Personal Narrative: My Interest In The Field Of Social Work

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.

My passion for Human Services began while traveling in Asia, Mexico, and through different communities in our country. The most important lesson I learned whether overseas or here in the USA is compassion. Compassion and understanding for what is needed. Compassion for underprivileged people, the elderly, and most importantly the children. The one thing that has stayed constant with me since I started traveling with my family is that people need help.

My first day on the job as a new Licensed Bachelor Social Worker and my client is about to walk through the door, my feelings would be all over the place. I would first feel excited because it took me a long time to get where I am at and I’d be very proud of my accomplishments, but then after the moment of excitement passes the feeling of nervousness comes. In the moment of being nervous all of my confidence would fly out of the window and I wouldn’t be very confident about my skills of truly helping the client with their issue. I would be freaking out and think that everything that I learned in college that would prepare me for my first time with my client was forgotten completely but really it would have just been forgotten for the moment

Going into Social work I had a brief idea of what was entailed to be an excellent social worker. After having known people to have awful experiences, myself included, and those who had great experiences, I came into Social Work with High hopes that I will be the best I can be. However, after two social worker practicums, jobs in the field, and graduating with a social worker diploma, I have discovered that a competent and professional social is much more complex, and challenging (I want a more positive word here) to achieve then I originally thought. What I am learning, is that being a professional and competent social worker requires not only the skills and techniques that are learned through education, but the ability to use theses skill

My professional goals as a Social Worker are to help human lives. Through enhancing their well-being and attending to the people varies daily needs and social problems. Empowering clients and helping individuals using diverse methods like counseling, working as an advocate and referrals for solutions.

Social work has been my major since childhood. Throughout my life I have persevered against poverty, discrimination, domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health barriers. Due to my experience with these issues, the art of learning grew into a passion and priority. By focusing on my education, I established my identity apart from the status quo of my background and became the first woman in my family to attend college. Despite enrolling without a career path to follow, I was determined to explore for a major linked by science, integrity and compassion. Through the social work curriculum, my intellectual needs were met. The interactive preparation and self-care integral to social work filled the gaps that remained in my education and personal development by nourishing seeds of assertive communication, healthy boundaries and mindfulness; the benefits of counseling and journaling underlined in this profession have especially enriched my journey to becoming an advocate. In addition to this newfound peace, social work also spoke to my knowledge as a member of many vulnerable populations and expanded my ability to work with a diverse clientele. From the psychosocial and field placement components of this major, I discovered my deep rooted ambition to empower the mental health community in the same manner that social work has empowered me.

Having a strong desire to help others has been a part of me since an early age. As a social worker I feel that I will be extremely beneficial in this career choice because of my ability to have empathy and compassion for others in need. Often people find themselves in situations that often times do not come into mind for the individual. I can relate to a person in an unforeseen situation due to personal issues that were forced upon me. While dealing with these issues I was forced to apply for public assistance. Having to do this I often experienced the harshness of rude employees that made me feel that I was less than human. It was at that time that I decided that if given the opportunity I would do my best to make sure that anyone that I encounter that was in an unforeseen situation and I could possibly help. That I would do what was need to assure the person that there is a better future for them.

This week went by really fast for some reason or maybe it was because I was constantly busy all week long. This week I had a patient who just stuck out to me and when I went into her room to get her to sign the important message from medicare form I just felt like we connected. After I had been in her room for about twenty minutes talking I guess one of the case managers realized I was still in the room so she came and walked to the door way to ask me a question. When I went to the door she told me she just wanted to check on me because the patient was bipolar and she just wanted to make sure I was safe. Note the door was open the entire time I was there and I was standing about two feet from the door talking to the patient. The patient was

Former President Lyndon B. Johnson once said “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” This quote in itself explains my reasons for wanting to become a social worker, my goals when I graduate and my perspectives on different conversational questions. This paper will explain how these realities, dreams and thoughts came about.

My interest in social work began with taking a semester off of school during my undergraduate career. I was given the opportunity to live and work in Puerto Rico. This season away from classes allowed me time to contemplate a career and a major that would best fit my interests, values, and skills. I felt that social work was the only major that adequately reflected this. After returning to school to begin my social work classes, my interest in the field began to develop more fully. The following summer I was able to live and work in Costa Rica with Nicaraguan immigrant teenage girls living in extreme poverty. I began to understand how systems and cycles of poverty can affect the individual. I learned that these girls were not only

The family lab is an important to learn because it will be helpful, when entering into the Social Work field. It has helped me in my internship and will help me in my future work. The Dyad and the family labs have allowed Bachelor level students understand what therapy will look like in individual, couples, family and group sessions. In the engagement session, I felt nervous because I have no experience in family counseling. Consequently, I used the tools I learned in the Dyad exercises and applied them to the family lab. As a soon to be Social Worker, it is important to recognize my strengths and weaknesses. To continue improving my strengths by tapping into additional resources. To recognize my weaknesses and learn how to improve them.

Ever since I was a child, I have been drawn to help others less fortunate than myself. Through my years of volunteer and educational experiences, I have discovered a passion for helping children and families. These experiences cemented my resolve to help children thrive in a safe, caring, and nurturing environment. They are the most vulnerable population of people whose rights are often infringed upon due to their inability to speak up for themselves. Becoming a social worker will put me in a position to speak up and advocate for these at-risk children and ensure that they have the resources and help they deserve. This degree will allow me to continue my pursuit of social justice by helping me offer guidance and direction in people’s lives

To the person(s) who has been given the important but tedious honor of sorting through all the personal statements and letters of intent,

Social work consists of sociology, ethics, communication, psychology and developmental studies. As I researched this career field many of the requirements needed for my degree, I commenced in high school. When I attended high school, I took dual enrollment class English 101 and 102. Furthermore, I enrolled in psychology for two years and took the AP Psychology exam acquiring a score of four. Whilst applying for college, I qualified for the President’s Honors Scholarship who the Honors Program offers. I applied for the scholarship and granted the scholarship for the two years I attend while maintaining the requirements of the scholarship. Moreover, I enrolled in honor classes which would be beneficial towards my degree. As I work for my degree

The holland code has six stages to it. the first stage is Realistic. Realistic is building, fixing, and working outdoors. The next one you have is going to be Investigative. Investive has to do with thinking, researching, experimenting. The third one is artistic. Artistic involves Creating, designing, and expressing yourself. And then there is social. Its mainly Helping, teaching, encouraging other people to be the best they can. Then next one is Enterprising. Enterprising is to lead and persuade people, and to sell things and ideas. The last one is Conventional, these kind of people Like to work with numbers, records, or machines in a set, orderly way. But the holland code I got was SA. It stand for social artistic. After found this out i had ten jobs i would love to do but I manage to narrow it down to three. The three i had left where social worker, probation and parole officer, and police officer.