Reflection On Social Work

During my volunteer hours I learned a lot about my own community I that I have not been able to experience. For example I have never been able to participate in so many writing programs and workshops in my local high school, this is because I also did not attend my own local high school because my mother did not allow me to instead, she asked me to attend a charter school. By partnering with LA826, I was able to attend different writing workshops where I would help different high school student write essay, cover letters, and personal statements. Furthermore I believed that most of my activities consisted of just being able to listen to some of the students.

Working with a team and helping others succeed has led me to partake as a volunteer at the after-school tutoring

Before beginning the Master of Social Work program at Laurier I figured I had a strong understanding of what social work was. However, I quickly learned that I had only scratched the surface. I knew oppression existed, but I never understood the depth of it. I now know that I was afraid of it. It was easy for me to stay silent, because it was such a comfortable position to be in. Doing nothing meant I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. This was influenced by the privilege I had.

The class SW 6030 Human Development and the Social Environment has brought new insights and makes me see some topics in a different perspective. The critical reflection paper number one will integrate different concepts that I learned so far in this class.

Setting a boundary is an important core value in the field of social work. According to the Social Work Code of Ethics, “social workers should provide and represent themselves as competent only within the boundaries of their education, training, license, certification, consultation received, supervised experience, or other relevant professional experience” (Code of Ethics of the NASW). Professional helpers are generally compassionate people, but they also need to recognize the value of setting limits. This was the case when I worked as an adjunct instructor, which included providing individual tutoring. Sara Towns (name changed), a student and distant cousin, evoked the possible clouding of boundaries. For new social workers, this kind of reflection may be helpful as they define their roles. Through a series of professional and personal experiences with Sara, I learned that boundaries must be maintained to foster a positive relationship and prevent potential conflicts.

For my Service Learning project I volunteered at Larsa Banquet Hall as a server for a youth group dinner production. I refilled water pitchers, collected dirty plates and helped clean. I also volunteered for the Turlock High School play and was given the job of box office manager. I gave up my lunch period for three weeks to go sit in the PA building and sell tickets. I then had to go to all eight shows an hour early to sell tickets before house opens and stay and help sell concessions, and then after the show was over I would have to help clean up. I like to believe that both the events I volunteered for helped benefit the community by providing entertainment. They both made people laugh and whenever people left either event, they all had a smile on their face. Almost everyone I talked to after the play told me how good the cast did and asked when the next production would be. It was satisfying knowing that I had a part in these people’s happiness, even though it was a very small part.

PER REPORTER: Kathy said one of her students by the name of (Shadavious) went to visit her father (David Lee) this weekend when she was told some disturbing information. According to Shandavious, there are four children living in the home with David Lee and one of them by the name of Staciera told her that David Lee makes her do things they should not be doing. Shandavious said Staciera told her David Lee threatened to taker her phone and tell her mother on her if she did not do what he told her to do. She also told her that at night David Lee comes and gets in the bed with her and makes her do unknown things to him. Shandavious said one of the other children (Kishona) living in the home told her that she sleeps on the top bump bed above Staciera,

Theory informed practice during my first internship at Teen Court. Educating parents and teens regarding the developmental stages help both parties to understand reason for behaviors. Many parents share they have minimal knowledge of the basics of biological development. Furthermore, communication between the parent and teen improved once the basic knowledge of brain development was explained. In chapter one of the text Applying Theory to Generalist Social Work Practice, the author talks about an important key element within any relationship, which is resolution can occur when there is understanding (Langer & Lietz, 2015). A common trend observed facilitating groups is the breakdown in communication due to lack of understanding between teen and parent.

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.

In this reflection essay, I will demonstrate my learning experience in this counseling session. I will talk about my strength, weakness, verbal, nonverbal expression, including improvements needed to become more efficient in the social work profession. I will also speak about a learning tool called process recording in Social work profession. This process recording was done with the help, with my fantastic Daughter Kendra Shelton as the client and my incredible husband Michael McVay as Video Recorder /producer.

Social work as a whole incorporates several theories and practices that deal with empowering and liberating individuals to improve well-being. Using these theoretical approaches has been helpful in addressing the social systems and providing interventions that allow individuals to interact with their environment. It has been a year and a half since I have been engaged in the process of growth and change. This semester has been a great learning experience, but in every semester, I learned new ways of working with clients, how to navigate the social systems, and the impact of power structure on individuals, groups, and society. When I started the MSW program, I had a vague understanding of what social work is. Through the coursework and

Arman was able to give us an in-depth perspective on how to be a good social worker as he worked for Child Protective Services for eight years and was able to bring home fifty children. That alone is a good career, yet Arman continues to keep on helping. He is a prime example of what a good social worker is. The main lesson he pushed is to always help the child first and to never feel like the bad guy. In the Indigenous social work 377 classes, Arman stated “As social workers it is our job to put ourselves in the shoes of the person we are helping” (personal communication, Arman Kitchemonia, October 2nd, 2017). This means that we must also help the family of the child too. It will also help if we get to know the community and Elders. He also told the class that when an Elder corrects you to always take it as a lesson. We will never know everything, so we have to respect each other’s ways of doing things. The biggest lesson I learned from that presentation was that in life if you do not pray, you will not receive any blessings. Since that class I started praying and it helps a lot with easing the mind.

In the first few weeks of my practicum at the Carroll County School District, I have already experienced numerous activities that are relevant to my future social work career. One of the initial experiences was a orientation training called “SafeSchools” that Carroll County requires all employees of the district to complete in order to engage with the children (of all ages) effectively. This was a full day training that I found to be informative, yet challenging. The material given covered the following topics: suicide, bullying, cyber bullying, child abuse, emotional abuse, dating violence, school violence, drugs and alcohol, sexual harassment, and restraint/seclusion in regards to children and teens. Although the items discussed were

This paper will reflect on my motivations and the life experiences, that have influenced my decision to work in the Human services profession, as a Woman’s Domestic/Family violence social worker. According to the Australian Association of Social Workers (p12, 2010), social work is committed to three core values; respect for the person, social justice, and professional integrity. I strongly believe that I possess these core values and I will endeavor to use these in my profession. Good values are essential in the Human services industry thus I intend to uphold these values.

Initially, my view of social work was that the most impactful pillar of our work maintained dedication toward social justice. That was cultivated more specifically into what Heidemann, G., Fertig, R., Jansson, B., & Kim, H. (2011) stated “Social workers are mandated, through the profession's Code of Ethics, to challenge social injustice and pursue social change with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people” ( 37). Initially this seemed like an overwhelming undertaking, one that put me in a malaise because, where could I have impact that was impactful. Of the multiple levels of practice from which a social worker can focus, I was determined to make my mainstay on the micro level. Working with individuals and families impacted by oppression, the aim would be getting them to a better place in life or rather trying to improve their quality of life, as they defined and that seemed attainable. Selfishly, I believed the work would reward me a more rapidly with a sense of accomplishment that came from a short-term plan and goals. My interpretation of social work was supremely flawed, the scope of what was needed, to my embarrassment, was one dimensional.