Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
Social Workers understand how diversity and difference characterize and shape the human experience and are critical to the formation of identity. The dimensions of diversity are understood as the intersectionality of multiple factors including but not limited to age, class, color, culture, disability and ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, marital status, political ideology, race, religion/spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, and tribal sovereign status. Social workers understand that, as a consequence of difference, a person’s life experiences may include oppression, poverty, marginalization, and alienation as well as privilege, power, and acclaim. Social workers also understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures and values, including social, economic, political, and cultural exclusions, may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create privilege and power. Social workers:
2.1 apply and communicate understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels;
2.2 present themselves as learners and engage clients and constituencies as experts of their own experiences; and
2.3 apply self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies.
Reflection
The meaning of this competence is to gain a better understanding that every individual and client has a diverse background, life experience, and culture. These factors play a huge role into the person they become and identify as. Every individual life is beautiful because it is different and unique. While working with people, it is important to acknowledge and celebrate diversity.
Competency 2: Evidence of Practice
While attending Southern Adventist University and studying my BSW, I engaged in a variety of activities that helped me to develop and master this competency.
School Work:
For this assignment I was instructed to review Competency 2 and reflect on my personal understanding, personal strengths, and where I needed to improve. This assignment helped me too critically think about how I was demonstrating my competence of working with diverse groups and people while I was an intern at the Bethlehem Center. Furthermore, It was especially helpful to take time to reflect on areas I needed improvement. I chose this evidence because it shows my ability to identify my strengths and weaknesses within this specific competency. I believe I have mastered this competency not because I always practice it perfectly, but because I know how to reflect on my behavior and grow from learned lessons.
Competency Application Paper #2
Field:
These images are snapshots of journal entries I submitted to fulfill my application of competency 2 while interning at Mending Arrow Ranch. To begin, I believe these are good examples of my mastery of this competence because they show my thought process of learning about diversity and difference in practice. Furthermore, one entry describes my learning experience of helping the ranch build handicap-accessible paths for disabled youth. These activities increased my awareness of the ever-present needs of children with disabilities and what we can do to help.
Outside Evidence:
This evidence shows the service learning credit I received from volunteering at an International Food Fair. This experience gave me the opportunity to interact with people from different backgrounds. Tasting the different foods, and learning about different cultures was an eye-opening and educational experience which led me to more deeply appreciate the many diverse cultures within the United States.
