Learning Objective

Sequence of Student Learning

A. The Agency System

1. Internal Agency System.
2. Purpose/function/organizational structure of agency.
3. Relationship with social service system & community within which agency operates.
4. Client population agency serves.
5. Range of agency programs & services.
6. Impact of current political, economic and social issues on agency.
7. Awareness & responsiveness of agency to oppression of racial/ethnic minorities, women, the aged, the disabled, the poor.

B. The Client System

1. Who the clients are.
2. The life tasks, situations, issues with which clients are dealing.
3. The needs & strengths of clients as a group & differentially as individuals.
4. The context of clients’ lives:
1. Family
2. Agency
3. Ecological Networks
4. Community
5. The clients’ perception of their needs and the services they receive.

Student will begin to experience self as a professional helper and develop the ability to:

C. Social Work Activities

1. Assume responsibility for defined social work assignments & tasks appropriate to level of knowledge and skill.
2. Demonstrate beginning competency in the use of social work intervention skills.
1. Observation
2. Listening
3. Engage client system in a helping relationship
4. Express care & concern for client system.
5. Display empathy with client system
6. Purposefully question/interview client system
7. Express self with clear concise focused verbal & written communication
8. Engage client in problem-solving process.
9. Appropriate terminate with client system
10. Evaluate own impact on client system.
3. Become familiar with the resources clients need & learn how to locate them.
4. Link client with needed resources.
5. Be aware of the barriers to & gaps in needed resource systems.

Student will demonstrate a beginning understanding of self in relation to social work practice.

D. Self Awareness

1. Recognize and accept own personal strengths limitations, and needs.
2. Commit self to personal and professional growth through the learning opportunities available in the field placement.

Student will begin to experience and present self as a professional person demonstrating a beginning degree of professional autonomy and initiative.

E . Identification with the Profession

1. Acceptance & identification with social work values.
1. Believes people have rights to needed resources.
2. Respects the dignity and individuality of people.
3. Respects individuals & groups with varying value systems and cultures.
4. Views problems and seeking help as normative occurrences of life in a complex society.
5. Is committed to a growth, health oriented view of people.
6. Maximizes the client’s self-determination and strengths.
7. Observes the confidentiality of client’s communications and records.
2. Knows and observes the Social Work Code of Ethics.
3. Demonstrates a commitment to the social work profession and to the motivation and capacity to learn and grow by:
1. Being curious and inquisitive about agency and client systems, the helping process, and the development of social work skills.
2. Seeking and using learning opportunities.