Reflective Account - Essay Example

? MSc Social Work Essay: Reflective Account The specific interview that was conducted was with social worker Jessica Barton. Barton is a social worker who with teenagers between 16-18. The interview and observational experience were highly enlightening as they greatly contributed to my understanding of her profession and the role of social work, as well as greatly enhanced my recognition and appreciation of the London cultural life that social workers help. This reflexive account considers Barton’s role and responsibilities within the social work profession, presents an account of how she ensure her continuing professional development, and examines what I learnt from this experience that will influence my future development. Jessica Barton came to the social worker profession from a slightly unique background. Rather than studying traditional social worker field, Barton majored in the English Literature. After graduating from college she entered the Peace Corps before finally returning to school to receive a Master’s Degree in journalism. Discovering that she was not cut-out to be a journalist, she entered social work. Still, she noted that her work as a journalist was reflected in her ultimate path towards social work, as she was always drawn towards stories that attempted to lift the down-trodden. It was then a natural step towards social work. She would later receive a Masters of Social Work and begin her career as a social worker. Barton’s work as a social worker spans a wide array of role and responsibilities. One area of her work involves the implementation of games as a therapeutic model with the teenagers. Barton notes that she came to realize the importance of incorporating games into her therapeutic practices because of the particularities of some of her clients. Many of the individuals she worked with came from a difficult background and had difficulty trusting or taking seriously the therapeutic of or counseling process. As a result she had difficulty creating the ‘therapeutic space’. As a means of counteracting this challenge she began implementing improvisational games to demarcate the therapeutic setting. From this start she began expanding the games to target specific therapeutic goals. For instance, she regularly implements games that work to build trust, freedom, and group cohesion. She notes that the games can improve the group’s overall mood and contribute to mental health gains. Still, the most important aims of the group activities are to gain insights about the teenagers and their behavior. While many social workers are intimately involved in casework, Barton’s daily work environment only minimally involves such tasks. Her day starts with reviewing files and then attending a 9:00 AM meeting. This meeting focuses on general work considerations, and later specific people and areas of concern. After this meeting Barton has individual sessions or meetings with clients. There are two regularly scheduled meetings, but individual sessions vary in terms of the person’s specific issues. Barton works towards making small gains in each of her sessions. Another prominent issue Barton is tasked with is attempting to aid many of her clients in securing employment. As many of the clients have troubled backgrounds, with potential criminal records, there are sometimes anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive issues that arise. Barton indicates that she has been successful in identifying businesses that are open to helping her specific populations; however, she is constantly reminded of the challenges of oppression and discrimination in the workplace. Her work is consistent with social work trends that work to establish anti-oppressive practices ("socialwork," 2010). Barton considers that one of the most rewarding aspects of her profession is her interaction with the teenagers. While one would think that this would potentially be one of the most challenging aspects, she notes that the people she comes into contact with have a great array of backgrounds and personal life stories. While they have faced serious challenges in their lives, she recognizes their talent, intelligence, and creativity. She noted that she approaches these individuals as having done a terrible thing; however, she recognizes that they are turning their lives around and as such looks to their present day situation. This approach is consistent with empowerment trends in social work (Wormer, 2011). Ultimately then, this perspective informs her relationships with the teenagers and the counseling approach she implements. Continued Professional Development There are a variety of ways Barton ensures her continuing professional development. While Barton does not have any immediate plans to return to the university establishment she is highly active in pursuing professional development opportunities. One of the most unique elements was the recognition that she is also a teacher of theatrical improvisation in her spare time. This teaching informs her professional career as she can improve activities that facilitate personal behavioral development and mental health. Another means of continuing professional development is through interaction with her more experienced colleagues. She revealed to me that when she started the job she was nervous that she wasn’t doing it well enough. Through regular consultation with mentors then she has been able to continually improve her performance. Finally, she indicated that she has researched and practiced meditation to balance stress and noted the importance of self-care exercises ("Self-care exercises and activities" 2010). Reflective Learning and Influence from the Experience I learned many things from this experience that will undoubtedly influence my development as a social worker. Perhaps, the most overarching consideration was the importance of maintaining optimism in even the most dire of situations. While many of the teenagers that Barton counsels had come from rough life situations, one would never be able to determine this simply by watching her interactions. Instead, Barton consistently puts on a positive demeanor that is infectious with the teenagers she works with. I now recognize that the nature of social work requires interaction with clients that have oftentimes faced troubling life situations. Rather too stringently focusing on these hardships, Barton has showed me that it’s essential to find a way forward. Another element that I learned was the importance of continual professional development. While classes are one means of achieving this growth, witnessing Barton showed me that one never learns all they can know about their position. Barton was continually working to improve her relationships and professional responsibilities. References Self-care exercises and activities. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.socialwork.buffalo.edu/students/self-care/exercises.asp "What is AOSW?." socialwork. N.p., 2010. Web. 25 Jul 2012. . Wormer, K. (2011). Social work, corrections, and the strengths approach. Retrieved from http://www.uni.edu/vanworme/canada.html Read More