Competencies

Field Work Seminar

Pascale Locklear
Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical
and Professional Behaviors
 1. Make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW Code of
Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making,
ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate
to context.
 Using the Code of Ethics and approaching things in a ethical and moral
manner has helped me cope with the last two weeks at the shelter.
 Applying proper ethical conduct has assisted me in dealing with the
emotional and sometimes substance fueled behaviors exhibited by the
house clients.
Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical
and Professional Behaviors
 2. Use reflection and self-regulation to manage personal values and
maintain professionalism in practice situations.
 This competency has been the most present during the past two weeks I
have often had to reflect back on how I come across when speaking to
clients
 I have also had to work on monitoring and controlling my facial expressions
during groups and one on one client discussions.
 Maintaining appropriate non verbal behavior is very important when
dealing with clients in potentially high stress situations.
3. Demonstrate professional demeanor in
behavior; appearance; and oral, written,
and electronic communication.
 In all correspondence with clients and professionals it is important to
appear and act professionally.
 When writing emails, I use appropriate terminology and titles. I keep written
correspondence short and to the point.
4. Use technology ethically and
appropriately to facilitate practice
outcomes.
 I avoid brining my phone into the shelter unless its break time. This is to cut
down on distractions and the worry that I may be recording or
photographing the shelter.
 I do not use the facility computers unless it is to document shelter
information.
5. Use supervision and consultation to guide
professional judgment and behavior.

 I am mainly unsupervised but when I have ethical issues or questions I refer

to the appropriate supervision.
Competency 2: Engage Diversity and
Difference in Practice
 1. Apply and communicate understanding of the importance of diversity
and difference in shaping life experiences in practice at the micro, mezzo,
and macro levels.
 This competency was put into practice recently this week in the field, we
had to dissipate a altercation between clients, the issue was simply a lack
of cultural competence.
 In this field it is important to be culturally competence and must consider
that all people do not respond to the same situation in the same way.
2. Present themselves as learners and
engage clients and constituencies as
experts of their own experiences.
 I apply this competency by always learning and and asking questions
 There is never a point in which we stop learning, asking questions and
putting yourself in a position to obtain new knowledge.
3. Apply self-awareness and self-regulation
to manage the influence of personal biases
and values in working with diverse clients
and constituencies.
 This is a hard competency to always put in practice. It requires total self
awareness and knowledge of our own personal biases.
Competency 3: Advance Human Rights
and Social, Economical, and Human Justice
Behaviors
 1. Apply understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to
advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels.
• This competency is applied in my placement daily, at SFVC we work with
other organizations and agencies to ensure our clients receive the best
possible services in relation to their individual circumstances. We advocate
for clients whom are unable to advocate for themselves and in order to do
so we must be willing to fight for their rights and due services.
• In some cases we do have to inform other agencies that they are in
violation of clients human rights when they try to impose higher rents or
strenuous conditions on clients unfairly. This is often due to a stigma that
clients receiving domestic violence or rehoming services will be
troublesome tenants or employees.
Competency 3: Advance Human Rights
and Social, Economical, and Human Justice
Behaviors
 2. Engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental
justice.
• This competency is achieved by treating all clients equally and fairly
without bias. This can sometimes be hard when personal feelings come into
play but it is necessary as a social worker and public servant to put biases
aside and remember that everyone deserves help and second chances.
• Working one on one with clients to assess their needs and aiding them in
receiving the appropriate aid. In order to accomplish this, one on one
needs assessments must be done and clients must be matched with
appropriate services.
• Often times we must advocate for these clients and assist them in securing
the services.
Competency 4: Engage In Practice-
informed Research and Research-informed
Practice Behaviors:
 1. Use practice experience and theory to inform scientific inquiry and
research.
• During my time at my placement I have constantly been learning new
therapeutic methods for counseling victims and aggressors of domestic
violence
• Conducting daily research into DV laws and statutes as well as research
into DV literature and survivor statistics.
Competency 4: Engage In Practice-
informed Research and Research-informed
Practice Behaviors:
 2. Apply critical thinking to engage in analysis of quantitative and
qualitative research methods and research findings.
• This competency is put into practice through the various avenues of
research we must do in oder to stay up to date with state and national
legislature concerning domestic violence and crisis intervention.
• Research acquired while attending trainings is then implemented in the
agency to better and more effectively serve our population.
Competency 4: Engage In Practice-
informed Research and Research-informed
Practice Behaviors:
 3. Use and translate research evidence to inform and improve practice,
policy, and service delivery.
• Statutes for DV vary from state to state, this affects previous orders or orders
of clients whom need to relocate out of state. Research is crucial in
discovering proper protocol for client relocation or reinitiation of legal
orders.
• My placement requires extensive research into state law and mental health
reform changes.
Competency 5: Engage in Policy
Practice Behaviors
 1. Identify social policy at the local, state, and federal level that impacts
well-being, service delivery, and access to social services
• This competency ties in directly to competency four and research geared
practice. We often work to improve social policies concerning DV and
victim recovery.
Competency 5: Engage in Policy
Practice Behaviors
 2. Assess how social welfare and economic policies impact the delivery of
and access to social services.
• Current policy concerning the definition of homelessness can often
negatively impact the rapid rehousing population we service.
• Staying with a family member after living in your car can often exclude a
client from needed services due to the status change in their definition of
homelessness
• Current policies geared towards homelessness and rehousing need to be
revisited and revised to provide appropriate funding for all categories.
Competency 5: Engage in Policy
Practice Behaviors
 3. Apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies
that advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental
justice.
• This competency is applied in my field work through the practice of
research for field related projects such as my advocacy project and
preparations for the domestic violence statistics project.
• Researching and studying the Violence Against Women Act to further my
subject knowledge in order to compile a well informed research based
letter.
Competency 6: Engage with Individuals,
Families, Groups, Organizations and
Communities
 1. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment,
person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks
to engage with clients and constituencies.
• I apply the skills learned and cultivated in HBSE when communicating with
clients and staff.
• This competency is also applied when preforming face to face client
intakes and interpreting body language in order to gage whether a client is
comfortable enough to be truthful.
• Its also beneficial to have a understand of trauma responses and the
stages of grief when working with domestic abuse clients.
Competency 6: Engage with Individuals,
Families, Groups, Organizations and
Communities
 2. Use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage
diverse clients and constituencies.
• Efficiently and appropriately communicating both verbally and non
verbally with clients and staff
• It is important in high stress and traumatic situations to be able to
communicate efficiently and convey empathy and understanding to each
clients individual case.
Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families,
Groups, Organizations, and Communities

 1. Collect and organize data, and apply critical thinking to interpret

information from clients and constituencies.
• This competency is put into practice through taking and processing client
intakes in person and via the phone to assess services needed for clients.
Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families,
Groups, Organizations, and Communities

 2. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment,

person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in
interventions with clients and constituencies.
• Apply theory knowledge learned during HBSE course to day to day
engagements with clients and staff.
Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families,
Groups, Organizations, and Communities

 3. Develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives based on

the critical assessment of strengths, needs, and challenges within clients
and constituencies;
• Meeting with and discussing client cases and points of concern with my
field supervisor as issues arise.
• Discussing client concerns and brainstorming to find ways to better serve
their clients.
Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families,
Groups, Organizations, and Communities

 4. Select appropriate intervention strategies based on the assessment,

research knowledge, and values and preferences of clients and
constituencies.
• Completing client intakes and determining the best resources to assist the
client based on their individual case and individual needs.
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals,
Families, Groups, Organizations, and
Communities
 1. Critically choose and implement interventions to achieve practice goals
and enhance capacities of clients and constituencies.
• Applying instruction material from WAVE to aid in facilitating classes and
reaching the clients on an intimate level.
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals,
Families, Groups, Organizations, and
Communities
 2. Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment,
person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in
interventions with clients and constituencies.
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals,
Families, Groups, Organizations, and
Communities
 3. Use inter-professional collaboration as appropriate to achieve beneficial
practice outcomes.
• Engaging the community in outreach events such a Pembroke day and
Domestic violence advocacy events to make our mission and services
viewable and accessible to the public.
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals,
Families, Groups, Organizations, and
Communities
 4. Negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of diverse clients
and constituencies.
• Assisting in advocating for clients in the court system when their unable to
speak clearly and/or are visibly shaken
• Advocate for clients when calling in referrals for services and doing home
visits after housing has been established to ensure they are being treated
fairly and without bias
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals,
Families, Groups, Organizations, and
Communities
 5. Facilitate effective transitions and endings that advance mutually
agreed-on goals.
• Assist in client intake process, assist in brainstorming client goals and
ensuring clients make all necessary strides to achieve their goals within the
necessary time frame.
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with
Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations,
and Communities
 1 Select and use appropriate methods for evaluation of outcomes
 Use critical thinking and analysis of previously learned Skill and policy to
determine best ways to assist clients given their circumstances and previous
case precedent
 Use danger assessment scales and timed self injury behavior scale
 Use the strength based approach to motivate clients to succeed based on
their strengths
 Use the evidence based approach with information gathered from clients
intakes to decide which services would be most beneficial to clients
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with
Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations,
and Communities
 2 Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment,
person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in
the evaluation of outcomes.
 Apply previously learned skills and measures to measure outcomes using
strength based approach to problem solving and crisis management.
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with
Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations,
and Communities
 3 Critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate intervention and program
processes and outcomes.
 Conduct weekly WAVE class meetings to engage and educate women
battling previous or current domestic abuse.
 Apply strength based theory to individual case analysis and plan
management when recommending services and rehousing. I.E. will they do
well in a close community or in a home with less neighbors.
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with
Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations,
and Communities
 .4 Apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness at the micro,
mezzo, and macro levels.
 Apply skills learned during my field work experience to positively impact
current and future clients
 Apply grant writing skills, statistical analysis and outreach advocacy skills
achieved during field placement to positively impact my community.