Introduction

Human services professionals are drawn to the field for many different reasons. Regardless of how one enters human services, it operates on five important values that serve as the guiding framework and drive the work done to help others. Acceptance, tolerance, individuality, self-determination, and confidentiality are the values that guide professional behavior and service delivery. Understanding these values is critical in becoming an effective helper.

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In addition to these core values, the research has clearly defined suggested characteristics that are needed to be an effective helper. However, to be effective in the work that is done to create change, professionals need to have an understanding of themselves and their values first. Without this understanding of how personal values, biases, and opinions impact the helping situation, the helping environment is ineffective. Being able to create a neutral helping situation where a client feels they are heard, valued, and protected when vulnerable is necessary for effective helping to occur.

This week you will embark on a self-assessment journey challenging you to look at who you are and the impact this might have on how you develop professionally. The information you obtain about yourself will be important as you continue to develop your skills to become an effective helper.


Reflect on the human services values described in this unit's reading in An Introduction to Human Services, addressing the following:

· Which human services value is the most difficult for you to practice? Include an example of a situation that encompasses that value and why it would be difficult for you to use it.

· Which human services value is the most important to you and why?

· How might your understanding of the values that guide practice help you determine your future professional development needs?

Response Guidelines

Respond to two of your peers, providing an additional example from your experience that encompasses the value that they identified. Provide two additional recommendations that they have not considered.


In this unit's studies, you took several self-assessment inventories presented in readings from Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions in order to provide you with a profile of your strengths and weaknesses.

Provide a summary of the self-assessment inventories you completed and answer the following:

· What most surprised you?

· From the client's perspective, how might your weaknesses interfere with the helping process?

· How will what you learned determine your future professional development needs?