grad school personal statement examples social work

You might also be interested in reading this Sample MSW Statement of Purpose that got admitted to Michigan University and the University of Washington.

Sample Personal Statement in Social Work (MSW)

If you ever have a candid conversation with a male transgender sex worker in Bangkok, you shall be left both wiser and disquieted. Wiser because you will realize that she is performing gender; she walks, talks, and acts in a way that reinforces an impression of her being a woman. And disquieted because you will become aware of the acute lack of sexual health education and the omnipresent danger of HIV and AIDS among the members of this population.

But, of course, the eight-year-old ‘I’ was nothing like ‘You.’ My first encounter with a transgender sex worker happened while I sat in the backseat of my father’s car, waiting for my parents to return from the grocery shop that they often frequented. As she knocked on the glass window to beg for change in the typical, hyper-feminine style of a Southeast Asian transgender, I was just left in a total state of wonder. I do not quite remember exactly how wonderment pounced on me; perhaps, the artificiality of her loud and extravagant make-up, exhibiting the genuineness of her being, caught my fascination and curiosity. Or maybe it was the bounce in her gait, displaying resistance and self-assurance, that I felt was admirable and exceptional. I cannot say for sure, for I do not know. Although, I do know this: I also have a bounce in my gait. And as I’ve grown older, it has only become more pronounced.

In Thailand, everybody performs gender. However, the consequences can be dire if gender is not portrayed as mandated by political, social, cultural, and religious institutions. Indeed, for women, but explicitly for those who do not fit neatly into the gender binary or are non-conforming in their gender presentations. Discrimination, persecution, and murder cases are frequently reported and then forgotten. Consider the case in which the burnt remains of a transgender person were found in Bangkok – the political heart of my motherland.

However, this is not, as often characterized, a problem of religion; nothing in the scripture prescribes stoning, lynching, incarceration, or the penalty of death for ‘homosexuality’ or transsexuality.’ These varying laws in Muslim-majority countries show that the problem is often a literalist, ill-informed, and prejudiced policymaker reading into the text ‘punishments’ that do not exist therein. Lebanon, for example, legalized same-sex sexual activity in 1951. While Saudi Arabia and Iran can both prescribe capital punishment for these intimate, private performances. For the last year, as a regularly published columnist for New York Times Opinion Op-ed , I have tried to mainstream the cause and consequences of policing gender, sexuality, and identity in Thailand. In my first column, “A Tyranny No Different,” I showed that Thailand’s Penal Code section 377, which criminalizes same-sex behavior, has absolute semantic similarity with Sub Section 175 of the Third Reich and that this provision, which we now have common with 42 former British colonies, was introduced into the legal system by the British Raj. Dominant groups inside the country today use coercion and hegemony – making this a Public Policy problem.

My academic progress at university has been my most challenging rendition till now. After completing high school, I had to take a year off from my pursuit of happiness – education. Not having the financial means necessary to undertake undergraduate studies, I had to supplement it by seeking employment. I chose the profession which was both morally uplifting and financially rewarding – teaching fifteen to twenty-year-olds. With a credible background in public speaking, my performance in education management and policy began by emulating the Greek sophists. As a freshman, I started coaching forensics, debating, and public speaking at schools in my city. And during my sophomore year, I was promoted to coordinating and teaching the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level on Government and Politics and Global Perspectives.

During these last six years, I have come to chair the Forensics, Debate, and Public Speaking department and remain the youngest high school faculty member at three campuses of Thailand’s largest private school network. While engaged in this fray against the leviathan of financial scarcity, I had to sacrifice 22+ hours a week, and because of this, my grades were maimed. This performance had much in common with Alice (of Wonderland), for, like her, I, too, tried to learn “as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” I learned to accept that responsibility can be thrust on one by fate, and one must deal with it with stoicism and courage. I learned that time could both be managed and raced against. But most importantly, in both taking and giving lectures, I learned that education is the only institution for real and visceral change. As my students used the individual and collaborative research skills taught in my courses to answer tense policy questions – for their final Cambridge assessments – concerning gender, sexuality, human rights, climate change, and others, their minds became freer; I witnessed Rationality vanquish Ignorance.

At university, I majored in Political Science and was fortunate enough to authorize courses on Western Political Thought and Political Philosophy. It was during this time that I realized that Public Policy is the contemporary version of old philosophical questions asked by, for example, Plato in “The Republic,” Al-Farabi in “The Virtuous City” or John Rawls in “Justice as Fairness”: how should states enable their citizenry to lead a good life; how does a government balance Liberty with Authority. What is Justice? A philosophical inquiry led me to the works of Judith Butler and Michel Foucault, which helped me become self-aware of the legitimacy of my performance as a member of the non-heteronormative population.

Philosophy also helped calm my existence, bruised by social contingencies as it was, rekindled my spirit for policy and parliamentary debating, and led me to perform well at both national and international tournaments. I won ten national championships and received full funding to represent Thailand at two United Asian Debating Championships. I traveled to Macau, China, and Singapore. In Singapore, we became the only Thailand team to reach the octo-finals of Asia’s top parliamentary debating championship (UADC) in the tournament’s history. Against 120 teams from across the continent, Thailand was ranked 7th, prevailing over teams from India, China, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and others.

The crescendo of this performance was when I successfully defended the motion “This house would prosecute parents who actively suppress the sexual orientation of their children” against the host institution, Nanyang Technological University of Singapore. Though my parents may have made bad financial choices, they never chose to suppress the nature of my being. Yet, as an awry, bent clay pot, the dynamics of Thai society have given me an acute awareness of the forms of suppression. And I have often felt Henley’s “foul clutch of circumstance” searingly and intimately. So this motion was a chance at retribution; meeting the heteronormative on the elysian fields of reason and explaining to them the cruel outcomes of their policies; outcomes of suppression, conversion, guilt, and shame, that were both harmful and dehumanizing.

If I am to acquire the tools to test the policy outcomes of the institutions that manufacture, regulate and enforce gender, sexuality, and gender norms, I must go to the country which was the birthplace of the Queer Liberation Movement. A country that extended its hate crime law to include sexual orientation after the murder of a single individual, Matthew Shepherd, because of the bounce in his walk; a country which, after the decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, made their “union a little more perfect.”

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Masters in social work personal statement

If you'd like to become a social worker but didn't study the subject at undergraduate level then a Masters degree is essential for entry into the profession. You'll need to write a personal statement that coveys your commitment and passion to social work

Writing a personal statement for a vocational postgraduate course, like the MSc or Postgraduate Diploma in social work requires a slightly different approach from what you might be used to when applying for academic courses, as you're not only applying for a course, but to train for a particular profession.

You will be expected to:

For many social work courses it is a requirement to have undertaken relevant work experience in a social work or social care setting. You can see in the example statement, rather than describing the experience and tasks undertaken, you will need to reflect on how your experience has shaped your motivation to train as a social worker and what you have learned about the role. You will also need to provide specific examples of how you have demonstrated the skills, qualities and professional values of a social worker.

This example should be used for guidance only. Copying any of this text could significantly harm your chances of securing a place on a course.

Masters in social work personal statement example

I gained my first insight into social work while studying a 'Social work perspectives' module during the first year of my degree in health and social care. Learning about the ethics that underpin social work practice challenged my assumptions about the role social workers play, demonstrating the importance of the role for empowering vulnerable people and coordinating support to overcome challenges to health, safety and wellbeing.

I was able to observe this in practice during my placement at a supported living service for young people with learning disabilities. Social workers were integral to enabling the young people to safely transition to independent living, advocating for them to secure appropriate accommodation, coordinating access to disability services and providing support to develop independent living skills and money management. Without this advocacy, many of the young people may never have had the opportunity to live independently.

I have recently started a placement working with a local mental health charity, spent a year volunteering with Citizens Advice and am currently volunteering with the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT). Through these experiences I have observed the challenges faced by different groups of people, many of which can be alleviated or managed through empowerment of individuals and access to the right support. Becoming a social worker would enable me to work with diverse groups and support them to overcome these challenges and live more successfully within our society.

Through my experience, I have responded to individuals with empathy and respect and have demonstrated that I can uphold the values and ethical principles of the social work profession, while resiliently managing the challenges of working under pressure and supporting those who may not always be receptive to me. As a volunteer adviser at Citizens Advice I was often the first point of contact for individuals facing stressful and time-pressured problems, such as eviction or debt. I responded calmly and focused on the issues at hand, taking a non-judgemental approach to the individual's circumstances by clearly explaining why I was asking particular questions and how this would enable me to direct them to the appropriate support. At PACT, I facilitate family play sessions with prisoners and their children. I have taken the time to build rapport with the individual and their families; focusing on the person's identity as a parent and ways I can support them to feel they have a positive societal role. As a social worker it is important to treat people holistically while promoting dignity and wellbeing, these examples show my potential to respond in a positive, impartial way regardless of people's circumstances.

Many of my interactions at the mental health charity are with individuals in challenging circumstances, who are reluctant to seek help from external services due to poor past experiences. Many of my interactions have been with people who are angry, frustrated or suspicious. I take the time to listen to their concerns, provide reassurance and identify an initial starting point. When faced with particularly challenging or complex cases I do not hesitate to seek advice from colleagues or request a referral, always involving the individual in this process. These experiences have enabled me to recognise the importance of multi-disciplinary teams to meet complex and multi-faceted needs. These interactions have better prepared me to work with people who may present in a challenging way due to their circumstances and have helped me to develop the resilience to manage those interactions professionally and calmly.

My degree has prepared me for both the academic study and practice elements of the MSc in Social work. The interdisciplinary nature of my degree has introduced me to approaches from sociology, philosophy, health, policy and psychology, which provide a strong foundation to build upon in the social work course. In safeguarding modules I was introduced to the legal and policy frameworks underpinning practice when analysing a number of recent serious case reviews. This developed my ability to analyse complex situations where the application of law and policy is not always straightforward. Undertaking practice placements will enable me to further develop and apply this knowledge to real scenarios, building my confidence in making effective, evidence-informed decisions.

My dissertation project evaluated the impact of a local mental health charity's peer support programme, enabling me to develop a strong understanding of the ethics of participant research. I developed the methodology, completed the literature review and carried out primary research. This has prepared me with the core academic skills to evaluate research and develop evidence informed approaches during the Masters course.

Undertaking placements and volunteering alongside my degree has seen me organise my time effectively, consistently meeting coursework deadlines and completing work to a standard that has put me on track to achieve a 2:1, while receiving positive feedback from placements on my reliability. This demonstrates my ability to successfully balance academic work alongside the demands of practice placements during the Masters.

My work experience has motivated me to pursue a social work career in mental health, advocating for those who may not be in a position to advocate for themselves. The course will equip me with tools and approaches for working with service users in a range of circumstances, from those in crisis to those who need practical support to manage their condition in the community. I particularly look forward to professional placements where I can apply my learning while supported by experienced practitioners to navigate this complex area of social work. The MSc in Social work will build upon the knowledge and skills gained through my degree and experience, equipping me to undertake this challenging and demanding role.

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Social Worker Personal Statement

Personal narrative: my haitian-american family.

I am very honored and thankful to be the first the person in my family to attend college fall of 2016. As I strive to end my senior year positive, I always remember to tell my younger siblings to try as hard as they can in school, because “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” I’ve decided that I would like to get my degree in social work, specifically working with children. Growing I’ve been around kids that are unhappy with thier home, but couldn’t do anything about it. My mother’s story really contributed to what I want to become in the future. I want to be there for all my clients, just the way my mother was there for me when I needed her support or when her clients needed

My Core Values Affecting Disenfranchised Community

After retiring from the military, I vowed to earn a degree in Psychology to understand struggles in the human thought process. My current education has better equipped me to understand the challenges and need for social structures to provide support, guidance, and opportunities to those who are systemically disenfranchised. A graduate degree in Social Work will equip me with the skills necessary to change lives. As with professional experiences in the United States Marine Corps, I am determine to be

Personal Narrative: My Social Work Education

As a professional Social Worker, I am morally and ethically obligated to serve my community through advocacy, awareness of relevant resources, and a passion for helping others within its best possibility. I aspire to share this love for social work through properly training subordinates and combating cynicism in the field with passion, support, and the value of the human spirit. I am fully (devoted) to obtaining my graduate degree, earning an independent license, and anticipate staying in the social work realm for the rest of my life. In order to advance as a respected clinician(,) I require the backing of an award-winning institution such as Louisiana State University. My new education will allow me to align with the LSU’s mission statement to “solve economic, environmental, and social challenges” within the social work

Personal Narrative: My Life As A School Social Worker

At this point of my career, I have realized my doing in life is to give back to those who are vulnerable and are in need of help which is one of the reasons why I have decided to pursue my Master Degree of Social Work. Typically, some characteristics that a social worker should have are empathy, courage, respect for diversity, and being ethical and flexible. These are characteristics that I believe I have and helped me while working with youth at the elementary

Social Work Observation

On September 21, 2015, I met with Ms. Katie, a student in the MSW program at NCSU, to conduct an interview. We met at Starbucks in Cary, in the crossroads shopping center. Ms. Katie’s responses helped me learn and think about social workers in the child welfare social field. As a prospective social worker, my questions were formed based thoughts that I have concerning my responsibilities in the social work field..

Empowerment Theory In Social Work

According to the National Alliance of Social Workers (NASW), social justice is one of the primary ethics which social workers must uphold. Empowerment is a social work theory rooted in social justice, with a main goal of reducing social inequalities through community building and redistribution of access to power. The basic premise of empowerment is "to change the environment, change yourself" (Van Wormer & Besthorn, pg. 212). However, in order to change one 's environment or self, there must be options available and opportunities for individuals to have control over their own decisions. Empowerment theory also aims to build community through citizen participation, collaboration and engagement among community members. This theory also seeks

Letter Of Intent For Social Work Research Paper

My understanding of the social work profession is that it’s a career path that concerns itself with the welfare of people from all backgrounds. Individuals in this career field have the wherewithal to handle with the continuously changing demographic in which they serve. They also assume responsibility for the development, implementation, and management of social services that they provide. The social work profession employs the world with skilled workers that use the tools and resources available to them to advance the lives of others. Individuals in this career field are capable of ethical decision making and are advocates for positive social change for the oppressed

Human Service Interview

As a Human Service major what better way to learn more about the profession than from someone who has experience in the field. I chose to interview a friend of mine, Florence Martus. Mrs. Martus is employed through the city of Fredericksburg, VA with the Department of Social Services. This agency is located at 608 Jackson St, Suite 100 Fredericksburg, VA 22401. Virginia Department of Social Services provides many services to the public such as, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, Adoption, Child Care Assistance, Refugee Resettlement Service, and Child and Adult Protective Services. From conducting this interview I have learned how much the Department of Social Services

Dbq Experience

Just as with many of my previous academic moments it continued the drive I had already had. While my education continued to teach me valuable lessons and give me hands on experience I began to gain a stronger sense rooted in development and the protection of others by hopefully continuing my education at Loyola University Chicago in the Masters of Social Work/Masters of Arts in Social Justice Program which would give me the opportunity to not only eventually become a social worker with the Department of Social Services (DSS), with a school, or a guardian ad litem but to do that work effectively with the chance that would be afforded to me of an academic background steeped in social work as well as social justice teachings. This program in particular continues the undergraduate work and furthers my education on my path to my

Examples Of Core Values In Social Work

The mission of the social work profession is deeply-rooted in a set of core values. The core values are encompassed by social workers throughout our profession 's history, are the foundation of a social worker 's distinct purpose and perception. These value are service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, the importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. This group of core values reflects what is unique to the social work profession.

Discuss The Theories That Apply To My Specialization

As a graduate student at Capella, I chose to obtain a Masters in Psychology. This field was selected because I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and I felt it was best to get a well-rounded education. I do not have an interest in becoming licensed and entering the therapy realm, as I highly enjoy the case management side of things. My passion has always been working in the child protective services field. Although I have experience with adults, this is the field my heart cannot leave. Therefore, choosing the specialization area of Child and Adolescent Development just felt natural. I hope to increase not only my knowledge, but the ability to apply my knowledge in a way that is unique and scholarly to the child welfare field.

Why I Want To Be A Social Work Essay

I want to strive to be a better person, so I could make a change in a young person’s life and know when I go home on a night, that I made a difference and that's why I want to pursue my career as a social worker. When I realized that I wanted to be a social worker, I was in my junior year of high school. I knew I wanted to help people, children especially, but I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to go into. I thought I wanted to be in Neonatology or another profession like it. When I first witnessed a social worker, I was getting a treatment in the hospital and saw a social worker working with a family who child had a broken pelvis. This child kept crying even after they nurses gave them medicine for pain. The nurses were concerned about the child always crying and called the social worker to come talk to the parents about the situations. I have tested my interest at Gateway Children’s Advocacy Center under Diane Rodgers. I loved volunteering at Gateway, it’s showing me the bad and the good side of social work. Gateway also helped point me in the direction of where I want to go in the social work

Social Work Personal Statement Examples

Social work is a career that I have recently become interested in pursuing. I spent many years with misconceptions concerning the sector. However, following three years of working close by these experts, I have picked up a more profound comprehension of the significance of the work.I am especially interested in working in child welfare along with terminally ill children. I have got to a stage in my career where I have started to search out instruction that will make me more efficient in creating plans and providing services for vulnerable people. I am confident that the skills that I will gain from completing a social work master’s degree will help me collaborate with people in need and aid sustainable growth in their lives.

Freshman Career Goals

This university offers a school of social work and ties at 17th place with other colleges in the United States for this major (Freshman Class Profile). The acceptance rate is 66% and the average GPA of students is 3.21-3.71. In this particular school, one of the three of their main overarching goals is to “Foster professional development, socialization, and identification with social work through an approach that links reflective practice, self-awareness, and ethical decision making which promotes the importance of continuing education and life-long learning.” (BSW Student Handbook). This specific program goal stands out because it captures the essence of what studying social work will be like at UIUC and the sort of growth that will take place as students learn and foster their inner passion for social work. For financial assistance, there are no scholarships offered directly from the school of social work aside from outside possible scholarships that students have to apply for individually. Regular FAFSA applies for this university to receive any sort of financial help. In order to be admitted and receive a bachelor’s degree in this social work program, the minimum requirements to meet are: completion of 50 service hours prior to admittance, GPA of 2.5 or higher, communication skills, characteristics that suit this profession, and the application to the

I Want To Be A Social Worker Essay

For as long as I can remember, I have possessed a desire to help people, especially those who are less fortunate than me. This trait along with life experiences are what drew me to want to pursue a career in social work. I want to be available to provide support to people when they have nowhere else to turn.

More about Social Worker Personal Statement

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Msw statement of purpose sample, bilingual latina.

Earning my MSW at UXX will introduce me and help me to fully understand a broad variety of strategies and tactics to better my surrounding community. Most critically, I will learn not just the mechanics of the status quo, but also immerse myself in the cutting-edge material concerning how to best go about improving the system in creative ways that are more effective at helping people in a holistic and sustainable fashion. I feel strongly that Social Work at UXXis highly exemplary in this regard, humanitarian, concerned with social justice issues as an integral part of the Social Work curriculum.

As a graduate student, I will aim to master the gambit of strategies that are most effective at promoting progressive social change. Being a caring person is intrinsic to social work, along with the drive and high motivation to challenge clients to realize their full potential. Social workers must honor the individuality of each client and empower them to move forward and achieve improvement. The fullest respect of client dignity helps to foster a sense of worth leading towards self-realization and -determination, and helps to produce participatory citizens rather than burdens to the system. The fight against social injustice is intrinsic to social work as I see it, in addition to advocacy, always with an eye on achieving the best outcomes for one’s clients. I personally feel strongly that serving as a voice for the oppressed should come naturally for social workers as they fight for justice and progressive change in their communities. While working with individual clients in the micro setting is my primary and immediate goal, I think it is complimentary to never lose sight of the broader picture and the way in which our own efforts are part of a larger movement towards greater levels of equality and dignity in our society.

Through my volunteer work, I have sought a healthy balance with my clients, treating them with the fullest measure of respect and giving my all, at the same time that I struggle to stop thinking about them at the end of the day and return to my home and family. Having worked extensively with survivors of domestic violence, I am always especially concerned and engaged when my many clients have valid reasons to fear for their safety; thus, I have learned a great deal about legal procedures as s social worker, restraining orders, child services, etc. We worked very hard in our agency and were frequently successful in helping our clients to end abusive relationships and to establish their own homes free of violence, for themselves and their children, in other cases, simply making sure that the abuser has been removed from the premises and kept away by legal means.

I want the children of troubled and vulnerable families to see me as a kind and supportive friend, a representative of the community whose job it is to advocate and even militate if necessary on their behalf, so as to empower them to make use of available resources and to demand the recognition of their fullest human rights, especially as children. During my internship at the House of Ruth, I shadowed many caseworkers as they interacted with their clients – mostly women and their children. We learned through our training that we have to start where the client is and be considerate of their situation and its unique circumstances. One of the behaviors I observed is that these caseworkers are genuinely concerned and want to see the client make progress. I have learned and reflected extensively on the importance of not seeing our clients as helpless, simply ‘battered’ women; rather, we need to help our clients to discover their own power within so as to be able to mold their own destiny as independent women and mothers.

I have a very welcoming demeanor that allows people to open up to me and speak easily about their feelings. Whether it is family, friends, associates, or clients, I gain peoples trust because I am a good listener, without judgement. I help the client judge for themselves, steering them in the right direction and doing what I can to safeguard their interests, while I also fully realize that at the end of the day it must be the client who takes the initiative in the betterment of their own lives, at least in the case of adults. I feel especially honored as a social worker to have the opportunity to help members of disadvantaged communities and minority ethnic populations, recent immigrants, the vulnerable members of our society, many who speak Spanish and are in need of the kind of bilingual assistance that a bilingual Latina social worker can provide.

I labor to make the client feel comfortable enough to disclose and discuss their hardships so that they do not feel so isolated as a result of having been abused; but, rather, feel like they are an essential part of a society where abuse is not tolerated and where alternatives to living in abusive situations do exist as a result of community solidarity. As a graduate student in your MSW Program, I will never lose sight of the need to improve our communities by reinforcing and streamlining our support systems in ways that serve to protect and uplift the vulnerable and marginalized generally speaking, in addition to one client at a time. By earning the MSW Degree, I will complete a thoroughgoing immersion experience in the helping professions, ethics, strategies, methodology, research, and practice. With respect to my area of specialization, I hope to build a central focus on the child welfare and protection system because it is in this area where I feel I will be able to make my greatest contribution.

I firmly believe that social workers should be model parents if they have children and always as citizens that engage and uplift their community. We need better role models for our children, and subsequent generations, generally speaking, and the social worker should be exemplary and take a leadership role in providing children at risk with good role models to steer them along the path towards fulfillment, security, and happiness. I appreciate the importance of working with parents and their children individually, finding a sense of balance between parental control and community responsibility that provides an adequate foundation for child development and subsequent self-determination.

The community I have worked with is mostly women and some men – and their children -in recovery from abusive domestic relationships. They are looking for ways to better their lives and the lives of their children in particular. Seeing the drive and determination many of these women have to improve their family’s situation is immense. Most simply have to face the challenge of the love of their own children trumping the love or connection they once had with their abuser, and many do so quite bravely and successfully.

The importance of providing vulnerable and abused children with good role models is an issue that I am especially passionate about. Not all of the parents that I have gotten to know at the House of Ruth are highly motivated to improve their current lifestyle and become the kind of people that their children could really look up to. Without adequate role models, our society suffers as a whole. I have taken note of how many children there are in our communities who are in desperate need of the help that a social worker can provide, especially a good role model, someone who is kind, concerned, responsible, and a good listener.

The skills I will learn through the MSW program will provide me with the additional knowledge and experience that I need to support and educate parents in troubled situations as to what is in the best interests of their children, for the long as well as short term. I have been reading about child welfare and wellbeing issues for several years in my free time and have worked at county jobs, such as DCFS. I seek to build a distinguished career as an MSW professional in support of needy mothers and their children fleeing abusive situations. My five-year plan is to get more experience not only the field of domestic violence, but to become competent in all areas of social work that are closely related to child welfare, such as adoption, addictions, etc. My ten-year plan is to become the finest social worker possible, giving my all to a maximum caseload in a leadership position, increasingly doing outreach on behalf of needy children, especially those in the Spanish-speaking community.

I thank you for consideration of my application to Social Work at UXX.

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One day, while a Master’s Student in Religious Studies at Indiana University, I was looking for a work study job and examining the postings for these positions on the bulletin board at IU. Quickly, I realized that the position which most interested me was that of a counselor/staff person at the Bloomington MiddleWay House Shelter for Abused Women. Since I am a man, however, I thought that there was little chance that they would hire me. To my surprise, they did; in fact, I was the first male staff person to be hired by this institution. The director told me later that her primary reason for hiring me was to have a role model for the numerous little boys who stayed there with their mothers.

Soon, I found myself counseling women who had and continued to suffer severely from spousal abuse. I dispensed medications; I even answered the rape crises hotline (telling the woman that I could beep my supervisor if she would be more comfortable talking to a woman—some asked me to do so, others said that they would just talk to me). In addition to my graduate studies, this was the most formative experience of my life. I learned a lot about family dynamics, abuse, recovery, emotional and psychological redemption, etc. In fact, I went on to write my own doctoral dissertation on the history of the politics of violence against women in Latin America, which I have made my permanent home.

Thus, about 15 years ago, when I began drafting statements of purpose for applicants to graduate school, I developed a special interest that remains to this day in the area of Social Work. I find profound fulfillment in helping applicants to BSW, MSW, and PHD programs because I am fascinated by, drawn to their stories. Only in Social Work is the applicant encouraged to write up to 5 double-spaced pages (in other fields it is almost always 3 or even 2 pages). I have often pondered why this is the case. The only answer that I have been able to come up with is that the Social Worker has a longer story: her past, her life story is more relevant to her application than in other fields. In other areas where space is more limited on the personal statement, I generally encourage applicants to talk more about their future and less about their past. In Social Work, however, the past explains the future in unique ways.

The most important thing that I have learned about applicants to social work programs is that they have all suffered themselves. They are all victims who have lived through some type of trial and tribulation, oppression, violence, abandonment, discrimination, etc. This is why they have chosen to be social workers. And it is their own historical suffering that drives them to succeed in helping others: their passion for helping victims is grounded in their own survival and redemption, escape from abuse in their own past, rejuvenation and determination to succeed in life despite the odds. Thus, the first paragraph of your statement should include this story. It should lay out the groundwork for what is to follow. Basically, it should lay out your long term plan to contribute to social work and humanity in a certain area and then indicate how this passion that you have is rooted in your own experience.

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I want to help you get accepted to graduate school in social work..

I would be happy to provide you with a highly eloquent Statement that portrays you as someone with enormous potential to contribute to the advance of the social work field over the long term. After you fill out my Online Interview Form , I will ask you some specific questions by email if I need any further information. Please also send your resume/CV and or rough draft if you have one.

Thank you very much. I thought the draft was beautiful and concise and helps capture what I wanted to convey. I did make some brief modifications and change some words. Once again, thank you so much because I know this will increase my chance of getting the position. I will keep you guys updated. I truly appreciate your service.

I help as many people as I can in the area of Social Work, usually the MSW Degree, because I find special joy working in this field. There is a lot of sadness in Social Work and occasionally it brings me to tears while drafting the statement; I have to stop and dry my eyes. Nevertheless, the sadness is in the past and the triumph is to overcome and process that sadness, as social workers and counselors do, and then turn their attention to helping others that suffer. Social workers tend to be noble people, not by birth or by station, but by the fact that they have been victims, have suffered, and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, building new lives, overcoming their past histories of abuse or neglect, and are now helping others to do so as well.

Thank you so much! I only had to make very minor changes, and felt that the statement was still very much me. I knew what I wanted to say, and felt it came through in the final product. After I sent the rough draft (rough may be an understatement) I thought of all of information I left out, but when read the amended draft, it was like you read my mind! Thank you so much for helping me to get one step closer to reaching my goals.

I have read statement and feel very excited about it. Thank you for your time in processing this so quickly.

How we can work to provide better humanitarian aid.

Samples of My Work for Admission to Degree Programs in Social Work

The Humanitarian Side of Social Work

Ready to snag a job in international social work? As a social worker and Director of NGOabroad, Ann McLaughlin helps people get into international both paid and voluntary humanitarian work. The comments she made in a recent article in The New Social Worker pertain to humanitarian, not corporate, work in Asia, Africa, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Pacific, and Eastern Europe.

Lots of people are interested in getting paid work in this area. Let' start by defining the challenge and then address the steps to deal with that challenge.

The Challenge

There is a lot of competition for paid international humanitarian jobs. In fact, there is a huge bottleneck getting into paid international humanitarian work. The majority of the grassroots humanitarian organizations in Asia, Africa, and South America are run on the commitment of their members.

They do not have money to host volunteers or pay expatriates in many cases. In countries with 20-40% unemployment, the grassroots jobs rightfully belong to the people from those countries.

The niche for expatriates is with the international NGOs! Highly qualified candidates from all over the world apply for the jobs working with international NGOs. If you thought the competition was fierce when you applied for a job in your town, wait till you try competing on a global level. There are far more people applying for only a few positions.

However, don’t let that stop you!! Just know that it takes a lot to get your foot in the door.

So what does it take to get paid international social work? You´ll need:

Okay, so international experience is a must. If you look at most international job announcements, they specify how much international work experience is required for that position. They may say things like “five years’ experience in the Great Lakes necessary” (and they´ll probably be referring to the Great Lakes of Lake Kivu, Tanganyika, Victoria, and Nyasa, not Lake Michigan!) The Great Lakes is the tumultuous region that encompasses Rwanda, Burundi, and the Congo. There are milder places to begin to get your first international experience, but those are some good examples of destinations you might consider.

Volunteering is a great way to get international experience, of course. International volunteering that gives you relevant experience is a great way to build your foundation for international work.

You usually need to have worked in 2-3 posts as a volunteers to build a good foundation of experience. International experience it is essential, and it´s complex. You can’t just transplant your skills into another culture—you have to learn about that culture.

Employers are looking for people who “know the ropes” and understand how international work is different from work they would do locally. Because most international humanitarian work is funded by projects, you must be able to “hit the ground running” and be ready to work hard.

Cultural experience helps immensely: people who have cultural roots in the country where they wish to work are at a distinct advantage: they likely know the language, beliefs, and interaction patterns, so they know how to connect and get things done in that culture.

Class experience is also valuable. If you are going to work in a poor country, then studying poverty, hardship, and despair helps you “get” it. The biggest step that most North Americans and Europeans can make is learning about the class divide. One eighth of the world population consumes seven eighths of the world resources, leaving only one eighth of the resources for the rest. We live in a world of Have-Lots and Have-Nots.

It´s important to have lots of experience and something valuable to contribute. You can certainly get started with that in your own country, too. It´s much more of a challenge to learn professional skills in another country where you have to cope with cultural differences and snafus.

By bringing plenty of skills and savvy, you don’t end up being a drain on the organization, you contribute to it. Many international positions do not require you to carry out a task, they require you to teach others how to do that task. In the terms used in international work, you partner as equals in order to build capacity.

Many people think that international social work means that you do the same tasks that you might do in your home country, transplanting them into the region you´re working in. This is not true. The truth is that people are very capable all over the world. They can do things for themselves, and they may interpret your intentions as condescending.

Your job will often be to mentor. This is where it helps to have experience, especially supervisory experience. You will have to know your subject so well that you can see where the snags are for them, or how to apply a new innovation or approach into a very different cultural or religious context. This is where it gets tricky. You need resourcefulness and the ability to improvise.

To partner as equals, you need a tremendous amount of humility. To be honest, Americans often flunk this test. They have a reputation for being arrogant out there in the rest of the world.

Many Americans come in thinking that they are hot stuff. But capacity building is recognizing and building the skills of your team rather than show-boating what you can do. Canadians often come in much more gently and accomplish far more for this reason.

Study the cultures and countries that interest you, ascertain their needs and try to work out where you might fit in and be able to help. This will help not only when you are there, but when you approach people about paid or voluntary work.

Richard Bolles’ job strategy in What Color Is Your Parachute? Was to determine the unmet needs in an organization. If you can meet the unmet needs, you are so much more likely to be hired. Intuit what vexes, baffles, bewilders, and plagues them.

Consider the culture at large. For example, in countries that have no budget for health and education, there are few social services to meet human needs. Therefore, there are few jobs but lots of needs to fulfill. There may be lots of room to start programs in these countries.

Another strategy is to find burgeoning grassroots organizations. Social work has a role to play at all levels of a nation's social service infrastructure. Paid jobs in well-established organizations are available to those with the necessary qualifications, but those may not be the real plums. The most exciting jobs are often those on the cutting edge: assisting with the growth of the grassroots citizens organizations (often in a volunteer role, initally).

In poor countries, there is very usually little money for social services, but social services may be growing nonetheless. In the last 10 years, there has been an explosion of organizations started by citizens. The growth of infrastructure is from the ground up, not the top down, so you may like to take advantage of that.

So, what specific skills will you need? In the new grassroots organizations, community organization skills are incredibly valuable for organizational and program development.

Grant writing and fundraising skills are in demand. In paid positions, managerial skills are often required. You may wear the hats of both director and service provider, for example.

It may surprise you, but the clinical skills that you have acquired in North America may or may not be applicable! Psychotherapy is a very foreign notion in most of the world and counseling is often a luxury.

Your people skills, broadly speaking, will be treasured everywhere. Social work is one of the most important professions in international work because of the emphasis on poverty.

Getting Your Foot in the Door

First, identify prospective organizations and contact people. This is where much of the preparatory work happens. You could spend years researching possibilities, but getting in touch is the key.

Next, write a culturally-sensitive, compelling cover letter and résumé. In the industrial world, you impress people with your qualifications. But when writing to South America, Africa, Asia or Central Asia it is offensive to receive a letter with the sort of boasting tone that prevails in North America. You are going to help. Be humble.

During this process, outline how your skills will help meet their needs. For voluntary work, explain that you can help them set up their domestic violence program or a livelihoods program in a refugee camp. Suggest how you can help teach how a media campaign changes attitudes toward “gender based violence” or how you will work with the slum dwellers on advocacy programs.

Steer clear of the crowd—target organizations that no one else has heard of.

And then hang tough, keep at it, g into an international job search knowing it is a marathon. Take breaks along the way, pace yourself, persist. In the course of searching, you´ll learn a lot about how international work is “wired”, and that will help you eventually succeed.

Working in this field is likely to be one of the highlights of your life. The field is quickly changing as NGOs fill a niche that many governments have neglected. The world needs people contributing their skills to address humanity' problems, the needs are clearly there. And it is just a matter of finding your niche, which involves research! Good luck. And if you need any help with your admissions or work-related documents, let us know!

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