Dear Students, this assignment is designed to help you to prepare for mastery of Social Work Competency #2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice.
Specifically, in terms of outcomes and expected Behaviors, you should: Gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse groups, practice personal reflection, attend to professional roles and boundaries, substantively and affectively prepare for action with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities, and demonstrate the use of empathy and other interpersonal skills.
1) You will provide a brief autobiographical sketch that will allow you to practice personal reflection regarding personal biases and values when engaging with diverse and different persons and environments. a. Specifically, what is your history? What are your values, your biases against others that are different from you? Be honest. Demonstrate productive self-awareness. This section is worth 25% of your grade.
2) What are your strengths in terms of your affective processes including empathy, perception and authenticity, and how did they develop from your life history? a. One example from a past student was the experience of growing up with her grandmother who had advanced Parkinson’s disease. As a daughter in an immigrant family, she was expected to participate in the direct care of her grandmother, and this experience prepared her in many ways to master multiple social work competencies. She became interested in the professional social work practice in the area of gerontology, and dedicated her professional education and career to helping to advance the knowledge and care of all persons with Parkinson’s disease. This section is worth 25% of your grade.
3) Connect with your text (Chapter 5 should be most helpful) along with some of our class discussion regarding at least four communication skills and inter and intra personal skills that you possess, and/or want to develop so that you can master Competency #2. When discussing these four skill areas, reference exactly where in the text you gained your information. This section is worth 25% of your grade.
4) Correct grammar and clarity of thought must be present throughout the assignment. This section is worth 25% of your grade.
