The purpose of this assignment is for students to engage in self-reflection of their ability to meet expectations on all nine CSWE social work competencies. Students should address each of the nine competencies in their paper, discussing their skill level with the practice behaviors (provide examples), their growth in each competency since their first social work course, and their comfort level with performing each competency. This paper should be 5-8 pages, and requires a titlesheet and references. Make sure you use APA 7th edition PROFESSIONAL VERSION formatting.
https://www.cswe.org/getmedia/bb5d8afe-7680-42dc-a332-a6e6103f4998/2022-EPAS.pdf
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Self-Reflection on Meeting CSWE Social Work Competencies
Introduction
In this paper, I will engage in self-reflection on my ability to meet the expectations of the nine social work competencies outlined by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). I will discuss my skill level with the practice behaviors, provide examples of my growth in each competency since my first social work course, and reflect on my comfort level in performing each competency. This self-reflection will allow me to assess my progress as a social work student and identify areas for further development.
Competency 1: Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
Skill Level: Proficient
Practice Behaviors:
Engaging in ethical decision-making
Recognizing and managing personal values
Demonstrating professional demeanor
Growth and Examples:
Since my first social work course, I have developed a strong understanding of ethical principles and their application in practice. I have actively engaged in ethical decision-making by considering the NASW Code of Ethics and consulting with supervisors or colleagues when faced with ethical dilemmas. For example, during my internship, I encountered a situation where a client disclosed information that could potentially harm others. I immediately recognized the need to balance confidentiality and the duty to protect, and sought supervision to navigate the situation appropriately.
Comfort Level:
I feel comfortable demonstrating ethical and professional behavior in my social work practice. I consistently strive to align my actions with ethical guidelines and maintain a professional demeanor in all interactions.
Competency 2: Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Practice Behaviors:
Recognizing and respecting diversity
Challenging and addressing biases
Incorporating cultural knowledge into practice
Growth and Examples:
Throughout my social work education, I have developed an increased awareness of the importance of diversity and cultural competence in practice. I have actively sought opportunities to learn about different cultures, identities, and experiences through coursework, workshops, and community engagement. For instance, during a group project focused on LGBTQ+ youth, I actively challenged my own biases and incorporated knowledge of LGBTQ+ identities into our intervention strategies.
Comfort Level:
While I have made progress in engaging diversity and difference in practice, I recognize that there is still room for growth. I feel comfortable initiating conversations about diversity and addressing biases; however, I continue to work on expanding my cultural knowledge to ensure culturally responsive practice.
Competency 3: Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
Skill Level: Competent
Practice Behaviors:
Identifying social injustices
Advocating for policy change
Addressing disparities in access to resources
Growth and Examples:
Since my first social work course, I have developed a strong commitment to advancing human rights and social justice. I actively engage in identifying social injustices within systems and advocating for policy change. For example, during my field placement at a community organization, I participated in a campaign advocating for affordable housing. I collaborated with community members, engaged in lobbying efforts, and used research to support policy recommendations.
Comfort Level:
I feel confident in my ability to advance human rights and social justice through social work practice. I actively seek opportunities to address disparities and advocate for change at individual, community, and systemic levels.
Competency 4: Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Practice Behaviors:
Using research to inform practice decisions
Evaluating research literature
Contributing to research activities
Growth and Examples:
Throughout my social work education, I have developed skills in using research to inform practice decisions. I actively seek out research literature related to the populations I work with and integrate evidence-based interventions into my practice. For instance, when working with adolescents experiencing trauma, I utilized trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy based on research demonstrating its effectiveness.
Comfort Level:
While I have made progress in engaging with research-informed practice, I still consider myself an advanced beginner. I am comfortable using existing research but would like to further develop my skills in contributing to research activities and conducting my own research.
Competency 5: Engage in Policy Practice
Skill Level: Competent
Practice Behaviors:
Analyzing policies
Promoting policy change
Collaborating with stakeholders
Growth and Examples:
Throughout my social work education, I have gained competence in policy practice. I can effectively analyze policies, identify areas for improvement, and advocate for policy change. For example, during a policy course, I conducted a policy analysis on mental health parity laws and presented recommendations for strengthening their implementation. I also collaborated with local stakeholders to promote policy change through advocacy efforts.
Comfort Level:
I feel confident in engaging in policy practice as a social worker. I am comfortable collaborating with stakeholders, analyzing policies, and advocating for change at both micro and macro levels.
Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Practice Behaviors:
Establishing rapport
Assessing needs and strengths
Implementing interventions
Growth and Examples:
Since my first social work course, I have developed skills in engaging with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. I have gained experience in building rapport with clients, conducting assessments to identify needs and strengths, and implementing evidence-based interventions. For instance, during a clinical internship, I successfully established therapeutic relationships with clients through active listening and empathy.
Comfort Level:
While I have made progress in engaging with various systems, I still consider myself an advanced beginner. While I feel comfortable working with individuals and families, I would like to further develop my skills in group work and community engagement.
Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Practice Behaviors:
Collecting relevant information
Using assessment tools
Analyzing strengths and needs
Growth and Examples:
Throughout my social work education, I have developed skills in assessing individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. I have gained experience in collecting relevant information through interviews and assessments tools such as genograms or ecomaps. For example, during a community needs assessment project, I collected data from community members through surveys and interviews to identify gaps in services.
Comfort Level:
While I have made progress in assessment skills, I still consider myself an advanced beginner. I feel comfortable using assessment tools and analyzing strengths and needs at an individual level but would like to further develop my skills in assessing groups, organizations, and communities.
Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Skill Level: Proficient
Practice Behaviors:
Developing intervention plans
Implementing evidence-based practices
Evaluating outcomes
Growth and Examples:
Since my first social work course, I have developed proficiency in intervening with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. I have gained experience in developing comprehensive intervention plans based on assessments and implementing evidence-based practices. For instance, during a group project focused on youth empowerment, our team developed a strengths-based intervention plan that included skill-building activities based on current research.
Comfort Level:
I feel confident in my ability to intervene effectively at various levels of practice. I am comfortable developing intervention plans, implementing evidence-based practices, and evaluating outcomes to inform ongoing practice.
Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Practice Behaviors:
Developing evaluation plans
Collecting data on outcomes
Analyzing effectiveness of interventions
Growth and Examples:
Throughout my social work education, I have developed skills in evaluating practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. I have gained experience in developing evaluation plans that align with intervention goals and collecting data on outcomes. For example, during an organizational internship, I collaborated with colleagues to design an evaluation framework for a community program targeting youth mental health.
Comfort Level:
While I have made progress in evaluation skills, I still consider myself an advanced beginner. I feel comfortable developing evaluation plans but would like to further develop my skills in data analysis techniques and measuring the effectiveness of interventions.
Conclusion
Engaging in this self-reflection has allowed me to assess my progress in meeting the nine CSWE social work competencies. Overall, I have demonstrated growth in each competency since my first social work course. While there are areas where I feel proficient or competent, there are also areas where further development is needed. Reflecting on my skill level, growth examples, and comfort level has provided valuable insights into areas where I should focus my efforts for continued professional growth as a social worker. By recognizing areas for improvement and building upon my existing skills, I can enhance my ability to meet the expectations outlined by CSWE as I continue on my journey as a social work practitioner.
References
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). (2022). Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). Retrieved from https://www.cswe.org/getmedia/bb5d8afe-7680-42dc-a332-a6e6103f4998/2022-EPAS.pdf
