The core value represents one of the most critical aspects of social workers’ activities. They become guides in the performance of professional activities and contribute to their more effective implementation. However, sometimes events can lead to the loss of these values. The value of self-care can help in this situation, which will contribute to the preservation of these indicators. Thus, the core values of a social worker represent ethical obligations and play a significant role in providing complete assistance to society.
For me, core values are of particular importance, both professionally and personally. According to the national association of social workers, these indicators include “service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relations, integrity, and competence” (Read the code of ethics, n.d., para. 5). I believe that their observance allows us to work most productively and effectively with people with different cultural, social, political, and economic backgrounds. Moreover, I believe that a social worker should treat everyone with justice, fairness, and respect. As a specialist in this field, I must be able to create the most comfortable and satisfactory conditions by the fundamental values.
It is worth noting that I faced the problem of losing myself and my core values. This manifested itself in the fact that I was so overwhelmed that I could not decide what kind of professional I should be. Moreover, because my work involves interaction with people, it is sometimes challenging to get rid of some personal judgments that can interfere with my practice. Another aspect that affected my core values was balancing work and personal life. When reading “The A-to-Z self-care handbook,” I related to the story because I clearly understood the complexities of this circumstance (Grise-Owens, 2016). Overcoming this problem took quite a long time, but now I clearly understand what I should strive for as a social worker.
After solving the problem of losing my own values, I realized the importance of self-care. For me, it manifested itself in the correct time allocation, protecting professional activity from personal life. In accordance with the core values, I believe that it is impossible to transfer information from work outside of it. As a concern for myself, I distance myself from what is happening in the workplace and try to devote more time to myself and my loved ones. Thus, I believe that self-care is an ethical obligation that is necessary for the complete fulfillment of the tasks of a social worker. For my practice, this means observing all the core principles and gaining awareness that in my professional activity, I should put not myself first but those who turn to me. In addition, it is necessary always to remember why I chose this particular field and adhere to this motive.
In conclusion, the activity of a social worker is particularly difficult for individuals who have decided to choose it, but at the same time, it is extremely rewarding. This is because helping other people and achieving justice and fairness for the most defenseless makes a significant contribution to the development of society. Assistance in this process represents core values that must be respected by all specialists in this field. At the same time, it is also worth realizing the importance of taking care of oneself in order to prevent problems and increase the effectiveness of work.
Reference
Grise-Owens, E. (2016). The A-to-Z self-care handbook for social workers and other helping professionals (Miller, J. & Eaves., M., Eds.). The New Social Worker Press.
Read the code of ethics. (n.d.). National association of social workers. Web.