Service Population

            This week I continued part of my training and orientation.  I had to finish online training modules that described how the Illinois Domestic Violence Act impacts how domestic violence service agencies function and promote social justice.  It took a day and a half of staring at a computer screen to complete this, and I felt like I was on information overload but I must admit that it was necessary and valid information.  I was also able to be a part of different meetings, and hear the various experiences and challenges that other interns and staff members faced during their group meetings and counseling sessions.  I really appreciated how everyone shared what they were having difficulties with and asked for advice from others; everyone was helpful and involved because they want each other to succeed.  Lastly, I have been assisting my supervisor with finding local resources who will donate for the Women’s Day event that will be happening later this spring. 

            At Sarah’s Inn, they serve anyone who lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, and who are experiencing domestic violence whether they are women, children, or men.  They offer individual counseling services and group sessions, as well as childcare.  There aren’t many men that come through the agency that are survivors of domestic violence, but it does happen occasionally.  I haven’t had the opportunity to interact with any clients yet, but I will be observing intakes and groups once I am officially through with my training and orientation.  There are many services that are offered, and they’re offered at all levels of intervention.  One program is intervention, which includes the counselors/advocates who provide counseling services.  Next is prevention, which is a group that travels to middle and high schools on the west side, or wherever they are called to.  Third is legal advocacy, which is a group of legal advocates that help survivors in the courthouse file and obtain orders of protection as well as direct them to the other services that Sarah’s Inn has to offer.  Lastly is training and education, which is where members of the staff educate clergy, law enforcement, medical staff and other professionals about warning signs of domestic violence, as well as how they should intervene and advocate for victims. 

 

Strengths

     This semester, I am completing my internship at Sarah’s Inn which is an agency that offers services for women, men, and children that are experiencing domestic violence.  My orientation process has taken all of this week, and it sounds as if I will continue training next week so that I will complete the required 40 hour domestic violence advocate training.  I have faced a few challenges thus far, but I have noticed that they are all internal.  Because the majority of this week has been educational, I have learned a great deal about what domestic violence is, the cycle of manipulation that perpetrators use to control their partners, and how this affects the survivors mentally, physically, and emotionally.  This was a struggle for me because I noticed myself getting very angry and upset, and I needed to constantly keep myself in check.  I recognize that it is okay to feel these emotions, but when I observe intakes and support groups I need to keep my emotions under control and remain professional.

     My experience at Sarah’s Inn has been rewarding because I have learned valuable lessons about the social work profession, and how domestic violence perpetrators and survivors are influenced.  There are four other interns that I am working with, and it is amazing that we are all doing different things in this one agency that focuses on domestic violence.  We are divided between different programs like prevention, intervention and counseling, legal advocacy, and professional education and training.  All of these areas are important to how this agency functions, and each is an example of the versatility of the social work profession.  I also learned how Sarah’s Inn works with domestic violence survivors through the different services they offer, as well as how offering education to middle and high school students, police officers, medical professions, and clergy members can help the community to rally around ending this epidemic of violence against women.

Personal Strengths

1.      Positive

2.      Flexible

3.      Problem solver

4.      Independent

5.      Team player

6.      Compassionate

7.      Loyal

8.      Trustworthy

9.      Good listener

10.  Humorous

11.  Persistent

12.  Emotionally intelligent

13.  Driven

14.  Peacemaker

15.  Relatable

Professional Strengths

1.      Positive

2.      Flexible

3.      Problem solver

4.      Independent

5.      Compassionate

6.      Trustworthy

7.      Good listener

8.      Quick learner

9.      Punctual

10.  Team player

11.  Persistent

12.  Emotionally intelligent

13.  Driven

14.  Peacemaker

15.  Relatable

 

 

I will be challenged as a problem solver at my field placement in a few ways.  I have learned that as social workers we need to partner with our clients and not solve all their “problems”.  If I get the opportunity to do an intake form or anything else I will need to keep myself in check and try not to just solve their problems, but to build a relationship and create an equal partnership. 

I would classify myself as a pretty relatable person, and I think I will be challenged because of how sensitive of a situation these clients are living in.  I will need to be flexible and creative in how I connect with them.  I can relate with people I know because I have experienced similar things, but this will not be effective in how I can relate to clients.  I need to find a professional way to relate with my future clientele.