Essay on Social Work – Self-Evaluation

In social work, it is often argued that the motivation to join the course and career in the field of social work is often driven by service to the people as opposed to monetary rewards. That is why being aware of social outcomes and values and the right attitude is of paramount importance. Therefore, having a self-reviewing of the skills and gauging my readiness for the next course of learning is essential; hence my focus will be more on my learning in the knowledge, skills and attitude areas. (Germain & Knight, (2021)

When knowledge is experienced deeply, then it can turn out to be our very own wisdom. I have gained a lot of knowledge about peers’ psychological, physical, and social requirements when they are growing up. They usually go through a lot of difficulties in life during maturity. The environment generally influences children they are in. the environment I am talking about can include the style of parenting the particular children have been accorded, a conflict between the parents, and even the age-mates the children interact with. That is why I am well equipped in terms of knowledge to deal with children of different backgrounds even before my first placement. The experiences of such children are what determines how they conduct themselves when interacting with people. That is why some peers will be violent while others will be calm. Social influences cause all this. That is why if I were to become a school social worker, I believe that my knowledge about peers is very articulate.

The conceptual framework is crucial when guiding me in my practice as a professional social worker in the future. (Howe,2017) In my course of learning, we have applied several theories and models. They include a task-centered group work approach, solution focus therapy and the social learning theory. I have a better understanding of these theories. But the thing about being a social worker is that you deal with people from diverse backgrounds. Therefore, different people will come to me with various problems that require solutions. My point is that there is the need to modify the other models and theories to suit people from different backgrounds. For example, in the family systems theory, I am better positioned to advise a family needing my assistance to try various ways of doing things. I can advise a parent to finds ways on how to maintain different boundaries with his child. This is because a family is a social system whereby therapy uses that theory to realize the growth of a client.

What drives human behavior? This is a question that cannot be ignored in the field of social work. As I have realized through class learning, the behavior and learning theory are two essential tools for social workers. I can deduce how past experiences have influenced present-day behaviors and then come up with a different approach to provide sufficient care to the targeted groups of people. (Muurinen & Kääriäinen,2021 pg. 1-10) I have been a great supporter of social learning theory, and I still hope and expect I will still use it even in my placement to impact the lives of different people. This is because the tenets of social learning theory dictate that learning takes place through observation and then imitating what you have observed. For example, if I watch a role model in the field scoring a goal using a different style, I will try to imitate how that model scored.

The other one that has caught my attention through learning up to this far is behaviorism and behavioral theory. Through development since childhood, I hold the view that behavior is usually acquired through conditions. That is why behaviorism and behavioral theory will be very instrumental even when I go into my field of practice. Even during our formative days in schools, we were rewarded if we worked well in class and passed exams. The rewards acted as a source of motivation; hence we were conditioned to work hard in class to get the rewards.

Consequently, even in social work, I will be dealing with people having different problems. A person addicted to drug abuse can be promised some rewards so that he gradually stops using drugs. With time, that particular person will be conditioned to abandon using drugs the results will be positive.

Being a social worker dictates you possess some core skills such as service, dignity, social justice and maintenance of the worthiness of a person. (Teater, 2019). These traits are fundamental to me because I will be faced with several ethical dilemmas in the course of my work. The decisions I will make must be based on the National Association of Social Workers, which is a standard guide for the conduct of social workers in the country. There will be incidences in my placement when my ethical obligations are in direct conflict with the laws of the urgency. I will be working in. in such a situation I purpose that I will take responsible steps to resolve the dispute in a manner that is in line with the values and principles that have been stipulated. In areas where there is no amicable resolution to a particular conflict, it is a good idea I seek consultation because no man is an island.

In my learning, I have realized that a code of ethics does not translate to ethical behavior. (Turner, Ed. 2017). Ethical behavior is only learned when the code of ethics is followed in the letter. Code of ethics will also not resolve all the ethical issues concerning a specific community. Therefore, my conduct as a social worker in the near future should mainly be guided by my commitment to doing what is proper and ethical. Human beings are blessed with innate abilities that dictate to them what is right and what is wrong.

In many cases, areas of social worker require confidentiality between the client and the social worker. With the growth of communication technology, I need to be aware of the challenges of maintaining confidentiality during this time. Confidentiality is what sometimes shows the level of professional competence of a social worker. But we should agree that the code of ethics applies to whether interactions and relationships between a social worker are in person or through technology. I have to continue learning how to incorporate technology and a code of ethics to ensure that I don’t fall short in my placement.

Even during my career as a social worker, I am aware that being professional-self-care crucial to my well-being. It forms part of the competent and ethical social work practice. I know I might experience professional demands, exposure to trauma, and challenging work conditions in my placement. All these challenges point to the fact that social workers should maintain personal and professional safety. And suppose this is a gap in the social worker fraternity. In that case, it will be a noble idea if I started advancing for it after my placement so that social workers will be viewed as all-around individuals without looking at what they contribute to society and forgetting their well-being.

Relationship building skills are fundamental in social work practice. (Carey,2017) Up to this far, I know how to build trustful relationships from my interaction with my classmates and teachers. But building trusting relationships in school is very different from the field of social work. In social work, I will have to undertake my roles in the eyes of my colleagues and supervisors. The key to being accepted in social work is to approach clients in a kind and polite manner. The ability to build interpersonal relationships is not inborn. I will have to keep learning it from time to time. In the placement, most of the inquiries will require excellent listening skills, empathy, and general acceptance. It is high time that I start being more sensitive to listening to others. After listening, I will deduce the critical words of the conversation so that the specific problem can be approached with ease.

From the past learning about social work, I believe that I am very prepared for my first placement as far as knowledge is concerned. To make social work enjoyable and fulfilling, we should view it to transform the lives of others through our contributions. The minor improvements needed will be rectified before proceeding to the placement, while the remaining gains will be realized in the field.

References

Carey, M. (2017). Qualitative research skills for social work: Theory and practice. Routledge.

Howe, D. (2017). An introduction to social work theory. Routledge.

Gould, N., & Taylor, I. (2017). Reflective learning for social work: research, theory and practice.

Germain, C., & Knight, C. (2021). The life model of social work practice. Columbia University Press.

Muurinen, H., & Kääriäinen, A. (2021). Using Theory in Practice–An Intervention Supporting Research Dissemination in Social Work. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 1-10.

Teater, B. (2019). An Introduction to Applying Social Work Theories and Methods 3e. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).

Turner, F. J. (Ed.). (2017). Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches. Oxford University Press.