Values Paper

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Values Paper
Therease Taylor
Wayne State University
SW 3410 Ethics and Values in Social Work
Professor Norma Schropshire, L.M.S.W.

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Values are what a person holds close within his or herself, inside and out. Values are
what we believe to be good. We incorporate them in our daily lives. Our values, principles, and
constant behavior allow people, who we come into contact with, to visually see and hear who we
are. I believe our values are a distinguishing part of our mental and physical makeup as a person.
It has full details of our actions and reactions to situations, or problems. The NASW Code of
Ethics explains in full detail the Values of Social Work. It gives a full description of Values set
as standards for Professional Social Workers to adhere to.
The Values are as follows: Service (Social workers primary goal is to help people in
need and to address social problems), Social Justice (Social workers challenge social injustice),
Dignity and Worth (Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful
of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity), Importance of Human Relationships
(Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships), Integrity (Social
workers behave in a trustworthy manner), and Competence (Social workers practice within their
areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise).
These codes were designed for us to value and follow as Professional Social Workers, so
we can achieve a limitless quality of service when working with clients. In my opinion, my
values are clearly matched with the values described in the Code of Ethics without question. As I
have read and learned about the Values in the NASW Code of Ethics handbook I feel they could
not have been developed more perfectly. My values started at a very young age as I watched my
parents leave the house daily to go march for the rights of People. Marching, advocating,
activism and standing up for what is right values my parents passed on to me. I also went to
rallies and participated in demonstrations with my parents when I was a teenager. My mother

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passed away, but as an adult I still participate in various rallies with my father who continues to
be a very active participant for equality. Caring about people and the rights of people are special
values that are instilled in me.
I compare these values with Service and Social Justice. I became a mother at a young
age. I was sixteen when I had my son. My son was badly burned in a fire in May of 1998. He had
to wear a mask on his face to assist with recovery from the burns. When we were out in public,
people would stare at him, which made him feel embarrassed about wearing the mask. They
would stare for moments without turning their heads. This included older adults, young adults,
and children. There were times when I would say his name is Dewayne and if you ask him he
will explain to you why he is wearing the mask. I believe that educating people on his condition,
and the reason for wearing the mask would assist them with respecting others boundaries and
feelings. I compare this with Dignity and Worth because respecting each others differences is
essential to learning and recovering. This is a value that I developed through experience. I am
very active within my family and community. I have many friends in my life, socially and
professionally. At work, I maintain a good working relationship with my colleagues and my
patients.
Communication is essential when working with people it builds stable relationships, a
respected rapport and it ensures that you are providing the appropriate quality of care. It is also
important that you respect individuals without bias, and not be judgmental towards others,
personally or professionally. The Importance of Human Relationship Values also were instilled
in me through experience, because the way we treat others is a reflection of who we are. I am a
very self-determined person; being successful means a lot to me, and to do what is right is not
just the right thing to do but the righteous thing to do. At work or at home my word is respected,

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and my family and friends understand that they can trust me. As I remember my mother she
always did things by the book. I can recall her saying people wont always believe what you
say, but they will believe what you do. Being honest and supportive is a value that was
encouraged in me as a child. My integrity is a strong part of my character. My values ensure that
whatever I do, I am doing the best job that I can perform. At work, if I dont know something or
the information is not clear, I make sure that I get an understanding, either by research or
speaking with my upper manager. Competence is vital when working and assisting people with
their health and issues that are challenging them.
I feel that my values are perfectly matched with the NASW Code of Ethics Values. A
Social Worker is a special kind of person because they have to have the ability to empathize with
other people. As a Social Worker, I will ensure on a daily basis that I involve the codes actively.
I can imagine myself working with my clients and having successful results. I can easily
incorporate my personal values with social work values because they are not biased, judgmental,
or deceiving. Making a difference in someone's life for the better is very important to me. I am
extremely compassionate about assisting with changing lives, being resourceful and advocating
for someone in need. Social work is already active in my personal life and my values assist me
greatly with the responsibilities. As I practice social work I will be empathetic to my clients
issues, and I will be supportive when goals and interventions are implemented and achieved. I
will promote social change and be effective when gathering resources. I will make achieving
their established goals a priority.

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References
NASW Delegate Assembly. (2008). Code of Ethics. Retrieved November 24, 2012, from
National Association of Social Workers.
Taylor T. (2013). Values Paper. Unpublished paper, Wayne State University