This competency helps ensure that social workers understand how diversity and difference shape the human experience and that they are essential in forming an identity. By meeting this competency I demonstrate that I understand that a person’s life experiences may include oppression, poverty, marginalization, and alienation as well as privilege and power. As a social worker I vow to always present myself as a learner and to acknowledge clients and constituencies as experts of their own experiences.
Competency:
Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
Practice Behaviors:
1. Apply and communicate an understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
2. Present themselves as learners and engage clients and constituencies as experts of their own experiences.
3. Apply self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies.
Evidence Based Learning:
1. I demonstrated this practice behavior in practicum by recognizing the the lack of diversity in regards to the Hispanic/Latino population at Bethel Bible Village, and advocating for them. In the classroom, I demonstrated this by attending a task and treatment group and writing facts about the groups and my experience.
2. In order to fulfill the requirements for this practice behavior, I always allowed clients to tell me their story from their perspective. I acknowledged them as experts of themselves, and presented myself as a learner. My client created an Eco-map and a timeline of their life. In the classroom I demonstrated this by having a pseudo client. This pseudo client shared her life with me and I created a powerpoint with highlights of who she is.
3. I applied self-awareness and self-regulation during my interactions with clients and while journaling about my weekly experiences. In the classroom I was always aware of my personal biases and values while interacting with others.