12 June '06 - Field Seminar #3

We discussed different issues pertaining to diversity. Legal issues, ethical issues and issues of diversity. FT commented, "Social work is really about diversity! When do you ever deal with sameness in social work?"

There was this interesting bit where this girl said that she'd wonder whether to report a youth on a Guidance Programme who was found smoking. That'd be considered a breach of the contract and once reported, they'd have to go to jail (i.e. no more second chance), according to this classmate. The thing is, if we report, they'd be sent to jail and it also breaks the client's trust in us.

2 things here:
- Something instinctively came up and I just asked "Whose need are you meeting if you report/don't report?" --> Need for client to continue trusting us (which could be something very personal and out of the professional boundary) so that we can continue working with client, or need to come across as a worker who faithfully follows protocol? Anyway, seems like I've been taught well at Care Corner huh. Whose need are we meeting? Then FT responded and said "Wow, I thought that was a powerful question, even I was stunned at that question." Heheheh.

- And what gives us the right to say that once a youth is being sent to jail, his/her future is gone. I can see that's coming from the viewpoint that there's so much stigma attached to being imprisoned, and their lives probably take a very different turn and could be qualitatively worse after the sentence is passed. But who is to say that this youth cannot make a comeback? I know such stories are rare... but if we hold on to this idea that after being sentenced it's a dead-end, what point is there in trying to re-integrate ex-convicts into society? Taking it a little further, it's like saying the Yellow Ribbon project is a waste of time.

The other thing was about the racial composition of the clients and of the social service agencies. Very disproportionate ratio - many more chinese social workers than that of other races, but clientele is predominantly Malays and Indians.. Was looking at Care Corner's annual report.. 54.2% Chinese clients. Really?

Anyway, FT's point was that there's gotta be greater understanding and acceptance of clients' views and belief system. Which is so real. I can sit here and type that I gotta accept that certain races prefer bigger families. And that not everyone from a certain race has a natural predisposition to alcohol addiction. But when I really see them face-to-face, what am I really thinking?

This leads me back to the Mustafa experience. I was amazed at the variety of things sold over there, but I was even more afraid. I felt so overwhelmed.. never been among a sea of Indians. I wonder how they feel when they walk among a sea of Chinese. A friend was telling me she wants to go there, but not on her own cos it's a scary place.

FT also mentioned something along the lines of Christian agencies being evangelical. And he feels that a graduate who is employed by an agency should be on the basis that he/she is a Social Worker and not a Christian Social Worker or a Buddhist Social Worker. So he doesn't agree that social service agencies should be evangelical. Same here.

At first, another Christian friend and I were talking about our struggle over this point.. like if there's no way out, and God seems like the only way out, should the gospel be preached? I think no.. there's a time and season for everything.. and I think that since Social Work is a profession then it should remain just that. To clients, if their basic needs are not met, I don't think knowing God would be their chief concern. I think when at work, I kinda shed off a part of myself to be a social work intern. I don't know if it's good or bad, but it's necessary. Present the face of a man to clients who need the human face most! (with ref to Ezekiel 1)