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Tom,

That was a great help. Thank you very much!

Hi, I am new to this site too!
My name is Stanley, I am studying Master of Social Science in Social Work in Hong Kong.
It will be so nice that we can share our experience togather in this site.
Nice to meet you all!

Hi Stanley and welcome to the forum! What year of school are you in for your Masters and what is your concentration?

I would love to hear more from you about social work in Hong Kong.


Loritta
MSSW Student

I am current at the 2nd smester of a 2 years master program.
The fact that i haven't got my concentration yet, since my undergrad degree isn't social work, so I am new to this major too.
Moreover, my undergrad degree is psychology which I learned it from San Francisco.
As I know at this moment, social work has not been developed as well as other western countries(such as U.S. and England) in Hong Kong.
Most Social workers are general social worker in Hong Kong.
Therefore, this is why I want to come here to listen more from all of ya...
I think all of your voices will help me a lot to this career.

hi shall i ask one query! why you join the msw, Is it any particular reason, I am applying for that course in India, I want a good answer which to impress my interviewer

Hi Mohammed. I chose social work because I wanted to help people and to learn how I might potentially make a positve contribution to the world. My ambition was only encouraged when I learned that there were more women in my classes than men.

So, Mohammed,why are YOU applying to take MSW courses? What do you want to learn about and what do you want to do when you have finished such training? I would really like to hear from and learn about you. ( I suspect your interviewer would too!) Respectfully, Gary

Hi!
I think all students from any school of social work go through an experience that just jolts them and suddenly the reality sinks in real hard! We go through THAT moment which reminds us why exactly picked a social service career. And in my work till now i have also faced the problem of what to do when the 'victims' themselves are not ready to use our help. Tell me if any one has a REAL good technique.

You might want to look at motivational interviewing which is a technique not to force the person to change, but to get them that little bit closer to wanting to change.

Here's a website for more information.
http://www.motivationalinterview.org/

Colleagues of mine (medical social work) went to a workshop a couple of weeks ago and came back raving about it!

Hi Beatrice,

Based on the webpage you provided as your home, I will assume that you are a Canadian student in the social services program at Centennial. Usually, a homepage would be one of your own, describing your interests and skills. As of yet I do not even have one. Someday maybe.

In reference to your question of "what to do when the 'victims' themselves are not ready to use our help"[?], I have only negative news for you. On one hand, from the client centred perspective, we only provide services when the client wants it and is ready to work. On the other hand, the client may not allow us access to areas or information that may lead to change when it is not what they or what was contracted.

Either way, we do not go anywhere uninvited when victims are involved. The story is a bit different for "mandatory clients", however. You can search more on this from the "key word search" on this site.

Your second question was asking about "a REAL good technique". All I can say is that there numerous theories regarding human behaviour and "dysfunction/delinquency" and many methods promoted to modify and "improve" these behaviours and experiences. The current literature seems to promote approaches that emphasize a positive emotional/therapeutic relationship between client and therapist, and a technique that that emphasizes a cognitive behavioural approach.

You may need to further define "REAL good", as there are many possible definitions and speculations given the range of possible judgments.

I hope this helps,

Tom from Canada

Beatrice,

As always, Tom has excellent advice. I work in child welfare where folks sometimes are semi-voluntary clients, and previous work has been with parents. When one is working on behalf of children we are at times more intrusive.

My "technique" such as it is to first personally the issue and why it so concerns me, (and I think that is best done with your supervisor, particularly for newer clinicians) and then perhaps to raise the issue with the client fact that I seem more disturbed by what is happening than they are, and to wonder why. Sometimes the answer is that it is my issue and their choice. Sometimes (particularly when I worked in a hospital) it ended up in a discussion of risks/benefits/choices and decisions. Either way it throws the issue back to the client.

Again, start with yourself, whose problem is this?

Good luck

Pandora

Hello,
Carolyn, Tom and Pandora- thanks for your responses
I'll surely study motivational interviewing. N Tom, i'll work on my home page details asap.

Hi,

my name is Petra and Im looking for some materials of Social work methods (individuals, group and community). It will be very helpful, cause Im in Cambodia now and cannot find anything in English here..

Thanks a lot
Petra

Hi,

My name is Abbygail and I study Social Work in Holland.
I want to ask you guys a favor.
This week, I have to interview a social worker outside our country (so outside Holland). I was wondering if someone here could help me find one who I can interview. Or does someone know where to look for a social worker who is willing to be interviewd by a dutch student?
I really hope you can help me.
Thanks.