The purpose of this paper is to discuss the crucial characteristics and skills required for mental health human services workers. Team B emphasizes the importance of communication skills in this role, as without a strong connection with clients, other abilities will not be effective. Moreover, possessing a compassionate, patient, caring heart and a desire to help individuals achieve their personal best are fundamental qualities needed for success in human services. Meaning, purpose, and direction are essential for reaching our full potential (Doherty, 2009). Clients often face various challenges and rewards in their daily lives related to mental, emotional, and social aspects. Human services professionals must address different forms of abuse including physical, mental, drug or alcohol-related issues as well as sexual or elderly abuse. Additionally, common life conditions such as poverty, financial hardships, unemployment or illness can also be experienced by many individuals who simply need assistance to begin improving their lives.
According to Ms. Colon (2010), it is crucial for human services workers to comprehend their clients’ needs and crisis in order to respond appropriately. This necessitates the skill of listening attentively and truly understanding what the other person is expressing. It also requires displaying compassion, which can have an emotional impact on the professional. Consequently, establishing limits and boundaries early on is important for these workers to avoid burnout. Ms. Colon emphasizes that human services workers must remember that they are dealing with individuals rather than depersonalized cases, and they must make the necessary emotional investment in their clients.
It is important for human services workers to prioritize their own well-being in order to prevent clients from losing their individuality and becoming unproductive. This includes taking care of oneself cognitively, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Replenishing one’s spirit is especially crucial for helping both oneself and others. As a young human services worker, it is common to have a serious demeanor and strong motivation to address global issues. However, if this enthusiasm is not managed effectively, burnout will inevitably follow.
Experienced professionals should act as mentors for newcomers, providing them with valuable insights that may take years to acquire independently. Successful human services workers require personal qualities such as self-discipline, honesty, competence, open-mindedness, fairness, advocacy, and the ability to care for themselves physically and emotionally. Additionally, they must have a love of learning. These characteristics inspire trust in clients and enable workers to fulfill their responsibilities effectively. The pursuit of continuous personal improvement is crucial.The maintenance of a sense of humor prevents arrogance from arising.Detrimental traits for human services workers include judgmental attitudes, stereotyping, prejudice,and unwillingness to admit mistakes or learn new methods.This upholds justice.It is important to respect others’ opinions even if they differ from our own and refrain from judging someone based on appearance.Humility and integrity are necessary in admitting and rectifying mistakes.Being receptive to growth and learning is essential;letting go of outdated thinking is necessary because nobody possesses complete knowledge in this field.Therefore,it is important not to take oneself too seriously.The motivation behind entering the human services field should not be driven by money,rather it should focus on giving back and empowering clients.If someone is unsuitable for a specific role in this field, they should reconsider their career choice.
An advocate might not be suitable for a mediator role. A human services worker must identify the specific area of service that aligns with their skills. Prior to entering this career, human services workers need to have developed important skills. These include effective communication skills, critical thinking skills to handle instant or urgent situations, conflict resolution skills to provide acceptable solutions for clients, and creative thinking skills to find innovative ways for clients to express themselves and access services with limited resources. Leadership skills with compassion and understanding are also essential to minimize stress for clients and their families. Motivation and dependability are necessary qualities, as well as complete training in the specific area of service in order to effectively meet client needs. Objectivity is vital in handling situations without personal biases, and basic training such as CPR is recommended for human services workers. Additionally, it’s important for these workers to have the ability to say “no” when it is necessary.Clients will rely on human services workers instead of searching for their own solutions. Human services workers need to be well-organized and able to quickly retrieve important information when asked.
Both volunteering and work experience provide excellent opportunities to gain experience in the human services field. College students often work directly with clients, while college graduates may take on roles as counselors, program coordinators, case supervisors, or managers of group homes or halfway houses. Additionally, high school students are mandated to undertake a senior project involving community service, which offers a chance for personal growth and the opportunity for fellow students to learn about serving others directly.
Volunteers receive thorough training at various organizations, including agencies, hospitals, and social services. This important training equips individuals with the necessary skills to work in human services. It also helps them establish personal connections and develop qualities such as compassion, perception, and empathy. These qualities are invaluable for both the volunteers themselves and the people they serve. Mental health is a crucial aspect of all human services interactions as it encompasses comprehensive support that enables individuals to achieve their maximum potential.
Experience cannot be replaced by book learning, classes, or discussion. These methods only provide an introduction to experience. To truly understand another person’s feelings or needs, one must actively engage in a situation and gain firsthand knowledge. The more practice one has in a situation, the better they understand the necessary attitude, compassion, and activity. In relation to our “natural born helpers” assignment, we explore whether such individuals exist. According to The New York Times article from November 30, 2009 (Wade, 2009), babies as young as 18 months naturally exhibit a tendency to offer assistance.
According to Dr. Tomasello, a developmental psychologist and co-director of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, this article explores the early emergence of natural behavior in children, where they instinctively help others even before being taught societal norms. Dr. Tomasello suggests that this inclination to help is not motivated by external rewards, indicating that it is an inherent trait rather than a learned behavior (Tomasello, 2009).
This student argues that some people have an innate disposition towards happiness, compassion, and a desire to help others from a young age. In his book “Natural Born Manager,” Ed Parr proposes that these individuals possess distinct qualities such as abilities, talents, and strengths. Identifying and utilizing these qualities is vital for personal advancement. To fully harness these capabilities, it is essential to uncover one’s passion, derive satisfaction from one’s job, ascertain one’s life purpose, and fulfill one’s ultimate fate.
An individual in the life of this student, who would serve as an outstanding human services worker, is Delora. Delora operates a Curves exercise salon specifically catering to women. Despite not being officially titled as such, Delora already embodies the role of a “human services worker.” Curves attracts a significant number of older women as well as those who are overweight or face physical challenges that hinder exercising. The individuals who enroll with Delora’s gym often feel disheartened, discouraged, and on the verge of giving up; many have been coerced by their doctors to participate in the Curves program, otherwise they would not be present. This student possesses personal experience with this line of work.
Delora’s shop has a strict policy against negativity, which is fortunate. When this student visited her salon on the west side of Lancaster for the first time, they were pleasantly surprised by the warm reception. They were greeted like an old friend and introduced to other individuals who were also perceived as “unfortunates” participating in the exercise regimen. Everyone in the room was friendly and welcoming, exchanging cheerful greetings. Interestingly, despite the expected discomfort, these women seemed to be enjoying themselves. The room was filled with lively music and women of different sizes who were laughing and chatting while performing various amusing exercise positions.
This student was then introduced to various torture machine routines and boogie boards, receiving personal and precise instruction on how to use each one. The only positive aspect of this experience was that each machine was used for only 30 seconds before moving onto the boogie board for another 30 seconds, and then onto the next machine. This tormenting journey was repeated twice. The student had planned to escape as soon as Delora’s attention was diverted. However, Delora, who possessed exceptional vigilance and perceptiveness, remained by the student’s side until the very end, offering encouragement, perseverance, motivation, and sincere care for this hesitant student.
Delora, with her ability to remember every patron’s name and their personal challenges that brought them to Curves, serves as a constant source of inspiration and encouragement. Despite her own personal tragedies, she empathizes with the pain of others, making her an accessible and relatable figure. In the midst of the bustling and lively atmosphere, Delora stands in the center, ensuring that everyone is using the machines correctly and adjusting exercises as necessary. Simultaneously, she shares personal and amusing anecdotes about her family, creating a welcoming environment that encourages camaraderie among all participants.
In this manner, customers start getting acquainted and participating in each other’s joys and challenges (pun intended). Delora motivates the “experienced” clients to assist the “novices” whenever someone feels disoriented or perplexed, creating a sense of camaraderie. The ambiance in this establishment is one of support and achievement. When goals are achieved, everyone rejoices together. There are small games and thought-provoking trivia questions that keep the women engaged, stimulating their intellect. Everyone supports each other during game sessions.
In this community, a friendly competition exists without rivalry. The atmosphere is built on sharing and camaraderie. When a client departs, the entire group bids them farewell using positive expressions like “good bye,” “see you next time,” or “have a great day.” This fosters a sense of belonging among all members. The message board consistently displays an uplifting tip of the day, contributed by either Delora or another client who emulates her example. Delora, an individual with unwavering faith, never explicitly mentions religion but embodies a life lived faithfully. Through her actions and attitude, she has the ability to inspire others to be their best.
Delora is a strong and vital person who is not afraid to address negative attitudes or words. Instead of allowing them to persist, she redirects the energy towards helping others or achieving goals. This mindset is shared by Delora’s staff. Despite the presence of pain in the salon, going to Delora’s Curves salon is always a fun and enjoyable experience.
Delora is passionately committed to encouraging, uplifting, motivating, pushing, inspiring, and never giving up on individuals who come to her feeling dispirited and downcast. She also makes sure to involve everyone around her in creating this invigorating atmosphere. On the contrary, Leah, Delora’s sister, operates a conveniently located Curves salon near the student’s home. However, stepping into Leah’s establishment feels like entering a dungeon. Leah emanates negativity and gloominess, creating an atmosphere of self-pity. Prospective clients are deterred by Leah’s constant frown while she sits at her desk.
The student believes in karma and does not believe that a coincidence led them to the west side Curves. They are willing to travel by car (and not on a camel) to attend Delora’s exceptional salon filled with achievement, fun, and friendship. (Clark, D.R., 2004). The Changing seasons are currently open (Colon, T., 2010). More information can be found in “The Purpose Principle” by Doherty, K. (2009).
Minneapolis, MN: Mill City Press, Inc. Drake, B., & Yadama, G. N. (1996). A structural equation model of burnout and job exit among child protective services workers. Social Work Research, 20(3), 179-188. doi:EBSCO Host. Retrieved January 29, 2010.
Parr, E. (2009). Natural born manager. Indianapolis, IN: Dog Ear Book Publisher.
Tomasello, Dr. M. (2009). Why we cooperate. Chicago, IL: The MIT Press.
Wade, N. (2009, November 30). We May Be Born With an Urge to Help.The New York Times.Retrieved January 28,
2010 from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/science/01human.html?_r=2&em
