Please provide a statement that addresses the following Admission Essay Questions:
1) How have your life, work and educational experiences contributed to your understanding of yourself and others in relation to the society in which we live? (You may wish to reflect on various aspects of your identity such as gender and sexual orientation, economic/class status, life as an Aboriginal person, racial or cultural background, or abilities or disabilities.
The social problems are inherent in the way a society is organized. There are two distinct structures are playing a major role in this circumstances, they are power and oppression. The power and oppression are exists among individuals, families and in the society. The structural social work emphasis on the social problems is the ways oppression and privilege is maintained in the society. The structural social work recognizes that the radical social change is needed by redistribution of wealth and resources. It is also essential to attend the needs those who are being marginalized, exploited and harmed in the society. Although Canada is a one of the welfare states in the world and a good quality of life exists compare to other nations, however, Canada lag behind in programs for the growing crisis such as mental illness and domestic violence. The current economic crisis is aggravating this situation as the government is cutting funding for mental illness and other social service programs and activities. This problem vibrates deeply with me, and I hope my continuous effort to work in this field will find a solution. This is the main reason that I am applying to the graduate program in social work at Carlton University: I seek the skills and knowledge to work for a social work organizations who are dealing with mental health and violence against women and children.
My interest in the mental illness and violence against women and children which is included depression and major depression dates back to my childhood. Growing up in a family where someone had a severe major depression and it never diagnosed due to lack of awareness and training of the medical practitioners, therefore, domestic abuse was regular phenomena in the family with mental illness. Because of this I was facing many challenges in the personal and social life; such as low-self-esteem, panic attack, anxiety and depression. I have kindness toward the people and I have a deep respect for my family who are facing same challenges in their life. This is what motivates me to become involved in the field of social work.
The economic crisis and the lack of adequate funding have left Canadian especially, Ontario population behind to solve their problems. Currently, the mental health issue seen as symptoms of the disease by the health practitioners rather than focus on actual problems that is generate the symptoms.
The current response to this problem seems to be high dose and costly medication and hospitalization. In severe cases people with mental illness who are admitted for treatment but they have to leave the hospital earlier. They do not have rehabilitation. So, at the end they become homeless, due to proper programs and services.
2) Identify a social problem that you might want to address as a social worker. Discuss the factors that contribute to or cause this problem. What role would you like to play in resolving this problem?
From the above mentioned discussion I would like to address the mental illness and the violence against women are major growing problems in Canada. I also believe mental illness and the violence against women are interlinked. The other factors such as homelessness and sexual orientation are also correlated with this problem vise versa.
I am working with the abuse women and children for a number of years just after diploma in social service worker. I can see that the violence against women and mental illness is getting crucial issue especially in the immigrant population in Canada. The major depression causes among the immigrant and refugee population due to fled from their home countries, living in the refugee camps, raped and experience in abuse and violence situation at domestic lives. This group of population have severe post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and it is alarming for future Canadian Population.
Working in the Social Work field I always come across the words "empowerment", "self-esteem or dignity" and "change or transformation" a lot of time. By using those words sometimes, it seems to me are misleading with the radical approach. In most cases, it is easily stigmatizes the approach where the root causes of social and personal problems rather than their symptoms. I have experience to meet with a number of women who are diagnosed with depression. In most cases, women are stigmatized by the practitioners. The word 'depression' is commonly using in this cases. Women are taking high dose medications immediately without knowing there problem.
I have a perfect example in this case. A woman came to me; she brought at least six bottles of depression medication, she put all those medication in front of me and stated that 'nobody ever asked me what is happening in my life.' She is taking those medications over two years. She is depending on the medication that creates physical vulnerability in her daily lives. She stated that she is abused by her husband verbally, emotionally and back home physically over twenty years. She said that due to language barrier, her husband always takes her to the doctors' appointments and interprets for her. Therefore, she cannot explain about what is the reason for her illness. I believe after my degree from the School of Social Work, I will play a role that will lead me to find a right direction with the knowledge from the structural perspective.
2) What interests you about applying to a structural school of social work? How does studying social work at Carleton fit with your career goals?
Currently there are social welfare programs in Canada with a limited funding. The funding cut does not allow adequate assistance to this vulnerable population. In the light of these terrible problems, the need for such a program is obvious. My interest in social work is to find ways to develop and improve the types of services available to the women and children in Ontario at a systematic level. I want to be involved in the organizing, managing, developing, shaping and planning of social policies related to the mental illness. I believe the social work program at Carlton University will allow me to do that. By studying structural social work at Carlton University, I will learn about established social systems, assessment and intervention strategies. In addition, Carlton University emphasis on mental health and addiction issues appeals to me immensely. As I will be returning to work in social work field as a social worker will better equip me for the challenges. I believe I am well prepared for graduate work.
During my social service diploma, MA in Women's studies from the Netherlands and undergraduate study from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, I acquired the necessary background knowledge by taking advanced courses in the areas of psychology, and sociology, including sociological research methods, social theory, statistics and psychological research, mental health and addiction and counselling. Along with these courses, I have more than fifteen year's intensive working experience with women and children. Last eight years I am dealing with violence against women and children in the non-profit organizations in Canada and abroad. I also had student placement at St. Patrick's home in Ottawa where ninety persons elder people living with dementia. I work one year with Children Aid Society of Ottawa as violence against women (VAW) Counsellor and with the Immigrant Women Services Ottawa for seven years as a Transition and Housing Support Worker. From these work, volunteer, placement, I have gained practical experience that I feel will contribute to my academic and professional success. I expect the graduate work at Carlton University to be demanding, challenging, and ultimately rewarding. I look forward to the experience from an intellectual as well as social point of view--I hope to learn and grow as an individual and a structural social worker. I hope that I will be allowed to do so at Carlton University.
Your statement is to be no longer than 1,500 words in length ( Font:12, single spaced). Be sure to include your name and the page number on each page of the statement. On the last page of your Statement of Interest you should include the following statement
