My immediate career goals include going to graduate school for Social Work specializing in family and children studies and going into the Peace Corps depending on which opportunity presents itself first within the next year. With a Master's degree and relevant experience in the Peace Corps, I am hoping to build up to a successful career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, providing counselling services to families and children, working with at risk youth and perhaps becoming a motivational speaker on diversity awareness and appreciation and social justice.
My internship presently offers me the opportunity to gain experience working with at risk young women, developing programming and being a positive role model. For example this week, I am planning and facilitating a program on substance abuse. Instead of simply lecturing the girls on the types of drugs out there and why they are bad, I intend to approach this topic from the point of view of the anthropologist, a deeper and more complete examination of the problem that is substance abuse. I want to discuss with the girls why they are at risk for substance abuse, why people use, who it affects, and where to get help. I believe that experiences such as these will improve my public speaking and programming abilities and teach me how to connect and interact professionally with clients. My internship is also educating me on how to work well with others and how to problem solve. I believe that these skills will help me to eventually become a competent Social Worker.
I would very much like to continue my work with the Girl Scouts and I am hoping to grow within the organization. I love the team work atmosphere, and I am very passionate about the work that we do. I am a bit perturbed at times by the disorganization and lack of direction that I receive in the work that I do but that is all part of working in the area of social services and I have learned very quickly that I have to be extremely flexible to function in this kind of environment.
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2 comments:
Hi Leanne, this is Kimisha Gill. I am hoping to go into a similar field as you, so I can definitely relate to everything you wrote in your blog. I, too, wish to work with at risk girls. I kind of do the same thing at Florence Crittenton. I haven't tackled any serious issues with them, such as you are with the substance abuse program, but I do help the employees there a lot. I think what you're doing at your internship is great; the at risk girls need more people like us in their lives. I totally understand how you may get frustrated at your internship site, I do too. Sometimes it seems as if I do more than the employees do. But I wish you great success in everything that you do and looking forward to hearing more about your experience at Girl Scouts.
Leanne, this is Mark Close and I totally understand your frustration with Girl Scouts for I am a Cubmaster for Pack 446. Organizing parents and scouts to move in the same direction is always my challenge. I enjoyed your resume and your post. I admire your passion for social work and if I was a younger man and could I would like to work a couple years in the Peace Corp.
I'm not a younger man but still manage to vounteer at church, cub scouts and at my kid's schools. I am a firm believer if everybody volunteered just a few hours a month the world be such a better place. I coach girl's freshman basketball and if I have any issues regarding substance abuse I will e-mail you and ask for assistance. So far coaching in high school has been a blast and no real problems with the girls. They sure like talking about boys though. Good Luck with graduating and your career.
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