Background And Background Of Social Work Essay

From the course, I was surprised to learn how many social workers throughout history have been part of oppressive practices that negatively impacted different groups of the population, which could explain why there are people who have a strong dislike to social workers. This was surprising because as social workers we are bound to advocate for social justice for everyone including those who are living in poverty. Also, respecting different beliefs and lifestyles of individuals, families, groups, communities and nations without discrimination as emphasized in the Social Work Code of Ethics (Canadian Association of Social Workers [CASW], 2005). Some examples mentioned in lectures include social workers playing a role in the deportation of people

Social workers play a crucial role in many professional realms. With the focus on social workers in educational settings, I interviewed Erika Bougdanos who is a Dean of Students at Niles North High School, located in north suburban Skokie, Illinois. Bougdanos has been working at Niles North for over ten years as a Dean and holds her MSW degree and Type 75 certification (Illinois Administrative Certificate). Bougdanos mentioned that although the high school is highly ethnically diverse, the majority of the student population is White. While Bougdanos interacts with many students throughout her work week, she mentioned that the students she primarily sees in her office are those from low-income or minority backgrounds.

This section of the paper will discuss the definition of social work, values associated with social work and arguments for and against the use of systems theory in social work practice. Social work can be described as a field of study that encompasses individuals and their environment. Social work can be defined as work trained professionals do to elevate stressors of individuals so they may become more self-sufficient and empowered to live to their fullest potential.

Various theories and perspective are integrated in social work (Carew, 1979), such as psychological theories, including psychodynamic theories, behavioral theories, and different kinds of developmental theories, social psychodynamic theories, including various communication models, and sociological theories, including feminism, and Marxism. Among all these theories, theories of human behavior are vital (Robbins, Charrerjee, & Canda, 1998). As a social worker, one needs to assist client in solving problem and gaining resources at micro level, which requires an understanding towards human behavior (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2015). In addition, according to Kondrat (2008), social worker needs to understand client by operating from a “person-in-environment” perspective as “an individual cannot be understood apart from the multifaceted context of her or his environment”, which requires an awareness of different conditions and situations clients are faced with in their social environments, and how these factors may influence their behavior (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2015). Therefore, being familiar with human behavior and social environment, and most importantly, the influence of social environment has on human behavior allows social worker to understand, evaluate and assist clients. For social work major students, being equipped with different theories allow us to simply choose one that is best fit for client’s situation and our own value (Farley, Smith, Boyle, & Ronnau, 2002).

Ms. Apple is a 45 year old African American woman who has been a widow for about 4 years. Ms. Apple has three children, whose ages range from 5-12 years old. Ms. Apple has been struggling to keep her family afloat since the death of her husband. Ms. Apple convinced herself that she would not require the extra assistance. However, she realized in attempting to provide alone has not only become very strenuous, but also quite costly. Expenses have become overwhelming for Ms. Apple to maintain, since her husband took care of the finances and was the breadwinner for the family. Ms. Apple has minimal education as she is able to read and write at grade school level. Ms. Apple also has never been employed as she was a home maker. At this

According to the National Association of Social Workers (2016), “social workers help people overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges: poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, physical illness, divorce, loss, unemployment, educational problems, disability, and mental illness. They help prevent crises and counsel individuals, families, and communities to cope more effectively with the stresses of everyday life”. Through the lens of a professional, these are critical qualities and experiences that assist social workers in understanding people and the community, which they live in. In addition, it is very significant for social workers to identify and familiarize themselves with the neighborhood’s history, culture, customs, and issues and most importantly, the people. By being conversant with the background information, it will help social workers communicate more effectively while in the process of building and establishing relationships with the people in the community.

Social workers are caregivers, they provide assistance to people in need, and they address social problems. The social worker’s goal is the improvement of society to better the lives of individuals in need. The social work professional 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. Social workers incorporate these core values into their daily practices. Service to others, the social workers’ goals are to serve others and to put the needs of their clients ahead of their own. Social justice, social workers aim to improve the lives of the disadvantaged, vulnerable and oppressed populations. Social workers understand the essential value of every human life, regardless of an individual’s ethnic background, cultural difference or religious belief. Their goal is to respect the dignity and worth of every person. Integrity, social workers strive to conduct themselves in a trustworthy, honest, and responsible manner at all times. Competence, the social workers practice their profession within their areas of expertise and that they regularly seek to improve and develop their knowledge.

Two summers ago, I was standing in a dust storm about 80 miles away from the nearest sign of shelter. Fortunately, I wasn’t alone. With me were three of my coworkers: Dan, Joe, and Katie. Together, along with our supervisor Nathan, we comprised the on-set visual effects team for a feature length movie. We had only been working together for three months, but over this short course of time we had become a dynamic, cohesive team. Our job was to collect data from the film set that could be used by effects artists at their offices in Singapore and London. For example, I would take pictures of a prop from 20 different angles. The effects artists would then reconstruct the prop in 3D animation using my photos. However, with about six feet of visibility

Application to Our Work: In what ways does this idea apply to your work with families and groups?

As a final concern, Emilia’s economic status must be considered in detailing what resources she has within her social system that does not relate to an interpersonal relationship. Financial burden is a natural aspect of life that can both help relieve and impose burdens upon an individual during a myriad of different interactions. Emilia’s lack of education and training stemming from consistent drug use has limited many of her options, so too does her limited relationship pool give her access to financial aid from her relatives. While the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation may be a location within her city to help Emilia expand her educational needs and fulfill her desire to further her skills, the city’s Drug Rehabilitation Center

There are several goals that we have for Joel to improve on his social skills. One objective that we have for Joel is to reduce passive aggressive behaviors toward others. This would include specific examples such as rolling his eyes when a student says a wrong answer as this may lead to further ostracism and increased likelihood of being bullied. Another social orientated objective that we have for him is to be less withdrawn and shy. Our objective in this area will encourage him to put himself out there a little more and be more outgoing. One more socially orientated objective that we have for Joel is to be a little more mellow. A few different teachers have described him as tense. Being less tense may allow his

Joel tends to orient himself toward students that are like himself in several aspects. First, he tends to orient himself toward other bright students in his class. The roughly ten students that Joel was observed spending his time with were reported to be some of the brightest in the class. After an activity where Joel was asked to draw himself and the students in his class that are “closest to” him, Joel drew several students that he said were smart. Secondly, Joel tends to orient himself to students that have shared similar experiences. One of the students Joel drew in the previous activity also had a father who was a Naval captain on a different boat. Joel said that, “He knows what it’s like.” Similarly, Joel was described by his mother as someone who frequently wants to be friends with any new student. This is likely due to the fact that Joel has experienced how difficult adjusting to a new school can be, and he can relate to how these other new students feel. They too would know what it’s like.

David is a 52-year-old male who has both protective and risk factors in his life. One of David’s protective factors is his fulfilling, stable marriage. Also, he has seen upward mobility in his employment and has adequate income. David holds high aspirations for himself professionally and has earned a Master’s degree. Risk factors for David include his divorce and frustration of not having adequate time and resources for his children.

As I look back at my time spent at Newark Emergency Services for Families Inc (NESF), I have noticed that I have grown tremendously. I remember how the first couple weeks, I was very unsure of myself and would always second guess everything I did. From my body language, one could tell I was nervous and most of the workers asked me if I felt well every time they saw me. This was clearly evident when I performed my first few intakes. During my first few intakes, I was overly concerned about performing the intake process correctly, and making sure everything was done perfectly. I found out I rarely gave myself the time to realize that it takes time to become an expert in the intake process.

I have wanted to be a social worker since I was in middle school. I am aware that a career in social work is not for everyone, but I believe it’s a career for me. I enjoy helping others weather it is lending a hand or helping solve a problem. Social workers are able to give back to society which is a goal of mine. I believe that I possess the skills and personality traits that a social worker needs to be effective and successful. I do not posses all of the skills a social worker needs. However, I will continue to work toward the skills I need through education and proactice.