The CSWE Social Work Competencies
Competency 1:
Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
Being prepared and having certified training to perform a job or role. Research and skills need to be verified. Understand the distinction between Professional and personal behavior.
- Define Boundaries
- Take feedback
- Dress appropriately
- Express Ethical Behaviors
- Understand workplace values and standards
- Control reactions and biases that might influence professional judgment
Competencies in action
I demonstrate ethical and professional behavior by maintaining confidentiality, being reliable, and presenting myself in a respectful and professional manner when interacting with students and staff. I also engage diversity and difference in practice by working with students from various backgrounds, disabilities, and life experiences, ensuring that each person feels valued and supported. I advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice through my role by advocating for students’ access to accommodations and helping to reduce barriers in higher education.
Competency 2:
Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
Respecting and valuing diversity while understanding how differences shape people's lives and access to resources. Everyone has fundamental human rights and deserves to have their needs met.
- Promote Inclusive Care and reduce disparities
- Evaluate distribution of power and privilege
- Advocate for equity and cultural Humility
Competency 3:
Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
Continuously develop and enhance professional knowledge and skills. Update yourself with the latest research, laws, policies, best practices, cultural competence standard and advancements in technology.
- Attending professional workshops and conferences
- Completing or continuing education
- reading Peer- reviewed journals
- Seek supervision
- learn Cultural appropriate aproach
- Stay informed about policies
Competency 4:
Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice
Actively apply evidence-based approaches when helping people. Research is used to guide the work and learn from the work to improve practice. Understand what methods are effective and apply those strategies in real situations.
- Update on policies and practices to improve the quality of care
- observe what happens in practice
- Reflect on the outcome
-Use experiences to improve Services
Competencies in action
I engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice by applying what I have learned in my social work courses to real-life situations at SAS, while also learning from my hands-on experiences. Additionally, I engage in policy practice by understanding and applying guidelines related to accommodations and disability rights, ensuring that students receive fair and equal treatment.
Competency 5:
Engage in Policy Practice
Identify Social policies at the Macro level, including human rights, well-being, justice, and policy access to needs. Actively engage in advocating for anti-racist and anti-oppressive policy and practice.
- Recognize the historical, social, racial, cultural, economic, organizational, environmental, and global influences that affect social policy.
- Critique the history and current structures of social policies and services
- Justify right-based, anti-oppressive, aandanti-racist lens for Proper service Delivery
Competency 6:
Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Engagement is an ongoing interactive process with individuals and communities. Understand human behavior and the environmental impact on people.
- Develop Interprofessional Collaboration
- Use empathy, active listening, and interpersonal skills
- Value the importance of human relationships
- Self-reflect and undrstand bias, power, and privlege.
Competency 7:
Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Must be able to gather information, understand people's situations, and evaluate their needs before taking action. Seeing the full picture of a person‘s life, understanding person-in-environment, and not just focusing on one problem.
- Ask thoughtful questions to understand clients' experiences
- Identify the person's strengths
-Use professional knowledge tools to assess needs
-Continuously update, understanding as situations change
Competencies in action
Furthermore, I engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities by building connections with students and collaborating with staff to support student success. I assess student needs by listening carefully and helping guide them through the accommodation process. I intervene by assisting in providing resources and support that help students overcome academic challenges. Lastly, I evaluate my practice by reflecting on my experiences, identifying areas for growth, and continuously working to improve my skills.
Competency 8:
Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Take action after you assess a situation using skills, knowledge, and resources to help people make positive changes and overcome challenges.
- Develop and carry out intervention plans
- Connect clients to resources and services while advocating for their needs and rights
- Collaborate with other professionals
-Empowered clients to make their own decisions
Competency 9:
Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
Evaluating practice, check how well what you were doing is working. Learn from your work so you can provide better and more effective support to people over time.
- Think critically about outcomes
- Provide services and continuously improve them