How was your interest in social work developed? My interest in the social work profession has been cultivated by various experiences that I have had in my life, that have helped to shape who I am. My experience is the very personal story of growing up in a “middle class” family and watching my parents struggle with limited resources. My brother was born with cerebral palsy. He has stopped breathing and had multiple seizures on several different occasions. His condition required numerous hospitalizations and surgeries. I was born 6 years later a preemie, 3 months early. It was likely that I would not survive but against odds I did. Having 4 children and limited income was difficult enough but when I was two years old; a boy that no one knew …show more content…
For those in the audience who do not know what STAC is it is formally known as Southern Thirty Adolescent Center and I am currently employed there. While I don’t want to spend a lot of time talking about them I do want to give them praise for always being there to support me. We have been through some very difficult times (budget cuts and staff cuts) but we stuck together and found a way to support each other and the youth that we serve. I want to thank them for being some of the kindest and most intelligent people that I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from. I am extremely grateful that I get to call them not only my co-workers but also my friends. What has been the significance to you of your undergraduate education? The most significant part of my undergraduate education was the professors who shared not just theories but also real life scenarios. There is no disputing the importance of learning practical social work skills but I have always felt that social work isn’t a profession that can be broken down into a text book. The student centered approach at SIUC has helped me devople valuable social work skills on my own with the support of instructors. The undergraduate practicum internship goes along with this to further educate student and encourage them to explore the social work …show more content…
I could give you a text book resume style answer were I reverse psychology you with a weakness that is really a strength, like I’m too passionate about my work, or I’m a perfectionist but I live in the real world where people make real mistakes. On a side note, doing that would be like Luke (student) attempting to Jedi(teacher) mind trick Yoda; a nice Star Wars references to lighten the room. I have and will continue to make mistakes. I’m a procrastinator. I always get things done but never leave too many minutes unaccounted for. I like to see the good in people, which I have learned can sometimes make you naïve. I once took 3 kids to the YMCA at work and they stole $200 out of the bathroom and I did not for a second think they had anything to do with it, which they absolutely did. That can happen sometimes when you’re an optimist who doesn’t want to believe that people are capable of doing bad things. I will however, be the first to admit my mistakes and come up with a course of action to correct them. I always learn from my mistakes and try to never make the same mistake twice. I have always found that respect and laughter make the best work place, for employees and clients and that education and team work help to build strong and empowered employees. I will always stick up for what I believe is right and always speak up when I feel that something is wrong. So yes I could have given you a generic answer that 100 other people
I knew I loved to help others but it was not until I was an emerging adult that I knew what my calling was. My devotion to improve the quality of life for those who are disadvantaged is one of the reasons I have chosen to pursue a Master’s in Social Work. After obtaining my masters, I plan on diversifying my masters by getting licensed and becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I would like to study social work because I feel it will lead me directly to one of the most emotionally fulfilling careers available, as well as giving me the chance to combine helping people 's mental well being with their physical
My personal experience consists of me being a single parent with a special needs child. When my child was 3 years old, his doctor diagnosed him with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), I was completely in denial after finding out about my child 's mental health condition mainly because of his young age at the time. However, I still took advantage of the early intervention services that his doctor recommended. As my son got older, he entered public school and his mental health condition seemed to be getting worse. During this time he had been diagnosed with a second disorder called Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). That 's when I finally came to terms with myself and realized I had a special needs child that needed extensive mental health services. This became a very important social issue for me, because it interfered with his learning capabilities and social interaction amongst his peers. As a parent, I started researching about the disorders because I wanted to educate myself and gain as much information as I could about the mental disorders my son been diagnosed with. Moreover, I started working with special needs children and completing required trainings that focused on children with emotional, social and behavioral issues. As a result, my personal experience became the main reason that fostered me to start working on a career in the Social Service
A pre-practicum internship can be an extremely beneficial off campus endeavor that one can experience prior to the actual internship. The central rationale of pre-practicum is to add meaning to the educational undertakings of the student. Consequently, it facilitates tangible practices that embolden the association of theory and method. Pre-practicum affords an experiential gathering opportunity for students to relate ideas, information, and services gained in real situations to classroom discussion. It also allows students to assess the personal suitability of a prospective career choice and to develop an awareness of community services, economic underpinnings,
My passion to become a social worker began when I was pursuing an undergraduate degree.
I have had a lot of experience working with children, it began from volunteering at a daycare to babysitting my nephew. My passion for wanting to work with children started growing as i saw how fast a child can pick up on doing something if you give him the opportunity to. It helped me learn not to do the child's work for them but rather guide them through it as that is the best way in my point of view that was more effective.
In July 2013 I was struggling with the growth in my career and the direction I wanted
As a future social worker, I will do everything in my power to make sure each client is given that chance. The people that will be reaching out to me for assistance are undoubtedly vulnerable, and it’s my job to understand that they are inviting me into their life to help make changes. I truly understand the inherent value of every human life, regardless of religion, backgrounds, race, or ethnicity. Respect for others has been a value I have instilled since I was a child; however, I’ve seen others who have not been respected based upon their demographics, so joining the social work field allows me to give the vulnerable populations a voice.
My interest in social work stems from a love of volunteering that I possessed ever since I was a young child expressing great enthusiasm for church and school service events. As I grew older, I began volunteering for many other community events, such as serving over 200 hours at a local hospital, helping with free cancer screenings, and fitting children with free bike helmets. I even created my own donation drive for a local women’s and children’s shelter. I feel the best when I am striving to create positive changes in my community and for struggling, marginalized individuals. Social services have been a part of my life for a very long time, and I want it to continue to be on a professional level.
Pivot points in life are when your life changes in one direction or another because of an experience. When thinking about these in my life i get drawn back to a time a couple of summers ago. This was the first time I went to EFY. This was a pivot point in my life because it changed my outlook on life. This experience impacted my life in a large way and changed my life forever.
"Do not become a social worker. You will not make any money and you will be stressed out all the time." My maternal grandparents were foster care parents from the 1980 's until April of this year. In that time they hosted over 250 children from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds. As a child, I spent much of my time at my grandparents house and was exposed to the multiple aspects of the foster care system. I became close with the social workers who came to my grandmother 's house and when it came time for me to make a career choice, they all discouraged me from becoming a social worker. Despite their warnings I graduated with my Bachelor 's of Social Work from Saint Louis University in 2013 and began to work on my Master 's in Social Work in August of 2014.
My reasoning behind deciding to pursue a career in social work stems from my seemingly innate desire to see others succeed in fulfilling their potential. Although it feels somewhat of a cliché, my passion and desire for the field of social work originates from a genuine desire to make a positive difference in people’s lives. The one thing I have always known I'd like to do with my life is to help people. I'm applying for a job shadowing a social worker because essentially making a difference in people's lives is the most important aspect of a future career for me, than any other. This is certainly an area I would like to gain more knowledge of.
My passion for social work stems from both personal experiences and a love for helping others who have had similar experiences as myself. I grew up in an abusive home. The abuse was both physical and emotional. Growing up, I did not have many friends because my father wanted to have complete control over me, therefor did not let me go anywhere or do any after school activities. I felt
For years, when I thought of Social Workers, I imagined a person coming into a client’s home and taking their kids away for neglect. Later, I found out that social workers could go into so many dimensions, such as clinical social workers, case mangers, and even administrative positions in agency settings. Furthermore, I realized that I was maturing into an adult. For example, when I began telling people of my decisions to become a social worker, a lot ...
The main reason I chose the social work profession, manifested early within my stages of childhood. The importance of giving to and caring for those in need, were deeply embedded in my very soul. Being reared by my grandmother, a nurse and by my teenage mother, a psychology student, I was exposed constantly to acts of kindness and generosity. As a result to my empathetic personality, I was welcomed into many social and ethnic groups, not commonly open to a young gay black male. In these younger years with the assistance of my parents, my love for others allowed me to help other teenagers in crisis, often providing shelter, advice, monetary assistance and a listening
I chose to go into social work because the profession is not only my dream career, but my passion as well. The ability to call myself a social worker is not just my job title, but part of my identity. I have always wanted to make an impact on our world and be a leader in my generation, and social work is where my personal skill set and strengths will be best put to use. As the last 4 years in my undergraduate studies have rolled along, I have developed my unique, personal traits alongside brilliant minds belonging to the future social workers of America. Many of which plan on going right out into the field and using their degrees to make an immediate impact in their local communities. For me, I would love the opportunity to further hone my