Core Competency 1
Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly.
Social workers serve as representatives of the profession, its mission, and its core values. They know the profession’s history. Social workers commit themselves to the profession’s enhancement and to their own professional conduct and growth. Social workers
This core competency is important to social work because you need to be able to change your methods to be successful. The first code in the Code of Ethics is Commitment to Clients. This code states, "Social workers’ primary responsibility is to promote the wellbeing of clients." The more you can grow and change as a social worker the better you will be able to serve your client and promote their well being. This competency also states that a social worker should always act in a professional manner and never cross the boundaries of a client’s privacy. This is also a code in the Code of Ethics. This code is called Privacy and Confidentiality and it states, "Social workers should respect clients’ right to privacy." And "social workers should protect the confidentiality of all information obtained in the course of professional service, except for compelling professional reasons."
SELF-EFFICACY SCORE: 3
Practice behavior one: advocate for client access to the services of social work;
As a social worker it is your duty to offer all clients access to all necessary services and to advocate for those clients so they get the best possible service. To ensure that the service is the best service possible, it is important to be able to identify service delivery issues such as violations of confidentiality or informed consent. In learning log 3, I wrote about some instances when confidentiality at The Children's Study Home is violated. I have begun to recognize different times where service delivery could be compromised, however I have not done much to change these violations. For example, at The Children's Study Home there is a lot of office talk where clients’ names are shared, and the office door is wide open to the hall where many clients walk by throughout the day. If any of the clients over heard their name or someone else's name being discussed, service delivery could be compromised.
In my junior year macro internship at Out Now, I learned about advocating for an oppressed population. I was able to use what I learned at Out Now when I co-organized and co-ran a fundraiser to advocate for people of the LGBTQ population and spread the word that there is support in Springfield. Overall I gave myself a score of three for this practice behavior because I have a lot of experience with advocating for clients; however I have not done much to change service delivery issues within agencies I have interned at.
SELF-EFFICACY SCORE: 3
Children's Study Home: Learning Log 3 due week of Oct 12.doc
Out Now: Learning Log 8.doc
Practice behavior two: practice personal reflection and self-correction to assure continual professional development;
Nobody is perfect and social workers are not an exception to that. It is important as a social worker to be able to personally reflect and self-correct to continue to develop as a social worker. Having weekly learning logs allows me to be able to self reflect on what I have done that week and look back on what I could have done differently. In learning log 1, from my first two weeks at The Children's Study Home, I discussed my thoughts and feelings on the difficulties of reflecting with a supervisor in a case management agency due to the busy nature of the job. I felt it would ultimately teach me to personally reflect and learn to use my writing as a reflection tool. Once I am able to look back and reflect effectively on what happened I will be able to use that process to help me to correct any issues that may have happened. As a social work student, practicing both self reflection and self-correction is essential to my future success in the field of social work. I gave myself a four for this practice behavior because I have the ability to self reflect both through writing and through discussions with others; however I believe I can still learn more about self reflection.
SELF-EFFICACY SCORE: 4
Children's Study Home: Learning Log 1 due week of Sept 14.doc
Rick's Place: learning log 2.doc
Practice behavior three: attend to professional roles and boundaries;
As a social worker you wear different hats, meaning that you have multiple different roles. These roles include advocator, educator, counselor, case manager, and student. Through my time at Western New England I have worn all of these hats in the field of social work, and I continue to build my skills in each role. I have attached many different learning products that showcase my ability to have many different professional roles as a social worker. First, I have attached a learning log from my time while interning at Out Now, where I advocated on behalf of the LGBTQ community. Next, I included a learning log from my work at The Children's Study Home, where I was a case manager. In this learning log I discussed that my supervisor left for the week due to a workshop and I had to cover many of his clients. This happened early on in my internship and I took on the duty because I felt it would push me out of my comfort zone. Lastly, I have attached a case note about a group I facilitated at Rick's Place. Rick's Place is an organization where families that have experienced a significant loss in their life can come to get help and as facilitators we work with them to help overcome their grief.
As a social worker it is important to be able to keep professional boundaries. At Rick's Place I struggled with the authority and friendship relationship. The group I was facilitating was children who were only a couple of years younger than me and it was hard to show authority because we were so close in age. Also, I did not want them to view me as a friend because that would be an inappropriate relationship. I gave myself a three for this practice behavior because I feel that I have the ability to adapt and fill many different roles, however I sometimes struggle with the authority/friendship relationship, which comes with age and experience.
SELF-EFFICACY SCORE: 3
Out Now: Learning Log 8.doc
Children's Study Home: Learning Log 5 due week of Nov. 9.doc
Rick's Place: case note 17.doc
Practice behavior four: demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and communication
I always strive to behave in a professional demeanor, through appearance and communication. My learning log from The Children's Study Home demonstrate my professional demeanor in my communication skills, as well as my ability to appear as a professional. In addition to The Children's Study Home's learning log, I learned and demonstrated professional communication skills through my time interning and volunteering at Ricks Place, as you can see in case note #4. I gave myself a four in this practice behavior because I understand how to act and dress appropriately as a professional. Also, I understand how to communicate effectively at most times, however there are times that I have difficulty communicating effectively and professionally.
SELF-EFFICACY SCORE: 4
Ricks Place: Case Notes 3.doc
Children's Study Home: Learning Log 3 due week of Oct 12.doc
Practice behavior five: engage in career-long learning; and
As a social worker, is important to commit to career-long learning. I have attended and participated in multiple outside activities that show my career-long desire for education. Also, I plan on getting my Masters Degree in social work through an advanced standing program as well as possibly receiving my Doctorate in social work at sometime in my life. Last year, during my internship at Out Now, I attended many conferences but the most influential to my learning was about safe schools within Springfield. This meeting was open to the public and anyone could come voice their stories and opinions about "safe" schools. I also continue to volunteer my time at Rick's Place this year to continue my learning in facilitating groups and helping children and families over come very difficult times.
I gave myself a five in this category because I enjoy learning and I believe people should be life-long learners. I am also a firm believer in the idea of weekly or monthly work shops for employees in agencies because new techniques and different styles can give you a different outlook on delivering services to clients.
SELF-EFFICACY SCORE: 5
Workshop: workshop.doc
Empowerment: safe schools.doc
Practice behavior six: use supervision and consultation appropriately.
As a social worker it is important to establish a schedule and follow that schedule for supervision. I have not always had an established supervision schedule. Last year at Out Now it was not until week six that I had supervision meetings that were separate from our initial meetings. However, last year at Rick's Place, the schedule was established and followed closely. As you can see in case note #3, I communicated effectively during supervision and we covered many topics, such as my strengths and weaknesses, building healthy relationships, and what I have to work on to become a better social worker.
I gave myself a three for this behavior because I always consult appropriately and effectively during supervision, however this year at the Children's Study Home it can be difficult to find times to sit down and have supervision so we do it whenever and wherever possible. Also, supervision almost never lasts an hour because my questions are asked and answered throughout the day, outside of supervision.
SELF-EFFICACY SCORE: 3
Out Now: Learning Log 6.doc
Rick's Place: Case Notes 3.doc