* I am writing this log not only to fulfill a course requirement but for personal-enrichment as well.
1) Date: 8/28/2014 (Day 4) Start: 4pm
I
am, of course, still a new intern at Dismas Charities, having my orientation on
Monday (8/25). I learned many of the
procedures, my tasks as an intern, and about Dismas during the orientation. To be brief, as a student intern, I am
required to see residents. I do this by
first conducting a psycho-social assessment on them. Then, I identify three of the main problem
areas the resident may have. For each of
the problem area, I am to have a goal.
Each goal will have three objectives and each objective three tasks. The tasks need to be timed, measurable, and
attainable. Once approved, I can start
seeing my client to get those goals and objectives met. Interns are also required to conduct
educational groups to teach the resident various transitional skills. I feel I am more comfortable conducting
groups than helping the individual on the PSA or treatment session because, for
the education group, I already know the material to teach. It is just a matter of disseminating the
knowledge to the other residents. I can
use drawing out and cutting off techniques.
To compare with the individual PSA and treatment sessions, however, I am
not the expert. I have to ask questions
to get information. Well, being an
intrapersonal person, I might be comfortable with both. Now if the group session is about treatment,
that would be much more challenging.
Speaking
of education groups, I heard that the residents in many of the sessions tend to
be lacking in participation. Many of the
groups conducted tend to be quiet with only the teacher or group worker leading
it. If that is the case, I may not have
to worry too much on cutting off, a technique that I may need more practice
in. I will have to use drawing out
techniques such as rounds or activities to get everyone to participate. I think passion is also an important
factor. If the residents see that I am
passionate about what I’m teaching and genuine, they may pay more
attention.
The
gist of this entry, or what I want to write about, is the nature of Dismas and
the residents. I am told and taught that
involuntary clients, especially offenders, can be the most difficult clients a
social worker may encounter. However, at
Dismas, I believe an exception is made.
These residents at this halfway house, are almost out of prison and
almost into mainstream society. They are
almost free. Thus, many of them will
behave like angels, on their best behavior, so they can have their dream of
freedom. They know that if they mess up,
they will go back in prison. This is
unlike other correctional facilities, where its residents know they will not be
freed anytime soon. To be more philosophical,
why can’t people, everyone in general, behave like angels all the time? It is certainly possible for these federal
offenders to behave nicely even though they are on their best behavior for a
reason. People should be on their best
behavior because it is the right thing to do, not just to gain something. But I know that people are naturally selfish,
and many will only be nice if they can get Santa’s present. To apply Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral
Development, many of these residents are probably at a lower stage of moral
development. To many of them, their
thinking is punitive. It is about
punishment and not the reward. It is
about the short-term and not about the long-term, not about karma, or anything
like that. Social workers, on the other
hand.. ok, I won’t get to that. But, people can be bad because there are no
incentives to be good or to avoid negative consequences.
To
look at myself, I am starting to be more selfish too, after finding out that
being nice doesn’t really pay. Nice guys
do indeed finish last, but clever nice guys in heart can still finish
first.
So
right now, I’m doing a lot of theory and not a lot of practical. I still have my manuals to read (each of them
is like a textbook!). I am pending
approval for my PSA practice outline so once approved, I can start conducting
PSA’s.
*Only unclassified material will be included.
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