Social Work and Human Service-Learning Experience

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Personal and professional connections made during the service-learning experience

I attended an event where vulnerable people and families of our local community held a chance to receive meals. It took place at a local venue, and I went there to serve food. The only professional connection I made was the coordinator who supervised our commitment. It is the helpless people, however, which are of greater importance to me. Two people volunteered to share their stories about what led them to their unfortunate situations. One homeless man said that his employer dismissed him because he had to miss several days of work due to mental problems. Later, I met a lady who had three children to feed but no job. She had lost her husband because of an act of gun violence. Listening to these people, I was both shocked and upset. However, I did remember what we were taught in class – the social worker must try to avoid negative emotional states that may arise from learning about the client’s problems (Hepworth et al., 2016). This notion will help me in my future career to mitigate concerns and conduct productive meetings.

Code of ethics of the placement agency and the process for resolving ethical dilemmas

I did not witness any ethical dilemmas, but it was possible to see how the workers approach any issue. They were driven by inclusiveness and respectfulness, and these qualities could be seen in every employee. Many of the visitors asked the non-profit organization whether they provided any housing to people in need. Instead of giving a negative answer because they are currently not sponsoring any such program, they actively tried to help those who were looking for a place to stay. They provided contact information of other organizations that may potentially help. There were also those who were looking for employment opportunities. These people were forwarded to job readiness programs and staffing agencies.

Ethical concerns encountered in the placement

No ethical concerns were observed because the staff was adequately trained and instructed. All visitor inquiries were accurately handled, and if it were not in the organization’s competence to assist the person, they were forwarded to someone that could help. Coordination between the staff members was also excellent, and we were able to seek help from each other if we needed to. It is remarkable to see such an event end with no significant conflicts and problems. All the visitors left the venue as cheerful and positive persons, and we did everything we could to improve their experience.

The strengths or weaknesses of the placement

Prior to this event, I had no understanding of how people in poverty live, how homeless people survive their days, and how the minorities struggle for social justice. It was an opportunity not only for those who came seeking help but also for those who have lived without knowing the harsh truth about reality. This event also has a propagandistic effect on society – more and more people will be willing to help the poor and vulnerable. The government will start paying more attention to the minorities and unprotected parts of the population. It was an excellent experience for me personally because I was able to put some of the things I learned in class to practical use. I also learned what areas I should work on and what skills I have to improve.

Social work skills in the working setting

Besides meeting new people and having good conversations, this social event was a place where I could work on myself as a social worker. The skills I acquired in class could be put to assessment, and points of improvement could be identified. I tried to use these skills as often as possible – from communicating with empathy and focusing properly, to spotting counterproductive communication patterns. It was interesting to observe what effects the application of these skills has on my clients.

The effectiveness of the interaction between a social worker and a client largely depends on empathy. If the problem is already familiar to the social worker, they may pretend to be empathetic, showing understanding and believing that this is what is expected of them. However, this type of support, for the most part, is considered to be ineffective (Thompson, 2016). Bearing this in mind, I attempted to provide genuine empathy to my clients, supporting it by verbal following and psychological contact. These foundational elements of effective communication can be used throughout the whole process of worker-client interactions. They can facilitate data collection, interviewing, and goal setting, for instance. Understanding clients’ problems is also a challenge that should be approached carefully, and it is often hard to do so without assessment skills.

While there are many skills a social worker should possess, I was able to use and assess several of those. In the work setting, it is essential to build a trustful relationship with the client. Knowing how to listen and demonstrate empathy is critical when laying a foundation for productive communication. When speaking with my clients during the event, I maintained focus throughout the whole conversation, listened carefully to what they were saying, and provided authentic feedback.

References

Hepworth, D. H., Rooney, R. H., Rooney, G. D., & Strom-Gottfried, K. (2016). Empowerment series: Direct social work practice: Theory and skills. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Thompson, N. (2016). The professional social worker: Meeting the challenge. London, UK: Palgrave.

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