1. What values do you currently hold that will enhance your work in the community services sector? 2.

What values have you held in the past, or still hold which could create challenges for you when you work in the community services sector? 3. Given that the community services sector is constantly changing:i. what strategies do you currently use to manage change, and ii. what strategies will you need to develop to manage change 4. a. In your own words define the terms:i. Access ii. Equity 4.b. List three strategies you, as a worker, could use to ensure i. Access and ii. Equity

I currently hold the following values that will enhance my work in the community sector: Responsibility: I regard responsibility as a core value for any aspect of life. Responsibility is a core value for living honorably. It is important to be accountable for your behavior. Responsibility is being dependable when you have things to do. I believe that responsibility endows you with power. If you take charge of things, you automatically get power to take decisions. As a community worker, obligations arise to safeguard the dignity of the client. My ability to be responsible will make my clients feel comfortable and confident to trust me. Also accountability at work is important to an organizations success as a whole. Every employee, no matter what level of seniority is equally responsible for aiding in the success of an organization. In order to achieve the goals of the company, long and short term, it is important that all people within the company work together and share accountability. Employees, who work together towards the same overall goal help their workplace to become more accountable, in turn make the business more productive and efficient. Adaptability I have developed adaptability as a key ingredient of my personality over a period of years. I was able to do so as I got the opportunity to work with people from different socio-economic backgrounds and cultures. I am adaptable and maintain flexibility in completing tasks in an ever changing workplace. I can easily adapt to the personality and work habits of clients and co-workers. Each person possesses their own set or strengths and adapting personal behaviors to accommodate others is part of what it takes to work effectively as a team. By viewing change as an opportunity to complete work assignments in a more efficient manner, adapting to change can be a positive experience.

Empathy: I am quite empathic to the people around me. I put extra effort to walk in their shoes. I believe that Empathy is a foundation for building a thriving and supportive community. It will facilitate my interactions and connections to the clients. As a community worker, it becomes important to understand your client s needs to be able to address them effectively. An empathic leadership style can make everyone feel like a team and increase productivity, morale and loyalty. Empathy is a powerful tool in the leadership belt of a well-liked and respected executive. Empathetic people listen attentively to what youre telling them, putting their complete focus on the person in front of them and not getting easily distracted. They spend more time listening than talking because they want to understand the difficulties others face, all of which helps to give those around them the feeling of being heard and recognized.

Team Work: I am highly inspired by Andrew Carnegies statement, Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. It is the fuel that allows common people to obtain uncommon results. Team work is fundamental in community work. I love being with people and working together. I believe that if all the team members of an organization adhere to a work process, and a system to share the work load by their individual skills, a lot can be achieved. Teamwork is important because it allows goals to be reached in an efficient and timely method. Teamwork combines many different skills from many people; allowing achievements to be made that could not be made alone. It is the combination of skills, knowledge and abilities and working to a common goal that makes a team effective.

Apart from the positive values, I possess certain values that could create challenges at work: Emotional: I am highly emotional. I sometimes get swayed emotionally which may lead me to take decisions which may not be best suited in the given situation. Although my being emotional boosts empathy, it sometimes may take the form of sympathy which would not be beneficial for my clients in the long run. Not assertive I am not very assertive at times. Assertiveness is "the ability to stand up for ourselves and to say how we feel when we need to." (National Health Service (UK), 2008, Assertiveness notes). I feel that assertiveness is essential in the workplace as clients , colleagues or managers can make unreasonable requests or demands on my time - leading to stress, depression and anxiety. These elements can hinder my development and affect my career prospects. Cant handle criticism positively: I understand that Criticism is crucial for personal improvement. Its the most direct way to find out what you should improve on.

However, accepting criticism becomes emotionally challenging for me at times. Its hard for me to not take it personally. My instinctive reaction is to become defensive and shut out potentially helpful and life-enhancing tips. By doing this, I sometimes miss out on what could supercharge my improvement. The strategies that I currently use to manage change Read and explore on the internet Volunteer at organizations working in the community sector.

The strategies that I need to develop are Keeping myself updated with information and changes in community sector through journals and other researches. Update personal skills through training and development.

Equity to me means that all Australians irrespective of their gender, marital status, age, race, religion, culture, language etc should be able to access Australian Government programs and services, and should be able to expect equitable outcomes. Access means that Australian Government services should be available to all Australians who are entitled to receive them. Strategies to ensure access and equity: provision of information about government services in languages other than English Ensuring that information about services reaches people through relevant media. Ensuring that people from different backgrounds get equal opportunity to work.

Given that you are not yet in a community services workplace, you are required to reflect on your learning experience this semester, responding to the following questions:1. Describe yourself at the beginning of the semester. 2. List ten of the most significant things you have learned over the semester and discuss why they are significant. 3. Describe yourself at the end of the semester. 4. How would you like to describe yourself at the completion of your Certificate IV course? 5. What do you need to do to be able to describe yourself in number 4.above. 6. What target group would you like to work with at this stage in your progress? Please give reasons for your answer. Discuss your ability to work as part of a team. Has this changed since the beginning of the semester? Please give reasons for your answer

At the beginning of the semester, I was less confident, apprehensive about mixing with local people thinking they would look down upon me as English is not my first language. I was conscious about my accent and did not understand the colloquial English used in the country. During the semester I learnt The right way to communicate effectively. About my own strengths and weaknesses and how they would affect my career. The need and importance of maintaining the confidentiality of clients and the National Privacy Principles. Responding positively to changes in work place and community sector. Strategic Planning. About expanding my circle of influence and conserving my energy. The different sectors involved in community work and the interrelationship between them. The diversity in a community or society and understanding that all are equal. Duty of care. Complying with professional standards at work.

At the end of the semester I feel more confident. I am comfortable with the locals now. I have better understanding of the colloquial English and the local practices. I feel at home now. At the end of the Diploma, I would want to have all the knowledge and skills that I would require to be a successful community worker. I would like to work with women and children in future. I would like myself to be a more responsible, compassionate and professional person who could contribute positively and effectively in improving standards of Australian Citizens specially women affected by domestic violence and children who do not have access to schooling. I have good

management skills and would like to use them in relevant organizations. To achieve this I have to be more involved in the classroom which I have not been able to in the past due to constant work related travel. I would be more focused and participative in the upcoming semester. I would also be volunteering extra hours to be able to get hands on experience of working here. I have been a good team leader in my previous work places in India. However, I was unsure of being able to contribute in a team set up before this semester as I recently migrated to Australia. Fortunately my class mates have boosted my confidence and working with them as group in classroom has given me a fresh wave of assurance that I can contribute positively in a team.