Two years have passed while hours have been poured into extensive research on every avenue outside of social work, from a Masters in Public Health to a Masters in International Affairs, each seeming as though they might provide the most benefits in future endeavors or leading towards this elusive path I thought I was seeking. At the completion of countless hours of research, I found my heart and mind consistently return to the core, where I started, a Masters in Social Work. With a MSW, a multitude of positions in various specialties, populations, and settings are available, but beyond the versatility of a MSW, a social worker is simply who I am at the core and never a career path I had a say in choosing.
One and a half years in the Peace
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I would have the knowledge but not the appreciation nor the perspective of what being a social worker means. Now, two years later, I have but a sliver of insight, a tiny peephole into the world of social work, but an awareness and realization I look forward to building upon as I expand my skills. Upon completing my postgraduate courses, I look forward to expanding my horizons in the social work field whether that be within a government agency or a non-government agency and growing my sliver of insight into a more expansive portion in the field. Currently, I ideally see myself working for an organization based in the United States who assists in refugee resettlement locally and abroad. Acting as a refugee youth advocate to ensure their voice is heard and they can thrive into young adulthood, not merely …show more content…
Increase the number of ‘International Schools’ or schools for immigrants and refugees nationwide. The International High School at Langley Park (IHLSP), was one of the first of its kind (Posner, 2017). These schools focus on English language learning while also teaching other useful skills students will need in their everyday lives. Schools such as IHLSP could be a bridge into a ‘regular’ public high school or retain students and prepare them for either college or the workforce. They would help students learn English, acclimate to the culture, and catch up if they have fallen behind without feeling singled out or
Social work is a career that finds and chooses you, rather than you selecting it. Social work has always been an immense portion of my life even when I had no recollection of what social work entailed. My life revolved around so many situations that had a social worker stepped in, my life would be totally different than it is today. Many individuals and agencies lack the compassion and empathy for oppressed people. Having been in many circumstances, has given me the experience and background that influenced me to go into social work, as well as the understanding of my role and responsibilities that I will assume as a professional social worker, and my reasons for selecting the program at ASU School of Social Work and thoughts on how the Mission Statement addresses my career goals.
I believe social work is a passion and is consistent with my personality traits: loyalty, commitment, and personal servitude. This passion coupled with the forthcoming skills gained from an MSW degree at Florida International University, I will have the honor of becoming a professional social worker with unlimited possibilities to advocate, provide direct services or lead an organization-all of which will lead to my ultimate goal of positively affecting the lives of vulnerable people. FIU offers a quality, high-intensity program that will surely equip me with the tools to do this great profession and act of public service
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.
Completing my master’s degree in social work creates a better opportunity and a brighter career path. I am extremely excited about working in this field. The thought of helping
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.
On many levels, I secretly desire to be this professional social worker that has experienced many different realms of social work practice. As I maneuver through my first couple days of field, many questions run through my mind as to what’s to be expected of a master’s level social work. Although, I’ve only had the pleasure of working children and families as a social worker; it has broaden my desire to want to know more.
Social work involves passionate individuals who are dedicated to helping others by providing services to vulnerable children, families or individuals in need, while constantly looking for ways in which we can improve society. This discipline is dedicated to helping people find solutions to their problems in order to make the world a better place. I chose this field of study, because I find the job of a social worker rewarding. I have always enjoyed helping others and knowing that I have made a difference in someone’s life. It is no secret that this is a challenging career; however, the feeling of knowing that you made the world a better place is indescribable. I have simply decided to make my passion of helping others into a career. I know that in order to make my passion a career I will need to get the best education and training possible.
My interest in social work could date back to senior middle school. When seeing the news reporting primary school students’ life in Guizhou, I organized a donation in my grade to collect clothes and books for children living in the remote area of China. I managed to persuade all my classmates and teachers to join in, even when everyone was so absorbed in preparing for the University Entrance Examination. During carrying out this project, I felt so fulfilled and got to realize there was more I could do to help. That was when I decided to conduct charity work, but not until I chose social work as my major, did I recognize how I could realize my expectations in an empowering way.
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
Helping people is something I have always felt like I am supposed to do. The mission and responsibilities of social workers, especially as it is laid out in the Columbia University School of Social Work mission statement, seamlessly aligns with my vision for how to best utilize my experience and passions. Specifically, I hope to use social work to address social justice issues and help empower individuals who cannot advocate for themselves due to societal barriers. Experiences in my personal life and volunteer and work positions have culminated in my decision to pursue a MSW. Knowing that there is a major need for workers in the field of social services, and that my life experiences and interests are aligned with a career attuned to serving individuals, families, and
After I graduated from the University of California Santa Barbara I was unsure what my next step would be. Of course I was anxious since I did not have experience working nor did I excel in my undergrad studies however, I knew I needed to use my newly earned degree in a positive way. Fast forward, after working for two years, I have gained the skills, knowledge and values from my work experiences that have confirmed my desire to advance my education in the social work field. I currently have my own case load of clients as a case manager at a level 12 group home but it’s time to take the next step forward. I want to ultimately advance social justice and provide services to assist individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
Social Work is a profession concerned with helping individuals, families, groups and communities to enhance their individual and collective well-being. I chose to seek a degree in this field because I find this to be a very rewarding career choice. To obtain a degree in a career that essentially makes a difference in people’s lives is extremely important to me. I have worked as a medical assistant for over 10 years, and although I love my job I would like to work closer with the people that I serve. I realize from working with people with intellectual disabilities that my passion lies with helping and assisting individuals. It takes a special person to work in social services because this is a field where advocating and assisting are a forte. I would like to obtain my Bachelors of Art in Social Work and work with children. After, I have worked in the field for at least a year I would like to continue postgraduate studies in lure of earning my master’s in social work. My ultimate goal is to obtain both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work and specialize in case management assisting both children and veterans.
A. Vision¬¬¬¬ My view of social worker responsibility to contribute to just society are to help individual, families, and group of people to cope with the problem they are facing to improve their lives. As a social worker, I promote human rights and social justice behalf of my client. My role is to end discrimination, oppression, and poverty to help individual and to address the social problem. For example, the just society is to determine one in which the right of minorities will be safe for the whom of intolerant majorities the responsible social.
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.