Unlock Your Potential With Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) - Essay Sample

Introduction

Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) is a crucial program in the student's experience. It aims at helping the student develop skills that can help integrate what they have learned in class into practice. It enhances the ability of implementation of the applied psychology at the workplace. The workshops take eight weeks where the practical skills are learned; the outcome is to increase student's confidence in their abilities. The WIL is divided into two WIL1 and WIL2 where the pass mark for a student will be 60% gauged on the competence throughout the workshop. However, for a student to qualify for WIL 2, he/she must effectively demonstrate his competent on WIL1, counseling modalities 1 and 2, fundamentals of a helping relationship, counseling of a helping relationship, counseling skills, and process development and ethics in counseling. On average, a student should take eight weeks to finalize WIL placement, but this can be extended if the level of competence is wanting.

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Ethical Conduct

The case study describes a case of a 6th-grade student Jack who shows certain behaviors that might suggest that he is suffering from a Post Traumatic Disorder. Among the off-task behaviors, he displays include isolating himself from the peer, not participating in class, and keeping his head down on a desk. Besides, he also draws some pictures which suggest death. His teacher suggests that I should meet Jack. After meeting with him, I learned that he misses his father, who committed suicide two years ago. This makes him feel that he hates life and thinks death is the better option as he misses to see his father. As a student in this cause, I believe that I have a responsibility to help this child.

In this situation, certain decisions were supposed to make. One of them is deciding on whether to handle this situation myself or refer it to another person. Whenever specific issues face us, there are those we can control while others we cannot regarding once scope of parameters. As such, the most critical decision will be to determine whether a problem falls in our parameters. The other choice will be to determine the best approach that can be used to solve this problem effectively without harming the student. In making this decision, the application of value theory, which suggests that we should take the approach which provides more considerable help and less harm should be considered (Mishra, 2014). It will help in coming up with the best intervention in handling this situation.

There are certain legal and ethical responsibilities that I should adhere to while handling this case. One of them is competence in addressing this problem. For an individual to be in a position to help such a patient, one should be competent in this area. Having excellent counseling skills will help in handling this situation. The other responsibility is to ensure that I practice a high level of human relationships while dealing with the patient. It involves avoiding any form of verbal or nonverbal harassment, sexual harassment, and unfair discrimination, such as racism. The other thing will be to ensure the privacy of the patient and confidentiality. If a client discloses some particular information that he/she feels that it should be kept confidential, it is a responsibility of a community worker not to reveal it. The other duty will be to ensure a high level of fidelity. It involves building trust and accountability, which will help good cooperation and interaction between the client and a community worker. The other responsibility includes being honesty while avoiding any form of dishonesty or malicious practices.

To be prepared in the experiences that one encounter when solving community, there are certain things that an individual need to know. One of them is that not all situations can be handled using a similar intervention. Different situations require different approaches to solve. The other crucial aspect to know is that factors such as age, gender, and race can impact on the strategy that one use while dealing with a client. Besides, good human interaction plays a role in determining how effective helping an individual will be.

There are certain challenges that one can encounter while trying to solve a problem, such as the one presented in the case study. An example of a possible challenge might be a problem being out of your scope of parameters. This means that it will be impossible to handle certain aspects in a case. If such a challenge occurs, I will find help from a person who can help resolve a problem. This might happen when a problem requires to be solved in stages. For example, if a situation requires some medical interventions in addition to counseling, I will seek help to a doctor who can provide the necessary treatment. The other possible challenge might be the lack of required resources needed to help an individual. In the case study, this student might also be affected lack of upkeep resources. Asking for help from the government or other community programs can be useful in such a situation. This involves presenting such a client and demonstration that he qualifies for an assistant from such groups.

Creative Thinking and Psychosocial Interventions

The best psychosocial intervention that can be utilized in the problem presented in the case study is cognitive therapy. Unlike behavioral treatment, which tends to focus on the behaviors of an individual, this therapy focuses on the personal thoughts that might be responsible for the underlying problem. For example, the low esteem that makes Jack feel empathy and worthless is irrational thinking that he cannot make it in life since he lost his father. This means that he can only be helped trough helping him change his negative mind.

Using De Bono's six thinking heart can help in deciding on the technique to use. An example of how this thinking heart is evaluating possible fault of a certain intervention. This can be achieved by using a black hat thinking (De Bono, 2017). This heart helps an individual to assess potential negative outcome that can occur while applying a precise technique. It makes an individual to defensively and cautiously look to any loophole in an intended intervention. It helps not only to choose the best approach but also to come up with a contingency plan that can help to counter possible negative outcome. For example, in the case study, one needs to choose whether to use cognitive or behavioral therapy. Besides, this kind of thinking can be beneficial while implementing community projects as they always make those working in a project to be aware and prepared with a contingency to encounter possible project's negative results.

Multicultural Awareness and Diversity

There are certain possible challenges that one can face while working in a multicultural and multidisciplinary organization. This might include miscommunication due to the different meaning of certain verbal and nonverbal cues. The other challenge might consist of bias regarding a particular group of people which can be as a result of prejudice and stereotyping. Lack of respecting other people's perspective or of condemning their behaviors can also be a significant challenge. However, to overcome these challenges, one nee to set his/her bias apart, acknowledge individual differences, and also making an effort to learn effective multicultural communication. Besides, one should not condemn other people's practices based on their culture; instead, one should seek to understand.

Termination and Self-care

There specific self-care techniques that I usually apply in my daily life. They can also be of great help during my work-integrated learning. One of them is conflating my negativity on a paper. This involves writing all my negative self-thoughts such as self-doubt and negative self-talk and trying to combat them with positive thoughts that I know am sure of doing. The other one is volunteering in community programs. This helps me boost my self-esteem as it makes me perceive myself worth. Having enough sleep which, at least seven hours per day.

I have these because they have been experiencing a positive outcome whenever I practice them. As such, I still hold that they will be of great help in WIL learning. For example, combating my negativity will ensure that I remain focused on my work. Besides, volunteering for community programs will boost my self-esteem, which is required in this course - on the other hand, having enough sleep help reduce boredom and increase cognition.

Conclusion

Work-integrated learning is a course that deals with helping students effectively practice their skills. It can be applied in a comprehensive community intervention that can help solve social problems. This program equips the learner with the knowledge that one requires to be a competent professional in solving challenges in a community. An example is a problem that Jack is facing as provided in the case study. WIL touches a wide range of workshop which makes an individual competent in multicultural awareness and diversity, ethical conduct and also how to make of self-care in once life.

References

De Bono, E. (2017). Six thinking hats. Penguin UK.Mishra, S. (2014). Decision-making under risk: Integrating perspectives from biology, economics, and psychology. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 18(3), 280-307.