Competency 2: Diversity

Each client who enters into practice settings is diverse in unique ways. One way that the field of social work differs from other professions is that social workers not only accept diversity, but embrace it. There are many ways individuals can experience diversity, whether it is in age, race, socioeconomic status, mental/developmental/physical abilities, culture, etc. It is important to know the variations in individuals and strive to lessen discrimination that may affect disparate clients. I will continue to broaden my worldview and knowledge of diversity through research, trainings, conferences, and personal experiences. I will frequently evaluate my own personal biases in order to connect with clients who may have experienced oppression. I will use evidence-based and culturally-informed strategies to reduce discrimination and relate to and serve diverse clients. 

2.1 Develop and implement strategies that strive to eradicate discrimination in any form

Course Evidence: In my Advanced Administrative Practice and Leadership class, I worked with a team to create a diversity plan for RightWay Recovery, a nonprofit organization that we developed. This diversity plan included strategies to decrease discrimination among staff, volunteers, and participants in the program. Strategies included focusing on promoting diversity by building a diverse team, providing opportunities for individuals to discuss their cultural beliefs, acknowledging cultural holidays, and encouraging open communication. RightWay Recovery Diversity Plan

Field Evidence: I worked with my task supervisor to amend the Mending Arrow Ranch entrance application, in order to make it more inclusive and obtain a better understanding of each student prior to his/her entrance into services. I incorporated questions regarding ethnicity, home living situations, child strengths/limitations, trauma history, and physical/health limitations. This updated application allowed staff at Mending Arrow Ranch to be sensitive to the diverse needs of each child and to address personal biases as they surfaced prior to the start of sessions. We also included a health history form and specific additional questions for Brave One program applicants that included questions regarding physical and mental limitations the student may have. These forms allowed us to keep the students safe while also providing for their specialized needs. I demonstrated the cognitive domain synthesis by integrating data from multiple sources to create new and unique applications and forms for the students at the Ranch.
MAR Application
MAR Health History
MAR Brave One Health

2.2 Implement evidence-based and culturally-informed strategies with diverse populations

Field Evidence: I designed and implemented a new program at Mending Arrow Ranch as my special project called Dream Catchers, which incorporates evidence-based equine trauma care and mindfulness techniques to serve children and teens ages 2-16 who suffer from behavioral issues and/or emotional stressors. The Ranch already had programs for children with physical/developmental limitations and teen girls with emotional stressors, but over time through observation it was found that there was a large need for a program to benefit children with behavioral/emotional issues. Please see my Special Project to view more details on the Dream Catchers program.

Additional Evidence: Also in my internship at Mending Arrow Ranch, I found that many of the students who had Autism-Spectrum Disorder (ASD) had difficulty discussing or portraying their emotions. Younger students also had some difficulty in explaining what emotions they were feeling. For our sessions, my supervisor and I created a feelings chart with emojis above the feelings that students could point at rather than explaining the feeling. This allowed us to obtain mood checks before and after the session, as well as reference the chart as needed throughout the session. I demonstrated the cognitive domain of synthesis, where my supervisor and I devised a solution to a unique problem that is not faced with all clients.