My experience volunteering with Depaul Ireland has been mind-opening and transformative. My student placement gave me the chance to work with people that were homeless, and learn first-hand about the difficulties they go through and the important part that frontline services do to help them.
The fulfillment of assisting service users in their practical needs including housing support and job application left a lasting impression on me during my professional experience. During my experience I vividly remember assisting a non-English service user through their housing application process. We assisted them through the process even though language presented a challenge and they successfully filed the application on time. I deeply understood during those situations why patience combined with cultural humility and effective communication remain critical skills for social work.
Working in this field was difficult mainly because dealing with crises while facing constant pressure. During a medical emergency with my critical thinking and fast response I was able to assist staff in providing the best care for the service user before the emergency unit arrived. I have learned the essential skills of teamwork together with crisis-focused decision making and maintaining collectedness. Professional development and ongoing social services work received support from staff members through their mentorship along with their encouragement which helped me learn at a professional level.
Being placed here has allowed me to further learn about homelessness, social policy, and advocacy. In addition, more importantly, it has validated my zeal to make a concrete contribution in people’s lives. I am so thankful for the skills, experiences and relationships I have gained on this journey so far and am looking forward to bringing these lessons into my future career as a social worker.