Competency Six
Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
As a social worker that has most of her experience with case management, I strive to better every interaction with each client I engage with. I continue this not only with the clients at my practicum but all of my relationships daily. It is imperative for social workers to build rapport with, show empathy for, and empower those around us. I strive to do this and will continue long after my MSW is completed.
Practice Behaviors
6.1: Examine evidence-based practices to prepare for professional engagement across systems.
Field Evidence: When working with the EPI, I was able to present to CEAP on the service gaps and our work with clients to help improve the quality of services and accessibility for clients in the Chattanooga area. Please view my presentation below.
Academic Evidence: When creating my group’s non-profit organization Friends Helping Friends, in the Advanced Administrative Practice: Administrative and Leadership Skills course, I was in charge of writing the organizational policy. This policy gives guidance to employees on how to interact when conducting official agency interactions. The policy can be viewed below.
6.2: Engage with systems utilizing evidence-based practice strategies.
Field Evidence: When working with the EPI as previously mentioned, I was able to write an MOU to outline the relationship between CHA and SAU’s School of Social Work for future client work. This demonstrates the engagement piece of collaboration when working with other agencies alongside clients. Please view my MOU below.
Academic Evidence: When creating my group’s non-profit organization Friends Helping Friends, in the Advanced Administrative Practice: Administrative and Leadership Skills course, I was tasked with writing a letter to case support letter to the McKee Foods Corporation. Please view my letter below.
Skills Used: Through the completion of the aforementioned practice behaviors I demonstrated professional written and oral communication and interpersonal skills.
Knowledge Presented: With the fulfillment of this competency I effectively communicated the needs of the clients involved that I obtained through the Advanced Administrative Practice: Administrative and Leadership Skills. I was able to apply the skills learned in this course when searching and presenting to donors to help the building of a non-profit agency.
Values Presented: When working with clients and other tasks during my time with the Eviction Prevention Initiative I demonstrated social work core values. I was able to demonstrate service by presenting to CEAP in order to improve the delivery of social services. This is something that has needed improvement for years and is a hard topic to present to other overworked social service providers. I was able to demonstrate integrity by sticking with the core values of social work as a profession and putting the clients first and ensuring that the accessibility for clients is easier and more successful.
Cognitive Processes: While demonstrating this competency I was able to argue (evaluation domain) for the improvement of social service delivery to ensure that the non-profit agencies and the clients are successful in their goals and missions. I was also able to demonstrate propose (synthesis domain) an MOU that would solidify the partnership between CHA and SAU’s School of Social Work.
Affective Processes: Through creating (organizational domain) my MOU, I was able to put into writing the need and outline the parameters of the partnership between CHA and SAU. By creating (organizational domain) my organizational policy for Friends Helping Friends I was able to successfully create guidelines to how the agency should conduct business with other agencies along with clients.
Theoretical Foundation: Ultimate Attribution Error Theory states that we place groups together with similar dispositions. This can be applied when looking at my presentation to the CEAP group, it shows that all social service agencies could improve their service delivery regardless of those agencies that are already doing an exceptional job at their service delivery.