AU Socio Economic Class and Nationality Differences Essay

Social Identity Paper

Instructions 

The Council of Social Work of Education requires social work students to have a critical understanding of ten competency areas. In your role as social work student-practitioners, it is critical that you, (1) Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior (2) Advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice and (3) Engage anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion

Reflect on the identities (personal & social identities) that are salient for you and have particular relevance to your work as a social work intern. Answer the following questions:

1. What has been your experience with the practice issues related to your placement (i.e., if you are working with older adults with dementia, what has been your experience with older adults or experiences of dementia)? What assumptions are you unconsciously or consciously coming in with about your client population? What has been your experience with the communities (i.e., both the clients and the town or city) you are serving?
2. Introduce yourself by focusing on at least two (2) aspects of your social identities (i.e., racial/ethnic background, socio-economic class [poor, working-class, middle-class, upper-class], religious background, your ability [disability], your nationality [the nation of citizenship], your gender identity, or sexual orientation/sexuality). How do these social identities impact your work with your clients? What identity factors do you have in common with your clients? What factors separate you the most? How does your identity put you at an advantaged or disadvantaged position in relation to your clients (for example in the US context being White, male, Christian, and heterosexual puts you in an advantaged position, and being a person of color (Black, Latino/a, Asian, Native American), a woman or transgender person, Jewish or Muslim, gay/lesbian/bisexual puts you in a disadvantaged position)? Describe how you might address this in your practice.
3. Define the use of self. Describe how this framework helps you in your work with your clients.
4. Define the person-in-environment. How does an awareness of these social identities help you have a person-in-environment perspective, placing the issues clients present with within a larger socio-historical and political context (e.g., working within the criminal justice system, it is important to understand how the “war on drugs” has disproportionately impacted Black and Latino communities)? 

Picking two of the readings, summarize the main points of the article and discuss how it relates to your personal reflection. The readings you can select for this paper are from weeks 4-7.

1) My field placement will be at my current position with Nassau County Child Protective Services caseworker.I will be completing my field work as a caseworker for CPS.

(Client populations) working with children and their families from all different ethinic backgrounds, ranging from low to middle to high class. 

(Experience with communities) working with schools throughout Nassau County New York, and other CPS workers from other states and counties, mental health facilities, hospitals, criminal justice systems for adults and juveniles (jails,courts) Foster care homes, daycares. 

2) Social identities-middle aged female, Hispanic, middle class, catholic religion, Puerto Rican nationality, minority, heterosexual. I’m married to a male who is from Jamaica West Indies with 2 children and another on the way. 

3) self- making time for myself and incorporating self care into my everyday routine. 

4) Find information on this topic and refer to the information in provided you about myself.