What could “Social Workers and Community Welfare Workers making a difference mean in your chosen field of practice ? Fields of practice: YOUTH This essay should cover two key areas: Firstly: In an essay format, give a well synthesised overview of what social workers/ welfare workers making a difference means in the particular field of practice you have chosen . This can be done in a range of ways encourage you to think and articulate what this may look like as well as to assist you to have become proficient in reading key recommended references and exploring for more ideas through “google” etc. (Remember to use your previous units to explore about advocacy, social action, social justice and social change in communities as well as interpersonally). Many people are wondering about the expectation to integrate into your writing, Aboriginal ways of knowing, being and doing such as those that were identified in the key reading from Week 2 and the lecture of Week 2. That week’s readings and lecture in particular brought to the surface the importance of being active about developing self-awareness about our own values and history as individuals as well as being a human service worker seeking to assist people who have experienced generations of societal disadvantage. Consider what social workers and welfare workers might do, in your chosen field of practice that integrates those understandings gained from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing. The second component of your essay is for you, as a beginning practitioner, to describe (‘articulate’) your own beginning practice framework. By being able to describe this framework in a succinct fashion you can demonstrate your capacity to begin the journey as a human services worker. Reflect on your current skills and those you think important to develop; your current knowledge and values that through this quick trip through several different fields of practice you have identified as important for the work of a human service worker. This beginning practice’ framework that you describe will probably be informed by your critical reflections/workbooks that you have completed and feedback and discussion that has taken place in your tutorials with your peers and your tutor. Your practice framework may also demonstrate a growing understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing in social work practice. Many people are wondering about this expectation, as identified above reflect on, and where possible integrate into your writing, ways of knowing, being and doing that were identified in the key reading from Week 3 and the lecture of Week 3. These sessions in particular brought to the surface the importance of being active about developing self-awareness about our own values and history as individuals as well as being a human service worker seeking to assist people who have experienced generations of societal disadvantage. In your ‘beginning practice’ framework description in the essay be sure to summarise your current skills and the skills you now know you will need to develop in order to work in this field. In any professional framework it is important to identify the specific areas you consider are important for you to deepen your own knowledge and specify some practical steps of how you might go about it. Share some of your thoughts that demonstrate you are reflecting on your personal and professional values, that is, what you feel, think and know about yourself and your thoughts about how this may impact on you, noting your understanding of the challenges of working in this area. Finally you should draw together, that is, briefly summarise in a concluding paragraph your view on whether this practice framework will be able to successfully support you and act as a basis for your placement next year. Ensure you identify relevant readings, websites and other resources that have assisted you. The integration of these references and the reference list itself will be very useful to you to re-visit when you are preparing for placement. The Essay: meeting the criteria: Description of workers’ practices in your chosen field of practice that includes an understanding of Aboriginal ways of knowing, doing and being (out of 15) Describe your own beginning practice framework. (out of 8 points) Wide range of exploratory reading identified and referenced.(out of 5 points) Structure and written expression within word limit 1500 words (out of 2 points) In order to be graded at a Credit (Competent) or Distinction (Excellent) or High Distinction (Exceptional) level you will have demonstrated meeting each of the criteria above and more, within an effectively structured essay format, that is exceptionally well expressed and appropriately referenced. Exceptional level of response would include the following: Criteria 1: Description of workers’ practices in your chosen field of practice that includes an understanding of Aboriginal ways of knowing, doing and being (out of 15) Exceptional:(up to 15) Succinct and well informed description of what social workers/community welfare workers do and are doing to reduce and minimise the injustices of social, political, legal, cultural and organisational contexts and systems that impact on people to create and maintain disadvantage in a particular field of practice; Examples given from your reading; Identifying what workers could be doing more of to reduce and minimise the injustices of social, political, legal, cultural and organisational contexts and systems that impact on people to create and maintain disadvantage in a particular field of practice; some analytical critique of current social work / welfare practice given around this focus and/or educational preparation towards being able to take up this focus. Demonstrate a higher order level of understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, doing and being in social work and welfare practice, integrated throughout the paper. Examples from both your reading & experiences. Inadequate Description of what social workers/community welfare workers do, but have not reflected on reducing disadvantage; Little or without evidence of reading/e-searching (referenced). Little knowledge demonstrated of what is called Aboriginal ways of knowing and/or the impact of this on the way social workers and welfare workers practice. Criteria 2: Describe your own beginning practice framework. (out of 8 points) Exceptional Describe your own beginning personal/professional practice framework that demonstrates a clear understanding of what a framework is; i.e. application of foundational skills, knowledge and values in social work and welfare practice particularly in it’s endeavour to minimise disadvantage individually and in society more broadly. Integrate this understanding throughout the essay. Identify areas for further development and specific strategies for attaining this. Identify some of the complexity within striving to meet these goals of the profession Inadequate Did not describe an integrated practice framework that identified your skills, values and knowledge base; did not demonstrate an understanding of these as linked to foundational the social work or community welfare professions. Criteria 3: Wide range of exploratory reading identified and referenced.(out of 5 points) Exceptional Wide evidence of exploratory reading (10 articles or chapters) and Evidence of access of online material ensure you include material that will be relevant to the next stage of your course experience, that of a professionally supervised placement. Inadequate Little or insufficient evidence of exploratory reading (less than 4) or e-searching undertaken. Little relevance of material to future placement learning requirements. Criteria 4: Structure and written expression within word limit 1500 words (out of 2 points) Exceptional: Well structured, well expressed and well referenced. Excellent ‘readability’. Inadequate Essay format not used. Little evidence of editing prior to submission for example frequent spelling mistakes and/or frequent lack of clarity in written expression.
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