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The Magazine for



THE NEW
                                                                                                                  Social Work Students
                                                                                                                  and Recent Graduates




SOCIAL WORKER
                                                                                                                                  ®


                                                                                 Winter 008           Volume 1, Number 1




                                                                                             In This Issue:
                                                                              • Compassion Fatigue and Ethics
                                                                              • Taking the Wheel in Your Field
                                                                                Placement
                                                                              • How Community Fits in Social Work
                                                                              • Untangling the Intercultural Knot
                                                                              • When Your Client Talks to Dead People
                                                                              • Protecting the Protectors: Am I Really
                                                                                Safe?


                                                                                           OUR REGULAR FEATURES:

                                                                                                        Ethics
                                                                                                   Field Placement
                                                                                                     On Campus
                                                                                                Electronic Connection
                                                                                                        Books




Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore recently celebrated its 100th year
of social work. This mosaic by artists Olivia Spencer and her daughter
Sarah Reusing was the winner of an art contest in honor of the centennial
celebration. See page 26.

                                                       This issue’s student role model, Christina Michels (left), is
                                                       shown with Kadi Janssen. They are standing in front of a
                                                       home in Mobile, Alabama that they repaired after Hurricane
                                                       Katrina. Read more about Christina on page 3.
See our Web site for info on
                Essential social work resources for YOU!                                                          our free e-mail newsletter,
              Visit our Web site at www.socialworker.com                                                         job listings, discussion board,
                                                                                                                            and more.
    DAYS IN THE LIVES OF                                                                                   THE SOCIAL WORK GRADUATE
                                                                      Macro
      GERONTOLOGICAL                                                 roles and
                                                                                                          SCHOOL APPLICANT’S HANDBOOK
NEW! SOCIAL WORKERS                                                    more
                                                                                                                          2nd Edition
                                                                                                                  by Jesús Reyes, AM, ACSW
       44 Professionals Tell Stories
      From“Real-Life” Social Work                   MORE DAYS IN THE LIVES OF                            “If you are applying to MSW programs,
       Practice With Older Adults                                                                        Reyes’ guide...will quickly become a favorite
                                                        SOCIAL WORKERS                                   resource.”
 Edited by Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW,             35 “Real-Life” Stories of Advocacy,                 Tara Kuther, Ph.D.
     and Dara Bergel Bourassa, Ph.D., LSW                                                                About.com Guide to Graduate Schools
                                                     Outreach, and Other Intriguing Roles
                      Highlights experiences               in Social Work Practice                       ISBN: 1-929109-14-8, 2005, $19.95 plus
                      of social workers in di-                                                           shipping, 310 pages
                                                    Edited by Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW
                      rect and indirect prac-
                      tice with and on behalf                            Now read about more
                      of older adults. Read                              social work roles and
                      about social workers
                      in communities; hospi-
                                                                         settings in this volume              THE FIELD PLACEMENT
                                                                         that builds on the narra-
                      tals, hospice, and home                            tive format introduced                  SURVIVAL GUIDE
                      health; nursing homes;                             in DAYS IN THE LIVES            Edited by Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW
                      addictions, mental                                 OF SOC IAL WORK-
                      health, homelessness;                              ERS. Roles include:
 international settings; research; policy and                                                            Field placement is one of the most exciting
                                                                         working on a national
 macro practice; and others. Photos by social                                                            and exhilarating parts of a formal social
                                                                         level, program develop-
 worker/photographer Marianne Gontarz                                                                    work education. It is also one of the most
                                                                         ment and management,
 York are featured.                                                                                      challenging. This collection addresses the
                                                    advocacy and organizing, policy from the
                                                                                                         multitude of issues that social work students
                                                    inside, training and consultation, research
 ISBN: 978-1-929109-21-0, 2007, $19.95 plus                                                              in field placement encounter. This book
                                                    and funding, higher education, roles in the
 shipping, 313 pages                                                                                     brings together in one volume the best
                                                    court system, faith and spirituality, domestic
                                                                                                         field placement articles from THE NEW
                                                    violence, therapeutic roles, and employment
       DAYS IN THE LIVES OF                         and hunger.
                                                                                                         SOCIAL WORKER. Packed with practi-
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         SOCIAL WORKERS                                                                                  in field placement!
                                                    ISBN: 1-929109-16-4, 2005, $16.95 plus shipping,
    54 Professionals Tell “Real-Life”
                                                    252 pages
    Stories from Social Work Practice                                                                    ISBN: 1-929109-10-5, 2002, $21.95 plus shipping,
                                                                                                         253 pages
 Edited by Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW
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CONTENTS
                                                                                           THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER®
                                                                                                        Winter 2008
                                                                                                Volume 15, Number 1


                     ES
       FEATUR
                                                                     Protecting the Protectors: Am I Really Safe?
                                                                     Reflections on the death of social service worker Boni Frederick.
                                                                     by Justin Miller
Student Role Model:                                                  page 20
Christina Michels
In this issue, Barbara Trainin Blank provides                                                      Untangling the Intercultural Knot
a close-up look at Christina Michels, BSW
                                                                                                   With an African Colleague
student at Central Michigan University.
                                                                                              Mukasa and Ann were stalled at an inter-
by Barbara Trainin Blank
                                                                                              personal intersection. They were mired
page 3                                                                                        in their own perspectives and having a
                                                                                              hard time understanding the other’s posi-
Ethics: Compassion Fatigue: Being an Ethical Social                                           tion. Ann reflects on how this knot got
Worker                                                               untangled and led to greater intercultural understanding.
Burnout, secondary trauma, and compassion fatigue are not exactly    by Ann McLaughlin
the same things, and it’s helpful to be able to distinguish among    page 22
them. There are several sections of the Code of Ethics that apply
directly to these topics.                                            Horseshoe Farm Tutoring and
by Tracy C. Wharton                                                  Mentoring Program
page 4                                                               Students and faculty at the University of Alabama started a tutoring
                                                                     and mentoring program that has become a vital partnership with
Field Placement: Taking the Wheel: Put Yourself in the               the local community.
Driver’s Seat of Your Field Placement Experience                     by Carroll Phelps and Jamie Bryars
                       As social work students, most of us           page 25
                       approach our field placements with a
                       mixture of excitement and trepidation.        Electronic Connection: Teach Your Teachers
                       Where do I want to go? What setting will      Many social work educators have been on the “cutting edge” of
                       be a good fit for me? These and other         new technology, but today’s generation of students have literally
                       questions floated around in Lyndal’s mind     grown up with the ever-changing technological landscape. Now,
                       until she took the wheel and approached       it is time for the students to teach their teachers about the newest
                       Amanda to be her field supervisor.            innovations.
by Lyndal Greenslade and Amanda Vos                                  by Marshall L. Smith
page 8                                                               page 28

There’s a Place for “Us”—How Community Fits Into
Social Work
Despite the different demands between
the micro and the macro spheres, the
fact that they are studied under the
                                                                                  MEN                 TS
social work umbrella indicates that cer-
tain core professional skills pervade the                                  DEPART
entire field of the social work milieu.
by Mordecai Holtz
page 12
                                                                     Letter to the Editor ..............................................page 7
Poetry: My Life is in Your Hands (From a client’s per-               On (and Off) Campus ........................................page 24
spective)                                                            Social Work Around the Map ............................page 26
A poem about a client’s struggle.                                    Books..................................................................page 30
by Stephanie Griffey                                                 Classified Ads.....................................................page 32
page 17

How Not to Panic When Your Client Talks to Dead
People                                                                        The New Social Worker is now on Facebook!
Your client tells you that she just talked to her mother, who died                            Visit our page at
two years ago. What do you do?                                                http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6689018002
by Michael Sanger                                                                         and sign up to be a fan!
page 18
Publisher’s Thoughts                                                                                                   The Magazine for
                                                                                                                           Social Work Students
                                                                                                                           and Recent Graduates
    Dear Reader,                                                                             THE NEW
         It’s 2008! This issue marks the beginning of our                                    SOCIAL WORKER®
    15th volume of The New Social Worker!
         As we begin our 15th year and I reflect back,                                      Winter 2008
    many thoughts come to mind:                                                             Vol. 15, Number 1
    • The New Social Worker started as an idea in my
         mind, and it came to fruition as a result of the                                   Publisher/Editor
         support of my family and many social work edu-                                     Linda May Grobman, MSW, ACSW, LSW
         cators and others who supported my vision.
    • This is the fifty-third issue of The New Social          The publisher/editor         Contributing Writers
         Worker to be published!                                                            Barbara Trainin Blank
    • We have moved from a quarterly print magazine to a completely elec-                   Marshall L. Smith, PhD, MSW, CSW, ACSW
         tronic, free access format.
                                                                                            THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® (ISSN 1073-
    • As each issue has come off the press (or the computer), I have been as                7871) is published four times a year by White
         excited as when I saw the first issue.                                             Hat Communications, P.O. Box 5390, Har-
    • Through the contributions of many social work students, faculty, practi-              risburg, PA 17110-0390. Phone: (717) 238-3787.
         tioners, and other writers, the content of the articles has always been top        Fax: (717) 238-2090. Postmaster: Send address
                                                                                            corrections to White Hat Communications,
         notch and on the cutting edge of what is happening in the profession.
                                                                                            P.O. Box 5390, Harrisburg, PA 17110-0390.
    • I have met some incredibly wonderful people through my role as the
         publisher and editor of this magazine.                                             Advertising rates available on request.
    • I think the social work profession is a great one, and I love to share ideas
         with new people coming into the field.                                             Copyright © 2008 White Hat Communica-
                                                                                            tions. All rights reserved. No part of this
    • Our Web site started in 1995 and continues to grow every day.                         publication may be reproduced in any form
         This issue continues the tradition of great articles by great writers, shar-       without the express written permission of the
    ing great information with you! It includes articles on compassion fatigue,             publisher. The opinions expressed in THE
    putting yourself in the driver’s seat of your field placement, community so-            NEW SOCIAL WORKER are those of the
                                                                                            authors and are not necessarily shared by the
    cial work, how not to panic when your client talks to dead people, protecting           publisher.
    the protectors, untangling intercultural knots, mentoring, and how students
    can teach their teachers about new technology innovations.                              Photo credits: Images from BigStockPhoto.com ©
                                                                                            Vaslina Popova (page 8), Dawn Hudson (page 12),
         Speaking of which, we are now on Facebook! Visit The New Social Work-              Andres Rodriguez (page 17), Stan Cox II (page 20),
    er’s page at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6689018002 and become a             Brian Hauch (page 22).
    fan. We are just beginning to explore ways to use this platform to communi-
                                                                                            The New Social Worker is indexed/abstracted in
    cate and network with you.                                                              Social Work Abstracts.
         If you have some ideas you would like to share with our readers, I
    would love to hear from you. (See below.)                                               Editorial Advisory Board
         Until next time—happy reading!                                                     Rachel Greene Baldino, MSW, LCSW
                                                                                            Vivian Bergel, Ph.D., ACSW, LSW
                                                                                            Fred Buttell, Ph.D., LCSW
                                                                                            Joseph Davenport, Ph.D.
                                                                                            Judith Davenport, Ph.D., LCSW
Write for The New Social Worker                                                             Sam Hickman, MSW, ACSW, LCSW
     We are looking for articles from social work practitioners, students, and educators.   Jan Ligon, Ph.D., LCSW, ACSW
     Some areas of particular interest are: social work ethics; student field placement;    Joanne Cruz Tenery, MSSW
practice specialties; and news of unusual, creative, or nontraditional social work.
                                                                                            Send all editorial, advertising, subscrip-
     Feature articles run 1,500-2,000 words in length. News articles are typically 100-
                                                                                            tion, and other correspondence to:
150 words. Our style is conversational, practical, and educational. Write as if you are
having a conversation with a student or colleague. What do you want him or her to
                                                                                                 THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER
know about the topic? What would you want to know? Use examples.
                                                                                                  White Hat Communications
     The best articles have a specific focus. If you are writing an ethics article, focus                P.O. Box 5390
on a particular aspect of ethics. For example, analyze a specific portion of the NASW              Harrisburg, PA 17110-0390
Code of Ethics (including examples), or talk about ethical issues unique to a particular
practice setting. When possible, include one or two resources at the end of your                         (717) 238-3787 Phone
article—books, additional reading materials, and/or Web sites.                                             (717) 238-2090 Fax
     We also want photos of social workers and social work students “in action” for our
cover, and photos to accompany your news articles!                                                lindagrobman@socialworker.com
     Send submissions to lindagrobman@socialworker.com.                                              http://www.socialworker.com

      The New Social Worker                 Winter 008
Student Role Model   Christina Michels
                                                                                        by Barbara Trainin Blank
                          Teaching’s loss is      is typical of Michels, mature for her 22
                     social work’s gain.          years. That intensity probably explains,
                          Christina Michels       at least in part, her election last July as
                     arrived at Central Mich-     the new BSW board member for na-
                     igan University with the     tional NASW.
                     intention of becoming a           The student who held the position
                     teacher. She took a class    before, also from CMU, had encouraged
                     in special education         Michels to run.
                     and enjoyed it, but then          “I didn’t give it much thought, ’til a
                     thought it might turn out    few weeks later, and Dr. Grettenberger
                     to be “a little limiting.”   said I should try,” says Michels. “So, I
                     She considered being a       said, I guess I can try.”
                     high school counselor,            Susan Grettenberger is director of
                     but thought that that        the university’s social work program
                     position often involves      and Michels’ academic advisor for social
                     “more scheduling than        work. She has taught Michels in two
                     actual counseling.”          classes but also got to know her well off
                          “Finally, I came to     campus—when Michels was one of nine           Christina Michels
                     the conclusion that with     students who joined Grettenberger on
                     social work, you can do      a mission to Pascagoula, Mississippi, to            An interest in “older populations”
                     anything,” Michels says.     work on homes damaged by hurricanes.          isn’t just a matter of platform statements.
                     “I don’t like to be stuck         The following year, Michels partici-     Michels is minoring in gerontology and
                     in any one thing.”           pated in another mission, this time to        would definitely like to go into the field
                          There were no role      Mobile, Alabama.                              professionally and get her certificate.
                     models for social work            “Christina exemplifies the values              “I really enjoy the time I spend with
                     in her family. Michels’      and ethics of the profession already, as      older adults,” she says. “And there’s a lot
                     father is an executive       someone who understands the impor-            to do in that area.”
                     pastry chef who teaches      tance of advocacy and social justice,”              Michels chose the subspecialty—one
                     culinary arts in a com-      says Grettenberger. “She demonstrates         young social workers rarely favor—partly
                     munity college. Her          consistent leadership, such as planning       because of her close relationship with
                     mother has been an           and organizing the trip to Mobile, then       her maternal grandparents. Both are still
                     accountant for 30 years.     by serving as work site coordinator for       alive. And yet, it’s “such a growing field,”
                     Michels also has a sister,   27 people. She is well respected by her       she says. “You’d think a lot of people
                     16 months older, a           peers.”                                       would go into it.”
                     student at Grand Valley           Intensity and conviction are also              Also motivating her were the visits
                     State University.            reflected in the student’s platform state-    to her paternal grandmother in a nursing
                          Michels didn’t          ment—sent out to all NASW members.            home for some time before the older
                     begin taking social work     Michels stated that the organization’s        woman’s death. “I always thought when
                     courses until her sopho-     most important function is “to work for       visiting her that things could have been
                     more year. She plans         a change in policies that affect those        done differently,” Michels says. “I think I
                     to make up for any lost      who cannot advocate for themselves...         would not have done certain things, and
                     time, though, by going       addressing “the still abundant amounts        it could have made a difference.”
                     straight to graduate         of inequality rooted in racism” as well as          For her social work internship,
                     school after receiving       other “disparities in privilege, whether      Michels served as Care Coordinator
                     her BSW in May. She’d        due to race, religion, sexual orientation,    Intern at the Senior Services Midland
                     prefer Wayne State           or other reasons.” Michels also spoke of      County Council on Aging—a position she
                     University, which offers     advocacy on behalf of older populations       started in August. “I really love it,” she
                     a 10-month accelerated       and people in poverty.                        says. “It’s a very rural area, so I’m doing
                     program, or maybe                 “I was super surprised and very          rural social work. Some of the clients live
                     Michigan State. But an       excited I won,” says Michels, who has         in older farm areas, and we have clients
                     MSW is a definite.           attended an orientation and a board           from all different socioeconomic back-
                          Her quiet intensity     meeting, both in Washington, D.C., since
                     as she speaks of goals       her election.                                 Michels—continued on page 29

                                                                             The New Social Worker                  Winter 008
Ethics
            Compasson Fatigue: Being an Ethical Social Worker
                     by Tracy C. Wharton, M.Ed., MFT
      When I was a young counselor just         are willing to write it all off as fatigue, or   risk and the greatest protective factor
out of school, I took a job at an alterna-      tell ourselves (or others) to “buck up,”         from long-term trauma (Figley, 2002;
tive school. I provided crisis interven-        or “learn to deal,” or even worse—to get         Saakvitne  Pearlman, 1996; Stamm,
tion and behavioral therapy to children         out of the profession, as my supervisor          2002).
who were unable to succeed in normal            had done with me. Can you imagine
educational environments. One of my             what would happen if every young social
                                                                                                                   Compassion
clients was a six-year-old girl who had         worker took such advice? There’d be no
                                                                                                                   Satisfaction
been repeatedly sexually abused and had         one left to help our clients. It took me
been bounced around foster homes with           less than six months to learn about the           Secondary
her aggressive outbursts. After one par-        strains of the job, but it would be nearly         Trauma                            Burnout
ticularly bad day of her active flashbacks,     a decade before I would find out that re-
I found myself sitting in my clinical           actions like mine are common, and more                             Compassion
supervisor’s office in tears.                   importantly—normal.                                                  Fatigue
      “How do you do it?” I asked. “I                 Exposure to stressors is not neces-
can’t sleep without thinking about her,         sarily a guarantee that there will be
about all of them. How do you deal with         development of clinically significant
it?” He turned around and slammed his           symptoms. Job satisfaction and personal
briefcase shut. “Like that,” he said, latch-    gratification protect us (this is that notion    Ethical Considerations
ing the locks shut. “You just have to learn     that we love what we do, even if it’s very
                                                rough some days). We know that these                  The truth about compassion fatigue
to walk away. If you can’t do it, maybe
                                                things are true for our clients. What            is that not only was my supervisor’s ad-
you’re in the wrong field.”
                                                makes us think that our training makes           vice very bad and uninformed, but it was
      I hated him at that moment, and
                                                us something other than human?                   completely ignorant of the ethical obliga-
suddenly I felt as if all my teachers had
                                                                                                 tions that we have on this subject. There
betrayed me for not letting me in on this
                                                                                                 are several sections of the Code of Ethics
little secret. Why hadn’t anyone told me        Burnout, Trauma, and                             of the social work profession that apply
that this job would hurt so much some-
                                                Compassion Satisfaction                          directly to this topic. The first point of
times?
                                                                                                 note deals with impairment:
      The truth is that he was wrong. He
                                                     Burnout, secondary trauma, and
may be able to shut it all off at the end of
                                                compassion fatigue are not exactly the               4.05 Impairment
each day, but research tells us that most
                                                same things, and it’s helpful to be able to                (a) Social workers should not
of us cannot and do not. In fact, about
                                                distinguish among them. Secondary trauma             allow their own personal problems,
48% of the total social work workforce in
                                                is the reaction to dealing with other                psychosocial distress, legal problems,
the United States experiences high levels
                                                people’s situations, such as my reac-                substance abuse, or mental health
of personal distress as a result of their
                                                tion to my six-year-old client. Burnout is           difficulties to interfere with their pro-
work (Strozier  Evans, 1998).
                                                related to the job environments in which             fessional judgment and performance or
      Personal distress can look like a lot
                                                we work, and the stresses attached to                to jeopardize the best interests of people
of things, such as relationship problems
                                                those jobs and requirements, like paper-             for whom they have a professional
at home, feelings of no longer being ef-
                                                work or poor supervision or support.                 responsibility.
fective at work, depression, or more no-
                                                When burnout and STS are both present,                     (b) Social workers whose personal
ticeable things like nightmares or hyper-
                                                an individual is said to be experiencing             problems, psychosocial distress, legal
vigilance. Researchers make the case that
                                                compassion fatigue (CF). There is also a             problems, substance abuse, or mental
there is a strong connection between the
                                                third factor in CF—something called com-             health difficulties interfere with their
helping professions and what they call
                                                passion satisfaction (CS). Stamm explains            professional judgment and performance
Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). There
                                                this phenomenon as “being satisfied                  should immediately seek consultation
is a lot of literature out there that talks
                                                with doing the work of caring” (2002, p.             and take appropriate remedial action
about the high incidence of suicide rates
                                                110). In other words, the gratification of           by seeking professional help, making
in social workers, high turnover rates in
                                                helping others makes the strains of the              adjustments in workload, terminat-
employment, high rates of burnout, and
                                                work worth it. It is not uncommon to                 ing practice, or taking any other steps
disruptive symptoms to personal lives
                                                see social workers continue in their jobs            necessary to protect clients and others
resulting from traumatic stress (Figley,
                                                after physical or psychological injury, or           (NASW, 2006).
2002; McCann  Pearlman, 1990; Mey-
                                                to find them reluctant to leave the field
ers  Cornille, 2002; Pryce, Shackleford,
                                                despite personal stress. The caring that            According to this section of the Code,
 Pryce, 2007; Valent, 2002). We often
                                                we give to the world is both the greatest        when a social worker becomes aware
     The New Social Worker                    Winter 008
of impairment of any kind, including                practice effectiveness should consult            3.07 Administration
psychological distress related to job               with that colleague when feasible and                  (c) Social workers who are
function or experience, it is that person’s         assist the colleague in taking remedial          administrators should take reasonable
responsibility to seek help. It is not ethi-        action.                                          steps to ensure that adequate agency or
cally sound to allow personal distress                    (b) Social workers who believe             organizational resources are available
to interfere with job performance, and              that a social work colleague's impair-           to provide appropriate staff supervi-
doing so may put clients at risk.                   ment interferes with practice effective-         sion.
     Imagine for a moment that a woman              ness and that the colleague has not
comes to you for help. She does not                 taken adequate steps to address the              3.08 Continuing Education and Staff
mention any trauma. She talks about                 impairment should take action through            Development
how jumpy she is all the time, her inabil-          appropriate channels established by                    Social work administrators and
ity to concentrate or sleep, and intrusive          employers, agencies, NASW, licens-               supervisors should take reasonable
thoughts that constantly distract her.              ing and regulatory bodies, and other             steps to provide or arrange for continu-
You notice her pressured speech. Now                professional organizations (NASW,                ing education and staff development
imagine that you are worn out, tired, and           2006).                                           for all staff for whom they are respon-
emotionally drained. Without getting                                                                 sible. Continuing education and staff
the full story, this client could easily be          Not only does the Code direct us to             development should address current
misdiagnosed. The presenting symptoms           assist colleagues experiencing distress,             knowledge and emerging developments
could have a number of axial diagnoses,         but provisions are made for colleagues               related to social work practice and eth-
but it may take some effort to get to the       who do not take adequate remedial mea-               ics (NASW, 2006).
right story of trauma. What would hap-          sures. Clearly, this is considered quite a
pen if this client, who really is suffering     serious matter! Pushing my friend to go              Some years into my practice, I
from PTSD, is mistakenly labeled with a         talk to someone was not only the right          again faced a young client who had been
personality disorder because the thera-         thing to do—it was mandated by the Code         sexually victimized. Filled with doubt,
pist is unable to see the situation clearly,    of Ethics. When my first supervisor—the         I wondered if I would be able to be effec-
and only reacts to the behaviors? That          one who told me to get out of the               tive in helping her. This time, though, I
client could be injured for life with such      field—walked away from my tears and             had a wonderful supervisor. Together,
a label, and run the risk of never receiv-      told me to “learn to deal,” he ignored          we talked about the course of treatment,
ing appropriate care!                           these important mandates. The ethical           along with my hesitations and fears, and
     It is a difficult line to walk to deter-   response would have been to hear me             she was able to support me through my
mine when personal distress begins to in-       out and determine whether my judgment           moments of doubt. She also asked me,
terfere with job performance, and it is of-     was impaired and whether I needed               point-blank, if I felt as if I needed to go
ten friends and family who point out the        further support.                                talk to someone about my personal fears.
problem. When Hurricane Katrina came                 It is important that supervisory-level     We were able to talk about it openly, and
through the south, many first responders        social workers are able to provide this         the support of a good supervisor became
struggled with compassion fatigue. When         information to professionals in the field.      my best protection.
a friend of mine found herself unable to        Research suggests that education and                 The field of knowledge related to
sleep because of the images from stories        support resources help to protect social        this subject is rapidly expanding, yet,
that she had heard from evacuees, it took       workers from risk. Given this informa-          unfortunately, it remains rare to see
a great deal of prompting to convince           tion, the Code of Ethics again provides         in-service trainings about compassion
her to get some help. Eventually, she re-       guidance:                                       fatigue. In the past thirty years, research
alized that her health, not to mention her
concentration and attention span, was
going down the tubes and went to talk to         Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics
someone. By the time she got help, she                The Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics is an online, free, full-text peer-re-
had begun to feel jaded about her clients’       viewed journal published by the publisher of The New Social Worker.
stories. Thankfully, she realized that get-           The Journal, edited by Stephen M. Marson, Ph.D., and Jerry Finn, Ph.D., and
ting help was not only the best choice for       published twice a year, is available
her, personally, but also the ethical thing      at http://www.socialworker.com/jswve.
to do as a professional.                         The Journal examines the ethical and
     Not only are social workers ethically       values issues that impact and are
bound to self-monitoring, but the Code           interwoven with social work practice,
of Ethics explicitly states that we should       research, and theory development.
watch out for our colleagues:                         Register for free, and you will
                                                 be sent the Table of Contents of each
    2.09 Impairment of Colleagues                issue when it is available.
          (a) Social workers who have                 Continuing education credit is
    direct knowledge of a social work            available for selected articles pub-
    colleague’s impairment that is due to        lished in the Journal.
    personal problems, psychosocial dis-
    tress, substance abuse, or mental health
    difficulties and that interferes with
                                                                             The New Social Worker                  Winter 008
has provided us with information about
                                                     Coping Strategies                         For More Information
risks, protective factors, and strategies
for protecting and healing from personal                                                       Charles Figley’s publications:
distress related to exposure to traumatic            •   Time with friends
                                                                                               http://mailer.fsu.edu/~cfigley/pubs.html
material and challenging work environ-               •   Spiritual or meditation
ments. This knowledge is relevant and                    practices
                                                                                               A source for lots of great articles:
critical to our professional practice, not           •   Formal individual and
                                                                                               http://home.earthlink.net/~hopefull/TC_
only for the protection of best practices                group supervision
                                                                                               compassion_fatigue.htm
for our clients, but also for the protec-            •   Informal group or peer
tion of professionals and trainees in the                supervision
field. If every agency were to offer a               •   Exercise                              References
training on this subject, it is entirely pos-        •   Sleep
                                                     •   Good nutrition                        CSWE. (2001). Educational policy and ac-
sible that the numbers of suffering social
                                                     •   Continuing education                  creditation standards. Alexandria, VA.
workers would decrease. According to
the Code of Ethics, continuing education
                                                 leading to marital or intimacy problems,      Figley, C. R. (2002). Treating compassion
and good supervision are a part of ethi-
                                                 hypervigilance in the home, overprotec-       fatigue. New York: Brunner-Routledge.
cally responsible practice.
                                                 tiveness or violence directed to partners
                                                 or children, personal health issues related   Lyter, S. C.,  Selman, D. (2006). Wound-
Implications for the                             to stress, or other trauma-related symp-      edness in social workers: Views of experienced
Profession                                       toms. Entire families can become victims      supervisors. Paper presented at the CSWE
                                                 of the work-related strain experienced by     Annual Program Meeting, Chicago, IL.
      According to the Bureau of Labor           one social worker!
Statistics, there were approximately                  Personal coping strategies, educa-       McCann, I. L.,  Pearlman, L. A. (1990).
840,000 self-reported social workers in          tion, supervision, and support must be in     Psychological trauma and the adult survivor:
the United States as of the last national        place for every professional in the help-     Theory, therapy and transformation. New
census (NASW, 2005). It is very unlikely         ing professions. Training about compas-       York: Brunner/Mazel.
that any substantial number have had             sion fatigue needs to be introduced into
exposure to training concerning com-             the curricula of educational institutions     Meyers, T. W.,  Cornille, T. A. (2002).
passion fatigue. Despite the fact that           and continuing education programs,            The trauma of working with traumatized
we know education helps, there is little         and support/assistance programs need          children. In C. R. Figley (Ed.), Treating
(if any) training provided about these           to be put in place by agencies provid-        compassion fatigue. New York: Brunner-
issues. The standard setting body for            ing direct care to clients. Such measures     Routledge.
training programs in our country does            are already endorsed by research (Lyter
not have requirements for exposure to             Selman, 2006; Pryce et al., 2007;           NASW. (2005). Assuring the sufficiency of
this material, despite the growing body          Saakvitne  Pearlman, 1996). Self-care,       a frontline workforce. Washington D.C.:
of evidence that there is a significant job      a rich personal life, and support in our      NASW Center for Workforce Studies.
hazard (CSWE, 2001).                             private and professional lives may be
      Aside from the mandates contained          the greatest measures of protection from      NASW. (2006). Code of ethics of the Na-
in the Code of Ethics, there are other com-      compassion fatigue that we can give to        tional Association of Social Workers. http://
pelling reasons to guard against compas-         ourselves, and luckily these are not dif-     www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/code.asp.
sion fatigue. A healthier workforce will         ficult to put in place.
lead to better client outcomes and lower              Expert Charles Figley uses the ex-       Pryce, J., Shackleford, K.,  Pryce, D.
staff turnover. Additionally, personal           ample of the oxygen masks on airplanes        (2007). Secondary traumatic stress and the
distress is never completely contained to        to sum up this issue. If you have ever        child welfare professional. Chicago: Lyceum
the work environment.                            been on an airplane, you know that the        Books.
      Social workers are individuals with        flight attendants instruct you to put on
personal histories and lives, and they are       your own mask first in an emergency,          Saakvitne, K. W.,  Pearlman, L. A.
not immune to the effects of trauma and          then help others. There is an important       (1996). Transforming the pain: A workbook
strain. Personal lives can be disrupted,         lesson in this simple instruction—we          on vicarious traumatization. New York:
                                                 are no good to others if we are injured       Norton  Co.
                                                 ourselves. The Code of Ethics exists to
                                                 protect our clients, our practitioners, and   Stamm, B. H. (2002). Measuring compas-
        Share this copy of                       the integrity of our profession. Clearly,     sion satisfaction as well as fatigue. In C. R.
     THE NEW SOCIAL                              compassion fatigue is an issue that has an
                                                 effect on all three of those layers. Ignor-
                                                                                               Figley (Ed.), Treating compassion fatigue.
                                                                                               New York: Brunner-Routledge.
        WORKER                                   ing the issue leaves us injured. Only by
                                                 learning to recognize and effectively         Valent, P. (2002). Diagnosis and treatment
         with a colleague                        protect and support each other can we         of helper stresses, traumas, and illnesses. In
                                                                                               C. R. Figley (Ed.), Treating compassion
          or classmate!                          truly say that we are keeping to our high
                                                                                               fatigue. New York: Brunner-Routledge.
                                                 ethical standards.


     The New Social Worker                     Winter 008
Tracy Wharton, M.Ed., MFT, is a doctoral
student at the University of Alabama School
of Social Work. She formerly worked as the
Family Based Service Coordinator for the
Cape and Islands Region of Massachusetts.             From THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER
She has worked with clients in Rhode Island           The Field Placement Survival Guide
and Massachusetts, and most recently has been
working as a research associate at the Center         Volume 2 of the “Best of THE NEW SOCIAL
for Mental Health and Aging in Tuscaloosa,
                                                      WORKER” series. Field placement is one of the most
Alabama. She is working on her Ph.D. in
                                                      exciting and exhilarating parts of a formal social work
social work with an emphasis on intervention
                                                      education. It is also one of the most challenging. This
research.
                                                      collection addresses the multitude of issues that social
                                                      work students in field placement encounter. This book
Letter to the Editor                                  brings together in one volume the best field place-
                                                      ment articles from THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER.
                                                      Packed with practical, essential information for every
Dear Editor:
                                                      student in field placement!
     I am a social worker student (gradu-
ate May 08:)). I just wanted to say that I
really enjoy this magazine. The articles              ISBN: 1-929109-10-5, 2002, $21.95 plus shipping, 253
are so helpful to me. I particularly en-              pages.
joyed the article on Making Friends with
the Impostor. I think that is definitely an           See order form on inside front cover of this magazine, or order online at http://www.
article that all social workers should read.          whitehatcommunications.com/store
     Thanks again!

                       Regina Franklin
        Washburn University, Topeka, KS




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           EACH DAY IS DIFFERENT.
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   Commissioned Corps Ad / multi / New Social Worker (Coated Stock) / Social Worker
                                                          The New 7.5 x 4.75 / 12.1.07 Winter                                     008        
   42269-43-1-CCorps multi — proof 1 (rjh) — october 10, 2007
Field Placement
                 Taking the Wheel: Put Yourself in the Driver’s Seat
                       of Your Field Placement Experience
      by Lyndal Greenslade, BA, BSocWk, MAASW, and Amanda Vos, BSocWk, MAASW (Acc)
Editor’s Note: To give you a flavor of the         it right,” she decided to take a proactive       that what I needed was a supervisor who
writers’ own voices, we left this article in an    role in determining what she needed.             approached the work with a positive “can
Australian “accent,” using words such as uni             To do this, Lyndal thought long and        do” attitude. I remembered having heard one
and prac.                                          hard about what she wanted to learn and          such social worker speak at a few events and
                                                   experience on placement. She came up             decided to make contact with her to see if she
     As social work students, most of us           with a bunch of skills, techniques, client       was interested in supervising. It helped that I
approach our field placements with a               experiences, and opportunities that she          was interested in the organization she worked
mixture of excitement and trepidation.             thought would be valuable. Lyndal also           for, but I stayed focused on my realisation that
Where do I want to go? What setting                had an equally long list of what she             this time around, the relationship with my
will be a good fit for me? What style of           didn’t want to experience. The process of        supervisor was primary.
supervision will I respond to best? How            using this list to help decide what agency
on Earth will I balance the demands of             she wanted to work in involved looking                Luckily, Amanda was available and
placement, uni, work, and family life?             behind her answers to discover the un-           interested. They met several times prior
     These questions floated around                derlying theme. By taking this approach,         to the placement, and Lyndal decided to
Lyndal’s mind as she approached her                she began to gain some clarity.                  be really honest and upfront, explaining
final year field placement. After her first                                                         her previous experience on placement,
placement and a challenging year at                     Lyndal: What I wanted more than             what she wanted this time around, and
university, Lyndal was left questioning            anything, was to experience the positivity       also a little bit about who she was and
whether she and social work were meant             and possibility in social work. I’d spent four   what she believed in. Lyndal felt very
to be. It was “do or die,” and Lyndal              years listening to the stories of how hard the   strongly that Amanda should have a
knew she needed to be really purposeful            work is and how small the gains are. Instead,    sense of who she was before embark-
about planning out her final placement.            I wanted a placement that focused on what        ing on this journey. Usually, pre-place-
Motivated by an intense desire to “get             is possible. This discovery allowed me to see    ment interviews are very focused on the

8      The New Social Worker                      Winter 008
supervisor deciding whether the student            going ahead was very strong. We wanted       you sought me out as a field educator
is appropriate for the placement, but              to explore some of the thinking behind       probably also played a role, because
Lyndal felt that this was an opportunity           “boldly going where no placement has         we met three times in person before
to discover whether the supervisor was             gone before,” so we spent some time          prac started, as well as phoned and
appropriate for her!                               instant messaging (IM):                      e-mailed. By asking questions, and
                                                                                                getting to know you not just as a stu-
      Lyndal: When I approached Amanda, I              Lyndal: What made you think that         dent, but as a person, it made it very
knew she worked for the Australian Associa-            doing a placement with you based         easy for me to trust you. I think it was
tion of Social Workers (AASW), but I wasn’t            a couple of hours away from me,          because we’re pretty similar in our
aware of exactly what sort of work she was             and me based at home, was even           working style. It didn’t even enter my
doing. During our meetings prior to field              possible?                                head that you could potentially abuse
placement, I was able to learn about the Asso-                                                  working from home!
ciation’s new project that Amanda was devel-           Amanda: I was open to exploring it,
oping—Horizon Career Centre. The Centre is             because I figured, if I worked from      Lyndal: I think you’re right about
a 24/7 national employment Web site coupled            home, then why couldn’t a student        how important meeting up before
with Monday to Friday customer support and             do her placement from home? We           prac was. By the time prac started,
career guidance for the entire human services.         live in a time when new technolo-        I already knew more about you
When Amanda explained Horizon Career                   gies mean new possibilities. Staying     and the way you work than most
Centre to me, I will admit to a moment of              connected is made much easier            students would have the opportunity
hesitation. Isn’t that just an employment ser-         with the assistance of the Internet.     to do prior to placement. I think
vice? Wouldn’t that be mostly admin work? Is           If you make a decision to be open        meeting a number of times prior
that even social work? Amanda and I met a              to exploring a “new” way, you soon       to starting prac lays a really good
few times, and despite my hesitations, I knew          realise there are solutions to what      foundation.
that she was the right person to supervise me,         others might seem as a block.
and I decided that regardless of what the work                                                  Amanda: Absolutely. Preparation
was, I needed to be around her positive energy                                                  proved to be really key in this situ-
and passion for the profession. It turned out to        By reaching out and                     ation (as it usually does in life in gen-
be a smart decision, as it didn’t take long for        being proactive about                    eral!). I would really encourage stu-
me to realise that being placed with Horizon         your field placement, you                  dents and potential field educators
afforded me the opportunity to have daily                                                       to meet more than once if possible.
contact with a really diverse range of social
                                                     can take the driver’s seat                 We built a strong foundation for
workers nationally and internationally. This           and begin to steer your                  your placement by being guided by
experience has given me a ‘snapshot’ of social        social work experiences                   what YOU needed rather than what
work and social workers that has enabled me             along a path of your                    I/Horizon Career Centre could offer
to connect with just how wonderful, passion-                                                    you. It was fortunate that the timing
ate, and engaged the community is.                             choice.                          worked out to be that you would
      Initially, though, I had no idea that                                                     start placement the day the AASW
this would be the case. I listened instead to          Lyndal: I think many people would        launched Horizon Career Centre,
my own connection to the way that Amanda               not have even considered offering        because I was in a very creative
worked and made the decision to pursue the             a placement to a student based at        space when you first approached me
placement based on my need to be around                home. Didn’t you have trust issues?      about a possible placement. Every-
“good people.” As Amanda and I talked, I               I was thinking how a lot of students     thing was new; everything was pos-
learnt that a placement at Horizon Career              experience supervision as “surveil-      sible. Our process of my asking you
Centre would mean being based from my                  lance” and really don’t enjoy that       a series of questions like what are you
home, and as Amanda works from her home,               part the process. They feel “watched     passionate about?, what do you want to
a couple of hours north of where I live, contact       over” a lot, and I know in my own        learn?, what are your strengths?, what
between the two of us would be largely done            experience, this made me more            do you value? helped me understand
through Internet and phone communication.              nervous and unsure of myself.            where you were. And from there
Additionally, we would meet up in person                                                        we could explore the possibility of a
every 10 days or so. I actually expected some          Amanda: Yeah, that’s a really good       prac, rather than the traditional ap-
resistance from the university field educa-            point. Perhaps it was because this       proach that is usually “we have this
tion unit, as not only was I organising my             was my first time as a field educator,   student placement opportunity—do
own placement, but it would also be based at           so I didn’t have any pre-conceived       you want it?”
home, which I think may be a first. But they           ideas or limitations about how it
were supportive of the idea, and whatever the          would work. My only experience of        Lyndal: I really enjoyed the process
reason, I’m glad they did allow it to unfold,          field education was being a student.     of trying to pinpoint the actual
because it’s been exactly what I needed.               From my experiences in that role,        experience I wanted, as well. I found
                                                       I knew the importance of having a        those questions you asked prior to
     The placement was definitely “out                 placement that was supportive and        starting prac really helpful. I think
of the box,” and looking back now, we                  safe, as well as challenging within      many students just take what’s on
can both see that our commitment to it                 the context of learning. The fact that   offer and don’t even think about op-

                                                                              The New Social Worker           Winter 008
tions that might be a little “out of the    hadn’t attended a few social work events          social work experiences along a path of
     box.” I remember being very careful         that she spoke at, and I wouldn’t have had        your choice.
     who I told that I would be based at         the courage to approach her if I wasn’t really
     home, because I really worried that         clear on why I wanted her to supervise me.        Lyndal Greenslade, BA, BSocWk, GradDip-
     the uni wouldn’t allow it! I think          My message to other students is to start now.     ProfessionalCounselling, MAASW, completed
     most field educators, field ed uni          Reach out and connect with the social work        her final placement at the AASW Horizon
     staff, and students themselves would        community while you are a student. E-mail         Career Centre in 2007, enabling her to put
     be concerned that a placement at            people of interest, just to say hello and share   into practice her strong belief in the power of
     home, and away from their supervi-          why you like what they do. Seek out the areas     advocating for the profession of social work.
     sor physically, would mean a lack           of social work that are meaningful to you,        During her time at university and throughout
     of support. What I’ve really found          even if they’re non-traditional and you know      her working life, Lyndal has fed her passion
     though, is the exact opposite. As we        nothing about them. If I’d allowed myself to      for connecting with people in an effort to
     set up a phone call each morning,           be put off by my own limitations about what       work alongside them to fulfill their personal
     and through e-mail and now IM, I            I thought social work was, I may never have       potential. Lyndal graduated at the end of
     feel MORE connected to you than             pursued a placement with the AASW Horizon         2007 and is now employed at Horizon Career
     I did with either of my third-year          Career Centre, simply because it didn’t look or   Centre.
     supervisors.                                sound like what I believed social work to be.
                                                 Maybe there’s a social worker who’s a politi-     Amanda Vos, BSocWk, MAASW (Acc), is
     Amanda: The reality has been we’ve          cian, or artist, or film maker or in some other   Manager of the Australian Association of
     actually had more contact than              non-traditional field that can be considered      Social Workers Horizon Career Centre. Since
     usual because everything we do is           as a potential supervisor. Maybe as a student     graduating in 2001, Amanda has explored
     very intentional. It’s the quality of       you would love to make documentaries? Or          and celebrated the diverse pathways a social
     the contact that makes the differ-          run for political office? Or write a book?        work career can offer, including casework,
     ence. Having face-to-face supervi-          Whatever and however you connect passion-         curriculum development, teaching, service de-
     sion every week or 10 days makes            ately to the work, I would highly recommend       velopment, and management. Her passion for
     a big difference. Supervision is the        seeking out social workers who will afford you    helping social workers fulfill their potential
     cornerstone of field placement (in          the opportunity to stretch your understanding     has driven Amanda to present, write, and
     my opinion)...it can make or break          of what social work is.                           develop film and photography projects explor-
     a field placement. That’s something                                                           ing professional well-being, thriving in social
     I learnt as a student, so I’ve been              Field placement is an excellent              work, and career enhancement throughout
     mindful ever since, that when I             opportunity to begin your journey of              Australia, North America, and South East
     decided to have a student, I had to         connecting with the social work commu-            Asia. This year, Amanda is mentoring young
     be ready to supervise. A wise col-          nity. By reaching out and being proactive         social workers on assignment in Vietnam and
     league reminded me the other day            about your field placement, you can take          Sri Lanka as part of the Australian Youth
     that students may not remember              the driver’s seat and begin to steer your         Ambassadors for Development Program.
     their lecturers, but they sure do re-

                                                                        On Our Web Site
     member their field educators. It’s so
     true...the student placement experi-
     ence is the foundation of the social
     work degree.                                                   The Social Work Podcast
                                                     http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Social_Work_Podcast
     Now that Lyndal’s 18-week field
placement is finished, she’s had time to            THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER                          clinical and community organizing),
reflect on the process. The whole experi-           is excited to bring you Jonathan               research, policy, and education. Join
ence was such a positive one. Lyndal                Singer’s Social Work Podcast                   your host, Jonathan Singer, LCSW,
went in feeling that social work was in                                                            as he explores topics that are relevant
dire straits, and wondered whether she                                                             to social workers, whether they are
personally was up to the task. But she                                                             practicing in the field, teaching in
has come out with the realisation that she                                                         higher ed, formulating policy on
has definitely chosen the right profession                                                         Capitol Hill, or running regression
and that no matter how challenging the                                                             analyses in their offices.
professional path may be, it is ultimately                                                              Visit http://socialworkpodcast.com
do-able!                                                                                           for more information, including refer-
                                                                                                   ences that were used in developing the
     Lyndal: I think spending time thinking                                                        podcasts and links to other resources.
about what I really wanted, well before my                                                              Please e-mail Jonathan Singer to
placement started, made a world of difference.                                                     let him know topics you would like
We don’t need to wait until we graduate to              The Social Work Podcast pro-               to have covered in future podcasts.
begin making connections with people and            vides information on all things social         Jonathan can be reached at: jonathan@
discovering what our place in the profession        work, including direct practice (both          socialworkpodcast.com
may be. I wouldn’t have met Amanda if I

10       The New Social Worker                   Winter 008
Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD)
                   25th Annual Conference to be Held in Destin, Florida March 5-9

                                                                                           for networking and learning for BSW
                                                                                           students. Student volunteers are a vital
                                                                                           part of the conference each year.
      The Association of Baccalaureate      conference will reflect 25 years of the             The San Destin Golf and Beach
Social Work Program Directors (BPD)         development and influence of BPD on            Resort has been chosen as the official
is celebrating its 25th annual conference   undergraduate social work education.           location for the 2008 BPD Annual
from March 5-9, 2008 at the lovely San           Several special features are planned.     Conference and 25th Conference
Destin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin,     Pre-conference functions include new           Anniversary Celebration. Located on
Florida. The conference will offer par-     program director workshops,                                    Florida’s Emerald Coast
ticipants an opportunity to participate     program director workshop                                      between Pensacola and
in a host of activities related to prac-    on EPAS, new field direc-                                      Panama City, the 2,400
tice, research, education, and teaching.    tors workshop, experienced                                     acre San Destin Golf
There will be workshops, roundtable         field directors workshop, and                                  and Beach Resort is the
discussions, papers, and poster presen-     community-based research                                       premier destination in
tations, as well as many networking         workshop. There is a pre-                                      Northwest Florida.
opportunities.                              conference luncheon for                                           For details on the
      This year's conference theme is       program directors and field                                    conference schedule,
“Honoring our Past: Celebrating our         directors, as well as the silver                               registration, student
Present and Affirming our Future.”          jubilee awards banquet.                                        volunteering, housing,
BPD will acknowledge past leaders of        Three continuing education                                     sponsorship, and other
the organization for their contributions,   credit hours will be available                                 conference-related in-
celebrate the organization’s accomplish-    on March 9.                                                    formation, see the BPD
ments, and plan for future challenges            The BPD conference of-                                    Web site at http://www.
and opportunities. In addition, the         fers an excellent opportunity                                  bpdonline.org.




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                    School for
                    Social Work
                                                                     The New Social Worker                 Winter 008           11
There’s a Place for “Us”—
                             How Community Fits Into Social Work
                                    by Mordecai Holtz, MSW
     As a student who chose to concen-          nity and its relationship to the individual.   co-existence of such factors creates a
trate on the community organizational           Warren (1978) defines a community as           tension whose resolution often demands
aspect of the social work profession, I         “that combination of social units and sys-     professional intervention. It is the role of
constantly struggled to understand the          tems that perform the major social func-       the community worker to serve as a liai-
difference between the methods of a             tions relevant to the meeting of people’s      son among the individual, the group, and
clinical practitioner and those of the          needs” (p. 9). Freud (1930), in describing     the surrounding social structure (Brager
community worker. Despite the different         the individual’s role within a community,       Specht, 1972). According to Smalley
demands between the micro (individual           states that living in a community “ap-         (1967), the role of the community worker
and group) and the macro (organiza-             pears as a scarcely avoidable condition        is to facilitate “the process by which
tional) spheres, the fact that they are         which must be fulfilled before…hap-            people of communities, as individual
studied under the social work umbrella          piness can be achieved” (p. 140). This         citizens or as representatives of groups,
indicates that certain core professional        inevitable relationship between an             join together to determine social welfare
skills pervade the entire field of the social   individual and his/her surroundings            needs and mobilize their resources” (p.
work milieu.                                    creates a desire to feel a sense of belong-    35). Although this definition identifies a
                                                ing that stimulates the individual’s quest     need for an inter-group facilitation and
General Definition of                                                                          creates the opportunity to join together
                                                                                               to determine the community’s needs,
Social Work
                                                                                               two interrelated processes, planning and
                                                                                               organizing, are also necessary to achieve
      The basic role of all
                                                                                               cooperation and support from all inter-
social workers is to assist in
                                                                                               ested parties (Brager  Specht, 1972).
the interactions between the
                                                                                                     Whereas planning and organizing
individual and his or her
                                                                                               describe one major aspect of community
social environment. Accord-
                                                                                               practice, other critical aspects of commu-
ing to Pray (1947), the basic
                                                                                               nity work include interagency planning,
objective of the social worker
                                                                                               resource development, and coordination
is to “facilitate the process of
                                                                                               of services offered to a specific com-
social adjustment of individual
                                                                                               munity (Weil, 1996). The worker, while
people through the develop-
                                                                                               involved in developing the appropri-
ment and constructive use of
                                                                                               ate support to implement change, must
social relationships with which
                                                                                               achieve many technical and task-oriented
they can find their own fulfill-
                                                                                               details. By focusing on the specific task,
ment and can discharge adequately their
                                                for identity within the context of the         rather than on the change-oriented goal,
social responsibilities” (p. 4).
                                                larger community (Weil, 1996). Thus, an        however, the worker moves away from
      Within this general definition lie the
                                                overall sense of community is gradually        the direct interaction with the individual.
three specializations of the social work
                                                created by organizing social resources               Maintaining the equilibrium of
profession—casework, group work, and
                                                and affording people with the necessities      these two aspects of the community
community organization. Within each
                                                of everyday living.                            worker’s responsibilities is a very difficult
of these realms, the social worker’s role
                                                                                               and daunting task. For the community
is to help an individual or group realize
their strengths and abilities, to help them     A Community is Formed                          worker to remain focused, he or she
                                                                                               must view all aspects, both technical and
utilize these assets to engage society,
                                                     A community is established when           interactional, as part of the larger com-
and mediate this process of interaction
                                                groups of people with a common inter-          munity helping process.
throughout (Schwartz, 1969). It is the
practitioners’ sensitivity to the “person-in-   est, culture, or identity join together
environment” situation and the interac-         and create a distinct entity that serves       Models of Community
tion between the two arenas that truly          a positive need in society (Weil, 1996).       Involvement
guides the profession.                          According to Fellin (2001), communities
                                                distinguish themselves in three primary             Macro practice, like all other aspects
                                                spheres: “1) place or geographic locale
Defining the Community                                                                         of social work practice, recognizes the
                                                in which one’s needs for sustenance are        strengths of the interaction between
                                                met, 2) a pattern of social interactions,      individuals living in a social environ-
      Before describing the specific roles
                                                and 3) a symbolic identification that          ment and the ability of community-wide
and responsibilities of the community
                                                gives meaning to one’s identity” (p. 118).     influence toward solving problems and
worker within the social work profession,
                                                Ironically, while these three aspects are      implementation of change (Kretzman
it is necessary to define the term commu-
                                                the building blocks of a community, the        and McKnight, 1993). Approaching

1       The New Social Worker                  Winter 008
change on a community-wide level is           client with a specific definition of the in-   client’s strengths, rather than the deficits,
better understood when considering            tended form of community work (Brager          the worker develops a sense of trust with
Rothman’s (1999) three basic models of        and Specht, 1973). To effectively imple-       the client and creates an opportunity to
community intervention. Whereas these         ment any of the models of community            empower the client to take action (Guti-
three models offer suggestions on how         involvement, the community practitioner        errez, GlenMaye, and Delois, 1995).
to stage community intervention, the          must utilize the skills from all three as-           By actively listening to the client’s
mobile and unstable nature of today’s         pects of the social work profession. The       interests and by identifying the lay
community affairs often requires that         uniqueness of the community worker             person’s strengths and frame of refer-
more dynamic approach. In fact, Roth-         is that he or she constantly juggles all       ence, the worker, as a representative of
man (1999) concludes that these idealistic    three levels of the profession on a regular    a social agency, is able to discover the
models only serve as aids for concep-         basis. A brief description of how each of      client’s motivations and interests as they
tualization, and in actual practice the       the three components of the social work        pertain to the agency. The worker’s abil-
“intervention approaches overlap and          profession is employed by the commu-           ity to isolate these strengths and translate
are used in mixed form,” and creating a       nity worker will help to elucidate and         them into areas of involvement fosters a
composite of these paradigmatic models        clarify the unique nature of the commu-        stronger commitment by the lay leader-
ensures that the most effective method        nity worker.                                   ship (Hubbel, 1993).
of community-oriented change will be se-                                                           Effective managing of the rela-
lected (p. 47). Thus, blending the positive   Working with Individuals                       tionship with various individuals both
practice variables from the basic models                                                     within and outside the organization, the
to form sub-models allows for a myriad        The community practitioner’s work              worker’s awareness of the self and com-
of possible permutations, creates room   with individuals, be it staff or lay leader-        petency to work with others by engaging
for many social service or service-based ship, parallels the process of any social           in interpersonal dialogue and empower-
agencies to exist, and increases the selec-
                                         worker’s therapeutic intervention. The              ing others to develop their strengths,
tion of community-wide interventions     client transmits ideas to the worker, and           may best describe how the community
that are available to future practitioners.
                                         the worker, in turn, needs to decipher              practitioner regularly executes the skills
                                         and decode the client’s verbal and                  of working with individuals (Edwards,
Specific Definition of                   nonverbal communication. The worker                 Yankey and Alpeter, 1998).
                                                                                                   As professionals, we will have
Intervention                             then must acknowledge the message
                                                                                             many opportunities to engage various
                                         through providing feedback to the client
                                         (Schulman, 1999). By constantly assess-
 New Social Worker Spring 2007 ad 3/1/07 3:34 PM Page 1                                      staff members in conversations that far
    The practitioner, in order to ensure
                                         ing, evaluating and concentrating on the            surpass the proverbial small talk. The
successful change, must provide the




Social Work Education
              In The Real World.
MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK
Concentrations in:                                                  MSW Program locations:
• Clinical Social Work Practice                                     • Harrisburg                         • Huntingdon
• Management and Planning                                           • Lancaster                          • Pottsville

This widely recognized graduate program is designed to provide social work education for working professionals,
with completion in 3 years part-time. Temple University Harrisburg also offers an Advanced Standing Program for qualified BSWs.
And, TUH also offers Continuing Education opportunities for Social Workers.


                                                                    Fourth  Walnut Street, Harrisburg (in Strawberry Square)
                                                                    717.232.6400 Toll Free 1.866.769.1860 www.temple.edu/harrisburg




                                                                        The New Social Worker                 Winter 008             1
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
New Social Workers Winter2008
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New Social Workers Winter2008

  • 1. The Magazine for THE NEW Social Work Students and Recent Graduates SOCIAL WORKER ® Winter 008 Volume 1, Number 1 In This Issue: • Compassion Fatigue and Ethics • Taking the Wheel in Your Field Placement • How Community Fits in Social Work • Untangling the Intercultural Knot • When Your Client Talks to Dead People • Protecting the Protectors: Am I Really Safe? OUR REGULAR FEATURES: Ethics Field Placement On Campus Electronic Connection Books Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore recently celebrated its 100th year of social work. This mosaic by artists Olivia Spencer and her daughter Sarah Reusing was the winner of an art contest in honor of the centennial celebration. See page 26. This issue’s student role model, Christina Michels (left), is shown with Kadi Janssen. They are standing in front of a home in Mobile, Alabama that they repaired after Hurricane Katrina. Read more about Christina on page 3.
  • 2. See our Web site for info on Essential social work resources for YOU! our free e-mail newsletter, Visit our Web site at www.socialworker.com job listings, discussion board, and more. DAYS IN THE LIVES OF THE SOCIAL WORK GRADUATE Macro GERONTOLOGICAL roles and SCHOOL APPLICANT’S HANDBOOK NEW! SOCIAL WORKERS more 2nd Edition by Jesús Reyes, AM, ACSW 44 Professionals Tell Stories From“Real-Life” Social Work MORE DAYS IN THE LIVES OF “If you are applying to MSW programs, Practice With Older Adults Reyes’ guide...will quickly become a favorite SOCIAL WORKERS resource.” Edited by Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW, 35 “Real-Life” Stories of Advocacy, Tara Kuther, Ph.D. and Dara Bergel Bourassa, Ph.D., LSW About.com Guide to Graduate Schools Outreach, and Other Intriguing Roles Highlights experiences in Social Work Practice ISBN: 1-929109-14-8, 2005, $19.95 plus of social workers in di- shipping, 310 pages Edited by Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW rect and indirect prac- tice with and on behalf Now read about more of older adults. Read social work roles and about social workers in communities; hospi- settings in this volume THE FIELD PLACEMENT that builds on the narra- tals, hospice, and home tive format introduced SURVIVAL GUIDE health; nursing homes; in DAYS IN THE LIVES Edited by Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW addictions, mental OF SOC IAL WORK- health, homelessness; ERS. Roles include: international settings; research; policy and Field placement is one of the most exciting working on a national macro practice; and others. Photos by social and exhilarating parts of a formal social level, program develop- worker/photographer Marianne Gontarz work education. It is also one of the most ment and management, York are featured. challenging. This collection addresses the advocacy and organizing, policy from the multitude of issues that social work students inside, training and consultation, research ISBN: 978-1-929109-21-0, 2007, $19.95 plus in field placement encounter. This book and funding, higher education, roles in the shipping, 313 pages brings together in one volume the best court system, faith and spirituality, domestic field placement articles from THE NEW violence, therapeutic roles, and employment DAYS IN THE LIVES OF and hunger. SOCIAL WORKER. Packed with practi- cal, essential information for every student SOCIAL WORKERS in field placement! ISBN: 1-929109-16-4, 2005, $16.95 plus shipping, 54 Professionals Tell “Real-Life” 252 pages Stories from Social Work Practice ISBN: 1-929109-10-5, 2002, $21.95 plus shipping, 253 pages Edited by Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW ORDER FORM Please send me the following publications: _____________________________________________ NSW0108 “Thank you for ... the collection of ‘typical days’ from social workers! The students loved ________________________________________________________________________________ it.” Naurine Lennox, Associate Professor and Shipping to U.S.: $7 first book/$1 per add’l book. Canada: $11/book. Other countries: $15/book. Chair, St. Olaf College Dept. of SW PA residents: add 6% sales tax to total cost of book(s) plus shipping. Third edition of our “best-seller.” 54 social Enclosed is a check for $______ made payable to “White Hat Communications.” I want to pay with my: Mastercard Visa American Express Discover Card workers tell about their “typical” days in first-person accounts that cover a wide spec- Card # _________________________________________________________________________ trum of practice settings and issues. Settings Expiration Date ___________________________________________________________________ covered in categories VISA/MC/Discover: 3-digit # on back of card_____ AMEX: 4-digit # on front of card____ of health care, school Name as it appears on card _________________________________________________________ social work, children Signature ________________________________________________________________________ and families, disabili- SHIP TO: ties, mental health, substance abuse, pri- NAME __________________________________________________________________________ vate practice, criminal ADDRESS _______________________________________________________________________ justice, older adults, ADDRESS _______________________________________________________________________ management, higher CITY/STATE/ZIP __________________________________________________________________ education, and com- TELEPHONE NUMBER ____________________________________________________________ munities. Many rich case examples. Lists social work organiza- Send order form and payment to: tions and recommended readings. WHITE HAT COMMUNICATIONS, P.O. Box 5390 Harrisburg, PA 17110-0390 ISBN: 1-929109-15-6, 2005, $19.95 plus shipping, Telephone orders (MC ,Visa, Amex, Discover): 717-238-3787 Fax: 717-238-2090 410 pages Online orders: http://www.socialworker.com
  • 3. CONTENTS THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® Winter 2008 Volume 15, Number 1 ES FEATUR Protecting the Protectors: Am I Really Safe? Reflections on the death of social service worker Boni Frederick. by Justin Miller Student Role Model: page 20 Christina Michels In this issue, Barbara Trainin Blank provides Untangling the Intercultural Knot a close-up look at Christina Michels, BSW With an African Colleague student at Central Michigan University. Mukasa and Ann were stalled at an inter- by Barbara Trainin Blank personal intersection. They were mired page 3 in their own perspectives and having a hard time understanding the other’s posi- Ethics: Compassion Fatigue: Being an Ethical Social tion. Ann reflects on how this knot got Worker untangled and led to greater intercultural understanding. Burnout, secondary trauma, and compassion fatigue are not exactly by Ann McLaughlin the same things, and it’s helpful to be able to distinguish among page 22 them. There are several sections of the Code of Ethics that apply directly to these topics. Horseshoe Farm Tutoring and by Tracy C. Wharton Mentoring Program page 4 Students and faculty at the University of Alabama started a tutoring and mentoring program that has become a vital partnership with Field Placement: Taking the Wheel: Put Yourself in the the local community. Driver’s Seat of Your Field Placement Experience by Carroll Phelps and Jamie Bryars As social work students, most of us page 25 approach our field placements with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Electronic Connection: Teach Your Teachers Where do I want to go? What setting will Many social work educators have been on the “cutting edge” of be a good fit for me? These and other new technology, but today’s generation of students have literally questions floated around in Lyndal’s mind grown up with the ever-changing technological landscape. Now, until she took the wheel and approached it is time for the students to teach their teachers about the newest Amanda to be her field supervisor. innovations. by Lyndal Greenslade and Amanda Vos by Marshall L. Smith page 8 page 28 There’s a Place for “Us”—How Community Fits Into Social Work Despite the different demands between the micro and the macro spheres, the fact that they are studied under the MEN TS social work umbrella indicates that cer- tain core professional skills pervade the DEPART entire field of the social work milieu. by Mordecai Holtz page 12 Letter to the Editor ..............................................page 7 Poetry: My Life is in Your Hands (From a client’s per- On (and Off) Campus ........................................page 24 spective) Social Work Around the Map ............................page 26 A poem about a client’s struggle. Books..................................................................page 30 by Stephanie Griffey Classified Ads.....................................................page 32 page 17 How Not to Panic When Your Client Talks to Dead People The New Social Worker is now on Facebook! Your client tells you that she just talked to her mother, who died Visit our page at two years ago. What do you do? http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6689018002 by Michael Sanger and sign up to be a fan! page 18
  • 4. Publisher’s Thoughts The Magazine for Social Work Students and Recent Graduates Dear Reader, THE NEW It’s 2008! This issue marks the beginning of our SOCIAL WORKER® 15th volume of The New Social Worker! As we begin our 15th year and I reflect back, Winter 2008 many thoughts come to mind: Vol. 15, Number 1 • The New Social Worker started as an idea in my mind, and it came to fruition as a result of the Publisher/Editor support of my family and many social work edu- Linda May Grobman, MSW, ACSW, LSW cators and others who supported my vision. • This is the fifty-third issue of The New Social The publisher/editor Contributing Writers Worker to be published! Barbara Trainin Blank • We have moved from a quarterly print magazine to a completely elec- Marshall L. Smith, PhD, MSW, CSW, ACSW tronic, free access format. THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER® (ISSN 1073- • As each issue has come off the press (or the computer), I have been as 7871) is published four times a year by White excited as when I saw the first issue. Hat Communications, P.O. Box 5390, Har- • Through the contributions of many social work students, faculty, practi- risburg, PA 17110-0390. Phone: (717) 238-3787. tioners, and other writers, the content of the articles has always been top Fax: (717) 238-2090. Postmaster: Send address corrections to White Hat Communications, notch and on the cutting edge of what is happening in the profession. P.O. Box 5390, Harrisburg, PA 17110-0390. • I have met some incredibly wonderful people through my role as the publisher and editor of this magazine. Advertising rates available on request. • I think the social work profession is a great one, and I love to share ideas with new people coming into the field. Copyright © 2008 White Hat Communica- tions. All rights reserved. No part of this • Our Web site started in 1995 and continues to grow every day. publication may be reproduced in any form This issue continues the tradition of great articles by great writers, shar- without the express written permission of the ing great information with you! It includes articles on compassion fatigue, publisher. The opinions expressed in THE putting yourself in the driver’s seat of your field placement, community so- NEW SOCIAL WORKER are those of the authors and are not necessarily shared by the cial work, how not to panic when your client talks to dead people, protecting publisher. the protectors, untangling intercultural knots, mentoring, and how students can teach their teachers about new technology innovations. Photo credits: Images from BigStockPhoto.com © Vaslina Popova (page 8), Dawn Hudson (page 12), Speaking of which, we are now on Facebook! Visit The New Social Work- Andres Rodriguez (page 17), Stan Cox II (page 20), er’s page at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=6689018002 and become a Brian Hauch (page 22). fan. We are just beginning to explore ways to use this platform to communi- The New Social Worker is indexed/abstracted in cate and network with you. Social Work Abstracts. If you have some ideas you would like to share with our readers, I would love to hear from you. (See below.) Editorial Advisory Board Until next time—happy reading! Rachel Greene Baldino, MSW, LCSW Vivian Bergel, Ph.D., ACSW, LSW Fred Buttell, Ph.D., LCSW Joseph Davenport, Ph.D. Judith Davenport, Ph.D., LCSW Write for The New Social Worker Sam Hickman, MSW, ACSW, LCSW We are looking for articles from social work practitioners, students, and educators. Jan Ligon, Ph.D., LCSW, ACSW Some areas of particular interest are: social work ethics; student field placement; Joanne Cruz Tenery, MSSW practice specialties; and news of unusual, creative, or nontraditional social work. Send all editorial, advertising, subscrip- Feature articles run 1,500-2,000 words in length. News articles are typically 100- tion, and other correspondence to: 150 words. Our style is conversational, practical, and educational. Write as if you are having a conversation with a student or colleague. What do you want him or her to THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER know about the topic? What would you want to know? Use examples. White Hat Communications The best articles have a specific focus. If you are writing an ethics article, focus P.O. Box 5390 on a particular aspect of ethics. For example, analyze a specific portion of the NASW Harrisburg, PA 17110-0390 Code of Ethics (including examples), or talk about ethical issues unique to a particular practice setting. When possible, include one or two resources at the end of your (717) 238-3787 Phone article—books, additional reading materials, and/or Web sites. (717) 238-2090 Fax We also want photos of social workers and social work students “in action” for our cover, and photos to accompany your news articles! lindagrobman@socialworker.com Send submissions to lindagrobman@socialworker.com. http://www.socialworker.com The New Social Worker Winter 008
  • 5. Student Role Model Christina Michels by Barbara Trainin Blank Teaching’s loss is is typical of Michels, mature for her 22 social work’s gain. years. That intensity probably explains, Christina Michels at least in part, her election last July as arrived at Central Mich- the new BSW board member for na- igan University with the tional NASW. intention of becoming a The student who held the position teacher. She took a class before, also from CMU, had encouraged in special education Michels to run. and enjoyed it, but then “I didn’t give it much thought, ’til a thought it might turn out few weeks later, and Dr. Grettenberger to be “a little limiting.” said I should try,” says Michels. “So, I She considered being a said, I guess I can try.” high school counselor, Susan Grettenberger is director of but thought that that the university’s social work program position often involves and Michels’ academic advisor for social “more scheduling than work. She has taught Michels in two actual counseling.” classes but also got to know her well off “Finally, I came to campus—when Michels was one of nine Christina Michels the conclusion that with students who joined Grettenberger on social work, you can do a mission to Pascagoula, Mississippi, to An interest in “older populations” anything,” Michels says. work on homes damaged by hurricanes. isn’t just a matter of platform statements. “I don’t like to be stuck The following year, Michels partici- Michels is minoring in gerontology and in any one thing.” pated in another mission, this time to would definitely like to go into the field There were no role Mobile, Alabama. professionally and get her certificate. models for social work “Christina exemplifies the values “I really enjoy the time I spend with in her family. Michels’ and ethics of the profession already, as older adults,” she says. “And there’s a lot father is an executive someone who understands the impor- to do in that area.” pastry chef who teaches tance of advocacy and social justice,” Michels chose the subspecialty—one culinary arts in a com- says Grettenberger. “She demonstrates young social workers rarely favor—partly munity college. Her consistent leadership, such as planning because of her close relationship with mother has been an and organizing the trip to Mobile, then her maternal grandparents. Both are still accountant for 30 years. by serving as work site coordinator for alive. And yet, it’s “such a growing field,” Michels also has a sister, 27 people. She is well respected by her she says. “You’d think a lot of people 16 months older, a peers.” would go into it.” student at Grand Valley Intensity and conviction are also Also motivating her were the visits State University. reflected in the student’s platform state- to her paternal grandmother in a nursing Michels didn’t ment—sent out to all NASW members. home for some time before the older begin taking social work Michels stated that the organization’s woman’s death. “I always thought when courses until her sopho- most important function is “to work for visiting her that things could have been more year. She plans a change in policies that affect those done differently,” Michels says. “I think I to make up for any lost who cannot advocate for themselves... would not have done certain things, and time, though, by going addressing “the still abundant amounts it could have made a difference.” straight to graduate of inequality rooted in racism” as well as For her social work internship, school after receiving other “disparities in privilege, whether Michels served as Care Coordinator her BSW in May. She’d due to race, religion, sexual orientation, Intern at the Senior Services Midland prefer Wayne State or other reasons.” Michels also spoke of County Council on Aging—a position she University, which offers advocacy on behalf of older populations started in August. “I really love it,” she a 10-month accelerated and people in poverty. says. “It’s a very rural area, so I’m doing program, or maybe “I was super surprised and very rural social work. Some of the clients live Michigan State. But an excited I won,” says Michels, who has in older farm areas, and we have clients MSW is a definite. attended an orientation and a board from all different socioeconomic back- Her quiet intensity meeting, both in Washington, D.C., since as she speaks of goals her election. Michels—continued on page 29 The New Social Worker Winter 008
  • 6. Ethics Compasson Fatigue: Being an Ethical Social Worker by Tracy C. Wharton, M.Ed., MFT When I was a young counselor just are willing to write it all off as fatigue, or risk and the greatest protective factor out of school, I took a job at an alterna- tell ourselves (or others) to “buck up,” from long-term trauma (Figley, 2002; tive school. I provided crisis interven- or “learn to deal,” or even worse—to get Saakvitne Pearlman, 1996; Stamm, tion and behavioral therapy to children out of the profession, as my supervisor 2002). who were unable to succeed in normal had done with me. Can you imagine educational environments. One of my what would happen if every young social Compassion clients was a six-year-old girl who had worker took such advice? There’d be no Satisfaction been repeatedly sexually abused and had one left to help our clients. It took me been bounced around foster homes with less than six months to learn about the Secondary her aggressive outbursts. After one par- strains of the job, but it would be nearly Trauma Burnout ticularly bad day of her active flashbacks, a decade before I would find out that re- I found myself sitting in my clinical actions like mine are common, and more Compassion supervisor’s office in tears. importantly—normal. Fatigue “How do you do it?” I asked. “I Exposure to stressors is not neces- can’t sleep without thinking about her, sarily a guarantee that there will be about all of them. How do you deal with development of clinically significant it?” He turned around and slammed his symptoms. Job satisfaction and personal briefcase shut. “Like that,” he said, latch- gratification protect us (this is that notion Ethical Considerations ing the locks shut. “You just have to learn that we love what we do, even if it’s very rough some days). We know that these The truth about compassion fatigue to walk away. If you can’t do it, maybe things are true for our clients. What is that not only was my supervisor’s ad- you’re in the wrong field.” makes us think that our training makes vice very bad and uninformed, but it was I hated him at that moment, and us something other than human? completely ignorant of the ethical obliga- suddenly I felt as if all my teachers had tions that we have on this subject. There betrayed me for not letting me in on this are several sections of the Code of Ethics little secret. Why hadn’t anyone told me Burnout, Trauma, and of the social work profession that apply that this job would hurt so much some- Compassion Satisfaction directly to this topic. The first point of times? note deals with impairment: The truth is that he was wrong. He Burnout, secondary trauma, and may be able to shut it all off at the end of compassion fatigue are not exactly the 4.05 Impairment each day, but research tells us that most same things, and it’s helpful to be able to (a) Social workers should not of us cannot and do not. In fact, about distinguish among them. Secondary trauma allow their own personal problems, 48% of the total social work workforce in is the reaction to dealing with other psychosocial distress, legal problems, the United States experiences high levels people’s situations, such as my reac- substance abuse, or mental health of personal distress as a result of their tion to my six-year-old client. Burnout is difficulties to interfere with their pro- work (Strozier Evans, 1998). related to the job environments in which fessional judgment and performance or Personal distress can look like a lot we work, and the stresses attached to to jeopardize the best interests of people of things, such as relationship problems those jobs and requirements, like paper- for whom they have a professional at home, feelings of no longer being ef- work or poor supervision or support. responsibility. fective at work, depression, or more no- When burnout and STS are both present, (b) Social workers whose personal ticeable things like nightmares or hyper- an individual is said to be experiencing problems, psychosocial distress, legal vigilance. Researchers make the case that compassion fatigue (CF). There is also a problems, substance abuse, or mental there is a strong connection between the third factor in CF—something called com- health difficulties interfere with their helping professions and what they call passion satisfaction (CS). Stamm explains professional judgment and performance Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). There this phenomenon as “being satisfied should immediately seek consultation is a lot of literature out there that talks with doing the work of caring” (2002, p. and take appropriate remedial action about the high incidence of suicide rates 110). In other words, the gratification of by seeking professional help, making in social workers, high turnover rates in helping others makes the strains of the adjustments in workload, terminat- employment, high rates of burnout, and work worth it. It is not uncommon to ing practice, or taking any other steps disruptive symptoms to personal lives see social workers continue in their jobs necessary to protect clients and others resulting from traumatic stress (Figley, after physical or psychological injury, or (NASW, 2006). 2002; McCann Pearlman, 1990; Mey- to find them reluctant to leave the field ers Cornille, 2002; Pryce, Shackleford, despite personal stress. The caring that According to this section of the Code, Pryce, 2007; Valent, 2002). We often we give to the world is both the greatest when a social worker becomes aware The New Social Worker Winter 008
  • 7. of impairment of any kind, including practice effectiveness should consult 3.07 Administration psychological distress related to job with that colleague when feasible and (c) Social workers who are function or experience, it is that person’s assist the colleague in taking remedial administrators should take reasonable responsibility to seek help. It is not ethi- action. steps to ensure that adequate agency or cally sound to allow personal distress (b) Social workers who believe organizational resources are available to interfere with job performance, and that a social work colleague's impair- to provide appropriate staff supervi- doing so may put clients at risk. ment interferes with practice effective- sion. Imagine for a moment that a woman ness and that the colleague has not comes to you for help. She does not taken adequate steps to address the 3.08 Continuing Education and Staff mention any trauma. She talks about impairment should take action through Development how jumpy she is all the time, her inabil- appropriate channels established by Social work administrators and ity to concentrate or sleep, and intrusive employers, agencies, NASW, licens- supervisors should take reasonable thoughts that constantly distract her. ing and regulatory bodies, and other steps to provide or arrange for continu- You notice her pressured speech. Now professional organizations (NASW, ing education and staff development imagine that you are worn out, tired, and 2006). for all staff for whom they are respon- emotionally drained. Without getting sible. Continuing education and staff the full story, this client could easily be Not only does the Code direct us to development should address current misdiagnosed. The presenting symptoms assist colleagues experiencing distress, knowledge and emerging developments could have a number of axial diagnoses, but provisions are made for colleagues related to social work practice and eth- but it may take some effort to get to the who do not take adequate remedial mea- ics (NASW, 2006). right story of trauma. What would hap- sures. Clearly, this is considered quite a pen if this client, who really is suffering serious matter! Pushing my friend to go Some years into my practice, I from PTSD, is mistakenly labeled with a talk to someone was not only the right again faced a young client who had been personality disorder because the thera- thing to do—it was mandated by the Code sexually victimized. Filled with doubt, pist is unable to see the situation clearly, of Ethics. When my first supervisor—the I wondered if I would be able to be effec- and only reacts to the behaviors? That one who told me to get out of the tive in helping her. This time, though, I client could be injured for life with such field—walked away from my tears and had a wonderful supervisor. Together, a label, and run the risk of never receiv- told me to “learn to deal,” he ignored we talked about the course of treatment, ing appropriate care! these important mandates. The ethical along with my hesitations and fears, and It is a difficult line to walk to deter- response would have been to hear me she was able to support me through my mine when personal distress begins to in- out and determine whether my judgment moments of doubt. She also asked me, terfere with job performance, and it is of- was impaired and whether I needed point-blank, if I felt as if I needed to go ten friends and family who point out the further support. talk to someone about my personal fears. problem. When Hurricane Katrina came It is important that supervisory-level We were able to talk about it openly, and through the south, many first responders social workers are able to provide this the support of a good supervisor became struggled with compassion fatigue. When information to professionals in the field. my best protection. a friend of mine found herself unable to Research suggests that education and The field of knowledge related to sleep because of the images from stories support resources help to protect social this subject is rapidly expanding, yet, that she had heard from evacuees, it took workers from risk. Given this informa- unfortunately, it remains rare to see a great deal of prompting to convince tion, the Code of Ethics again provides in-service trainings about compassion her to get some help. Eventually, she re- guidance: fatigue. In the past thirty years, research alized that her health, not to mention her concentration and attention span, was going down the tubes and went to talk to Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics someone. By the time she got help, she The Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics is an online, free, full-text peer-re- had begun to feel jaded about her clients’ viewed journal published by the publisher of The New Social Worker. stories. Thankfully, she realized that get- The Journal, edited by Stephen M. Marson, Ph.D., and Jerry Finn, Ph.D., and ting help was not only the best choice for published twice a year, is available her, personally, but also the ethical thing at http://www.socialworker.com/jswve. to do as a professional. The Journal examines the ethical and Not only are social workers ethically values issues that impact and are bound to self-monitoring, but the Code interwoven with social work practice, of Ethics explicitly states that we should research, and theory development. watch out for our colleagues: Register for free, and you will be sent the Table of Contents of each 2.09 Impairment of Colleagues issue when it is available. (a) Social workers who have Continuing education credit is direct knowledge of a social work available for selected articles pub- colleague’s impairment that is due to lished in the Journal. personal problems, psychosocial dis- tress, substance abuse, or mental health difficulties and that interferes with The New Social Worker Winter 008
  • 8. has provided us with information about Coping Strategies For More Information risks, protective factors, and strategies for protecting and healing from personal Charles Figley’s publications: distress related to exposure to traumatic • Time with friends http://mailer.fsu.edu/~cfigley/pubs.html material and challenging work environ- • Spiritual or meditation ments. This knowledge is relevant and practices A source for lots of great articles: critical to our professional practice, not • Formal individual and http://home.earthlink.net/~hopefull/TC_ only for the protection of best practices group supervision compassion_fatigue.htm for our clients, but also for the protec- • Informal group or peer tion of professionals and trainees in the supervision field. If every agency were to offer a • Exercise References training on this subject, it is entirely pos- • Sleep • Good nutrition CSWE. (2001). Educational policy and ac- sible that the numbers of suffering social • Continuing education creditation standards. Alexandria, VA. workers would decrease. According to the Code of Ethics, continuing education leading to marital or intimacy problems, Figley, C. R. (2002). Treating compassion and good supervision are a part of ethi- hypervigilance in the home, overprotec- fatigue. New York: Brunner-Routledge. cally responsible practice. tiveness or violence directed to partners or children, personal health issues related Lyter, S. C., Selman, D. (2006). Wound- Implications for the to stress, or other trauma-related symp- edness in social workers: Views of experienced Profession toms. Entire families can become victims supervisors. Paper presented at the CSWE of the work-related strain experienced by Annual Program Meeting, Chicago, IL. According to the Bureau of Labor one social worker! Statistics, there were approximately Personal coping strategies, educa- McCann, I. L., Pearlman, L. A. (1990). 840,000 self-reported social workers in tion, supervision, and support must be in Psychological trauma and the adult survivor: the United States as of the last national place for every professional in the help- Theory, therapy and transformation. New census (NASW, 2005). It is very unlikely ing professions. Training about compas- York: Brunner/Mazel. that any substantial number have had sion fatigue needs to be introduced into exposure to training concerning com- the curricula of educational institutions Meyers, T. W., Cornille, T. A. (2002). passion fatigue. Despite the fact that and continuing education programs, The trauma of working with traumatized we know education helps, there is little and support/assistance programs need children. In C. R. Figley (Ed.), Treating (if any) training provided about these to be put in place by agencies provid- compassion fatigue. New York: Brunner- issues. The standard setting body for ing direct care to clients. Such measures Routledge. training programs in our country does are already endorsed by research (Lyter not have requirements for exposure to Selman, 2006; Pryce et al., 2007; NASW. (2005). Assuring the sufficiency of this material, despite the growing body Saakvitne Pearlman, 1996). Self-care, a frontline workforce. Washington D.C.: of evidence that there is a significant job a rich personal life, and support in our NASW Center for Workforce Studies. hazard (CSWE, 2001). private and professional lives may be Aside from the mandates contained the greatest measures of protection from NASW. (2006). Code of ethics of the Na- in the Code of Ethics, there are other com- compassion fatigue that we can give to tional Association of Social Workers. http:// pelling reasons to guard against compas- ourselves, and luckily these are not dif- www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/code.asp. sion fatigue. A healthier workforce will ficult to put in place. lead to better client outcomes and lower Expert Charles Figley uses the ex- Pryce, J., Shackleford, K., Pryce, D. staff turnover. Additionally, personal ample of the oxygen masks on airplanes (2007). Secondary traumatic stress and the distress is never completely contained to to sum up this issue. If you have ever child welfare professional. Chicago: Lyceum the work environment. been on an airplane, you know that the Books. Social workers are individuals with flight attendants instruct you to put on personal histories and lives, and they are your own mask first in an emergency, Saakvitne, K. W., Pearlman, L. A. not immune to the effects of trauma and then help others. There is an important (1996). Transforming the pain: A workbook strain. Personal lives can be disrupted, lesson in this simple instruction—we on vicarious traumatization. New York: are no good to others if we are injured Norton Co. ourselves. The Code of Ethics exists to protect our clients, our practitioners, and Stamm, B. H. (2002). Measuring compas- Share this copy of the integrity of our profession. Clearly, sion satisfaction as well as fatigue. In C. R. THE NEW SOCIAL compassion fatigue is an issue that has an effect on all three of those layers. Ignor- Figley (Ed.), Treating compassion fatigue. New York: Brunner-Routledge. WORKER ing the issue leaves us injured. Only by learning to recognize and effectively Valent, P. (2002). Diagnosis and treatment with a colleague protect and support each other can we of helper stresses, traumas, and illnesses. In C. R. Figley (Ed.), Treating compassion or classmate! truly say that we are keeping to our high fatigue. New York: Brunner-Routledge. ethical standards. The New Social Worker Winter 008
  • 9. Tracy Wharton, M.Ed., MFT, is a doctoral student at the University of Alabama School of Social Work. She formerly worked as the Family Based Service Coordinator for the Cape and Islands Region of Massachusetts. From THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER She has worked with clients in Rhode Island The Field Placement Survival Guide and Massachusetts, and most recently has been working as a research associate at the Center Volume 2 of the “Best of THE NEW SOCIAL for Mental Health and Aging in Tuscaloosa, WORKER” series. Field placement is one of the most Alabama. She is working on her Ph.D. in exciting and exhilarating parts of a formal social work social work with an emphasis on intervention education. It is also one of the most challenging. This research. collection addresses the multitude of issues that social work students in field placement encounter. This book Letter to the Editor brings together in one volume the best field place- ment articles from THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER. Packed with practical, essential information for every Dear Editor: student in field placement! I am a social worker student (gradu- ate May 08:)). I just wanted to say that I really enjoy this magazine. The articles ISBN: 1-929109-10-5, 2002, $21.95 plus shipping, 253 are so helpful to me. I particularly en- pages. joyed the article on Making Friends with the Impostor. I think that is definitely an See order form on inside front cover of this magazine, or order online at http://www. article that all social workers should read. whitehatcommunications.com/store Thanks again! Regina Franklin Washburn University, Topeka, KS EACH DAY IS CHALLENGING. EACH DAY IS DIFFERENT. EACH DAY IS REWARDING… JOIN THE FIGHT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH. The U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps is an elite team of officers dedicated to protecting, promoting, and advancing the health and safety of our Nation. Our officers fight against disease, respond to public health emergencies, and provide care to those who need it most. If you’re ready to make a real difference in people’s lives, the Commissioned Corps needs officers to serve in a variety of clinical and research positions. We also need officers to serve in other specialties to support our public health mission, such as mental health, engineering, and information technology. MAKE THE U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE COMMISSIONED CORPS THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER. www.usphs.gov 1-800-279-1605 Commissioned Corps Ad / multi / New Social Worker (Coated Stock) / Social Worker The New 7.5 x 4.75 / 12.1.07 Winter 008 42269-43-1-CCorps multi — proof 1 (rjh) — october 10, 2007
  • 10. Field Placement Taking the Wheel: Put Yourself in the Driver’s Seat of Your Field Placement Experience by Lyndal Greenslade, BA, BSocWk, MAASW, and Amanda Vos, BSocWk, MAASW (Acc) Editor’s Note: To give you a flavor of the it right,” she decided to take a proactive that what I needed was a supervisor who writers’ own voices, we left this article in an role in determining what she needed. approached the work with a positive “can Australian “accent,” using words such as uni To do this, Lyndal thought long and do” attitude. I remembered having heard one and prac. hard about what she wanted to learn and such social worker speak at a few events and experience on placement. She came up decided to make contact with her to see if she As social work students, most of us with a bunch of skills, techniques, client was interested in supervising. It helped that I approach our field placements with a experiences, and opportunities that she was interested in the organization she worked mixture of excitement and trepidation. thought would be valuable. Lyndal also for, but I stayed focused on my realisation that Where do I want to go? What setting had an equally long list of what she this time around, the relationship with my will be a good fit for me? What style of didn’t want to experience. The process of supervisor was primary. supervision will I respond to best? How using this list to help decide what agency on Earth will I balance the demands of she wanted to work in involved looking Luckily, Amanda was available and placement, uni, work, and family life? behind her answers to discover the un- interested. They met several times prior These questions floated around derlying theme. By taking this approach, to the placement, and Lyndal decided to Lyndal’s mind as she approached her she began to gain some clarity. be really honest and upfront, explaining final year field placement. After her first her previous experience on placement, placement and a challenging year at Lyndal: What I wanted more than what she wanted this time around, and university, Lyndal was left questioning anything, was to experience the positivity also a little bit about who she was and whether she and social work were meant and possibility in social work. I’d spent four what she believed in. Lyndal felt very to be. It was “do or die,” and Lyndal years listening to the stories of how hard the strongly that Amanda should have a knew she needed to be really purposeful work is and how small the gains are. Instead, sense of who she was before embark- about planning out her final placement. I wanted a placement that focused on what ing on this journey. Usually, pre-place- Motivated by an intense desire to “get is possible. This discovery allowed me to see ment interviews are very focused on the 8 The New Social Worker Winter 008
  • 11. supervisor deciding whether the student going ahead was very strong. We wanted you sought me out as a field educator is appropriate for the placement, but to explore some of the thinking behind probably also played a role, because Lyndal felt that this was an opportunity “boldly going where no placement has we met three times in person before to discover whether the supervisor was gone before,” so we spent some time prac started, as well as phoned and appropriate for her! instant messaging (IM): e-mailed. By asking questions, and getting to know you not just as a stu- Lyndal: When I approached Amanda, I Lyndal: What made you think that dent, but as a person, it made it very knew she worked for the Australian Associa- doing a placement with you based easy for me to trust you. I think it was tion of Social Workers (AASW), but I wasn’t a couple of hours away from me, because we’re pretty similar in our aware of exactly what sort of work she was and me based at home, was even working style. It didn’t even enter my doing. During our meetings prior to field possible? head that you could potentially abuse placement, I was able to learn about the Asso- working from home! ciation’s new project that Amanda was devel- Amanda: I was open to exploring it, oping—Horizon Career Centre. The Centre is because I figured, if I worked from Lyndal: I think you’re right about a 24/7 national employment Web site coupled home, then why couldn’t a student how important meeting up before with Monday to Friday customer support and do her placement from home? We prac was. By the time prac started, career guidance for the entire human services. live in a time when new technolo- I already knew more about you When Amanda explained Horizon Career gies mean new possibilities. Staying and the way you work than most Centre to me, I will admit to a moment of connected is made much easier students would have the opportunity hesitation. Isn’t that just an employment ser- with the assistance of the Internet. to do prior to placement. I think vice? Wouldn’t that be mostly admin work? Is If you make a decision to be open meeting a number of times prior that even social work? Amanda and I met a to exploring a “new” way, you soon to starting prac lays a really good few times, and despite my hesitations, I knew realise there are solutions to what foundation. that she was the right person to supervise me, others might seem as a block. and I decided that regardless of what the work Amanda: Absolutely. Preparation was, I needed to be around her positive energy proved to be really key in this situ- and passion for the profession. It turned out to By reaching out and ation (as it usually does in life in gen- be a smart decision, as it didn’t take long for being proactive about eral!). I would really encourage stu- me to realise that being placed with Horizon your field placement, you dents and potential field educators afforded me the opportunity to have daily to meet more than once if possible. contact with a really diverse range of social can take the driver’s seat We built a strong foundation for workers nationally and internationally. This and begin to steer your your placement by being guided by experience has given me a ‘snapshot’ of social social work experiences what YOU needed rather than what work and social workers that has enabled me along a path of your I/Horizon Career Centre could offer to connect with just how wonderful, passion- you. It was fortunate that the timing ate, and engaged the community is. choice. worked out to be that you would Initially, though, I had no idea that start placement the day the AASW this would be the case. I listened instead to Lyndal: I think many people would launched Horizon Career Centre, my own connection to the way that Amanda not have even considered offering because I was in a very creative worked and made the decision to pursue the a placement to a student based at space when you first approached me placement based on my need to be around home. Didn’t you have trust issues? about a possible placement. Every- “good people.” As Amanda and I talked, I I was thinking how a lot of students thing was new; everything was pos- learnt that a placement at Horizon Career experience supervision as “surveil- sible. Our process of my asking you Centre would mean being based from my lance” and really don’t enjoy that a series of questions like what are you home, and as Amanda works from her home, part the process. They feel “watched passionate about?, what do you want to a couple of hours north of where I live, contact over” a lot, and I know in my own learn?, what are your strengths?, what between the two of us would be largely done experience, this made me more do you value? helped me understand through Internet and phone communication. nervous and unsure of myself. where you were. And from there Additionally, we would meet up in person we could explore the possibility of a every 10 days or so. I actually expected some Amanda: Yeah, that’s a really good prac, rather than the traditional ap- resistance from the university field educa- point. Perhaps it was because this proach that is usually “we have this tion unit, as not only was I organising my was my first time as a field educator, student placement opportunity—do own placement, but it would also be based at so I didn’t have any pre-conceived you want it?” home, which I think may be a first. But they ideas or limitations about how it were supportive of the idea, and whatever the would work. My only experience of Lyndal: I really enjoyed the process reason, I’m glad they did allow it to unfold, field education was being a student. of trying to pinpoint the actual because it’s been exactly what I needed. From my experiences in that role, experience I wanted, as well. I found I knew the importance of having a those questions you asked prior to The placement was definitely “out placement that was supportive and starting prac really helpful. I think of the box,” and looking back now, we safe, as well as challenging within many students just take what’s on can both see that our commitment to it the context of learning. The fact that offer and don’t even think about op- The New Social Worker Winter 008
  • 12. tions that might be a little “out of the hadn’t attended a few social work events social work experiences along a path of box.” I remember being very careful that she spoke at, and I wouldn’t have had your choice. who I told that I would be based at the courage to approach her if I wasn’t really home, because I really worried that clear on why I wanted her to supervise me. Lyndal Greenslade, BA, BSocWk, GradDip- the uni wouldn’t allow it! I think My message to other students is to start now. ProfessionalCounselling, MAASW, completed most field educators, field ed uni Reach out and connect with the social work her final placement at the AASW Horizon staff, and students themselves would community while you are a student. E-mail Career Centre in 2007, enabling her to put be concerned that a placement at people of interest, just to say hello and share into practice her strong belief in the power of home, and away from their supervi- why you like what they do. Seek out the areas advocating for the profession of social work. sor physically, would mean a lack of social work that are meaningful to you, During her time at university and throughout of support. What I’ve really found even if they’re non-traditional and you know her working life, Lyndal has fed her passion though, is the exact opposite. As we nothing about them. If I’d allowed myself to for connecting with people in an effort to set up a phone call each morning, be put off by my own limitations about what work alongside them to fulfill their personal and through e-mail and now IM, I I thought social work was, I may never have potential. Lyndal graduated at the end of feel MORE connected to you than pursued a placement with the AASW Horizon 2007 and is now employed at Horizon Career I did with either of my third-year Career Centre, simply because it didn’t look or Centre. supervisors. sound like what I believed social work to be. Maybe there’s a social worker who’s a politi- Amanda Vos, BSocWk, MAASW (Acc), is Amanda: The reality has been we’ve cian, or artist, or film maker or in some other Manager of the Australian Association of actually had more contact than non-traditional field that can be considered Social Workers Horizon Career Centre. Since usual because everything we do is as a potential supervisor. Maybe as a student graduating in 2001, Amanda has explored very intentional. It’s the quality of you would love to make documentaries? Or and celebrated the diverse pathways a social the contact that makes the differ- run for political office? Or write a book? work career can offer, including casework, ence. Having face-to-face supervi- Whatever and however you connect passion- curriculum development, teaching, service de- sion every week or 10 days makes ately to the work, I would highly recommend velopment, and management. Her passion for a big difference. Supervision is the seeking out social workers who will afford you helping social workers fulfill their potential cornerstone of field placement (in the opportunity to stretch your understanding has driven Amanda to present, write, and my opinion)...it can make or break of what social work is. develop film and photography projects explor- a field placement. That’s something ing professional well-being, thriving in social I learnt as a student, so I’ve been Field placement is an excellent work, and career enhancement throughout mindful ever since, that when I opportunity to begin your journey of Australia, North America, and South East decided to have a student, I had to connecting with the social work commu- Asia. This year, Amanda is mentoring young be ready to supervise. A wise col- nity. By reaching out and being proactive social workers on assignment in Vietnam and league reminded me the other day about your field placement, you can take Sri Lanka as part of the Australian Youth that students may not remember the driver’s seat and begin to steer your Ambassadors for Development Program. their lecturers, but they sure do re- On Our Web Site member their field educators. It’s so true...the student placement experi- ence is the foundation of the social work degree. The Social Work Podcast http://www.socialworker.com/home/menu/Social_Work_Podcast Now that Lyndal’s 18-week field placement is finished, she’s had time to THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER clinical and community organizing), reflect on the process. The whole experi- is excited to bring you Jonathan research, policy, and education. Join ence was such a positive one. Lyndal Singer’s Social Work Podcast your host, Jonathan Singer, LCSW, went in feeling that social work was in as he explores topics that are relevant dire straits, and wondered whether she to social workers, whether they are personally was up to the task. But she practicing in the field, teaching in has come out with the realisation that she higher ed, formulating policy on has definitely chosen the right profession Capitol Hill, or running regression and that no matter how challenging the analyses in their offices. professional path may be, it is ultimately Visit http://socialworkpodcast.com do-able! for more information, including refer- ences that were used in developing the Lyndal: I think spending time thinking podcasts and links to other resources. about what I really wanted, well before my Please e-mail Jonathan Singer to placement started, made a world of difference. let him know topics you would like We don’t need to wait until we graduate to The Social Work Podcast pro- to have covered in future podcasts. begin making connections with people and vides information on all things social Jonathan can be reached at: jonathan@ discovering what our place in the profession work, including direct practice (both socialworkpodcast.com may be. I wouldn’t have met Amanda if I 10 The New Social Worker Winter 008
  • 13. Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD) 25th Annual Conference to be Held in Destin, Florida March 5-9 for networking and learning for BSW students. Student volunteers are a vital part of the conference each year. The Association of Baccalaureate conference will reflect 25 years of the The San Destin Golf and Beach Social Work Program Directors (BPD) development and influence of BPD on Resort has been chosen as the official is celebrating its 25th annual conference undergraduate social work education. location for the 2008 BPD Annual from March 5-9, 2008 at the lovely San Several special features are planned. Conference and 25th Conference Destin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Pre-conference functions include new Anniversary Celebration. Located on Florida. The conference will offer par- program director workshops, Florida’s Emerald Coast ticipants an opportunity to participate program director workshop between Pensacola and in a host of activities related to prac- on EPAS, new field direc- Panama City, the 2,400 tice, research, education, and teaching. tors workshop, experienced acre San Destin Golf There will be workshops, roundtable field directors workshop, and and Beach Resort is the discussions, papers, and poster presen- community-based research premier destination in tations, as well as many networking workshop. There is a pre- Northwest Florida. opportunities. conference luncheon for For details on the This year's conference theme is program directors and field conference schedule, “Honoring our Past: Celebrating our directors, as well as the silver registration, student Present and Affirming our Future.” jubilee awards banquet. volunteering, housing, BPD will acknowledge past leaders of Three continuing education sponsorship, and other the organization for their contributions, credit hours will be available conference-related in- celebrate the organization’s accomplish- on March 9. formation, see the BPD ments, and plan for future challenges The BPD conference of- Web site at http://www. and opportunities. In addition, the fers an excellent opportunity bpdonline.org. The Leader in Clinical Social Work Education Smith College School for Social Work offers 27-month maStEr’S doCtoral programS bEginning EaCh junE Intensive on-campus course instruction june – august Field Internships around the country september – april Continuing EduCation programS for thE poSt-maStEr’S CliniCian 6- and 12-hour summer seminars Postgraduate Certificates in Spirituality and Social Work Advanced Clinical Supervision to find out more, come to an open house, november 3, 2007 or june 9, 2008. Call us for details. Call or email for more information: smith college School for Social Work The New Social Worker Winter 008 11
  • 14. There’s a Place for “Us”— How Community Fits Into Social Work by Mordecai Holtz, MSW As a student who chose to concen- nity and its relationship to the individual. co-existence of such factors creates a trate on the community organizational Warren (1978) defines a community as tension whose resolution often demands aspect of the social work profession, I “that combination of social units and sys- professional intervention. It is the role of constantly struggled to understand the tems that perform the major social func- the community worker to serve as a liai- difference between the methods of a tions relevant to the meeting of people’s son among the individual, the group, and clinical practitioner and those of the needs” (p. 9). Freud (1930), in describing the surrounding social structure (Brager community worker. Despite the different the individual’s role within a community, Specht, 1972). According to Smalley demands between the micro (individual states that living in a community “ap- (1967), the role of the community worker and group) and the macro (organiza- pears as a scarcely avoidable condition is to facilitate “the process by which tional) spheres, the fact that they are which must be fulfilled before…hap- people of communities, as individual studied under the social work umbrella piness can be achieved” (p. 140). This citizens or as representatives of groups, indicates that certain core professional inevitable relationship between an join together to determine social welfare skills pervade the entire field of the social individual and his/her surroundings needs and mobilize their resources” (p. work milieu. creates a desire to feel a sense of belong- 35). Although this definition identifies a ing that stimulates the individual’s quest need for an inter-group facilitation and General Definition of creates the opportunity to join together to determine the community’s needs, Social Work two interrelated processes, planning and organizing, are also necessary to achieve The basic role of all cooperation and support from all inter- social workers is to assist in ested parties (Brager Specht, 1972). the interactions between the Whereas planning and organizing individual and his or her describe one major aspect of community social environment. Accord- practice, other critical aspects of commu- ing to Pray (1947), the basic nity work include interagency planning, objective of the social worker resource development, and coordination is to “facilitate the process of of services offered to a specific com- social adjustment of individual munity (Weil, 1996). The worker, while people through the develop- involved in developing the appropri- ment and constructive use of ate support to implement change, must social relationships with which achieve many technical and task-oriented they can find their own fulfill- details. By focusing on the specific task, ment and can discharge adequately their for identity within the context of the rather than on the change-oriented goal, social responsibilities” (p. 4). larger community (Weil, 1996). Thus, an however, the worker moves away from Within this general definition lie the overall sense of community is gradually the direct interaction with the individual. three specializations of the social work created by organizing social resources Maintaining the equilibrium of profession—casework, group work, and and affording people with the necessities these two aspects of the community community organization. Within each of everyday living. worker’s responsibilities is a very difficult of these realms, the social worker’s role and daunting task. For the community is to help an individual or group realize their strengths and abilities, to help them A Community is Formed worker to remain focused, he or she must view all aspects, both technical and utilize these assets to engage society, A community is established when interactional, as part of the larger com- and mediate this process of interaction groups of people with a common inter- munity helping process. throughout (Schwartz, 1969). It is the practitioners’ sensitivity to the “person-in- est, culture, or identity join together environment” situation and the interac- and create a distinct entity that serves Models of Community tion between the two arenas that truly a positive need in society (Weil, 1996). Involvement guides the profession. According to Fellin (2001), communities distinguish themselves in three primary Macro practice, like all other aspects spheres: “1) place or geographic locale Defining the Community of social work practice, recognizes the in which one’s needs for sustenance are strengths of the interaction between met, 2) a pattern of social interactions, individuals living in a social environ- Before describing the specific roles and 3) a symbolic identification that ment and the ability of community-wide and responsibilities of the community gives meaning to one’s identity” (p. 118). influence toward solving problems and worker within the social work profession, Ironically, while these three aspects are implementation of change (Kretzman it is necessary to define the term commu- the building blocks of a community, the and McKnight, 1993). Approaching 1 The New Social Worker Winter 008
  • 15. change on a community-wide level is client with a specific definition of the in- client’s strengths, rather than the deficits, better understood when considering tended form of community work (Brager the worker develops a sense of trust with Rothman’s (1999) three basic models of and Specht, 1973). To effectively imple- the client and creates an opportunity to community intervention. Whereas these ment any of the models of community empower the client to take action (Guti- three models offer suggestions on how involvement, the community practitioner errez, GlenMaye, and Delois, 1995). to stage community intervention, the must utilize the skills from all three as- By actively listening to the client’s mobile and unstable nature of today’s pects of the social work profession. The interests and by identifying the lay community affairs often requires that uniqueness of the community worker person’s strengths and frame of refer- more dynamic approach. In fact, Roth- is that he or she constantly juggles all ence, the worker, as a representative of man (1999) concludes that these idealistic three levels of the profession on a regular a social agency, is able to discover the models only serve as aids for concep- basis. A brief description of how each of client’s motivations and interests as they tualization, and in actual practice the the three components of the social work pertain to the agency. The worker’s abil- “intervention approaches overlap and profession is employed by the commu- ity to isolate these strengths and translate are used in mixed form,” and creating a nity worker will help to elucidate and them into areas of involvement fosters a composite of these paradigmatic models clarify the unique nature of the commu- stronger commitment by the lay leader- ensures that the most effective method nity worker. ship (Hubbel, 1993). of community-oriented change will be se- Effective managing of the rela- lected (p. 47). Thus, blending the positive Working with Individuals tionship with various individuals both practice variables from the basic models within and outside the organization, the to form sub-models allows for a myriad The community practitioner’s work worker’s awareness of the self and com- of possible permutations, creates room with individuals, be it staff or lay leader- petency to work with others by engaging for many social service or service-based ship, parallels the process of any social in interpersonal dialogue and empower- agencies to exist, and increases the selec- worker’s therapeutic intervention. The ing others to develop their strengths, tion of community-wide interventions client transmits ideas to the worker, and may best describe how the community that are available to future practitioners. the worker, in turn, needs to decipher practitioner regularly executes the skills and decode the client’s verbal and of working with individuals (Edwards, Specific Definition of nonverbal communication. The worker Yankey and Alpeter, 1998). As professionals, we will have Intervention then must acknowledge the message many opportunities to engage various through providing feedback to the client (Schulman, 1999). By constantly assess- New Social Worker Spring 2007 ad 3/1/07 3:34 PM Page 1 staff members in conversations that far The practitioner, in order to ensure ing, evaluating and concentrating on the surpass the proverbial small talk. The successful change, must provide the Social Work Education In The Real World. MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK Concentrations in: MSW Program locations: • Clinical Social Work Practice • Harrisburg • Huntingdon • Management and Planning • Lancaster • Pottsville This widely recognized graduate program is designed to provide social work education for working professionals, with completion in 3 years part-time. Temple University Harrisburg also offers an Advanced Standing Program for qualified BSWs. And, TUH also offers Continuing Education opportunities for Social Workers. Fourth Walnut Street, Harrisburg (in Strawberry Square) 717.232.6400 Toll Free 1.866.769.1860 www.temple.edu/harrisburg The New Social Worker Winter 008 1