Social Work Staff and Students Involved in the Social Work Profession in Institutions of Higher Learning

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the experience of social work staff and students involved in the social work profession in institutions of higher learning. The rationale for professional self-evaluation is to outline personal achievements and accomplishments as a social worker. In this regard, I will explore my interest in social work which includes impacting lives through offering services to clients, for instance, listening to their needs ranging from small children to adults struggling with issues like addictions. Besides, I am interested in social work because it offers opportunities to meet different challenges every day and provide solutions to the client's needs. The topics to handle in this exciting course include care plan of patients, assessment process, identifying their problems and setting goals, intervention required, evaluation, doing self-reflection, setting weekly objectives and interventions and eventually doing an assessment to determine progress.

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Self-awareness

Interest in social work

I am interested in social work because it offers several opportunities to make a difference in people's lives. I love challenging, but rewarding opportunities and social work provide the chance. It is because every day I will meet different challenges for instance families living in poverty, those struggling with drug addictions, sexually abused clients and this problems give me an opportunity to help them go through this situations and looking for possible solutions. The tough first-hand challenges are what motivate me, and the outcome of impacting lives is what draws me to social work. Similarly, social work offers flexible career options because the field is full with the different task, for instance, one can work with children and switch to working with adults or work with the sexually abused and turn to helping the drug addicts. Besides, one can work in different institutions for instance hospitals, schools, and rehabilitation centers among others and this helps in building my career profile. Additionally, the demand for social workers is on the rise, and this means ready jobs are awaiting social workers. It motivates me because there is less trouble in job search after school.

Personal Strengths

My main strengths include excellent communication skills, and this will help me to get information from clients and guide them efficiently towards finding a solution to the issues facing them. I also pay attention to details and this is an essential element when collecting information as nothing significant will be lost. Another great strength that I have is that I am understanding and this will help me to quickly attend to any target group that assigned because I can immediately identify with their situations. Also, I have a high personal degree of responsibility, and I always ensure that I accomplish any task assigned to me regardless of the magnitude of the challenges associated with it. Similarly, solving adverse conditions is my potency, and this is a frequent situation is experienced with clients seeking help. I am always passionate about my work, and regardless of the challenging conditions, nothing can break me down until a task is accomplished.

Social work practice

Service

The primary services that I will offer to clients involve identifying problems, and this is a particular need that the client wants to be addressed. It will include the cause of the problem and align it with a possible solution. I will also identify the goals of the client which encompasses what the client wants depending on their different situations. The types of goals will be numerous because there are various problems to handle. Some of the goals will be identifying a skill to apply, finding a solution to the conflict and making relevant decisions among others.

Social justice

My typical work will be to ensure that all my clients get justice in the societies in which they live. Social justice entails providing that my clients who include both children and adults get fair and equal opportunities in the community and that they are heard and involved in decision making. These principles of social justice apply to the poor, disabled, and elderly, sexually abused among other groups. I will ensure that human dignity is upheld at all times through creating responsiveness ion communities and emphasis on care and respect of all persons. My role will also be to promote the general welfare of individuals by strengthening relationships among people. Besides, I will respect my client's diversity and the difference, for instance, the poverty-stricken, marginalized among others who are discriminated. Also, I will ensure that my clients get to know their rights and responsibilities so that they are exploited. I will also pursue change on behalf of my clients.

Dignity and worth of the person

In my practice as a social worker, I will respect the worth and the dignity of my clients because it is one of the ethical values in my profession. It will entail embracing every person's diversity and cultural difference, promoting the client's capacity to change and attend to their needs. Besides, I will encourage clients to be socially responsible and be cognizant of their duty in the society. Also, I will ensure that the client's sort issues with the community in an amicable manner that will enhance acceptance and respect. When all the above problems are addressed, every person will be dignified.

Integrity

I will ensure that I maintain the integrity of the highest level through constant application of ethical standards, principles, values, missions efficiently and consistently. Additionally, I will work candidly and ensure that I am always responsible for the promotion of ethical standards within my area of jurisdiction.

Competence

To be competent, I will consistently develop and promote my professional expertise to be more knowledgeable in handling issues that I encounter every day. It will involve engaging in constant research to build my career path and handle more problem concerning the daily needs of my clients. Besides, it will require engaging evidence-based research to boost knowledge and skills.

Looking Forward

Professional challenges

Some of the challenges facing social workers today include a shortage of staff leading to burnouts. The most organization today advocate for using fewer resources to achieve much, but this is an issue that has dramatically affected the social workers. A social worker can be both in the micro and macro environments, and this reduces the efficiency of the person. Similarly, social workers, today receive little support from the government, and this limits their work as they are supposed to work hand in hand with the legal authorities. Also, social workers are not given time to rest and share what they go through with other people. In most case, they suffer from vicarious trauma because of what they listen from their clients. At times the pay given to a social worker is little compared to the workload they handle.

Summary of a self-care plan

The key components that a social worker needs to consider when taking care of themselves include, looking after their physical body. This entails hygiene, the food they eat, exercise and ensuring that they get medical attention when they are ill. Additionally, they need to take care of their emotional health which encompasses controlling their anger, anxiety, worries among other issues that can weigh them down. Taking care of the mental health is also another significant component of self-care this will involve what one engages in, thinks and handles it requires sharing to avoid straining the brain. The spiritual well being is also necessary a social worker needs to belong to a body where spiritual nourishment is given this is important for the soul. The key components entail spiritual, physical, emotional and mental.

References

DuBois, B. L., & Miley, K. K. (2013). Social work: An empowering profession. Pearson Higher Ed.

Hepworth, D. H., Rooney, R. H., Rooney, G. D., & Strom-Gottfried, K. (2016). Empowerment Series: Direct social work practice: Theory and skills. Nelson Education.

Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (2013). A social psychological analysis. The social psychology of health and illness, 227.