Introduction
Social work involves standing up for human rights and justice for issues that society disregards. For instance, unheard or marginalized groups may need a social worker to help them push their agenda, boosting their well-being in one way or another. According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there were about 715,000 social workers in 2019, and the number may increase by 13% by 2029 (Zastrow & Hessenauer, 2022). Various core values enable them to choose the right course of action regarding a given issue at hand. They include service, social justice, dignity and worth of the individual, importance of human ties, competence, and integrity.
Core Values that I can Integrate into Professional Social Work
Dignity and Worth of an Individual
While working as a social worker in professional lanes, I know that it is essential to be mindful of somebody’s dignity and value. That means noting differences in terms of thought, behavior, and personality. Without being aware of varying differences in people’s lives, it is hard for me to navigate social work since it requires full articulation of cultural and ethnic diversity (Zastrow & Hessenauer, 2022). When working as a social worker, I must treat my clients with dignity and respect and promote their capacity, which shall grant an opportunity to solve any underlying challenge within the issue being handled. Situations differ depending on the personal take and observations at hand.
One factor that may help regarding this core value is being cognizant of my duties regarding individual and societal clients. In that case, I have to seek a solution that supports broader interests and enables the affected parties to navigate it from a holistic approach (Sheppard, 2021). For example, when discussing whether or not to give room for queer people to choose their partners, I have to consider the moral impact to determine my view on the same. That applies to cases when people conflict with a certain social or economic change, such as share of property in case of divorce and payment of taxes, respectively.
Competence
A social worker must be familiar with various issues that affect their line of work from time to time. That includes knowing the certainties and uncertainties that may come along the way and the way forward concerning the same issue. Despite gaining knowledge through the graduate or undergraduate level, I still need on-the-job experience (Zastrow & Hessenauer, 2022). That experience is required because it helps a person think critically and have confidence in case they face similar issues. For example, issues that affect Aboriginals in the country are critical since they need one to switch back and get fine details of what concerns the population. Thus, getting a sudden client who needs their case solved using factual data calls for experience.
I must avoid misinterpreting issues that are not within the scope of practice, which is why this core value is important for my social work. One way I can boost this value is to expand my knowledge through making meaningful moves such as research, observation, or individual case studies (Sheppard, 2021). I admit that social work is a lifetime learning field. Thus, personal studies are called for, such as attending webinars or getting licenses that enable me to work without limitations.
Service
The core value of service calls for dedication and priority beyond many issues that may cross my life. Service requires the full empowering of individuals, families, and society. The value is essential because it allows me to work without expecting unrealistic personal returns. Social work is about passion, which means I may spend a lot of time and energy on issues that may contradict my beliefs (Zastrow & Hessenauer, 2022). For instance, I understand they need time for my attention if I have a family. However, if duty calls for long-term engagement outside my region, I might follow the passion for social work, which is why the core value of work is needed. I must learn to elevate the community’s needs above my personal demands, which requires a mindful move regarding all sections of individual life (Sheppard, 2021). For instance, during the Coronavirus pandemic, I coordinated mutual assistance and public meals and endangered my life to drive for the adoption of personal protective measures drives. All that needs my mind to be fully ready to offer service to people.
The Difficult Core Value to Integrate in Social Work
Integrity
I understand that to empower and facilitate communal relationships, I must act in a way that engenders transparency and trust. This core value is hard to integrate due to conflict of interest or weakness to defeat unethical traits. The mission, value, and principle of social work must incorporate integrity since that allows for realizing results in a short time (Sheppard, 2021). For example, if funds are given to needy groups through charities, I might be tempted to embezzle the monetary aid more so if there is no budget to follow. Therefore, I must learn to prevent personal demands and maintain communal well-being so that I can perform my duties well.
Conclusion
Social work calls for utilizing core values that enable the facilitation of relationships and the empowerment of individuals. Various core values include competency, dignity, worth of a person, and integrity, among others. As a social worker, I must incorporate diversity, have a mind of service and avoid conflict of interest by strengthening my integrity. Thus, social work must be articulated from the core values to realize set goals and objectives. Learning about core values in social work enables me to make the right decisions regarding the path I will follow after school and what issues will await me regarding my social work profession.
Reference
Sheppard, M. (2021). Social work and social exclusion: The idea of practice. Routledge.
Zastrow, C., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2022). Empowerment Series: Introduction to social work and social welfare: Empowering people. Cengage Learning.