MSW Reflections
"Without reflection, we go blindly on our way,
creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful." -Margaret J. Wheatley Challenges
Having to critically question the impacts of in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in international development was one of the most difficult parts of the MSW program for me. Barry-Shaw’s and Jay’s (2012) Paved with Good Intentions: Canada’s Development NGOS from Idealism to Imperialism, which we read for our SOWK 673 S01 course, really threw me for a curve and still resonates with me strongly. This book essentially argues that NGOs serve to further the neoliberalism agenda instead of actually empowering the poor to create change, shifts responsibility for development from the state to impoverished communities, and fosters dependency on foreign funds. As I had always assumed that if I were to work internationally, I would probably work for a NGO, I initially found this book terribly disheartening. However, now I am so glad that I read it and that the MSW program really pushed us to be highly critical as I can see now how easy it can be to fall into the many damaging pitfalls of development work. Interlinked with having to question the impact of NGOs was the difficulty in identifying what the role of a social worker might entail in development work. Throughout the program, I felt challenged in clearly recognizing what social work specifically might contribute to development that is valuable and different from what other professions might contribute. It seemed to me that there was no particular demand for social workers in development and it took a lot of reflection through all my various assignments to make tangible connections between social work and development for myself. Now I understand that social workers can, for example, take on the role of being an ally or an advocate, or apply a social work practice model to development, such as by bringing the focus back to the person or emphasizing the strengths and capacity within communities to create bottom-up change for themselves. Highlights I really appreciated learning applicable knowledge and skills that I knew I would be able to utilize in my social work practice. From theories, such as self-efficacy and social capital theories, that could inform how I approach development, to practical skills, such as how to write a project proposal or how to conduct interviews and focus group discussions, I feel that the MSW program equipped me with a lot of the necessary tools to be an effective social worker in development work. For a while, I had felt truly doubtful about my decision to enter the International and Community Development Specialization as I felt more confused than ever about my capabilities as a social worker. But over time, my confidence was regained and a large contribution to this was knowing that I had gained valuable knowledge and skills that I could add to my social work 'tool kit.' Another highlight of my time in the MSW program was meeting so many incredible women that all have diverse backgrounds, interests, values and worldviews. I can honestly say that I learned so much from my fellow MSW students. From class discussions and formal presentations to everyday conversations and organized sharing forums such as World Cafe, my classmates truly broadened my horizons and inspired me to explore beyond my own ideas and immediate interests. At the beginning of each course, we would be asked if we were interested in either international or community development and what our main areas of interest were. I would reply that I was interested in international development and working with refugees and immigrants, but it was always so fascinating to hear about what everyone else was interested in and learn from them. Through my fellow students, I soon realized that development is development, whether it takes place within Canada or internationally, and that there are so many areas of social work that could be worth pursuing. Also, it has been a real gift to have formed new strong and lasting friendships. |