Vital to social work practice is an understanding of the values and beliefs that one holds particularly with regard to practice involving diverse populations. Values and belief systems are initially the product of one’s social environment through social learning, but over time these values can change and biases can emerge or disappear. This two-part assignment requires students to be critically self-reflective in describing the development of their values, beliefs, and attitudes regarding various aspects of diversity. Part One: Include ways in which you believe your values and belief systems were shaped by the following factors: · Ethnic and/or racial heritage · Gender and sexual orientation · Socioeconomic group · Region of the country · Religious/spiritual beliefs
Part One of your paper should be 3-5 pages. The cover/title Page does not count toward this page count
Part Two:For part two, you are now going to reflect on your perceptions and attitudes toward other diversity groups that differ from your own identity. Include the kinds of messages (spoken and unspoken) you have received throughout your life about people who were different from you. Afterward, answer the following questions/prompts in detail (Part 2): 1. What are your beliefs and attitudes about diversity and difference at this point in your life? 2. Have you chosen to retain those of your upbringing or have you modified or replaced them? Why? 3. What are some biases you now have regarding groups different from yourself (those distinguished from your racial or ethnic heritage, gender, sexual orientation, abilities, income, religious/spiritual beliefs)? 4. How do those biases influence the way(s) in which you interact with members of those groups? 5. Were you particularly surprised by any of the answers to these questions? If so, which one(s) and why?
Sample Solution