My Personal Journey
I was raised in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, but was born near the Chelsea projects in Manhattan. Although my mother relocated the family when we were fairly young, we visited my grandmother every weekend. The family always wanted us to know that moving from one borough to the next does not mean you forget about the people you have always known and loved. After having been raised in a closed knit family I was taught to put family members and their needs first and as the oldest member of the family, she showed me how important it was to lead and inspire others. Her values encouraged me to pursue a career assisting others. When it was time for me to enroll in college, I decided to attend New York City College of Technology and pursue my degree in Human Services.
It always appears as if someone is always in need of assistance and although the individual may be in need, he or she may not always reach out for it. Now I comprehend that in order for someone to benefit from help, he or she must want to help him or herself, but at times I sense there are certain circumstances that can hinder someone from seeking assistance. Everyone’s situation may differ but in my opinion, the will to assist someone does not go away regardless of the challenges that may arise. I feel this is the case with me. I cannot express the disappointment I feel when someone I come across tells me that he or she chose not to seek proper assistance because they did not know who to reach out to or is ashamed to discuss their issue with a complete stranger due to either the situation itself or the cultural differences. In the Human Service field you are taught the skills that are required to provide clients with appropriate assistance to restore their level of functioning. It is accompanied by adequately assessing their needs by building on their strengths, and prioritizing the identifying issues to be addressed or resolved.
What intrigues me the most about the Human Service profession is the fact that it requires personal differences to be embraced before assistance can begin and at the moment the client’s presenting problems and their casualties need to be zeroed in on. A human service worker also does not discriminate on anybody based on race, ethnicity, culture, gender, religion and sexual orientation.  The therapist-client relationship is built upon confidentiality and trust. Not only does a client want to be listened to, he or she is looking for guidance that will help alleviate the stress resulting from an identifying issue.  Within my realm of close friends and even relatives, I’ve found that sometimes a person just needs someone to confide in. They are not looking for any solutions to a problem or situation; they are just looking to express how they feel which can also help them deal with whatever issue they have at hand. After reading Introduction to Human Services by Woodside/McClam, 2011, I learned that a professional must look at the client as a person and not a problem. It helps the client open up to the professional without a negative vibe.  I always knew I wanted to assist t hose who considered themselves out of sync with the rest of us, I did not know that there was so many way of achieving that objective. As I continued to read the textbook, it made me realize there were so many techniques and strategies such as maintaining positive body language and posture were effective for a successful Human Service Professional.
As I sit back and make a personal assessment, I know that I can communicate, listen and be inviting, as well as put aside my differences aside whenever necessary to enhance my professional skills. Although the Human Services Profession has evolved throughout the years, I believe the fact in which I am not fearful of new and upcoming ideas would only be beneficial to me in the Human Service field. To be able to take my strengths and be able to incorporate them into a career that can be both gratifying and rewarding is something worth striving for.
I work at Lutheran Medical Center and in 2010 my previous supervisor had officially resigned from her position, and although her notice was served in advance, the Director was not able to fill the position before her resignation date.  I was asked to oversee the Dental Billing Department temporarily until they found someone qualified for the position. Although, I was not fully prepared for the position, I agreed to manage of eight employees all with different personalities. This introduced me to different aspects of helping those in need, especially when they became frustrated with their duties. In time, I was offered the position but I declined it because I wanted to continue my studies.
In retrospect, it was a meaningful experience filled with a lot of frustration but I was determined to get through it. This experience made me realize that helping others is not limited to a specific sector. I had learned to utilize these skills at my place of work and without realizing it I noticed that I can also apply them to the human service profession.
My family and friends have reiterated to me that I have a tendency to empathize with others. I grew up in a household where “family stories” were always told and since I wasn’t there to partake in the events all I could do is envision them and play out in my head. I never wanted to feel out of sync with anyone speaking and it followed me throughout my adult years. I didn’t realize it until one of my co-workers approached me and told me she enjoyed speaking to me because I paid attention to everything she said.
I have decided to work with the young adults. They are at a crucial function of their lives.  For example, if a young adult suffers from low self-esteem as a result of an abusive relationship, she can reach out to a Human Service worker to help her develop positive coping strategies to get out of the relationship. In order to be able to reach out to the young adult population, as a Human Service worker, I would need to actively listen to them before communicating to them. Although I have begun to develop some of the skills such as listening and communication, I feel that working with the young adults requires more than those skills. Working with young adults can be a daunting task.
To be honest, I never thought of a ten year plan, so following graduation, it increasingly appears to be private practice. I want to continue to assist those in need and hopefully realize through my work that even though I know not everyone is willing to allow themselves to be helped, at least I have tried my best. Attending yearly seminars is a great way to improve the skills required in this field.  A person has to be able to embrace new ideas and methods of counseling and techniques and strategies. This is all part of growth within the profession and this is what I plan on doing in order to maintain my skills.
To help someone in need is something that requires dedication as well as passion. I have both attributes required to make a difference in their lives and others. Consequently I have no doubts that I will make an effective and efficient human service worker. Due to the reasons stated in my paper, I feel I can be an effective Human Service worker.
