1. The most significant experiences in my life stem from childhood and adulthood. Both respective experiences shaped the person who I am today from a variety of angles. From the perspective of my family group, my father and mother were the two most influential members of my family while growing up. This is not to suggest that my other family members are insignificant or not influential, but rather they did not hold the same level of lasting influence on me as the three aforementioned people. Specifically, my father instilled in me a strong work ethic. He came to Canada as an immigrant with little material resources; my father understood the value of hard work and the payoffs that come with applying …show more content…
Furthermore, some members of my peer group came from families that were living on the poverty line. I felt bad for my friends since I was more privileged in terms of economic power; my parents could afford to buy me material objects and place me in extracurricular activities. I empathized with the plight of my friends’ struggles and did the best to comfort those who were emotionally depressed. This experience has helped me gain an understanding for people who confront economic hardships in their lives. As an adult, my family relationships with my parents never changed significantly; my father remained very supportive of my career choices and my mother also continued to provide me with encouragement to seek my dreams and reach my potential. I developed a loving and faithful relationship with another male acquaintance that I met several years ago at university. We really understand one another and get along well; he also supports me fully in my career goals and offers help when needed. From a community-based perspective, I have volunteered in local organizations and schools; I volunteered with a food bank that helped people who came from low …show more content…
Reflecting on my childhood and adult experiences undoubtedly helped me prepare for a career in social work. I have closely followed my family’s advice and learned that everything in this world is earned and very seldom received without some effort. This perspective has reinforced my philosophy that I must work hard at what I do each day; I am dedicated to helping others and being part of the support system that some people need on a regular basis. I will maintain passion for helping others and remain true to my values of ethics, responsibility, and dedication. Secondly, my exposure to a diverse community of learners in school broadened my horizons and made me aware of other perspectives in life. I now realize that not all things in this world are simply black and white, but there is a grey area of diversity and multiple viewpoints. This is especially critical for professional social workers since Canada’s population is increasing in diversity; I will surely encounter people of diverse ethnic groups as well as economic classes. My employment experience involved not only retail jobs, but also working and volunteering in schools as well as food banks. Working in schools helped me gain a better understanding of families by seeing in children how their daily realities reflect their home life. I encountered children who have come to school without a proper breakfast as well as witnessed students who received very little gifts during the holidays. My volunteer work in community