Aspiration Statement

Alright, I finally sent off my 'Aspiration Statement' to my in-country organizers!! Here it is...

A: Several key pathmarks in my educational and professional experience highlight the skills and passion I bring to social work Throughout my work in psychology and social work during my bachelors and Masters degrees I have sharpened my skills as an agent of social change and therapeutic service provider. First, while earning my B.A. in Psychology I spent my time learning the subtleties of human behavior and psychological dysfunction. I worked in research labs learning about how the home environment impacts childhood peer relationship formation, honing my skills of observation, empirical assessment, and understanding of diversity in family culture. I worked in a research lab studying domestic violence and abuse, perfecting my interviewing skills and empathic communication. In addition, I was the care provider of a 9-year-old boy diagnosed with Bi-polar Disorder. I was a mentor to him and his family, providing psychoeducation on his illness and therapeutic techniques that can aid in behavior modification, improving family interactions, and increasing the child’s level of functioning and awareness. This experience taught me patience, and developed my abilities in working with families.

Second, during my first year of my Masters of Science in Social Work (MSSW) I worked in a residential facility offering therapeutic services to adolescent girls who have experienced abuse, sexual, physical, psychological, or neglect. The treatment center was a team environment where I was afforded the opportunity to develop myself as a treatment team professional, understand appropriate utilization of supervision, and learn how to implement various individual and group counseling techniques. In my final semester of my professional training I worked as a Medical Social Worker at St. David’s Hospital. I performed psychosocial assessments, interventions, and engaged in discharge planning with patients in critical care. I sharpened my crisis-intervention skills and became effective at identifying, networking with and utilizing beneficial community resources.

It is from these experiences that I have refined my professional capacities, and I will bring these attributes to my Peace Corps work in St. Lucia. I expect that my patience, understanding of cultural diversity, empathic communication, compassion, team player attitude, therapeutic listening and intervention skills, ability to perform sensitive needs assessments, networking skills, and success in identifying community resources will play key roles in my professional work with at-risk youth and their families in St. Lucia. I have also worked to further my professional development in working with a company, Landmark Education, which helps facilitate better effectiveness in daily living. Through this company I coached participants ages 18 and up in personal motivation, achievement and effective living. I have faith that the empowerment skills I gained while working with this company will help me to empower myself in my work and empower the individuals and communities I will be working with in St. Lucia

B: In order to work effectively with St. Lucia partners to meet expressed needs I must first gain an understanding of how I may best be of service to the cause. I understand that I will need to gain respect within my community before I can be effective in my community. This will require me to focus on learning community customs and their way of life. Once I show that I can respect the community’s way of life and show that I am willing and able to integrate myself into their culture I can then be a professional resource for the community. Then, I can share my knowledge and skills and ask my partners how I can best serve the community. I look forward to working together to identify the resources and strengths that we can utilize to make positive change.

C: My strategy for adapting to a new culture is to spend a great deal of time observing, listening, and learning the norms and customs. When in a new environment it is helpful to observe your surroundings and learn as much as possible about the environment; then integration into the environment happens with more ease. Also, I like to take a hands-on approach. I will participate in learning the dialect, ask questions that can help me understand the culture, and be open to different cultural practices and customs. I will attempt to adopt a way-of-life that is influenced by both this new culture and my own cultural roots. I anticipate that I will participate in community events and share some of my culture with others, as well.

D: In pre-service training I hope to gain some skills and knowledge that can help me to best serve my future community and projects. I hope to learn more about the needs of my community, the language and dialect, safety guidelines, and integration tips based on past PCV experiences. In my training I hope that I can come to gain better preliminary understandings of and respect for St. Lucian way-of-life. I expect that I will learn about key issues that my community of destination faces and learn previously implemented strategies that have proven effective in attempting to ameliorate various social problems.

E: Serving in the Peace Corps fulfills both personal and professional aspirations. Learning about individuals and communities is a central focus in my life. Poverty, illness, and oppression force people to be perpetually concerned with their own survival, and limit the luxurious opportunity to focus on ones own happiness. However, this should not be a luxury in a world that has ample resources to feed the poor and heal the sick. My compassion and technical expertise inform my dedication to use myself and my skills to be an agent of social change. This means bringing happiness and resolve to other people’s lives and serving as an example of how compassion can powerfully instill hope and strength in others. Serving in the Peace Corps gives me the opportunity to serve my global community in a more direct way.

Furthermore, having cultural competency is indispensable in the field of social work. I wish to increase my knowledge and competence as a professional working in a field that serves diverse client populations. I expect that engaging various communities and new challenges will promote collaborative opportunities for growth and learning that will enable me to become a more effective and knowledgeable Social Worker. Finally, serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer will enhance my strength and independence. I desire to become more confident in my ability to go where my spirit guides me. To follow my heart and not be constrained by worries, fears, and life barriers is fulfilling to me. Conquering oneself is essential for those designed to serve others.