Personal Statement What are the reasons and experiences that led you to choose social work as a profession?

I have chosen social work as a profession because social work affords me the opportunity to help others in times of challenge. Social work is by no means easy -- by definition the job means that you are working with people in need -- but it is rewarding. My own personal circumstances have convinced me that this is something I want to do. When I was 11, my mother became disabled. I saw what professionals were able to do with respect to helping people, and the difference that it made in her life and in mine. This experience that I had growing up is something that has always stuck with me, and for me having the opportunity to help others is something that drives me. In my present role, I am a physical education teacher and I help children to play sports and get physical activity that they otherwise would not. I especially enjoy working with the Exceptional Education children, because that is a capacity in which I make the most difference.

What are your social work career interests?

I see social work as the next step for me in terms of becoming a difference-maker, even more than my current role. As a social worker, I will be able to help those most in need, and this training will give me the tools that I need in order to do so. I have known for a long time that this is what I wanted to do, and my experiences in education have only solidified this belief for me. So the path that has brought me here started when I was a child, seeing how valuable a helping hand can be, and has continued through into my adult life where I have had the enormous privilege to help people. By moving into social work, I will be able to help those most in need, and make an even bigger difference in this world.

The focus of my social work is children and families. One of the things that stands out from growing up is that when doctors or other professionals would help my mother, that assistance would have an impact on all of us. By helping my mother they helped the entire family. Social work is much the same. I emphasize wanting to help children, but I realize that this requires solutions that will work for the entire family. I will need to be able to assist on a holistic basis, helping entire families deal with difficult situations. In that way, I want to make life better for the entire family with whom I am working.

I have this focus on children and families for a couple of reasons. First, this is the environment in which I grew up, so I understand it the best. I think a lot of people get into social work because of their own personal experiences, and that is the case for me as well. I also see children as being innocent, so when there is a way to help them, we should. It is important to help those who cannot help themselves, and I feel a sense of duty especially when it comes to the most vulnerable in our society, the children. By strengthening families and helping children, we can give every child the same chance to succeed in this world, something that every child deserves.

What are your personal strengths that you bring to this profession?

I feel that there are a number of personal strengths that I bring to the profession. I am passionate about the work, as I have always enjoyed helping people. When I went into teaching, it was to work with children, as that is something that I always wanted to do, and to help children and make a difference in their lives is something that motivates me each and every day. I am also empathetic, and compassionate. I feel the need to make a difference, and can see the struggles that people go through. Those struggles motivate me to do what I can for them, and this compassion for people and their struggles is something that helps me to be a better listener and it motivates me to work hard on the behalf of my clients, even when things seem too difficult.

Another strength of mine is that I am a lifelong learner. I genuinely enjoy the process of learning, something that makes me better at whatever I do because I continually build my skill set. I also see that learning...

So I see continued education as a pathway to helping others, and also as a pathway to bettering myself. Finally, I am in a good position at this point in my life. With a stable family situation, and in particular a stable financial situation, this is the time for me to pursue this vision, as I have the means to take these last few steps towards having my own practice as a clinical social worker.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

This is my vision -- to have my own practice. I think that initially when I graduate I will work for an agency in order to build my skill set and gain valuable experience. My long-term vision, however, is to open my own practice, which will give me the freedom to pursue the cases that are most rewarding for me personally. I want to be able to spend time with clients and be of genuine help to them. This vision might take a few years after graduation, but definitely within ten years I want to have this practice of my own so that I can specialize in helping children and their families, to give everybody a chance to pursue their dreams.

What major social issue do you think that professional social workers should be concerned with?

One of the major issues that interests me the most is children with disabilities. I work with such children already in my capacity as a physical education teacher, and I can see how this issue affects people. Because of this, I think that it is important that children with disabilities are given every opportunity to succeed. This means that I will be dedicate to their service, because of what it means to their lives. This is such an important issue, because there is still a lot of discrimination against people with disabilities. Too often, despite there being laws in place, doors are closed to people with disabilities and disabled children feel this. They need to know that there are opportunities in this world, and whatever I can do to help them achieve their dreams I will do. Part of that is working directly with them, and part is helping society to see how its treatment of the disabled, especially disabled children, is actually quite harmful.

I think that social work can help with this issue. Not only can social workers impact positively on individual lives, but we can also help to change society's views of disabled individuals, to change perceptions and try to break down some of the barriers. People do not always realize that their words and actions are harmful, but that is something where the social work profession can help, to serve as advocates for those whose voices are too often not heard . I feel that there is a significant role for social workers in driving change in society in this regard, and that is one of the contributions that I want to make.

How will you incorporate and uphold the NASW code of ethics?

The NASW code of ethics fits in with this vision. Some of the most important elements of this code include understanding cultural competency and social diversity, including specifically the role that social workers can play in advocacy and political action. So this is something that not only is one of my professional objectives, but is closely aligned with the objectives and ethical code of the NASW as well. Social justice is a very important part of being a social worker. Working with diverse populations should not challenge this. The code of ethics is quite clear with respect to treating people with dignity, fostering relationships and understanding and championing social justice causes. There is no inherent conflict between these elements of the code of ethics and working with diverse populations -- you are still expected to be an advocate for your clients and to treat them with respect and dignity.

The challenges and how I will overcome them

The internship load is a lot -- 25 weeks of full-time work. This will be a challenge to juggle in with my studies. I do not have to work as my husband is going to be the financial breadwinner during this time of my study, but even at that I will have to carefully manage my time in…