Running head: PERSONAL VALUES

1
Summary

This assignment fulfilled the following competencies:

2.1.1 Practice behaviors include personal reflection and self-correction to assure continual
professional development; demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance and
communication.
2.1.2 Recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide
practice; make ethical decisions by applying the NASW Code of Ethics;
2.1.4 Gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the influence of personal bias and values in
working with diverse groups; recognize and communicate the importance of difference in
shaping life experiences.
This writing required me to explore my own values and how my values and feelings
influence my attitudes and behaviors. Being an older student, I believe that I probably have a
good deal of self-awareness about the values I hold, but I still had to think about what they are to
put them into words. Our values are so much a part of who are and how we treat others, and yet
we dont often stop to reflect on how they influence us or how we came to have those values. In
thinking about my values I realized that they are much the same as the values eschewed by the
social work Code of Ethics. This is the result of my life experiences and the influence of my
family members (2.1.2).
Though my values will be a helpful influence in working with clients, I am aware that I
do hold some biases as a result of a relationship at a young age with a man of another culture. I
was not treated well, but I am aware of this bias and strive not to let this affect how I treat others
of that culture. I also have a hard time with abusive men because my father was abusive. I know
what it does to women and to children who witness this abuse. While I am confident that I can
work with men who are abusive I will have to be vigilant so as not to let my own experience
affect my work with them. Awareness of these biases is necessary and will help me to keep them
from influencing my work with clients (2.1.4).
One of the main values I hold that will help me as a social worker is the value of
diversity. I hold the belief that we are all one; all religions, colors, ethnicities, cultures. We are all

Personal Values

part of the human race. I believe the fact that I have lived among diversity all my life has taught
me this value system and I consider myself fortunate.
As a result of writing this paper I realized that we need to always be aware of our values
and biases to ensure that they do not negatively impact our work with clients (2.1.1).

Personal Values Paper

Lynda Reimer
Wayne State University
SW 3010

Personal Values

Introduction
In this paper I will provide a description of my value system and how they compare to
social work values and the NASW Code of Ethics. I will examine my values to identify any that
may be in conflict with the Code of Ethics. Many of my values will be helpful to me while
working in the field of social work. I will identify which of those values I feel will be most
helpful to me in my career as a social worker, then I will describe how I see myself practicing
social work and promoting the values of the profession. Lastly, I will share some of my life
experiences through which I acquired the beliefs and ethics that make up my value system.

Personal Values

Many of my values are similar to social work values and this is one of the main reasons
why social work is my chosen field of study. For example, having lived in many diverse
neighborhoods growing up it never occurred to me that I shouldnt be friends with someone
simply because they look different. So Ive always believed in treating everyone with respect
regardless of their race or ethnicity. This relates to the core value of inherent dignity and worth of
the person.
In my most recent job as a church secretary I had the opportunity to help those in need
even though it wasnt part of my job. People often turn to churches when they need help and I
couldnt stand having to turn people away. I obtained a United Way Directory of service
providers so I could refer people to the agencies that might be able to assist them. I do value
helping people in need which related to the core value of service. In my effort to help I did not go
beyond my area of knowledge which relates to the principle of competence.
I also share the core values of social justice and the importance of human relationships. I
have helped create and promote online petitions and letter writing campaigns to representatives,
and my entire family was involved with planning for the Occupy Detroit marches and
encampment.
After reading the Code of Ethics several times I cannot find anything that conflicts with
my values. I have made a comprehensive list of my values and compared them to the Code od
Ethics and I find them all to be in congruence. I can see where some might have difficulty with

Personal Values

4.02 that states that social workers should not practice, condone, facilitate or collaborate with
any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or religion, etc. based on their own
religious beliefs. But, that is not an issue for me. I believe that everyone has the right to choose
how they want to live or what they want to believe as long as they dont try to make others live
by their beliefs.
These are the values I hold that I believe will be most helpful as I practice social work;
integrity, dignity and worth of the person, empathy and kindness, justice and knowledge.
Integrity is the most important value as I see it because a person who acts with integrity will
consistently put their values into practice. When your are consistent in this way others will
respect and trust you, which is important in all aspects of life. Belief in the dignity and worth of
all persons is just as important. All of us are equal, that fact that some are not able to reach their
potential or are different by virtue of their ethnicity, or beliefs, does not make them any less
worthy and deserving of being treated with dignity and respect. With empathy and kindness I
will be able to better understand the problems people face and show that I care. My value of
social justice will goad me into action against unfair laws and policies and because of my value
of knowledge I will continue to gain professional skills which will increase my competence as a
social worker.
Before I began taking courses in social work my goal was to become a clinician in a
practice with several other social workers, with a specialty of working with adult children of
alcoholics. Now I think I want to do more than just clinical work so I plan on obtaining both
clinical and macro licensing. Im keeping an open mind and maybe once I begin field placement
it will help me to make a final decision.

Personal Values

One of the ways that I will be promoting the values of the profession is to do pro bono
work. I know there are many people who need counseling and cant afford it. Although I know
there are clinics that offer sliding scale fees, many still are unable to pay even a small fee. Im
only one person but maybe I can network with colleagues and create a free clinic. I will also
continue to pursue social change by supporting policy changes, contacting my representatives,
and educating others about the issues and how they can help create change.
There were two experiences in my early childhood that had a profound effect on me and
helped to shape my values. The first was being taught in Sunday school that you should treat
others as you want them to treat you. Im not sure why I remember it so well, it was probably
reinforced by my mother. But it became the basis for my entire value system. It appears to me to
encompass all six of the core values of the profession.
The other early experience was when I was five years old. I was hospitalized and the
nurses that cared for me during that time made such an impression on me that I decided to be a
nurse when I grew up. Over the years I realized that it wasnt the physical care of the person that
appealed to me, it was the emotional care. That has led me to seek a profession where I can help
others in areas that affect their mental wellbeing.
My precarious family situation during my childhood also had a major role in shaping my
values. At some point in my middle childhood my father started drinking heavily and became an
abusive alcoholic. Of course, this placed a huge burden on family finances. There were five kids
to feed so we often didnt have enough food and what we did have wasnt especially nutritious.
We moved frequently because my father couldnt pay the rent, and sometimes we lived without
electricity or heat. When I was sixteen my parents divorced, and for about a year my family was
spread out in different places until my mother was able to bring us all back under one roof.

Personal Values

Because I know what its like to live without basic physical needs and the emotional
effects of abuse and alcoholism, I have gained great empathy for others in this situation.
Watching how these experiences have affected myself, and my siblings throughout our lives,
even as we are raising our own families, has made me want to serve others by helping those
whose lives are also affected by these issues.
In examining my values I found that they relate completely with social work values and
the Code of Ethics. I spent a lot of time reading and comparing my values to the Code of Ethics
and could not find any that I felt were in conflict. As I practice social work many of my values
will be helpful, especially integrity, and dignity and worth of the person. I plan to practice in both
the clinical and macro fields which will afford me the ability to promote social work values in
working with individuals and the areas of social justice.
The majority of my values I learned from family, friends, and life experiences. Some I
kept and others I discarded because they didnt fit with the kind of person I wanted to be. I guess
you could say that they matured along with me. Now I find that they are in congruence with the
values of my chosen profession.