As an advanced practitioner, I understand how diversity and differences shape the human experience and contribute to the formation of individual identity. I consistently present myself as a learner and engage each client I serve with the understanding that they are experts of their own experience. Additionally, I exercise self-regulation strategies to prevent the influence of my own personal biases and values. I cultivate my ability to engage diversity and difference in advance social work practice through the development and implementation of strategies that recognize the importance of diversity and seek to eradicate discrimination at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
2.1: Develop and implement strategies that strive to eradicate discrimination in any form.
Course Evidence: In the advanced policy class, my group chose to center our policy proposal and advocacy plan on SB 0589. The primary goal of this policy is to restore the voting rights of people convicted of certain crimes upon the recipient of a pardon or completion of any sentence of incarceration, parole, or probation. This bill seeks to change the present law by limiting the period when a felony conviction renders a person ineligible to vote to the period when the person is incarcerated, serving parole, or on probation. As my group and I began to explore felon voter disenfranchisement, we discovered that voter suppression laws have been historically utilized to suppress the voices within vulnerable communities. In our proposal, I outlined the contextual factors and subsequent implications that informed the development of SB 0589, as well as strategies that can be utilized to eradicate this discriminatory practice. The section I wrote can be viewed here.
2.2: Apply self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies
Field Evidence: My practicum placement with the Eviction Prevention Initiative gave me the opportunity to engage diversity and difference in practice through the diverse representation of clients I served. I integrated components of the Cultural Competence Continuum when working with clients from various backgrounds, taking into consideration cultural and environmental contexts when collaboratively developing goals and intervention strategies with each of them. The Cultural Continuum Framework I utilized can be viewed here. Additionally, I completed a Personal-Self-Assessment-of-Anti-Bias-Behavior that allowed me to identify areas in which I needed to grow, create specific goals, and practice self-reflection strategies discussed with my field instructor.
Skills Present: Accomplishing each of these tasks required that I remain consistently self-aware of my internal biases, exercise self-regulation, and utilize interpersonal skills with the diverse representation of clients I served in order to gain a deeper understanding of the obstacles they faced.
Knowledge Present: To successfully demonstrate each practice behavior, I relied on what I learned through my close work with clients from diverse backgrounds, such as the subtle discrimination many of my clients faced when trying to secure stable housing. I utilized the knowledge gained from thoroughly analyzing the factors and implications of voter suppression and reviewing evidence-based intervention strategies to effectively advocate on behalf of my clients experiencing housing instability. I demonstrated cultural competence by taking into consideration cultural and environmental contexts when collaboratively developing goals and intervention strategies with each client I served.
Values Present: Within these practice behaviors, I demonstrated the values of the importance of human relationships and dignity and worth of the person through engaging each client as experts of their own experience and recognizing their inherent dignity and worth. My commitment to these values allowed me to gain greater insight on the lived experiences of my clients and establish a trusting rapport with each of them. I upheld the value of social justice by exploring and incorporating effective advocacy strategies that sought to eradicate the many forms of discrimination the marginalized communities I serve continue to face.
Cognitive Processes: For these tasks, I had to recall (knowledge domain) the knowledge gained from both hands-on experience and my educational foundation, apply (application domain) the knowledge and skills and I obtained, formulate (synthesis domain) effective advocacy strategies that addressed the issue of discrimination, and continually analyze (analysis domain) my perceptions, my understanding, and my approach.
Affective Processes: I internalized (characterization domain) the values of the social work profession through an approach that engaged clients from a diverse range of backgrounds as experts of their own experience. I exhibited (characterization domain) an understanding of the contextual factors and consequences of discrimination through addressing the complex issue of voter suppression. The knowledge I gained informed my advocacy strategies pertaining to discrimination as well as my efforts to resolve (characterization domain) personal biases through continually integrating (organization domain) the practice of self-regulation and self-reflection.
Theoretical Foundation: I found the theory that most closely aligns with this competency is the Dilution Effect Theory. This theory asserts that stereotyping leads to bias and inaccurate judgement, stating that this can be eliminated or reduced through an individual’s willingness to educate themselves about the experiences of others, particularly those who are different than them. As social workers, we are mandated to uphold the values of social justice, of recognizing the inherent dignity and worth of each person, and of competence. Therefore, the ongoing practice of self-reflection and managing personal biases is paramount. It is imperative that our approach is one absent of pre-conceived notions and reflects cultural competence, and that our strategies to eradicate discrimination and engage diversity and difference reflect an informed understanding of the vulnerable individuals and communities that we serve.