The following essay is based on the statement of intent I submitted with my application for the BSW program and furthers my reflection on how my personal growth and development throughout my personal, professional and educational experiences influence my outlook and future goals as a returning professional. Before entering the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program at McGill I worked as a health care activist and was motivated to continue working in this capacity after completing the degree, however, through the various classes, course material, and peer discussions I have been able to deepen my thought process and refine my critical thinking on how I can use the multiple components of my life experiences to better contribute to the solution …show more content…
These concepts combined with my experiences with poverty, abuse, neglect, stigma, and the restrictions these elements had on my ability to meet developmental milestones at the same rate as my peers’ influences my association with others who are different from me but are experiencing the same hardships. I also recognize that, at times, I distance myself when working with parents who have similar tendencies as my mother, to be abusive/neglectful to their own children and blame them or others for it. My experience with poverty and my Grandmere’s guidance on the importance of self-sustainability also influences the manner I used when working with impoverished populations, as I understand how elements of poverty are also linked to social exclusion. It is largely because of the course material from Human Development Across the Lifespan, Anti-Oppressive Practice, and Critical Thoughts and Ethics that I am able to draw these lines and make connections. I am also motivated to strengthen families’ support systems and ties to their community so that they can improve their quality of life. If it were not for the course material from Approaches to Community Practice and Working With Families and Individuals I & II, I would not have been able to clarify my motivations by naming my thoughts, feelings, values and relating them to theory, and learning …show more content…
I did not even realize that my occupation as an activist was referred to as indirect-social work until 2010, seven years after I secured a paying job in an activist group. However, I remember the moment when I realized I needed to go back to school. I was in Egypt; I had just spent the night climbing Mount Sinai to see the sunrise over the Sinai Mountains. There are thousands of people who follow a pilgrimage to Mount Sinai each year to stand on the very spot Moses stood when he received the Ten Commandments. My guide told me that some African families save money for a decade so that one honoured family member can participate in the pilgrimage. After spending 6 hours climbing, I sat on the highest peak next to a groups of people from various nationalities, who were singing hymns and praying with their faces and lips pressed against the stones. I felt overwhelmed with emotions, I felt touched, blessed, and honoured to have the privilege of being present and to have the opportunity to observe people in such a state of complete absorption in their faith. I am not at all a religious person but I respect and appreciate how for some people their faith is the driving force of their lives and how their associations offer social networks and essential services (house, food banks, elder-care) that increase the quality of life
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
I began my social work studies over twenty-five years ago at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. I never questioned my decision to pursue a career in social work; I loved my classes and worked hard to learn as much as possible. But the information I gained in undergraduate school simply opened the doors of my education. Most of my learning has come through constant questioning, personal research, and especially through work and life experience. Through these experiences I have encountered the challenges faced by individuals, families, and society and have been able to further access and develop the innate personality traits and abilities that originally led me to study social work as well as learn and practice the many skills necessary to be a successful mental health counselor.
My main reason for applying to the Simmons School of Social Work is that it is an accredited university with an excellent reputation as an educational institution and offers an MSW program that is predominantly online. I attended Thomas Edison State University online and earned my bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.9. Once I made the decision to continue my education, I searched for MSW programs that were available online with CSWE accreditation in compliance with New Jersey State social work licensure. I found that Simmons’s specialized program in clinical social work is well suited for my educational needs.
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
Am I ready for a journey of self- awareness as part of the process of becoming a social worker? Once I acknowledged these questions, I began my educational journey towards a career in social services. A field in which I believe is my life’s
Masters of Social Work Personal Statement Everyone goes through times in their lives when they are not sure as to where they want to go in life or what their intent is. I always knew that my generic life intent was to help others, but that was never a good enough reason for me. Even up through my sophomore year of undergraduate studies, I did not know exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. It was the exhilaration of providing children with the thought that they could do anything they wanted to and be whoever they wanted to be that made me realize what my life's plan was. Realizing that my obstacles, my experiences, and my unsureness was exactly what I needed to go through in order to understand that I needed to be that encouragement, that perseverance, and that voice that advocated for youth.
Social Work is a distinctive practice and an ever-changing field in our world today. A few especially intriguing aspects of this profession are the wide spectrum of its professional values and ethics, appreciation for human diversity, and the emphasis on social and economic justice. With such widespread approaches and focuses, a master 's degree in Social Work would open endless and exciting possibilities for my future. However, I believe that before a career is even considered, one must examine their personal motivations and influences.
Indian nationalist leader Mahatma Gandhi once stated, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”. This simple yet powerful quote motivates me to remain steadfast in the mission of aiding others. I’m pursing a Masters in social work because by working in this field, I can educate, advocate, motivate, understand, and encourage resilience to clients from every walk of life. It is a profession that will allow me to practice both on a micro and macro level simultaneously. Lastly, working in social work gives me the capacity to challenge policies affecting disadvantaged communities.
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.
Witnessing social injustices, homelessness, child abuse, discrimination among those disabled has made me empathetic to others and has motivated me in wanting to create social change. While working at Borough of Manhattan Community College[BMCC] Admissions office, I have been able to see the many factors that make it difficult for many to make it through college among them lack of resources, social challenges. Lack of effective communication between students, teachers and school also contributes to the difficulties I see student face the majority of time. Students who have a disability are restricted, placed in awkward situations due to insufficient accessibility within schools. Ignorance, lack of awareness, discrimination within students, staff members makes it problematic for these students to seek help resulting in alienation. Having the opportunity to work with students daily, helping them transition from high school to college, advising them, becoming aware of daily issues have resulted in my desire to serve students and families.
More so, to discuss the entirety of the connection between my classroom lectures and my internship would be lengthy and difficult to accomplish. However, I will discuss the aspects that were instantly noticeable that would be difficult to notice without the classroom lectures on the social worker occupation. For instance, one thing I learned about social work, I learned from my Intervention Method in the Helping Profession class. In the class taught by Dr. Hodges, I learned about client empowerment. In the book assigned to the class client empowerment is defined as to enhance the capacity, or power, of clients to address their life concerns (Walsh, 2009, p.16). I interpret this concept as a social worker that we are to develop a positive sense self-worth and competence about their life. I observed in my field placement at UMD by addressing
I have chosen to undertake my course (MA Social Research Methods and Social Policy) due to my direct professional and personal connection and experience with the effects of social policy. Durham University plays an enormous role in community life both at College and Unviersity level; my experience so far has enabled me to develop a range of skills that I would love to be able to contribute – for example, in project development, fundraising, and community and stakeholder engagement and involvement. My line of work has provided me with a wealth of experience in supporting others – for example, through working with young people, supporting families and organisations to navigate the challenges of austerity, and survivors of domestic/sexual abuse. I would like to apply some of this experience, and support other students through the welfare
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.
I am applying to the two year program at Stony Brook University because I want to further my education so that I can pursue my goal of helping others achieve a successful and productive life. My passion originates from realizing that there is a need for social workers who can make a difference in people’s life by being supportive and providing the necessary aid needed for everyday survival. Therefore, I believe by completing my master’s degree in social work I can help build a better world by providing care and services that is imperative and vital for survival. There have been many experiences that have influenced my goal to be a social worker. I have learned through personal and profession experience that helping people can have a huge impact.
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.