Social Work – Term Paper

Social media challenges

The society faces myriads of social challenges including adult recidivism, teenage delinquency; abuse of drugs, security threat, contagious and chronic diseases, and psychiatric defects among several others. The diversity of these problems implies the need for proactive approaches and policy frameworks to resolve them (Ginsberg & Miller-Cribbs, 2005). It requires professional skills and expertise to address these teething issues, which are pertinent to a peaceful and progressive society. Working at different facilities including Children’s Alliance Centre, Department of Homeland Security Family Immigration Centre, Office of Aging, and Berks County Children and Youth exposed me to the diverse social issues affecting the society. These expositions have motivated me to pursue a master’s degree in social work. The degree will not only enable me to acquire the right knowledge and skill to resolve some of the current societal problems but also emerging ones.

The certifications I have attained in the fields of primary correctional training, parent-child conflicts, and suicidal ideation identification; professional experience dealing with the safety and security of inmates, residents, and staff, assisting with patient care and therapy, and conducting forensic investigations have afforded me a necessary opportunity to understand the interrelationships between social issues and their synergistic effects. These insights provide me with a solid foundation to pursue a master’s degree in social work. This course will reinforce my academic and professional expertise to enable me to harness such experiences for the development of a holistic approach to resolving the complicated social issues without necessarily resulting in controversies or a backlash.

Studying a master’s degree will involve interacting with different students, communities, and people from various parts of the world and with varying levels of influence in how the society operates (Ginsberg & Miller-Cribbs, 2005). These unique interactions will not only provide opportunities for me to develop strong social networks for professional development but also enable me to appreciate the challenges that communities face to develop overreaching frameworks for resolving them.

What shows my own professional background

My professional background has exposed me to the dynamics of the society including community health, security needs, teenage lifestyle problems, and drug use trends, which provided me with a first baseline on which to develop further concepts necessary for becoming a professional social worker. Professional work at the Department of Homeland Security and Office of Aging provided me with an impetus to develop a new perception of social issues through pursuing further studies in the field of social work. Just like inmates are restricted in the cells with many liberties curtailed, the elderly also suffer from constraints of old age, increased vulnerability to diseases and reduced mobility (Reyes, 2002). These two populations are exposed to different conditions but seem to experience the same effects. Therefore, the degree I am seeking will improve my understanding of such crosscutting issues in the society.

Working with the disadvantaged communities requires diverse skills and abilities. Some of these abilities, including the capacity to understand the individual needs and challenges, effective communication, provision of innovative solutions as well as a high sense of professionalism in dealing with everyone at their levels, are best achieved through continued studies (Kumar, 2005). Therefore, pursuing this program will be the first step towards obtaining additional certifications and licenses to implement far-reaching transformations in the local communities with a consequence of social justice, equity, and enjoyable living.

The social problems I faced

Working as an intern responsible for following through with tasks assigned by Field Supervisor at Berks County Children and Youth Services and as an intern manager at Reading School District Head Start exposed me to disturbing trends among the youth, including indulgence in narcotics, criminal lives and dropping out of the school systems. In most cases, the correctional facilities have failed to restore them to productive lives. Nonetheless, without adequate professional training on such issues, I could not address their needs. Failure to change singlehandedly the most significant issues affecting such people challenged me to undertake further studies. To this end, I have the expectation that this degree will not only act as motivation for my career development but also provide me with requisite knowledge and skills to respond actively to the various needs of the people I interact with in my professional life.

The successful completion of the program will afford me an opportunity to attain my passion in policy development and planning for different social needs, including psychiatric, wellness and energy situation within different localities. It is my understanding that the rural areas that lack adequate social support are the most exposed to social upheavals; hence, this academic achievement will significantly improve my resilience in working at local, state, regional, and international levels for the betterment of humanity. Without a doubt, this degree is at the center of my becoming a career social worker, as it will nurture the attributes of patience and empathy that are important when dealing with people facing different hardships in their lives. Furthermore, this degree will help me in handling many societal issues and be responsible for assessing cases. This course, the internships, and experience I have acquired so far will be critical in my career development.

References

Ginsberg, L. H., & Miller-Cribbs, J. (2005).T Understanding social problems, policies, and programs. Columbia: University of South Carolina.

Kumar, H. (2005).T Social work and developmental issues. Delhi: Aakar Books.

Reyes, J. (2002).T The Social work graduate school applicant’s handbook: The complete guide to selecting and applying to MSW programs. Harrisburg, Pa: White Hat Communications.