What I can do, and what I need to learn

Prior to starting the field education placement, I assessed my capabilities, strengths and limitations to gain a more thorough understanding of what skills I needed to learn, or information I am required to know, that will further my development and future practice as a Social Worker. Then after starting this fieldwork placement I was able to turn these requirements into learning goals and objectives, relevant to the environment that I have found myself in.

Strengths

o Effective assertive listening communication skills

o Ability to be self -directed

o Ability to work proficiently as part of a team

o Ability to be reflective on my own and others practice.

o Empathetic and approachable

o Knowledge and experience of previously utilised individual self-care strategies.

Weaknesses

o Lack of confidence in my own personal verbal communication skills and at articulating my opinions in large groups or formal meetings.

o Limited experience in applying theory in practical situations and lack of confidence in my abilities to recognise theory being utilised in professional practice.

o Lack of confidence in my counselling skills and knowledge and the ability to apply what knowledge I have in a practical situation

o Lack of confidence in my knowledge of cultural awareness within the local community.

o Limited experience in being able to recognise and assess a client’s needs.

 

Learning Needs and Professional Development Goals upon Entry to Field Education Placement

The development of practical skills, including:

o Client assessment and community referral.

o Communication skills and counselling skills.

o Effective use of self care skills.

o Learning how to integrate theoretical knowledge into practice, developing skills in applying specific theories that I have articulated into my professional framework into the practical setting.

o Developing an understanding of how human service organisations function and interact with the community and the role of the social worker/human service worker within this context.

o Developing a greater understanding of cultural awareness and sensitivity, and knowledge of how organisations achieve this goal.

o Knowledge of Implementation the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Code of Ethics 2010 and the AASW Practice Standards 2003 into organisational practice.

Goals

1. Develop an understanding of the client assessment and referral to/within the community.

2. Development of Communication skills, and counselling skills.

3. Develop effective self care skills.

4. Learning how to integrate theoretical knowledge into practice,

5. Developing an understanding of how human service organisations function and interact with the community and the role of the social worker/human service worker within this context

6 Developing a greater understanding of cultural awareness and sensitivity, and knowledge of how organisations achieve this goal.

 

 

 

Objectives

1. Gain knowledge about the client assessment and referral procedure within the agency. Gain an understanding of community services made available to clients.

Develop knowledge of criteria requirements of clients for various services offered by the agency. Gain awareness about the correct recording procedure of assessment and referral within the agency Develop an understanding of how human service workers respond to a clients right to self determination, when it is in conflict with the human service workers duty to care, and detrimental to the clients wellbeing.

 

2. Gain knowledge and skills when interacting with clients and other professionals.

Develop effective listening skills.Develop confidence in verbal communication.

Develop constructive counseling skills. Actively develop skills in rapport building with clients and other professionals to promote my practice.

3. Maintain a plan of self care that promotes my learning along with my wellbeing

Recognising the theoretical frameworks used by the agency.

 

4 Development of skills, in applying specific theories that I have articulated into my professional framework into the practical setting.

5. Identify how the organisation functions, including its organisational structure, its role within the community, system of hierarchy, and the roles of workers within the organisation.

 

6. To develop knowledge about the different cultures in the environmental area, that the organisation provide (or don’t provide) services for. Develop cultural sensitivity surrounding direct practice with clients of Indigenous ethnicity.

Tasks

1. Communicate with team members regarding services offered by the organisation. Read, study organisational and legislative policies and procedures, articulating the referral and assessment procedure. Research agency and government policies, for assessing service user’s eligibility for specific services. Gain knowledge of other services that may be available to clients in the local community, which the agency does not offer. Observe agency workers in practice within the organisation Actively and appropriately engage with human service workers and their clients’ whist they are completing assessments/ referrals. Debrief discussions with human service workers after observing/ engaging in assessment process. Engaging with and observing social workers from other agencies in practice Connecting with Social workers from other agencies to gain the opportunity to follow the referral process, from initial client assessment at the agency through to the ongoing case management at the referred agency.

 

 

2. Engage in student social work peer group meetings and activities. Attend formal/informal meetings with other professionals Observe counsellors working with clients. Engage in professional discussions with human service workers. Regularly practice attentive listening skills such as paraphrasing, etc, when communicating. Actively engage in discussions with social workers from other agencies. Observe social workers from other organisations in direct practice with clients.

3. Take time out each day for leisure activities such as; walking, physical exercise.

Spending set time each week either with or talking to family and friends. Engaging in student social work peer group meetings and activities. Engage productively with supervision sessions. Ensure any health issues are addressed promptly. Allow sufficient time for completion of tasks. Monitor stress levels.

 

4. Observation of workers performing their tasks. Discussions with workers surrounding the theory underpinning their practice. Reading of literature relevant to the theoretical framework utilised by the agency and its workers, and the theoretical ideologies underpinning my ‘professional framework’ to further my knowledge. Discussion with social workers from other organisations around the social work theories they utilise in their practice.

 

5. Research into agency policies and procedures. Develop knowledge regarding the organisational framework. Gain an understanding of how organisational systems, and levels of bureaucracy impact on the role of the human service worker, through discussions with human service workers  Gain knowledge of what community services are provided by the organisation, who is responsible for providing these services and for funding them, by accessing literature and communicating with administration workers.  Attend community meetings with workers to develop an understanding of the role that the agency has within the community. Visits to other agencies in the local area to assess what services they provide to the community

6. Observation of workers in direct practice with clients that identify as Indigenous. Observation of workers in direct practice with clients from varied cultures that are evident within the local environment. Discussions with Indigenous community workers about best practice for being respectful to all clients.  Actively engaging in Indigenous aged care community workshops, to gain a greater understanding of local culture.  Discussions with human service workers about the cultural diversity within the local community. Discussions with Social workers from other agencies, regarding best practice for working with clients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.