“Only she who is ready to question, to think for herself, will find the truth. To understand the currents of the river, he who wishes to know the truth must enter the water.” - Nisargadatta
(Wheatley, M. J., 2010, pp.40)
This quote is an excellent example of how learning skills for direct service can affect my ability to make change happen. By practicing and immersing myself into the world of human services I can gain new perspectives and ability in creating change.
DIRECT SERVICES
Direct service is a key part of the Human Services Program. Throughout the curriculum I have gained new skills to enhance my ability to serve various populations in this field of work. My ability to interact with diverse populations and deliver direct services was influenced by my time spent as an intern at Child Protective Services and the American Red Cross observing staff and their interactions with the community.
As an intern at the Department of Children and Family Services – Child Protective Services – Family Voluntary Services Unit I gained a new understanding of the conditions that promote and limit the functioning of human service systems through my observations of the services offered to clients. This experience allowed me to gain a new understanding of how human development, social dynamics, and community systems contribute to personal change. It challenged me to examine what I was learning in my coursework and relate it to what I was experiencing in the field. In HSP 315 Human Development and Human Services I was able to directly relate much of what I was learning to this experience, including an “understanding of the major models of causation that are concerned with both the promotion of healthy functioning and with treatment rehabilitation. This includes medically oriented, socially oriented, psychologically-behaviorally oriented, and educationally oriented models.” (National Organization for Human Services, n.d.) This can be seen in the Barton family case studies completed throughout the quarter. As an intern with the Department of Children and Family Services I was able to observe and learn from social workers discussions with clients regarding the plans of action; this helped me to learn how to match appropriate services with corresponding client needs. This skill will be useful throughout my work in any non-profit agency that provides services or assesses client needs.
HSP 325 Interviewing for Human Services enhanced my ability to act professionally with clients in direct service and opened my eyes to the multiple layers of communication systems. I developed consistent behaviors with personal and professional ethics and values while raising awareness and appreciation for human services code of ethics and client values, lifestyles, and goals. This class gave me confidence in myself to speak to people I do not know in an unfamiliar setting. Each week we would practice interviewing each other in a professional setting. At the end of the quarter I wrote a reflective paper on an interview I conducted. This interviewing practice provided me with a life-like situation that, once completed, proved to be incredibly helpful to my learning and growth as a professional. I developed new communication skills (such as summarization, asking open and closed questions, appropriate body positions while being culturally sensitive, active listening, and understanding cognitive and motivational biases) that I practiced also in my internship at Child Protective Services. I continue to practice ethical human services communication skills daily at work and with acquaintances.
I have also developed skills in identifying interventions to promote growth and goal attainment, design a plan of action, understand problem analysis and decision analysis, and design of working plans. HSP 345 Case Management and Interventions presented to me the skills required to be a case manager and how to analytically present and understand critical processes a client may experience. Throughout the quarter practicing case management helped me to develop an understanding for working with diverse clients in a professional and ethical manner. I was taught to work through challenging or stressful situations while sustaining client self-confidence and support. This process prepared me to work with diverse populations in a variety of settings, increasing my knowledge of case management systems and processes. The in class skill building reflection paper is an example of my learning in case management practices.
HSP 315 Human Development and Human Services forced me outside my comfort zone during the lifebook project. In this course students were assigned a child currently going through the foster system in Whatcom County. The development of the lifebook included meeting with the child and the case manager to interview and learn about the client’s story, reviewing case files, and using my imagination to respectfully express this individual’s life in the form of a scrapbook. By getting to know this individual and the history of the family, I was able to connect my learning of human development and group dynamics to these stories and understand what role responsibilities the client took on. This included the roles of a sibling, a child, a student, and a teenager. This opportunity has benefited me as a professional in providing me the ability to understand and differentiate between common societal and family roles and responsibilities that clients can sometimes take on. This experience also allowed me to develop the ability to predict a client’s behavior based on my knowledge of systemic relationships. My development can be seen in my lifebook reaction paper.
My learning of direct service also expanded into understanding mental health, chemical dependency, and addictions. HSP 410 Mental Health and Human Services and HSP 450 Survey of Addictions provided me the opportunity to learn about how mental illness and chemical dependency can alter a client’s quality of service. Working with these populations requires a particular set of skills and understanding that I am continuing to develop. In both HSP 410 and 450 I interviewed human services professionals working in Whatcom County with these specific populations. Both of these women explained the importance of building rapport with your client before discussing appropriate treatment and intervention models. One of these women worked specifically as a chemical dependency counselor and she expressed her strong view that in order for a client to be successful in treatment the case manager must build rapport based on understanding and professional knowledge of the client’s needs. In her situation it was beneficial to explain to each client that she has experienced chemical dependency herself and has gone through recovery – this shows them she knows what to expect and will be supportive throughout the process. Having knowledge about how to alter your professional techniques based on the population you are working with will be beneficial to me if I work within an agency that serves diverse clients with different needs. This could be seen as working with extra sensitivity or increased awareness of the struggles a client may be experiencing. Evidence of this learning can be seen in my survey of addictions and dependency interview reflection as well as my mental health interview reflection papers.
Studying direct services has prepared me to work with diverse clients from a variety of backgrounds. Understanding when to use different communication skills (body positioning, word choice, and tone) and acknowledging varying human development stages (child, teen, adult, elderly) will be beneficial to my professional development and engagement with my community. These skills will be utilized when identifying intervention techniques and promoting growth in clients, promoting skills and assets for community and client success, and understanding client or organizational planning, implementing, and evaluating interventions. I see myself now as a stronger advocate to populations I am passionate about serving all because of the direct service skills, internships, and courses I have experienced.
Standard 12: The curriculum shall include knowledge and theory of the interaction of human systems including: individual, interpersonal, group, family, organizational, community, and societal.
Standard 13: The curriculum shall address the scope of conditions that promote or inhibit human functioning.
Standard 15: The curriculum shall provide knowledge and skill development in systematic analysis of services needs; planning appropriate strategies, services, and implementation; and evaluation of outcomes.
Standard 16: The curriculum shall provide knowledge and skills in direct service delivery and appropriate interventions.
Standard 17: Learning experiences shall be provided for the student to develop his or her interpersonal skills.
Standard 19: The curriculum shall incorporate human services values and attitudes and promote understanding of human services ethics and their application in practice.
Standard 20: The program shall provide experiences and support to enable students to develop awareness of their own values, personalities, reaction patterns, interpersonal styles, and limitations.
References:
National Organization for Human Services. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/what-is-human-services
Wheatley, M. J. (2010). Perseverance. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, INC.
As an intern at the Department of Children and Family Services – Child Protective Services – Family Voluntary Services Unit I gained a new understanding of the conditions that promote and limit the functioning of human service systems through my observations of the services offered to clients. This experience allowed me to gain a new understanding of how human development, social dynamics, and community systems contribute to personal change. It challenged me to examine what I was learning in my coursework and relate it to what I was experiencing in the field. In HSP 315 Human Development and Human Services I was able to directly relate much of what I was learning to this experience, including an “understanding of the major models of causation that are concerned with both the promotion of healthy functioning and with treatment rehabilitation. This includes medically oriented, socially oriented, psychologically-behaviorally oriented, and educationally oriented models.” (National Organization for Human Services, n.d.) This can be seen in the Barton family case studies completed throughout the quarter. As an intern with the Department of Children and Family Services I was able to observe and learn from social workers discussions with clients regarding the plans of action; this helped me to learn how to match appropriate services with corresponding client needs. This skill will be useful throughout my work in any non-profit agency that provides services or assesses client needs.
HSP 325 Interviewing for Human Services enhanced my ability to act professionally with clients in direct service and opened my eyes to the multiple layers of communication systems. I developed consistent behaviors with personal and professional ethics and values while raising awareness and appreciation for human services code of ethics and client values, lifestyles, and goals. This class gave me confidence in myself to speak to people I do not know in an unfamiliar setting. Each week we would practice interviewing each other in a professional setting. At the end of the quarter I wrote a reflective paper on an interview I conducted. This interviewing practice provided me with a life-like situation that, once completed, proved to be incredibly helpful to my learning and growth as a professional. I developed new communication skills (such as summarization, asking open and closed questions, appropriate body positions while being culturally sensitive, active listening, and understanding cognitive and motivational biases) that I practiced also in my internship at Child Protective Services. I continue to practice ethical human services communication skills daily at work and with acquaintances.
I have also developed skills in identifying interventions to promote growth and goal attainment, design a plan of action, understand problem analysis and decision analysis, and design of working plans. HSP 345 Case Management and Interventions presented to me the skills required to be a case manager and how to analytically present and understand critical processes a client may experience. Throughout the quarter practicing case management helped me to develop an understanding for working with diverse clients in a professional and ethical manner. I was taught to work through challenging or stressful situations while sustaining client self-confidence and support. This process prepared me to work with diverse populations in a variety of settings, increasing my knowledge of case management systems and processes. The in class skill building reflection paper is an example of my learning in case management practices.
HSP 315 Human Development and Human Services forced me outside my comfort zone during the lifebook project. In this course students were assigned a child currently going through the foster system in Whatcom County. The development of the lifebook included meeting with the child and the case manager to interview and learn about the client’s story, reviewing case files, and using my imagination to respectfully express this individual’s life in the form of a scrapbook. By getting to know this individual and the history of the family, I was able to connect my learning of human development and group dynamics to these stories and understand what role responsibilities the client took on. This included the roles of a sibling, a child, a student, and a teenager. This opportunity has benefited me as a professional in providing me the ability to understand and differentiate between common societal and family roles and responsibilities that clients can sometimes take on. This experience also allowed me to develop the ability to predict a client’s behavior based on my knowledge of systemic relationships. My development can be seen in my lifebook reaction paper.
My learning of direct service also expanded into understanding mental health, chemical dependency, and addictions. HSP 410 Mental Health and Human Services and HSP 450 Survey of Addictions provided me the opportunity to learn about how mental illness and chemical dependency can alter a client’s quality of service. Working with these populations requires a particular set of skills and understanding that I am continuing to develop. In both HSP 410 and 450 I interviewed human services professionals working in Whatcom County with these specific populations. Both of these women explained the importance of building rapport with your client before discussing appropriate treatment and intervention models. One of these women worked specifically as a chemical dependency counselor and she expressed her strong view that in order for a client to be successful in treatment the case manager must build rapport based on understanding and professional knowledge of the client’s needs. In her situation it was beneficial to explain to each client that she has experienced chemical dependency herself and has gone through recovery – this shows them she knows what to expect and will be supportive throughout the process. Having knowledge about how to alter your professional techniques based on the population you are working with will be beneficial to me if I work within an agency that serves diverse clients with different needs. This could be seen as working with extra sensitivity or increased awareness of the struggles a client may be experiencing. Evidence of this learning can be seen in my survey of addictions and dependency interview reflection as well as my mental health interview reflection papers.
Studying direct services has prepared me to work with diverse clients from a variety of backgrounds. Understanding when to use different communication skills (body positioning, word choice, and tone) and acknowledging varying human development stages (child, teen, adult, elderly) will be beneficial to my professional development and engagement with my community. These skills will be utilized when identifying intervention techniques and promoting growth in clients, promoting skills and assets for community and client success, and understanding client or organizational planning, implementing, and evaluating interventions. I see myself now as a stronger advocate to populations I am passionate about serving all because of the direct service skills, internships, and courses I have experienced.
Standard 12: The curriculum shall include knowledge and theory of the interaction of human systems including: individual, interpersonal, group, family, organizational, community, and societal.
Standard 13: The curriculum shall address the scope of conditions that promote or inhibit human functioning.
Standard 15: The curriculum shall provide knowledge and skill development in systematic analysis of services needs; planning appropriate strategies, services, and implementation; and evaluation of outcomes.
Standard 16: The curriculum shall provide knowledge and skills in direct service delivery and appropriate interventions.
Standard 17: Learning experiences shall be provided for the student to develop his or her interpersonal skills.
Standard 19: The curriculum shall incorporate human services values and attitudes and promote understanding of human services ethics and their application in practice.
Standard 20: The program shall provide experiences and support to enable students to develop awareness of their own values, personalities, reaction patterns, interpersonal styles, and limitations.
References:
National Organization for Human Services. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/what-is-human-services
Wheatley, M. J. (2010). Perseverance. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, INC.