Identify as a professional Social Worker and conduct oneself accordingly::

Advocate for client access to the services of social work We will attend court to advocate for the client to receive Domestic Violence Protective Orders.

Practice personal reflection and self correction to assure continual professional development Every day after internship, we journal to sort through everything we have done that day.

Attend to professional roles and boundaries When working with this vulnerable population, we have to remain professional. As much as we want to be personal and comforting, we have to follow procedures and understand client/ worker boundaries.

Demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance and communication. While working at the shelter and the office, we always address clients in a friendly manner, while carrying ourselves with a professional demeanor.

Engage in career-long learning. Everyday, we are always asking questions and showing a willingness to learn more. By asking questions and working with clients, we are gaining knowledge about human diversity which is vital in our future careers.

Use supervision and consultation We are still learning the procedures of the agency so we often have to ask our supervisor and coworkers how things work and how to deal with certain situations.

Apply Social Work ethical principles to guide professional practice::

Recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide practice. Even though some of the stories heard at SVFC are unbelievable, we should still treat the clients with respect and follow professional procedures.

Make ethical decisions by applying standards of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and, as applicable, of the International Federation of Social Workers/ International Association of Schools of Social Work Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles. If we see something that did not feel right, we should say something and bring awareness to the issue at hand.

Tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts. Many victims of domestic violence return to their abuser, and that is their decision. When working with a client, we do not know if they will return to their abuser or get out of that bad situation. The unknown is uncomfortable.

Apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions. If we see a worker at the shelter or office do unethical things, we have to use our own ethical values in deciding what to do and the actions that we must take.

Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgements::

Distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge, including research-based knowledge, and practice wisdom. Research domestic violence and apply this knowledge to our interactions with clients.

Analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation. Use DANGER assessment when dealing with clients in dangerous situations and look up other assessments that may be more useful.

Demonstrate effective oral and written communications in working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and colleagues. Speak professionally to both clients and coworkers during intake process, while running WAVE classes, and everyday interactions at the shelter.

Engage diversity and difference in practice::

Recognize the extent to which a cultures structures and values may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create or enhance privilege and power. We work with mostly women who are an oppressed population in a rural area with a high poverty rate. We recognize that these factors create a lack of resources for women in need.

Gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse groups. We know our own values and put them aside when working with clients and coworkers who do not feel the same ways we do. Our differences will not change the way the clients are served.

Recognize and communicate their understanding of the importance of difference in shaping life experiences. We can see that each client has a different story. No two clients are alike. Different circumstances can bring clients from all walks of life to both the agency and shelter.

View themselves as learners and engage those with whom they work as informants. We take every opportunity we get to hear stories from our directors about their experiences as social workers. They also teach us about the policies used in their practice.

Advance human rights and social and economic justice::

Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination From prior knowledge and courses, I have learned that substance abuse and poverty go hand in hand. Working in a low income area, I get to see the volume of consumers with problems from substance abuse.

Advocate for human rights and social and economic justice The consumers at this agency do not always voice economic needs. Instead, they need a support system, which is provided to them through group meetings including myself, my supervisor, other interns, and other consumers.

Engage in practices that advance social and economic justice. The agency I am currently interning at runs on a grant that pays for the classes of many of the Native American consumers. This oppressed population does not have to worry about the financial burden of the assesment or the class.

Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research::

Use practice experience to inform scientific inquiry My agency project is to create a two hour presentation of the dangers of texting and driving. From my own experience, I know the more graphic information I can find, the more it will stick in the consumers head and motivate them to change their behavior

Use research evidence to inform practice I will use research to inform the consumers the dangers of texting and driving. I also research substance abuse and its relation to mental health because it is the field I plan to work on when I graduate.

Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment::

Utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the process of assessment, intervention and evaluation. To evaluate our consumers, we use SASSI. SASSI is a one page test that identifies people who suffer from substance dependence

Critique and apply knowledge to understand person and environment. Grading the SASSI evaluation gives us more information about the client so we know how to create an effective treatment plan.

Enage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services::

Analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance social well-being. Lauren and I have been looking into available grants to start a program against texting and driving in Robeson County.

Collaborate with colleagues and clients for effective policy action. Last time I had a client who was complaining about the cost of the assessment, I asked my supervisor if there was any way to get their assessment paid for.

Respond to contexts that shape practice::

Continuously discover, appraise and attend to changing locales, populations, scientific and technological developments and emerging societal trends to provide relevent services. Since starting at Palmer, I have learned three different softwares/ assesments which my supervisor thinks will better suite our clients.

Provide leadership in promoting sustainable changes in service delivery and practice to improve the quality of social services. I will continue to attend trainings and educate myself and others on changes to software, research and changing populations.

Engage, assess, intervene and evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.

Substantively and affectively prepare for action with individuals, families, groups, and organizations Before our group sessions start, we go over the outline and read the chapter which we will work with the consumers on. It is important to know the material in case they ask questions.

Use empathy and other interpersonal skills During the intake process, many consumers want to talk about what they think caused their addiction. I have to use empathy, while also making sure the assessment is done in a timely manner.

Develop a mutually agreed on focus of work. Sharing an office and workload with two other interns, we constantly work together to get things done. Our supervisor delegates us tasks and we collaborate our efforts.

Collect, organize and interpret client data. As an intern at Palmer Prevention, INC, I complete the intake process, which includes a SASSI assessment. I interpret the assessment before passing it along to my supervisor, which rates how severe an addiction is. I also file paperwork, and check accuracy and completion of files.

Assess client strengths and limitations. Part of our intake process is to assess our consumers strengths and weaknesses. Many of our clients are weak when it comes to being in locations that serve alcohol, but have strengths of family support and religion that help them gain sobriety.

Develop mutually agreed on intervention goals and objectives. During our intake process, we set goals with our clients that they hope to reach by using our services. Most of the time, they hope to get their license back and remain sober.

Select appropriate intervention strategies. Prime Solutions is the lesson plan used in our substance abuse groups. It is not applicable for the children at our facility so it is only use for adults. When we see our clients score too high on the SASSI assessment for our program, we suggest more intensive, inpatient facilities.

Initiate actions to achieve organizational goals. When I learned that the annual Red Ribbon Luncheon was in October, I started making calls in September in order to sell tickets and advertise before the rest of the office started.

Implement prevention interventions that enhance client capacities. The lesson plan used in our group sessions is called Prime Solutions. It is peer reviewed and evidence based that it is effective.

Help clients resolve problems. I have helped consumers who were here for substance abuse services find other resources that we do not offer in order to solve their problems and meet their needs.

Negogiate, mediate, and advocate for clients. During group sessions, the consumers do not always get along. As a co-facilitator, I have mediated between the consumers so the session could continue.

Facilitate transitions and endings. At Palmer Prevention, I have been a part of the discharge process. I have checked files for accuracy after the consumer finishes their services here.

Social workers critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate interventions. I have done follow-up calls to consumers who finish or terminate services with Palmer Prevention to see if they felt our services were effective.