West Philly Corps Social Service Observation
During my summer assignment in West Philadelphia, it was not difficult for me to blend in with the community. I came from a Corps similar to West Philly Corps; they are located in the heart of the urban community where gun shots bark like dogs' night and day. The people here are without a job, lots of single parents and abundances of poverty. I have never lived in such neighborhoods, but going to the Corps in my home town. I grow up seeing the distress of these people and the need for social service. I have also seen how the Corps, and the social service department were disconnected. The disconnection of the Corp and Social Service part of the Salvation Army was one of the things I could not …show more content…
I was given permission to sit in on some of the sessions with the clients when they come in for services. I observe the interaction between the social worker and the clients; it is one that only God could explain. The clients would go into the social worker office crying or upset, and they would come out smiling or at peace. On one of my sit in I heard one of the clients asked the social worker to pray with them, and I was invited to pray with them.
My observation of the organization of the social service at West Philly is structured in a way that it fits the services offered. Here is an example, of some of the service West Philly Corps offered to their clients in the community.
1. Business attire for clients returning to work or going on a job …show more content…
However, the social worker still needed to organize the structure and location where they keep supplies. I would not do anything to change their system in the way they work with the clients. However, their food Pantry and clothing supply room was in disarray. I observed outdated can food items on the shelf and clothing all over the storage area. I discarded and organized both areas before the end of my summer assignment. I was told both areas looked like a supermarket and a clothing store. My assistant in organizing these areas within the social service department may be insignificant, but it made a difference for the social worker. She thanked me and "said working alone in this job,” I made things much easier for her. To find a clothing item by sizes and packing food items from the shelf and making the bags for the clients seems like a breeze.
What did you learn about Corps Social Work? In West Philly Corps, they have one social worker without any help most of the time occasionally a volunteer is assigned to her. She is responsible for the food Pantry and clothing distribution to the clients. The system and structure of their social work are organized. They just need some more Manpower. I learned if the thing is not broken, don’t fix it, and no man is an island. Delegation is the key for not getting burned out. I learned that organizing and coordinating helps get the job done in a timely
During my summer assignment in West Philadelphia, it was not difficult for me to blend in with the community. I came from a Corps similar to West Philly Corps; they are located in the heart of the urban community where gun shots bark like dogs' night and day. The people here are without a job, lots of single parents and abundances of poverty. I have never lived in such neighborhoods, but going to the Corps in my home town. I grow up seeing the distress of these people and the need for social service. I have also seen how the Corps, and the social service department were disconnected. The disconnection of the Corp and Social Service part of the Salvation Army was one of the things I could not …show more content…
I was given permission to sit in on some of the sessions with the clients when they come in for services. I observe the interaction between the social worker and the clients; it is one that only God could explain. The clients would go into the social worker office crying or upset, and they would come out smiling or at peace. On one of my sit in I heard one of the clients asked the social worker to pray with them, and I was invited to pray with them.
My observation of the organization of the social service at West Philly is structured in a way that it fits the services offered. Here is an example, of some of the service West Philly Corps offered to their clients in the community.
1. Business attire for clients returning to work or going on a job …show more content…
However, the social worker still needed to organize the structure and location where they keep supplies. I would not do anything to change their system in the way they work with the clients. However, their food Pantry and clothing supply room was in disarray. I observed outdated can food items on the shelf and clothing all over the storage area. I discarded and organized both areas before the end of my summer assignment. I was told both areas looked like a supermarket and a clothing store. My assistant in organizing these areas within the social service department may be insignificant, but it made a difference for the social worker. She thanked me and "said working alone in this job,” I made things much easier for her. To find a clothing item by sizes and packing food items from the shelf and making the bags for the clients seems like a breeze.
What did you learn about Corps Social Work? In West Philly Corps, they have one social worker without any help most of the time occasionally a volunteer is assigned to her. She is responsible for the food Pantry and clothing distribution to the clients. The system and structure of their social work are organized. They just need some more Manpower. I learned if the thing is not broken, don’t fix it, and no man is an island. Delegation is the key for not getting burned out. I learned that organizing and coordinating helps get the job done in a timely