I am attending Westwood College to obtain my Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal Justice. With this degree I plan to become a Social Worker. I am passionate about this career because I like working closely with other people, helping people change so they can have a normal life as possible. I will get the satisfaction of watching a person progress and make achievements.
I will be able to help them solve their problems through discussions and well-planned activities.I decided to choose this particular career a couple of months ago because I know I have the dedication to help people help themselves whenever and wherever they need it. I want to be a Social Worker because I want to help people from all stages of life, from children to elderly, and from all situations from adoption to hospice. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Social work is a profession for those with a strong desire to help improve people’s lives.
Social workers assist people by helping them cope with and solve issues in their everyday lives, such as family and personal problems and dealing with relationships.Some social workers help clients who face a disability, life-threatening disease, social problem, such as inadequate housing, unemployment, or substance abuse. Social workers also assist families that have serious domestic conflicts, sometimes involving child or spousal abuse. Additionally, they may conduct research, advocate for improved services, or become involved in planning or policy development. Many social workers specialize in serving a particular population or working in a specific setting.In all settings, these workers may also be called licensed clinical social workers, if they hold the appropriate State mandated license (par 1).
Child, family, and school social workers provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families. Workers in this field assess their client’s needs and offer assistance to improve their situation. This often includes coordinating available services to assist a child or family. They may assist single parents in finding day care, arrange adoptions, or help find foster homes for neglected, abandoned, or abused children.These workers may specialize in working with a particular problem, population or setting, such as child protective services, adoption, homelessness, domestic violence, or foster care (par 2).
In schools, social workers often serve as the link between students’ families and the school, working with parents, guardians, teachers, and other school officials to ensure that students reach their academic and personal potential. They also assist students in dealing with stress or emotional problems. Many school social workers work directly with children with disabilities and their families.In addition, they address problems such as misbehavior, truancy, teenage pregnancy, and drug and alcohol problems and advise teachers on how to cope with difficult students. School social workers may teach workshops to entire classes on topics like conflict resolution (par 3).
Child, family, and school social workers may be known as child welfare social workers, family services social workers, or child protective services social workers. These workers often work for individual and family services agencies, schools, or State or local governments (par 4).Medical and public health social workers provide psychosocial support to individuals, families, or vulnerable populations so they can cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, or AIDS. They also advise family caregivers, counsel patients, and help plan for patients’ needs after discharge from hospitals. They may arrange for at-home services, such as meals-on-wheels or home care. Some work on interdisciplinary teams that evaluate certain kinds of patients, such as geriatric or organ transplant patients (par 5).Some specialize in services for senior citizens and their families. These social workers may run support groups for the adult children of aging parents.
Also, they may assess, coordinate, and monitor services such as housing, transportation, and long-term care. These workers may be known as gerontological social workers (par 6). A bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) is the most common minimum requirement to qualify for a job as a social worker; however, majors in psychology, sociology, and related fields may qualify for some entry-level jobs, especially in small community agencies.Although a bachelor’s degree is sufficient for entry into the field, an advanced degree is required for some positions. A master’s degree in social work (MSW) is typically required for positions in health and school settings and is required for clinical work, as well. Some jobs in public and private agencies may require an advanced degree, such as an MSW with a concentration in social services policy or administration. Supervisory, administrative, and staff training positions usually require an advanced degree.College and university teaching positions and most research appointments normally require a doctorate in social work (DSW or Ph.
D. ) (par 12). Social workers should be emotionally mature, objective, and sensitive to people and their problems. They must be able to handle responsibility, work independently, and maintain good working relationships with clients and coworkers. Volunteer or paid jobs as a social work aide can help people test their interest in this field (par 16). There are three skills that I have that can impact my career choice.
The first one is communication skills.I am able to listen effectively, speak fluently and clearly, write well and read in the language/s English and Spanish. I am able to facilitate effective information by maintaining an “open mind. ” I avoid passing judgment on or expressing criticism of communicated messages. I know that I do not have to agree entirely with the other person’s thoughts and opinions, but it is important that I respect them.
I can demonstrate empathy by trying to understand the situation from the other person’s perspective. Memory skills is my second, I always focus attention to learn new information and ideas.Discovering meaningful ways to organize new information and ideas.
My third skill is note taking skills. I like to gather information, taking legible, meaningful, and accurate notes. According to the MBTI it says that I am outgoing, friendly, and accepting. Some examples are that I can be an exuberant lover of life, people, and material comforts. I enjoy working with others to make things happen. I bring common sense and a realistic approach to their work, and make work fun. Also, I am flexible and spontaneous, I can adapt readily to new people and environments.
Learning best by trying a new skill with other people is what I love to do. I am not afraid to be different like for example, I’ll go up to someone at random and ask them what their name is. I think I have a pretty good self-esteem and confidence. Another example is I’m always incredibly friendly so that people feel comfortable when they are around me.
Being friendly is lovely and it makes life way easier for you and other people to get along. Long Term Goals (10 yrs) ?Settled with my family and husband ?Have my own house and cars 3 Mid-Term Goals (3-7 yrs) Have more family ?Start working as a Social Worker ?Try paying off my school loans 3Short-Term Goals (Now-1yr) ?Get in shape 0Action Step: by going to the gym 3x a week ?Get a 3. 0 GPA 0Action Step: by talking to my teachers about how to maintain a good grade. ?Start volunteering in the field I’m trying to achieve for.
What I have learned from doing my career plan is that I know more about what it takes and/or what I need to be a social worker. I learned the requirements, qualifications, education and training, certifications and advancements.I will apply what I have learned to my future so that I know what I need to do. The importance of setting and achieving goals is that I will have something already planned and know what to do and what to expect. I will have patience and endurance to reach my goals.
I work hard and give it my best shot.Works CitedBureau of Labor Statistics. “Social Workers. ” Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition. U. S.
Department of Labor. 17 Dec. 2009. Web. 13 Jan.
2011. Myers, Isabel and Briggs, Katherine C. Myers Briggs Type Indicator. Mountain View: CA 1998.
