Please read the directions VERY carefully! This is a large assignment. I did the interview and put the interview questions and answers I did in the the uploaded files. I kind of went back in forth on accident when typing her answers as far as some sounded like it was coming from me and some sounded like it was coming from her but it was all from her so you may have to change the wording. I mainly need help with the technical instructions but provided the rest so you understand everything thoroughly.
You will need to meet with a licensed social worker (in Alabama, these are the LBSW, LMSW, or LICSW) and conduct a 15 to 30 minute interview. A face-to-face interview is preferred, but a phone interview is acceptable. You may record the interview for later transcription.
You must interview a practicing social worker, which means that you can not interview a member of the Troy faculty. There are numerous agencies in the Troy area that employ social workers, and you are welcome to interview a practicing social worker in another city and/or another state if you like.
You are responsible for finding a social worker, calling the agency where they work, and setting up the interview. Here are a few suggestions in terms of agencies that you can contact: Alabama Department of Human Resources (there is one in every Alabama county); the Alabama Department of Public Health (there is one in every Alabama county); agencies that deal with aging (for example, the Southern Alabama Regional Council on Aging, the Montgomery Area Council on Aging, etc.); mental health agencies (such as East Central Mental Health Center); medical facilities such as hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, and home health agencies; United Methodist Children’s Homes; Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes; private adoption agencies; the Children’s Aid Society in Birmingham; V.A. hospitals and clinics; any other agency that employs a practicing social worker.
The following are some things that you will want to find out during your interview:
- What is your job title and with whom are you employed?
- How long have you been working with this agency?
- How long have you been working in the field of social work?
- Is the agency public or private?
- Is the agency non-profit or for-profit?
- What population do you serve?
- What are the primary tasks as a social worker with this agency?
- Do you make home visits, and if so, do you feel safe in making these visits?
- How many social workers are there in your office?
- Is your supervisor/boss also a social worker?
- What is your caseload, and do you feel that your caseload is manageable? Why or why not?
- Would you call your job “stressful”? If so, how do you manage your stress? If not, what makes it “not stressful”?
- How do you get your referrals?
- How long do you generally work with a client?
- Do you feel valued in your job by clients, by coworkers, and by supervisors?
- Tell me about a positive client interaction.
- Tell me of an interaction with a client that was not so positive.
- Tell me about a positive interaction with a supervisor.
- Tell me about an interaction with a supervisor that was not so positive.
You should also feel free to ask any other questions that you would like. When you are done with the interview, be sure to thank the social worker for their time! Following up with a handwritten thank you note would really show your appreciation for allowing the person to be interviewed. A note may also work in your favor, as they will remember you if you are jobseeking or internship-seeking at their agency in the future.
Once you have conducted your interview, you will need to write up your findings into a narrative essay.************* A narrative essay can be best thought of as an essay that tells a story. When you tell the story of your interview, you will want to make sure to describe what you discovered during your interview. Do not simply list the answers to the questions that you asked; instead, use the answers to the questions to tell a story of what it is like to be a social worker. Also, make sure to discuss what you learned about yourself as part of the interview.
Technical Instructions for the Course Paper Assignment
The instructions for the paper assignment are as follows:( Narrative essay)
1) The paper must be word-processed in Microsoft Word or in a computer format that is compatible with Microsoft Word. No handwritten papers will be accepted. There should be no typing errors on the paper that you turn in to complete the assignment.
2) Your completed paper should be a minimum of four full pages, and no more than six full pages. A full page has original text all the way to the bottom of the page.
3) Your paper must be double-spaced. You may use only one of the following fonts: Times, Geneva, or Helvetica. Regardless of the font you use, it must be 12-point font. Your paper must have a one-inch margin at the top, bottom, and sides of each page. Your paper must have page numbers. Your paper must have your name on the paper. Please be aware that the title page does not count as part of your overall page count. You must strictly adhere to these formatting requirements, or you will lose points on your paper!
4) The paper should be free of all grammatical errors and spelling errors! Be sure to check grammar, punctuation, and spelling before turning in your final project. Because you will be word-processing your paper, you will have access to a spell checker, and you will most likely have access to a grammar checker. Therefore, make sure that there are no errors in grammar or spelling. If there are any grammatical errors and/or spelling errors, you will lose points on your paper! Also, because you will be saving your answers in a Word document or a file format that is compatible with Word, you should make sure to save your work often so that your work does not disappear.
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