Competency 8
Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations and Communities
Practice Behaviors
- Critically choose and implement interventions to achieve practice goals and enhance capacities of clients and constituencies
- Analyzing knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the analysis of assessment data from clients and constituencies.
- Use inter-professional collaboration as appropriate to achieve beneficial practice outcomes.
- Negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of diverse clients and constituencies.
- Facilitate effective transitions and endings that advance mutually agreed-on goals.
Intervening with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities as a social worker means that I will do my best to implement practices and methods that will serve my clients and client families. I will be intentional about looking for ways to apply the knowledge that I have learned to my practice, advocate, negotiate and mediate on behalf of individuals that do not have a voice, and facilitate the implementation of effective and efficient intervention methods, policies, and procedures.
Evidence 1 (Class):
For my Integrative Seminar 2 class, I got the opportunity to do a case presentation with many of my classmates. The purpose of this case presentation was to use inter-professional collaboration to figure out the best intervention methods to use to achieve beneficial practice outcomes. As a group we were able to come up with some ideas such as bringing in someone such as Dr. Bruce Perry to assess the client and help find intervention methods that would work best. To view the case presentation form that I presented, click here.
Evidence 2 (Field):
As a part of my practicum experience, I was able to attend a training on creating trauma-informed resilient schools. This gave me the opportunity to learn more about trauma and how it impacts how children are able to learn. I was able to acquire some ideas of trauma-informed intervention methods to use on behalf of traumatized children which gives me the knowledge and competence to be able to negotiate and advocate within the school systems of Catoosa County to help schools become more trauma informed and resilient. This training had very helpful and informative information on how our schools can become trauma-informed resilient schools and promote the well-being of children. To view my certificate of completion of this training, click here. To view the full journal I wrote on the trauma-informed resilient schools training click here.
Evidence 3 (Additional):
I got the opportunity to go on two separate disaster relief trips to help with flooding and tornado damage. The first trip I was able to go to North Carolina and the second trip I went to Florida. Both of these trips gave me an amazing opportunity to intervene in the lives of the individuals who had been effected by the storms. I got the opportunity to talk with many people and here their stories, help clean debris and trees from peoples yards and houses, give out food, water, hygiene kits and baby essentials to those who effected by the storm. This intervention was necessary to get the individuals who lived there emergency supplies and help when they needed it the most. Pictured below are pictures from the first and second deployment trip.
Skills Used:
For this competency, I used active listening skills, organization skills, critical thinking skills, empathy skills, communication skills and interviewing skills.
Knowledge Used:
For this competency, I used knowledge learned about interviewing skills and working with groups from classes such as Social Work Practice with Individuals, Social Work Practice with Groups and Families and Interviewing Skills. I obtained knowledge about Social Work Day on the Hill from Social Work Issues and Policies class as well as practicum professors. I had previous knowledge from life experience and common sense that came in handy while on the disaster relief trips where I was able to help and really make a difference. I also used interviewing skills on the disaster relief trips which I learned from Interviewing Skills class.
Values Present:
For this competency, the value of service was present in all of the intervening as we keep our clients best interest in mind. The value of competence was present as we knew what individuals who had been effected by the natural disaster would be needing and therefore used that specific intervention with them. I was intentional to be mindful of the dignity and worth of a person as well as the importance of human relationships as I was facilitating group sessions, advocating for policies at Social Work Day on the Hill, and during the disaster relief interventions.
Cognitive Processes Used:
For this competency, I was able to identify needs, develop a way to intervene with individuals, practice my skills and grow as a professional, as well as represent individuals that did not have a voice at Social Work Day on the Hill.
Affective Processes Used:
For this competency, I had to sense that there were individuals who needed intervention, contribute to the intervention, respect the individuals that I was working with and helping, attend the interventions and cooperate with the individuals that I was working with.
Theoretical Foundation:
Prosocial Behavior Theory. This theory states that sometimes individuals help other individuals without expecting anything in return. As social workers, it is important that we keep this in our minds and be intentional to practice this within our work. Many times when we help others, it should simply be because we want to help them without expecting anything in return. However, even though we should practice this, we should also take care of ourselves and work to combat burnout and compassion fatigue. While helping others for the sake of helping is good and encouraged, it is also important to have self-awareness and know when it is time to take a break and recharge yourself.