Tuesday, May 10, 2011

What is social work to me?

Social work is the endeavour to better the lives of the marginalised in society within a person-in-environment framework and the structures in place. It seeks to improve the fit between the individual and his environment so as to maximise his potential, and intervention may be remedial, preventive, or developmental in nature.

Because of this unique person-in-environment perspective – that which differentiates social work from other helping professions – intervention can take place on more than one level: on the personal level, the environmental level, or both. When done on a micro level, social work involves collaboration with the client system in order to reach agreed upon goals; such intervention is specific to the client system and is not generalizable to wider society.

However, such intervention may sometimes be insufficient, especially if the root of the problem is entrenched in structures which propagate disadvantage or prevent improvement - in this case, the environment would have to be modified. Macro-level social work can take the form of class advocacy and research, with the ultimate aim of influencing social policy to bring about positive change in the environment of a client population.

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I'm such a freak for all the organising and thinking I've been doing! I wonder if my colleagues are curious as to why my brow is perpetually furrowed and why I seem to be constantly typing away at something or reading something even though I've hardly been assigned to do anything yet. I think Jai's going to hate me for all the long-winded writing I've been doinggg but it's okay, I shall savour the satisfaction of ticking off a to-do list

@12.43am
Monday, May 09, 2011

Despite how I started out feeling so miserable, I realise that You'd been there for me the whole time: right from the start, when I thought about how we're social creatures and found confirmation of the truth (and even more!) in my social work readings; at lunch, when the girls started talking about wisdom teeth extraction just when I was feeling most alienated because of all the work-talk and even in the surprising crucifixion interpretation Dong-Ill Shin had to offer for the dark, haunting Durufle piece, You made sure I wasn't too lonely :)

It was a good day. I renewed my love for the profession, and rediscovered the wonder of the universality and eternal nature of the truths which our faith teaches. Thoughtful smses from wonderful concerned friends also got me through when I was shrivelling up from the lack of social interaction....hahahaha. Yu Jin the in-lieu supervisor really tried hard to make me feel at home.. and reminds me so much of Yeow Hwee. I miss him!!

Tomorrow will be a good day again. Readings, here I come!

@12.41am
Sunday, May 08, 2011

Just found out that a social work classmate has been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. It stunned me for a few minutes.. I can't believe how fragile life is. She was a happy bubbly girl. Probably was quite healthy too, given that she was vegetarian. And yet.. I just can't believe it

@6.57pm


Without my even noticing it, 6 months have flown by...and I've yet to mentally prepare myself for starting work tomorrow. Truthfully, the fact that I haven't been studying in such a long time is really stressing me out quite a bit, and I fear that my lack of adequate preparation and revision might take its toll when I start. Yet, one year ago I felt the same way, and everything went smoothly enough. Ye of little faith!

The exams have ended and everyone's freed up to meet again :) I know I shouldn't be, but I'm feeling fear even in that respect. What if I can't keep up or say no? All these people mean so much to me. How am I going to maintain all of it?

A wave of dread is crushing over me. The mad holiday rush is about to take over. And I don't want to go to see the doctor on the 25th :(

@5.45pm