Running Head: Values Paper

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Values Paper
SW 3010
Robin 2/14/2014

Values Paper Which of your values do you see as especially helpful to you as you practice social work?

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I value integrity. I am committed to the mission of social work. I believe in social work values and principles and will adhere to them in an honestly and genuinely. I believe one should value the work they do and give their best and honest efforts through their work. I oppose any alternative motives that take place in the social work profession. I also value respect. A social worker should be empathetic to the needs of his/her clients and treat the client with utmost care. This is a value that should be practiced everywhere, but as a social worker; one should put his/her shoes in those of the client and treat the client as if he/she was her. Moreover, I value the non-monetary rewards that come with working a job. My professional pursuit isnt just a position of which I utilize my skills, but its my personal passion. Enjoying the work one does is very important to me. My job describes who I am. As a social worker, I will be motivated in addition to utilizing my skills to advocate for my clients. My passion will help me carry out the responsibilities of a social worker. My value of non-monetary rewards is what drives me to adhere to social work principles. In addition, the code of ethics happens to be in accordance with how I interact with anyone, on or off the job. This makes it natural for me to follow the ethical guidelines of social work. Describe life situations that have helped you shape your values and support your belief in the social work values described in your texts and in the NASW Code of Ethics. Through my employment, I have learned why consultation is so important. Many of the positions I have held have been very individualistic based. I have worked for several businesses that set the stage for a competitive environment. A lot of businesses value competition in order to motivate employees so the business can achieve its goal. Social work aims to work in teams. Since the mission of social work according to the NASW Code of Ethics is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic needs of all people who are vulnerable, oppressed and living in poverty (2008), I think its appropriate that social workers display this kind of attitude towards their colleagues as well.

Values Paper As a consumer, I have also come to value informed consent. I have reaped a lot of unintended

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consequences as a result of being uninformed. These experiences are a contrast to section 1.3 of the Code of Ethics, Informed Consent. Unlike businesses goals, social works goal is to help the needy and try to create harmony in society. Include what population would you have the most difficult time servicing for and advocating for. I find it difficult to serve and advocate for clients of demographics I have had limited involvement with in my life. This includes the elderly population and foreign culture populations. I am not as familiar with elderly issues as I would like to be. This is most likely because I do not have a lot of elderly acquaintances. I particularly dont have close relationships with my grandparents, since they live out of state. In addition to my difficulty with the elderly, I also do not have many acquaintances that are immigrants or are of foreign cultures. Since I am not as culturally diverse as I would like to be, I have difficulty grasping the issues that those of foreign cultures have to face. What have you learned about or experienced throughout your life concerning this population that led you to have difficulty with serving this population? Although I lack knowledge of these populations, I know a few things about them. The elderly are devalued and often ignored in the American society because they are perceived as burdens. As a result of the ever advancing medical technologies in place the elderly population is growing. However, this age group still bears the deteriorating health that comes with the final stages in ones life. This group of people is the most vulnerable to abuse, especially concerning their finances. As far as my difficulty with the population, I have had some negative experiences with the elderly that may hold me back from advocating for them. Many elderly people I know have an old-fashioned point of view on life and are

Values Paper

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resistant to change. They are still attached to the social ideals of the mid 1900s and sometimes they will criticize your lifestyle customs because it is not in line with theirs. When it comes to my experiences with those of foreign cultures, there have been times I could not read their facial cues and they could not read mine. In some cultures, people use a sterner demeanor when they talk. In my culture, I perceive this as a displeasing connotation and I then judge them as cold. I want to work towards understanding why it is that different cultures communicate the way they do and what the true implications of their communication are. Is there anything about your religious/belief system that would be a barrier to servicing this population? Explain. I do not have any religious barriers to servicing the elderly. I believe that growing old is inevitable and we are all fair game as far as aging. Knowing that this is a stage in life that everyone experiences, it would be non-sense to have any prejudice against the elderly. When it comes to foreigners however, I have some degree of irrational prejudice more than Id like to admit. As I mentioned before, I am not yet completely culturally competent with those of foreign cultures, because I do not understand what some of them imply through their actions and expressions. Having said that, I sometimes perceive them as having ignorant or cold intentions. I have a natural tendency to form beliefs based on the context of what I experience. Having had all the displeasing experiences with those of foreign cultures, I have unfortunately, formed mistaken beliefs about people of certain cultures. Although this is a barrier in my social work profession, Im glad I have recognized it so I can change my perspective. Explain how you would assist someone from this group in a non-judgmental way. How would you use and display positive regard while working on behalf of such a client? List 2 ethical codes as stated in the NASW Code of Ethics that will help you serve this population. How will you demonstrate these ethical codes with this population?

Values Paper

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To serve these groups, I would remember the value of service in the NASW Code of Ethics. I will remember that even though I may struggle advocating this group, it is still my job to address the needs of that individual (NASW Code of Ethics, 2008). It is also important to remember that it is my responsibility to commit to my client. My clients interest comes before mine and it is my job to promote his/her wellbeing (NASW Code of Ethics, 2008, 1.01). When dealing with elderly clients in particular, I should watch out for Clients Who Lack Decision Making Capacity and make reasonable steps to safeguard them (Code of Ethics, 2008, 1.14). I would use positive display by showing respect and fairly represent the clients qualifications, views, and obligations of colleagues. For population of foreign cultures, I will work diligently towards cultural Competence and Social Diversity (NASW Code of Ethics, 2008, 1.05). These efforts are listed in the Code of ethics and will help me advocate my client. If it were possible, given your work setting, explain how you might respectfully refer such a client to someone else who could better work with them. In Section 2.06 of the NASW Code of Ethics, Referral for Services; it explains that I should refer a client when I do not have specialized knowledge or expertise of the clients needs or if my services are not rendering effective. From here I would be very careful to avoid blaming the client for the services that have been ineffective. I would apologize that I am unable to help the client with his/her specific needs and ash him/her if she would like some names of other specialists that may be able to help. In addition to these referrals, I would remind the client that if he/she would like to see me again, he/she is welcome. How has this part of the assignment affected your decision to be a social worker? Explains what your future plans will be to adhere to the core values of social work and the ethical codes in serving populations that challenge your thoughts, beliefs, habits, and actions. Without a doubt, I still want to continue my pursuit as a social worker. When it comes to my difficulty of serving certain populations, I plan to study these populations thoroughly, so I can become more

Values Paper

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culturally competent even with populations that I dont specialize in serving. The elderly population is only going to continue to grow. This country will also continue to become more culturally diverse. With that said, I am very motivated to study the groups of people that make up our great country. I look forward to establishing connections with new friends, colleagues, and coworkers that come from different backgrounds. I hope to gain new insights on social issues through their perspectives. I hope to spend more time with my grandparents before they pass away and listen to their thoughts and take their advice. This will help me gain a more rational perspective on elderly ideas. Lastly, I plan on taking part in new activities and visiting new places that are associated with diverse populations. I want to visit New York City more often and tour museums and try different foods in order to enhance my cultural competence with diverse and foreign populations. I will do whatever it takes to become to best social worker I can be.

Values Paper REFERENCES

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Workers, N. A. (2008). NASW Code of Ethics (Guide to the Everyday Professional Conduct of Social Workers). Washington, DC: NASW.