Systems

Entering the Human Services Program was my first exposure to the terminology referred to as Systems and Systems Theory. For the first time I reflected on the various systems that I interacted with throughout my life and how those interactions had shaped me into the person I am today. Systems such as Family, Education, Religion/Spirituality, and Community finally put labels on the segments of my life that each held memories of hope and inspiration along with memories of sadness and pain. In our first CORE class, HSP301 Human Services Professionals and Personal Systems I learned a lot about myself. In the Who am I presentation and paper (Appendix A) I learned that my idea of a family system was much different than what would be viewed as a traditional family. The family I was born into and raised in had no resemblance to normal. Initially I wanted to say I was not influenced by my family system because I felt that the level of dysfunction that I had in my home meant I did not have a family system. The truth however was that I was still impacted by that system. My family system has evolved into an eclectic yet meaningful system that connects me to the people I hold dear to my heart. It was wonderful to learn so much about myself because in learning more about myself I became much more aware of what potentially is impacting the clients I interact with. My upbringing made me into a resilient individual and I can recognize strengths in other people when they are determined to see only weakness. One of the most insightful things I have learned about systems is that they are ever changing. We influence the changes by the conscious decisions we make. So while I may not have fond memories of my childhood family system I have been able to influence the changes within that system and over the years I have watched my family system evolve into a meaningful and valued part of who I am. I

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can share this insight with others in the future that may not see their opportunity to make small changes to influence their system interactions. In HSP 303 Human Services Professionals and Interpersonal Systems we paired up into dyads. I worked with a classmate I initially felt I had nothing in common with. The most insightful learning I took away from that experience is that I can meet people of virtually any background and work side-by-side with them if we establish and adhere to ground rules of listening, respecting, and openness to others viewpoints. This is valuable as a co-worker and also as a professional who is working with people who have very different backgrounds. Rather than focus on our differences it is important to look at how our individual experiences can come together to enhance our shared experience. The interview my classmate and I did of a married couple mirrored these thoughts. (Appendix F) We each held important roles in the assignment and our completed project reflects both of us as individuals while we came together as one cohesive partnership. The next stage of my journey through Systems Theory was through HSP 305 Human Services Professionals and Small Group Systems. One activity I really learned a lot from was a small group meeting where we took turns being the Dialogue Leader and Discussion Facilitator of the meeting. (Appendix G)During our role as the leader we were able to be part of the conversation. Our role was to share information and lead the dialogue, but as the facilitator we were not intended to have input. Our role changed to one of an individual who provides information, but without offering an opinion. That was a challenge! It turned into valuable learning for me as we continued to work within the same group to plan and prepare for a group community service project. The earlier project reminded me that I need to value the opinions of all team members and not only think of my own goals or ideas

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for the project. It required a great deal of trust to have the confidence that my team mates had the same level of commitment to the project as me. I put my trust in my group members. I learned along the way that they were equally committed to the success of our project. Together we organized and initiated a food drive for Sultan Food Bank that provided desperately needed food and cash donations to a community that has experienced numerous hardships. It was a fantastic project and I was very pleased with how we worked together every step of the way. I think learning about small group systems helped prepare me for working in a human services organization with others who share my thinking and passion. It will be energizing to work with others who share my passion, but important to be open to hearing the views of others. HPS 404 Human Services Professionals and Community Systems challenged me to think of the big picture. While Im certainly mature enough to have thought of the world outside of the small space that I occupy, I have to say that I havent spent time critically thinking about my interaction within my community system. For many years I have done a great deal of volunteerism. I do this because I find value in giving back to the community. Now with a better understanding of systems and how they are interconnected I am able to see how my input of something as simple as my time has a ripple effect within my systems as well as those of others in the community. One of the ways we learned about community systems was through visiting a New Community. For this project I participated in the annual Point In Time (PIT) count of the homeless population. (Appendix H) This was a wonderful field experience that took me a little out of my comfort zone. I am not shy about talking to people and I certainly would not have any hesitation in talking to these

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individuals if they came to me seeking resources, but the fact was they WERENT coming to me. I was coming to them in an environment that was intended to be welcoming. A local church was providing a warm meal and a place to get out of the cold on an evening that was expected to dip down close to freezing. While it made for a convenient place to interact to learn about their needs while I completed the PIT count, I was keenly aware that I was the person who was out of place and needed to make the effort to approach people with openness and respect. It was a wonderful experience that I will likely participate in again. The final CORE class for the Human Services Program was HSP 406 Human Services Professionals and Global Systems. The biggest piece of learning I will take away is knowledge of access to information on news and current events from around the world as well as an awareness of how essential it is for me to stay engaged in global issues by staying engaged in issues closer to home. Ive learned to seek information from a variety of sources and not simply take the information presented at face value. I have found this to be helpful in making more informed decisions about my stance on a variety of topics. The involvement I have in issues that I value on a community level can have impacts worldwide. For instance my interest in providing food for my local food bank can evolve into an interest in helping people in third world countries gain access to nutritional foods instead of living solely on a diet of grains. The entire series of CORE Systems classes has taught me to think more broadly, with more depth, and with a more critical thought of how my seemingly small system interactions have the potential for bringing about enormous changes. I feel inspired and energized to move forward in my career and truly make a difference. The efforts I make may seem small. I may just be providing a winter coat to a local third

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grade girl, but she may hold her head up taller with pride. She may gain the confidence to speak up in class and share her knowledge when she had previously chosen to sit quietly in the back of the room. Just one small act can elicit changes that one can only imagine. I am inspired to create change in the lives of others, to bring hope and confidence, and to inspire others to have confidence in themselves. The greatest compliment someone could pay me is to tell me I inspired them to achieve great things.