Social Work Reflective Essay Examples

When I reflect on my work day, I am overwhelmed by the stories of injustice, motivated by many journeys of resilience, and eager to add to the resolution of Seattle’s homeless state of emergency. I am a housing stability case manager for a multi-service community action group in Seattle, Washington. My work and my clients have evolved my sense of community and urban planning. I advocate and work with families who are living in places not meant for human habitation, to find creative housing/shelter options that will cost the city little to no money. The program I am helping the city of Seattle pilot is diverting families from having to enter the coordinated family shelter system. Our family shelter system in Seattle is overwhelmed, underserved, …show more content…
My first proper introduction to the homeless community was a student. I graduated with a Bachelors in Geography and Comparative History of Ideas, with an emphasis in urban planning and rural development. I earned my degree with honors and distinction because of my ground level experience and immersion. I studied the impacts of tourism on cultural identity in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In Iceland, I learned about communities letting the environment dictate social and city planning ideas. I studied rural housing architecture in the lower foothills of the Himalayas and rural development. I published an article on the impacts of religious identity and urban landscapes in Seattle . Two of longitudinal researches discussed the narrative that urban landscapes reflect, and the politics in architectural design. My international undergrad experience brought insight to how improper planning can lead to unsustainable futures for cities, and how community building is important for the formation of spaces into places. I learned a lot about who I was and who I was not. Living in a country like India, I experienced what it was like to be looked at as privileged and what responsibility I felt that brought. I felt what it was to be an honorary male, in a society where a woman’s strength and resiliency was expected in order to survive. I was immersed in a loving community so different than where I came …show more content…
This program will solidify my skills in housing project management, and city planning to be able to effectively contribute to conversation of economics and financing housing projects, both emergency and long term accessible affordable housing. This program addresses already existing housing options cities have, and retrofit them to meet higher more affordable standards for habitation and the environment. This program excites me for its interdisciplinary approach and focus on using both inductive and deductive reasoning to current housing crises all over the world, including in London. London’s housing and city planning issues are not isolated to London, rather are global issues. Many cities are facing the issues that London is facing head on. The required field work of this program, will allow me the first hand insight on how other global cities are addressing housing and city planning issues. This program aims to have housing be part of the solution of a sustainable city, rather than a burden. It not only aims to create places of sustainability, environmental resilience, social inclusiveness, but develop places people can make a home and community. This program is able to offer insight to community, home, and city planning by its breadth in interdisciplinary teaching. It excites me to take part in a global university that brings global