of Social Work for a Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Calgary because I want to learn the skills required to enable me to work with people, supporting them, and making a difference in their lives. My goal is to enhance the wellbeing of the vulnerable, oppressed, and impoverished individuals of our society. Essentially, my reason is driven on my aspiration to see others succeed in fulfilling their own potential, not only to gain happiness, but to see their lives as fulfilling and worthwhile for themselves. Although it feels somewhat cliché, my passion and desire for the field of social work originated from a genuine wish to make a positive difference in other people’s lives. I want to feel like I have done something meaningful, worth something, and that I sparked a light into a person’s life that needs it the most. By receiving the opportunity for a Bachelor of Social Work, I believe I can achieve this and become a supportive and compassionate member of society.
My interest in social work stems from a love of volunteering that I possessed ever since I was a young child expressing great enthusiasm for church and school service events. As I grew older, I began volunteering for many other community events, such as serving over 200 hours at a local hospital, helping with free cancer screenings, and fitting children with free bike helmets. I even created my own donation drive for a local women’s and children’s shelter. I feel the best when I am striving to create positive changes in my community and for struggling, marginalized individuals. Social services have been a part of my life for a very long time, and I want it to continue to be on a professional level.
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.
For years, when I thought of Social Workers, I imagined a person coming into a client’s home and taking their kids away for neglect. Later, I found out that social workers could go into so many dimensions, such as clinical social workers, case mangers, and even administrative positions in agency settings. Furthermore, I realized that I was maturing into an adult. For example, when I began telling people of my decisions to become a social worker, a lot ...
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).
Social workers level the playing field for individuals and families that have experienced hardships, terminal illnesses, mental health disorders and other adverse environmental situations that inhibit their ability to thrive within society. Social workers accomplish this by providing individuals and families the resources necessary to ensure that their needs are being met. Social workers serve an essential role to the functioning of our society, as they are committed and dedicated to increasing the quality of life for underprivileged community members. I fully intend on actively contributing to this endeavor, as I believe social workers have the responsibility to ensure that all community members have their needs met and the opportunity to