Ethics

Values

I believe that my character and personal values align well with the Social Work Code of Ethics (Service, Social Justice, Dignity & Worth of the Person, Importance of Human Relationships, Integrity, and Competence). I have always been one to help those who need it or ask for it. I’ve spent many times studying with other students and helping them with homework. I also spent much of my childhood trying to help my dad take care of himself and my mom. I have also always been curious and passionate about Social Justice, specifically when it comes to the judgment of those with substance use. After witnessing what I have, I believe that everyone deserves another opportunity, and I am prepared to use my voice to speak up for them and amplify what they need and want. I understand that we are here to help those along the way to achieve the goals that they want and not do it for them.

From a very young age, I learned that you cannot force someone to accept help, that they need to want it, and that all you can do is keep showing up for them and listening. I also believe that support around you is vital to our work, whether as a client or as a social worker. In the past year, I have leaned heavily on those in my corner for support, and I know I could not make it without them. I value the relationship and honesty between us. I highly value that honesty, especially since it was instilled in my upbringing and heavily talked about. I know that my education and knowledge will not stop after Bethel, nor will it stop after my Masters. Every day, I can meet a new person and learn new things from them. I believe that is highly valuable, and I am excited about it.

Honesty & Integrity

I abide by and highly value Honesty & Integrity. When I was younger, my mom lied to me a lot about what was going on with her substance use. Although I understand now that some of it was to protect me, I also know it damaged our relationship severely, and I always questioned if she was telling the truth. I also had my grandparents be dishonest to me about their court case against my parents, which not only strained my relationship with them but also with my parents. Because of this and seeing what dishonesty can lead to, I highly value honesty, whether in the workplace, social life, or education.

Personal Stability & Emotional Self-Control

I have the emotional maturity and character necessary to be in social work. I think most of this comes from my childhood and feeling prettified. I do sometimes worry if I have the emotional control and separate what happened to me from others' similar experiences. I believe that this is a weakness on my part because I know I will bring home those feelings from work, and I will need to work on separating my work life from my home life because I know I will wonder if someone is safe or not and it will cause me feelings of stress. I know implementing sustainable self-care will be a big thing in my life, and I also know that going to therapy myself is a huge thing, which is why I am currently trying to find a new therapist.

Ability to form an appropriate relationship

I can form appropriate relationships, whether it is with a classmate, professor, or client. My job involves over 1,000 clients, and I can see nearly 30 clients weekly. I will keep it professional, focusing on the job goal. Let the client talk to me about their day and pet, but limit the information I share and only share when I feel it is valuable or needed. The same goes for my internship with Peace Connections over the summer. With the clients, I would listen to them and only share about myself when it felt needed or valued. With my supervisor, I maintain a work-appropriate relationship of sharing more of my personal life related to school and my questions about the job. I will be able to form and maintain appropriate relationships with clients, and although I may care a lot and think about it outside of work, I leave it at work and do not dwell on it too much afterward.

Dependability and Responsibility

I am dependable and responsible, which shows in my work and school life. I attend class on time, get my work done on time, and alert professors if I will be late or miss class. The same goes for work, where I need to show up 10-15 minutes early to pick up client house keys and communicate with clients when I arrive at their house. I also constantly communicate with my boss if I feel like I will be running late or if I, for some reason, cannot make it to work.