Field Placement Essay

Empowerment and a strengths perspective which support the development of innate abilities and recognize differences in a positive manner are also helping social workers increase the individual client’s capacity to learn to use his or her own systems constructively

In order to deliver effective services it is necessary that professionals are able to work with culturally diverse populations successfully. Social workers must commit themselves to the profession’s enhancement and to their own professional growth in career long learning (National Association of Social Workers, 2010).

Within the past twenty-five years, my life experiences have led me to become passionate about social work. Although my journey in social work hasn 't been something I’ve always known I wanted to do when I was young, a combination of personal, professional, and academic experiences has pointed me into the direction where I am today. As the oldest out of four siblings, my family has always worked hard to get where they’re at now. Knowledge of my parent 's personal; as well as, their professional struggle of not having a college degree has led them to work hard for everything they 've received in their life. Acknowledging what my parents have gone through has pushed me to receive my Associates in Liberal Arts so that I will able to graduate with my Bachelor of Social Work in the Spring 2017.

With a master 's level education in social work, I see myself envisioning clients’ health and well-being. As a student, I will study and practice techniques, beyond a generalist perspective, that will allow me to give clients hope and the ability to see something greater than what they are facing. Upon completion of a Master of Social Work direct practice degree and certificates in gerontology and mental health programs, I intend to become a licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I will competently incorporate specialized skills in different professional settings while developing my knowledge of a wide range of social issues and professional standards. With commitment, I wish to develop skills that will enable me to create or find hidden resources and services for my future clients, create platforms through counselling for victims of trauma.

These teams include professionals from different realms of the health field and the use of their combined knowledge to best assist patients and/or clients in need. This type of teamwork and form of practice has a profound impact on my career goals because I am interested in working within the hospital setting. As a practitioner, I will use the skills acquired from my studies/experience and apply them to the health field/aspect of social work practice. As a Graduate Research Assistant, I have had the opportunity to work within the hospital/healthcare setting and the experience I gained from this opportunity has solidified my goal to work not only in this profession, but with children and families in need. To continue practicing social work within the health field, I am currently interning at the McGuire VA Medical Center in the Mental Health Primary Care unit, working with Veterans and their families through crisis and allocating services to better serve the patients and their families. With this placement, I plan to make myself available for any learning opportunities that will be vital to my role within the health field and continue to explore the vast possibilities offered by this complex, yet rewarding profession known as Social

Self-Evaluation Assessment Social work exists to provide effective social services to individuals, families, groups, communities and society so that social functioning may be enhanced and the quality of life improved. (Zastrow, 2013) Assessing my strengths and weaknesses as a social worker helps me see what I must maintain, and what I must improve on to become the kind of social worker that educates and inspires. The skills I identify with in my practice are; empathy, identifying strengths, and respect. These skill sets are vitally important to ensure clients receive the best possible outcome.

Introduction One of the most important skill to have as a social worker is to identify your client’s strengths. All social workers should have knowledge of an effective leader that are identified by their strengths or limitations in order to improve the one’s they identify. There are several evidence-based assessments that

1. I am applying for the advanced standing program. 2. I am pursuing an MSW at this time with the goal of becoming a licensed clinical social worker in order to provide advanced substance abuse and mental health counseling in western North Carolina. I have many work experiences that contributed to my choice of social work as a profession. I am currently a certified substance abuse counselor intern as well as a certified minister. I provide counseling for members of the congregation I serve.

After I graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara I was unsure what my next step would be. Of course I was anxious since I did not have experience working nor did I excel in my undergrad studies however, I knew I needed to use my newly earned degree in a positive way. Fast forward, after working for two years, I have gained the skills, knowledge and values from my work experiences that have confirmed my desire to advance my education in the social work field. I currently have my own case load of clients as a case manager at a level 12 group home but it’s time to take the next step forward. I want to ultimately advance social justice and provide services to assist individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

I aspire to become a licensed clinical social worker so that I can have an in-depth method for assisting clients. I believe that social workers are afforded an awesome yet overwhelming task of helping individuals through the course of their lives. I hope to inspire my clients in knowing that challenges are the stepping stones to becoming resilient and that challenges are not meant to break a person. All in all, it is important for social workers to constantly reaffirm their dedication to helping their clients by taking time to care for themselves, seeking continuing education so they are kept abreast of current information, realizing that the steps to change and change itself is often uneasy, messy, difficult but necessary for the advancement of all

Every worthwhile journey begins with one step. My social work journey began when I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Utah in 2003. I thought my next step would be to immediately pursue a graduate degree. In my undergraduate career I had taken numerous classes from the College of Social and Behavioral Science and had done well in those classes. In my Social Work as a Profession course I had an assignment to shadow a social worker and write a paper about my experience. I chose to shadow my father-in-law, a social worker with over 30 years of experience, and in my paper I expressed my desire to go into the social work field. I knew I liked helping people. I knew I liked problem solving and critical thinking. I thought my 22 year-old self was ready to embark on that journey, but I wasn’t. I realize now that what I lacked at graduation was one crucial step… perspective. Over the past twelve years I have gained that much needed perspective and have taken many steps forward in my journey, and with those steps and that increased perspective, I now feel more fully prepared to begin my social work career.

I see myself obtaining a LCSW working with children in foster care. Being on the other side of foster care where I am the caregiver for children who are separated from their families, I believe that these children need a voice. I want to be that voice for these children.

United States counts with the most culturally competent group of health professionals that are mindful of their client’s needs and open to use new, holistic perspectives (Saleebey, 2009). This implies that social workers are the most qualified group that has the proper preparation to provide individualized treatments. The social worker

In the child development field as a teachers we have the responsibility of have a different trainings and workshops, doesn’t matter how many years of experience that you have you always have something to learn in those kinds of trainings. Las year I went to one of my favorites, the name of the workshop was universal design. What I learn there is how to implement a natural environment into the classrooms to make a nice and calm place to the children. I love to decorate my classroom but before as a teachers we use to make everything with a lot of colors, but now we are learning that if we have a natural colors and natural objects as a piece of woods, neutral furniture color, natural plants, etc. we offer a calm environment to the children. I was very excited in what I learned there and I transmitted it to my coworkers the idea to transform the classroom in a natural peaceful and calm environment (Chu M, p 80).

Pursuing the Master of Social Work at UWA is an empowerment process for me. By equipping me with essential theoretical understanding and practical skills in social work, I will be able to create positive impact on marginalized members of society. It is the best way to seek my personal fulfillment