Self awareness, according to Wong (2003), means popularity of the personality, advantages and weaknesses and needs and wants. As a cultural worker, self understanding can be an essential element to get ready oneself to encounter the clients' personal subject, their behaviour, thoughts, etc. The article will discuss the value and significance of self understanding. Then discuss what I have learned about myself, in terms of my personalities, attitudes, strengths, limitations and how my past experience influence me. Finally correlate how self consciousness can help my professional development as a public worker.
According to Rothman (1999), everyone has its behaviour or viewpoints towards something. Our thoughts and principles are shaped during the time of infancy, youth, adolescence and adulthood. These thinking may be based on our own experiences, education received or culture influences.
It is clear our past experiences, communal norms, ideals from the others, characteristics, prejudices or stereotypes shape
Knowing how my previous experiences influence my very own worth helps me to be more aware of my own self. Having an uncle who dedicated suicide that made my children, especially my grandmother, miserable and miserable, I personally hate people who have the purpose to conclude their lives. However, this hatred could make me unable to maximize appropriate decision when a client who gets the will to commit suicide seeks help from me. In addition, as suggested by Biestek (1961), the relationship between the cultural worker and your client has been called the heart of casework. It might be hard for me to develop appropriate romantic relationship with the client. It is possible that I will have uncontrolled mental participation and judgmental behaviour towards the client. Without self awareness and knowing what experiences shape my thoughts, I will experience difficulty in providing delicate and skilled services to the clients. I may also unknowingly reject the client and avoid speaking too much about loss of life unconsciously. However, by knowing what experience are influencing my worth and thoughts, Rothman (1999) recommended that it assists the worker to utilize clients, also to control and decrease the influences of personal attitudes and beliefs that may be unsafe and prejudicial toward clients.
Prejudices, biases and stereotypes may be great obstacles on my professional development. It is common that when come to minorities such as prostitutes, homosexuals or the road sleepers, people may consider their behaviours as unethical. It could due to their personal principles, cultural, religious and other values which people take for granted to look at when facing these issues. I likewise have prejudices and stereotypes on them plus they may be expressed in conversations, functions or behaviours since they are hidden in the subconscious as advised by Rothman (1999). I may unknowingly have words that harm them and make sure they are defensive or not trust in me. Thus which makes it hard to develop good romance with the client and hard to possess intervention processes. For instance, I have already been exposed to a strong heterosexual bias and may integrate some homophobic reactions such as discomfort or hatred of homosexual people. Without self-awareness and knowledge, I may not be able to provide skilled services to gay or lesbian clients. If a worker has religious perception, he or she could even have a solid notion that homosexuality is a sin. Corresponding to Sheafor and Morales (2007), one of the competences required for public work practice is the capability to activate in cultural-, gender- and age-sensitive practice. In order to achieve this, it is vital for an employee to find ways and methods to distinguish their personal opinion system of their professional worth, ethics and assignments.
Knowing my advantages and weaknesses also helps me with my professional development. I am glad and patient to hear others. At the same time, I am also empathetic to others' experience and difficulties. It makes the customers feel being reputed and thus it is simpler to develop a proper client-worker relationship. It is of utmost importance that your client trust you
Reflecting on our very own experience and developmental phases helps when working with clients. For example, I was shy and not happy to express my care towards others in my childhood. And I'd have no opportunity to show my love to my grandmother who perished years back. The losses in my life make me re-think just how I used to be and shoot for an alteration, that is, become more outgoing and nurturing to others. I can thus attract on my own experience when working with teenagers and guide them in the changing process. However, it also makes me consider my limits, that is, whenever using elderly clients. I can connect my experience that is comparable to a teenager's, however, it is impossible for me to get certain difficulties encountered by seniors clients including the maturing process. As advised by Berman-Rossi(2001), a sociable employee thus must develop aging relevant knowledge, personal awareness, level of sensitivity and skill. Knowledge about ageing demographics, age-related changes and developmental responsibilities is essential.
Although there are limitations to my service provided, there are ways to minimize the inadequacy.
Increased openness to other ways of thinking
My family is a blissful one, sometimes having some issues but still harmonious overall. I once thought that it's normal to own the sort of family like mine, with least the majority of the families are equally. However, it is incorrect as there are diversities in family structure. Some family members are single-parented, although some may have huge communication problems among members of the family or having members of the family that are drug lovers that greatly influences the family.
Sharing own thoughts and thoughts among a group of peers helps to make up one's own point of view towards the populace. By hearing and sharing, you can know more about the peers' attitudes on the problem, to examine their own attitudes and exchange opinions within an overview. You can likewise have a broader view on a concern and
Social employees must confront their own prejudices and stereotypes about minorities.
Making myself known about losses in my own life helps me to understand what past experience or feelings are affecting my very own beliefs and thoughts today.
