About JOYCELYN M LEWIS

Everyone keeps asking, “why Human Services”? The question has troubled my mind countless times, and I’m not quite sure why I have chosen it myself. It is much, much more than helping people, the experiences a person has can change his/her thinking way beyond becoming another helper. Leaving this world, knowing that your work has helped increase the likelihood of someone making an improvement in his or her life, is gratification enough. In writing this paper, I hope to bring to the forefront some of the qualities that will help me succeed. I was born in Trinidad and Tobago, a small island in the Caribbean. Currently live in Brooklyn New York with my fiancé and two children. I attend the New York City College of Technology where I’m pursuing a degree in Human Services. My opinions are highly valued within my family circle. I am a highly motivated, hard-working woman who not only talks the talk but also walks the walk to complete any task regardless of the outcome. I am a fast learner who is willing to go beyond the call of duty to improve a life. My family and friends believe that I have a conviction I am brave, concerned, and worried about everyone more so than about myself. I am trustworthy and uncompromisingly honest. I like working with and for the people, because we are an interesting species, and it is amazing to see how we react when under stress, and when we are stress free, our coping skills and resilience are well worth building on. For this reason, patience, active listening, and empathy are great attributes to possess along with any formal skills. Working in the “helping profession” most of my life, mostly in the capacity of Home Health Aide, I understand what it feels like to be poor, discouraged, and to have no one believe in your dreams, to not have any money; and to ask for or seek out professional help. The client population I would like to work with is young adults living with HIV/AIDS and is homeless. This particular population has many qualities, challenges, and strengths that make them unique, and very interesting. First, they have a different outlook on life based on their predicament. Second, the challenges they face are low self- esteem, abuse, homelessness, anxiety, and fear of being ridiculed, disowned, and victimized. In the face of it all, some of them have more strengths than others to tide over the challenges. Some of those strengths pertain to, having a strong social network, understanding of their condition, and skills that would enable them to move out of homelessness. The skills I need to learn to be ready professionally to serve this population comprise the etiology, the epidemiology, social policy framework or the lack thereof to address homelessness among this population, and the ethical issues concerning clients with this condition. I want to serve this population because many, if not most of them did not get there by choice. The human service component that I will focus on will include, but are not limited to counseling, nutritional counseling, and group nutrition education. Meanwhile, the human service skills I have begun to develop range from, community mental health, element of counseling, community health, group dynamics, and introduction to human services among others. I expect to embark on a career trajectory soon after obtaining a Bachelors degree in Human Services, working with the population I like while pursuing my masters degree. After receiving my Master's degree, I want to be in charge of a similar program to make a difference in people's lives more significantly. I hope to improve my skills constantly through continuing education. In the final analysis, working hard to achieve those goals, bracing for and embracing challenges to upgrade my skills. I hope to carve out a career pathway that is exemplary for my peers. I am cognizant of the places this profession can take me; I have to be ready to explore it to its fullest. I am ready to measure up to my expectations.