We're talking about ethics this Tuesday in class, and, honestly, when I've thought about ethics in the past, I guess I've just imagined ethics as being something I will have to deal with in the future - something that might come up or come into play when I'm a full-time SA practitioner.
But I know that's really not the case. In an attempt to put the concept of ethical activity into my current here-and-now situation, I thought I'd take a look at what I'm doing with my practicum as it relates to NASPA's Standards of Professional Practice:
"...personal integrity, belief in the dignity and worth of individuals, respect for individual differences and diversity, a commitment to service, and dedication to the development of individuals and the college community through education."
a) personal integrity
As a group leader, I'm the sole person in charge of what I plan, enact, and assess in my groups' work as a part of their counseling coursework. Of course I have Dr. Justice with whom I meet and work weekly, but on a daily basis it's me making the decisions on how the groups work. I am in charge of my own hours and responsible for making sure I'm taking care to satisfy the needs of my practicum work. It's my own integrity that speaks for me, and it's my integrity in which Dr. H and Dr. J have put their trust that I am acting responsibly.
b) belief in the dignity and worth of individuals
This could be a statement that comes directly from a counselor's handbook. Why else would we be interested in counseling-based work if we didn't care for and foster the dignity and worth of those with whom we come into contact? In my group work, one of my goals is to highlight each member's worth and contribution to his/her group. Each person has a right and responsibility to make the group experience into what he/she wants/needs it to be. At the same time, the other members are expected to hold their fellow members in high regard and to recognize and appreciate their worth.
c) respect for individual differences and diversity
It's each person's individual identity and personality that makes the group as a whole so unique. No group is like another because the makeup of each group is so diverse. The variety of race, sex, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, principles, ethics, and more combine to make each group the unique entity that it is. As a group leader, I only ask a couple things of each and every group, and one of those things is that we respect each group member for who he/she is and that we respect what each person has to bring to the group dynamic. With that tenet in place, we can go forward with open minds and a blank slate on which to build our group's identity.
d) a commitment to service
Again, this is why we're involved in student affairs. We want to serve. We want to make a difference in the lives of students, staff, faculty, and community members with whom we come into contact. I want to be a part of an institution that supports its students, staff, and faculty and encourages each of them to take part in service projects, in campus service groups, and in other service organizations.
e) dedication to the development of individuals and the college community through education
This final part I believe goes especially hand-in-hand with a commitment to service. We want to work for the betterment of our students. In my group sessions, I am taking part in the members' education just by being in a co-teaching position with Dr. Justice, serving to satisfy the course requirements in the group setting. But, for me, it's so much more than that. I get to lead - and to learn from - groups where self-education is key. By that I mean that group members learn from each other during each session. We learn listening skills, the importance of word choice, counseling leadership skills, and support techniques. Members go on to continue to create his/her own place in the college community, taking the skills they hone during group sessions with them.
And certainly that goes for me as a leader, as well.
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