Social Work Personal Statement Essay

Completing my master’s degree in social work creates a better opportunity and a brighter career path. I am extremely excited about working in this field. The thought of helping

There are several goals that I hope to achieve by pursuing a graduate degree in Social Work. Pursuing a MSW will provide me with the knowledge, tools, and skills-set that will be fundamental to the achievement my career goals outlined below.

Social work is a career that I have always been interested in, especially working with children and families. Helping people overcome obstacles and making the most of themselves is a very rewarding and yet a challenging career. I’ll have the chance to meet a variety of different people with different problems from cases of abuse and neglect as well as supporting those in the care system. I am particularly interested in working with children and families who often form the most vulnerable service users, developing a professional and trusting relationship with them, hopefully enabling them to participate fully in society.

My passion for helping the vulnerable is one reason I ‘am inspired to become a social worker. I also want to be available to provide support to those who have nowhere else to turn. My experience in social work has taught me to celebrate the small victories towards positive changes. I look forward to gaining the skills and knowledge to aid me in becoming a successful social worker.

Prior to being in graduate school I was not fully aware of all the opportunities and experiences in social work. I have since gained more knowledge of macro level opportunities in the field of social work, such as advocating for human rights, and social justice. I have also been presented with the chance to tackle tough policies that directly impacts clients that I have interacted with through my experience in social work. I plan to continue to identify weakness in various systems to promote social justice, and learn more ways to change social institutions to be more humane and

Entry 1 On this module you have explored what might have led you to join the social work profession. Why is it important to think about your motivations for becoming social workers and how might this affect the way you practice? Why is self-awareness important in social work practice? Given your own unique background, what areas of social work might you find challenging and why?

The decision to take the clinical route as a second year MSW graduate student, was one that took no hesitation to make. My passion for children and the preservation of families have been a propelling factor in my Social Work career; both academically and professionally. These two entities have motivated me to remain steadfast on the journey to obtaining my MSW so I can continue to be a vessel for children and families who are in need of support and empowerment. The clinical spectrum of social work practice has strengthened my ability to work proficiently with multiple clients and perform well when assisting families in different realms of social work practice. The knowledge gained during my four years as an undergraduate BSW student and

M1: Assess how a care worker can contribute to providing a positive experiencing for uses of social care services

The journey towards the attainment of the Bachelor of the social work degree has been an enlightening and educational experience, as the individual is exposed to the realities of many social and political issues in the society. As a student, I ventured into the degree, with minimal insight as to how the degree can influence and shape the way I perceive the social world, and the way I relate these matters to myself. However, throughout my endeavour, which encompasses years of theoretical studies, and two intensive placements at two drastically different organisations, I believe I have accumulated the bare minimal knowledge to possess a solid foundation about the unfairness and inequality that people in disadvantaged conditions face. Social workers are predominantly found in welfare organisations which Howe (as cited in Limber, 2015) suggested largely influences the practice, direction and values of the social worker, and impacts on their ability to act autonomously (Lymbery, 2015). During my placements, there was a dominant theme that frequently stood out and enticed my attention. This was the accepted practice of focusing on the individual’s problem, as opposed to the social problems that existed and the lack of acknowledgement about the social restrictions of the human agency that limited self-determination. The realization that organisations were managed this way was important in ensuring that I made a proactive effort to understand and untangle the reasons behind such

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.

Statement of Purpose Growing up I never saw myself pursuing a career in social work, yet with age comes the discovery of true passions, mine being social work. I’ve always thought that social work consisted of people in an office taking kids from their home. Doing research, recommended by Mrs. Wall, I found this to be untrue. Mrs. Wall, a school counselor, and my mentor, occasionally visited my mother’s job and spoke with me about my schooling and career options. I shared with her that I ultimately wanted to help children through counseling and she told me that a social work degree would allow me to do more than just help one child.

Personal Statement When choosing Troy University four and half years ago, I was not aware of what God would have in store for me. I began freshman year pursuing a degree in nursing, a far stretch from where I am today. When it came time to declare a major, I knew I wanted to enter into a field that would allow me to live out my passion daily. At the time nursing seemed to be the field that would help others. However, a few semesters later, God showed me that my passion to help others would best be served out in another field.

My interests lie in pursuing a Master’s degree in the field of Social Work. I find that this profession offers a unique mix of interdisciplinary fields; it includes theories from economics, education, sociology, medicine, philosophy, politics, psychology, and anti-oppressive and anti-racist discourse. I find this area of study very exciting. It is a fast growing area of study with tremendous potential. Social Work is a professional and academic discipline committed to the pursuit of social welfare, social change, and social justice.

My mother was a strong and independent woman who worked every day cleaning houses to put food on the table, she laid the foundation for my own personal strength as a woman. My mother also struggled with an undiagnosed mental health disorder, one that made her socially awkward. I always used to say that my mother “had the fastest hand on the west” a believer in hitting first and perhaps asking question later. It was during my early years that I developed a way of working with my mum and seeing the impact of mental health. Learning such skills as a young person is one reason why I chose the social work world and because I connect so well with people with addictions and mental health disorders is one reason why I have chosen this area for graduate studies.

I was in grade 10 when I thought of becoming a social worker. As social worker practitioner the fields that interest me to work in is domestic violence and child abuse because I want to make change to the society. Also Mahatma Gandhi was my major inspiration through this quote “Be the change that you wish to see in the world”. Than an idea came to me, why not involve my contribution to the wide variety of communities. My communication with school counsellors and social workers has impacted my choice of desiring to study social work. I realised that if I have had a chance of seeing a social worker when I was young, things would have been much easier and less stressful. I want to provide opportunities that I did not encounter to other people. This essay will reflect my past experience, motivation and why I want to be a social worker, values, beliefs and theory of practice.