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The following experiences led to development of skills in
this area:
Courses
SDS 3340 Introduction to Career Development; Fall 1997; 3
credits
Given a changing world economy, and new ways of working in
organizations that are also evolving into new forms, I developed
a written, strategic career plan for myself that was based on an
improved understanding of my personal characteristics and
environmental realities. In developing this plan, I did
extensive research about the field of social work, learned about
the new situations in which social workers are finding
employment, learned about the best training programs in my area
of interest, and created a timeline for completing my graduate
degree and finding employment. I wrote a research paper on this
topic and received a grade of A.
Jobs / Internships
Continuum Care, Tallahassee, FL; Intern; Spring 1998
I completed a 10 hour per week internship as part of a Social
Work and Aging class with an small business organization that
provides social services for elderly clients. Working under the
supervision of a licensed clinical social worker, I talked with
clients in retirement centers, nursing homes, and private homes
and became informed about issues from their perspectives. I
learned about. I received one hour of supervision each week and
I sat in on some staff meetings where the needs of individual
clients were discussed. This helped me develop a more objective,
professional view of these very emotional issues. I researched
community services available to elderly clients, learned about
legal and financial issues pertaining to eldercare, and analyzed
how families are impacted by caregiving of aging relatives. I
maintained a written log of my experiences and sought to clarify
issues that I could raise with professors in my social work
classes.
Service / Volunteer Work
United Way of Tallahassee; Volunteer; Summer 1997
As part of a volunteer commitment in the Service/Learning
Program at FSU, I worked for 10 hours a week at the United Way
for one semester. I was supervised by the director of the annual
fundraising drive. In this work assignment, I learned about the
50 human services agencies and programs that help various groups
of people in the local community. I also learned about the
"politics of caring," and how agencies try to use
political forces to increase their budgets and the scope of
their work. I conducted research that enabled the United Way to
develop policies that fairly and appropriately allocated funds
to organizations competing for limited resources.
Memberships / Activities
Student Social Work Association; Member; Spring 1997 - Fall
1999
As a member for two and a half years, I learned more about the
social work profession by experiences with other students in the
program and established professionals in the field. Many of our
programs featured leading professionals involved in state and
national policy development in many areas of social services.
Their presentations enabled me to hear first hand about the
politics of social programs, how different groups can have
competing agendas for action, and how experts negotiate all
parties toward common goals. An example of this involved a
presentation on working with city government, the board of
transportation, and a private company to improve transportation
services for elderly and physically disabled persons. I estimate
that I heard over 15 such presentations as a member of this
group. I also received copies of a national social work research
journal at a student discount which enabled me to learn about
new research finds and policy issues in the field.
Interests / Life Experiences
Student Social Work Association; Treasurer; Fall 1998 -
Summer 1999
In this position for one year, I attended meetings of the
executive committee of our association, helped develop policies
and programs regarding the work of SSWA, and handled all
financial matters of the organization. I was responsible for
managing a budget of over $3,000 annually, including a combined
allocation of over $500 from FSU Student Government, United Way,
and the Tallahassee Seniors' Center. I was responsible for
managing three separate accounts and handled over 300 financial
transactions during my term. A financial audit of my budget year
activity reported no financial irregularities in my work.
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