My philosophy in life is to "always love more than you hate." These intense, yet natural emotions have the ability to change the world for the better, or for the worse. Living by this credo motivates me to further my education and career in the social work field.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) lists the field 's core values as service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence (NASW Delegate Assembly, 2008). Unbeknown to me, my life philosophy has always aligned with these values. I aim to give freely of my sympathies, believe all people are created equal, strive to be steadfast, honest, and emphasize the healing power of positive relationships. I find
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Instinct kicked in, however, and I was able to look past the trauma and take immediate action to ensure the safety of a child. Albeit, seeing these extreme abuse and neglect situations are never easy, I understand the importance of self-care and maintaining a positive support system. My strength and resiliency enables me to perform efficiently and professionally in an emergency situation. These attributes, in combination with my personal philosophy, ensure that I am acting as a competent and effective advocate for my clients.
This is not to say that these internal strengths have never been tested. In 2015, I was employed at a residential facility for teenage males waiting to be paroled. My team worked diligently to successfully transition them into the adult world. While many of our clients entered the program motivated and appreciative of the opportunity they were presented, for the majority, this sense of hope did not last long.
I was patronized, called words I have never heard of, and even feared for my safety once or twice. Still, even on the most difficult shifts, I was able to recognize that these individuals were working to break their trauma cycle (Wilson, 1989) and overcome embedded negative thinking. I learned the importance of trauma-informed care (Coughlin, 2013) and how effective positive relationships can be to a person 's treatment (Lambert & Barley, 2001). I have learned the significance of
of work. From this experience, I believe I am an excellent candidate for this program
Social work is a career that finds and chooses you, rather than you selecting it. Social work has always been an immense portion of my life even when I had no recollection of what social work entailed. My life revolved around so many situations that had a social worker stepped in, my life would be totally different than it is today. Many individuals and agencies lack the compassion and empathy for oppressed people. Having been in many circumstances, has given me the experience and background that influenced me to go into social work, as well as the understanding of my role and responsibilities that I will assume as a professional social worker, and my reasons for selecting the program at ASU School of Social Work and thoughts on how the Mission Statement addresses my career goals.
The values set by their profession bind social workers by guiding their actions and decision-making in a professional setting. They are to respect the dignity and worth of persons, to strive for social justice, to offer humanity service, and to show integrity, confidentiality, and competence in their professional practice (CASW, 2005, p. 4).
In Jennifer Cisney’s lecture on “Impact Dynamics of Crisis and Trauma,” she outlined four major goals of Psychological First Aid. Above all the material in Module One, I found this specific material most helpful in my practice because it gives me focal points to ensure I am putting the correct focus on Psychological First Aid that I should. We have been learning the critical important of this First Aid to trauma survivors and how if they can be “triaged” correctly by these First Aid components it greatly impacts the person’s recovery.
A career in Social Work requires conviction to personal values that reflect and uphold the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. Professional ethics are the foundation of social work, as the trade has an innate obligation to endorse ethical principles and basic values to advocate for the wellness of others. The core values adopted by all social workers, as distinguished by NASW, are service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. As a Clinical Social Worker, I will honor the NASW Code of Ethics in addition to my personal values of respect, self determination, responsibility, motivation, and wisdom. My personal values complement the NASW Code of Ethics and will resonate in my work as a social worker.
Shared values are essential in the creating a successful relationship between the client and social worker. Social workers operate within society, not only to assist the individual but to create a more cohesive society. Values and ethics permeate the whole of social work practice and the society within which it practices (Shardlow 1989). Values are afforded a high position within social work, this is highlighted in: “Social work is a professional activity. Implicit in its practice are ethical principles which prescribe the professional responsibility of the social worker” (British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Code of Ethics). However, there is a danger that any list of values will become something which is quoted
As a social worker many problems may arise because of the constant grey area of either letting your personal values interfere with your professional opinion. It is essential to provide your client with information and tools to help them succeed and overcome their problems. Following the core values is essential to being a resourceful, competent social worker. In some cases, core values are in conflict. In a situation where more than one core value is in conflict it is considered an ethical dilemma (Hick, 2009). It’s not guaranteed that a perfect solution will arise, therefore one of the core values is subsided because the other has more of an impact on the client.
Trauma-informed care refers to a strength-based framework that is based on an understanding of the impact of trauma. This practice emphasizes on psychological, physical, and emotional safety for the providers, the survivors, and it creates an opportunity for the survivors to rebuild themselves and get a sense of control and empowerment. This practice is based on the growing knowledge about several negative impacts that are brought by psychological trauma (Withers, 2017). To understand more about trauma-informed care, this excerpt will examine what the concept entails, how one can change his or her practice to be more trauma-informed and incorporate Eric's experience in the discussion.
The mission of social work is to empower and enhance the quality of life by helping all people to meet the basic human needs, especially with those who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. The mission of social work is deep rooted in a set of core values that have acted as the foundation for social work. The core social work values are service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence (NASW Code of Ethics). As social workers, we must apply the core values in our everyday profession and practice. The NASW Code of Ethics provides clear understanding of principles and values social workers should hold and exemplify. Our primary goal as social workers is to help those
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has written a code of ethics that serves many purposes. The main purpose is to identify the core ethics and values that provide the foundation for the profession. It details six basic principles for social workers to follow: service, social justice, dignity and worth, human relationships, integrity, and competence (National Association of Social Workers, 1999). The code acts as an ethical guide for students, and those professionals just
My understanding of the social work profession and its core values is that social workers are caregivers, they provide assistance to people in need, and they address social problems. The social worker goal is the improvement of society to ameliorate the lives of individuals in need. The social work profession mission is to enhance the well-being of people and to assist them in meeting their basic needs, with particular emphasis on the needs of the poor, and the vulnerable individual. The Social Work profession has six core values. These core values are the foundation of the social work profession. The social worker incorporates these core values into his daily practices. Service to others is one of the fundamental values of social work. Social workers goal is serving others and putting the needs of their clients ahead of their own. Social justice is another core value of social work. Social workers aim at improving the lives of the disadvantaged, vulnerable people who are less fortunate or unable to advocate for themselves. Social workers understand the essential value of every human life, regardless of ethnic background, cultural differences or religious beliefs. Their goal is to respect the dignity and worth of every person. Another key value of social work is integrity. The social workers conduct themselves in a trustworthy, honest, and responsible manner at all times. Competence is another important core value of the social work profession. The
I never expected to feel so angry and helpless when it came to trauma within my own family. Angry at the people who caused and angry with the people who didn’t help. I understand that everyone processes these situations differently and for my family members, the processes ranged greatly. I had some
Since the profession was recognized many concerns arose regarding the values and ethics of social workers. The key points of the NASW Code of Ethics, the CSWE Educational Policy and Standards, and HIPAA will be summarized. Some of the most challenging ethical issues facing social workers and the social work profession today, have been explored. The core values of the
I think a core value that aligns and is very useful in the field that I acquire is being aware of a person’s dignity and worth. I am the kind of person that treats a very wealthy person and a homeless person equally, I don’t believe that people are better than others in any circumstance. I also grew up in an extremely diverse community which has allowed me to think broadly and not have a person’s culture, ethnicity, or other differences effect my perception of them. “Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity” (NASW, 2008). I think this is one of the most important values in social work because a worker simply cannot provide the best service if their differences can’t be put to the side. I believe
The six core values of social work are integrity, social justice, competence, dignity and worth of the individual, service, and importance of human relationships. It is vital that a social worker shows that they have integrity, meaning that they should have trustworthy tendencies. Social workers must entice social justice. They should assure that social change is okay and be there for those who are considered oppressed. Social workers should always remain competent and be willing to expand their knowledge and use it to the best of their abilities. Having dignity and knowing the worth of the clients is very important. Social workers should always remain respectful no matter the situation. The goal of a social worker is to provide service