JSU NASW Code of Ethics Personal Statement and Value Clarification Paper

Personal Statement & Value Clarification Paper

The purpose of this assignment is two-folded. One it help students develop a personal statement describing the student’s interest in social work as a profession and secondly help students clarify their values in relation to the social work profession’s values. This assignment is designed to enhance the students’ self-awareness of their personal values and beliefs and assess their compatibility to the social work profession. The social worker’s personal values should be compatible with the values of the social work profession

• Please complete this personal statement by adequately addressing each of the items listed below.
• Each item is worth 10 points.
• This document should be typed, double-spaced and not to exceed 7 pages in length.
• This count does not include the title page and if appropriate the reference sheet. Criteria that will be considered in evaluating this assignment include its completeness in response to the instructions, the thoughtfulness of your answers, and demonstrated writing skills (grammar, spelling).
• Papers without the above subheadings will not be accepted.

1. Explain how you became interested in social work and why you chose social work as a major.
2. Explain and discuss your personal values, as well as who and/or what you feel influenced you the most in forming your values.
3. In addition, identify the values that lead you to pursue a career in social work.
4. Discuss how your values fit with social work values, for example, what are the similarities or differences.
5. Afterwards, explain how you feel your values and the profession’s values will influence your role as a social worker. Include in your discussion the six core values and principles of social work.
6. Discuss the client(s) that you feel may be problematic or difficult for you to work with and explain why it might be difficult for you to work with this (these) clients (ex. professionalism, communication). How do you think your values would affect your work with them? How might you resolve this dilemma?
7. What personal strengths do you possess that will be useful to you as a social worker?
8. What are your limitations/weaknesses? How do you plan to improve in these areas?
9. What are your career goals after graduating from Jackson State University?
10. What experiences have you had which make you feel that you can work effectively with people from diverse populations reflecting religious, racial, ethnic, physical challenges, socio-economic, gender and sexual orientation differences?

Read NASW Code of Ethics and discuss it briefly in this section of the essay. Your discussion should first address the Overview section of the Code and the Purpose section (What is the Code and what is its purpose in social work?).