Emma Pedersen

SOWK 484

Personal SWOT Analysis

Strengths:

Throughout my time in the upper division of our social work program, I have mastered

many competencies and had significant personal and professional growth. I feel as though this

program has been vital in the development of my critical thinking skills. From assignments and

class discussions that force us to consider various perspectives on a singular topic, to content and

learning objectives that emphasize the importance of critical analysis in order to gain a full

understanding of complex issues, I feel as though I have been equipped with the tools to think

critically in any situation, both personally and professionally, I may find myself in. In addition, I

credit my leadership skills to the time I have spent in the upper division program. After realizing

my passion for macro social work and environmental social work, and recognizing the lack of

opportunities and outlets to explore my passions in these areas in the program, I understood that I

would have to advocate on behalf of myself and other students who wanted these opportunities

to create them for us. This is when I, with the help of others, founded the first ever macro social

work student organization for our College known as Students Promoting Advocacy through

Macro Social Work. I also decided to run for the National Association of Social Workers South

Carolina Chapter BSW Student Representative position on their Board of Directors in an effort

to bridge the gap between micro and macro undergraduate curriculum as binary avenues.

Through my work as President and Vice President of two social work student organizations, as

well as my board position, I have greatly developed my leadership, communication, networking,

and advocacy skills.

Weaknesses:
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SOWK 484

Despite the plethora of knowledge of skills I have learned from this program, there are

still various areas that I can work to improve upon for continued personal and professional

development. I tend to struggle with having effective empathy. At times, my empathy can

become so overwhelming that it becomes hard to disconnect from the client and their situation or

to not take things personally. At times, my empathy even causes me to make excuses for the

client or situation. Although I have improved upon this greatly through critical self-reflection and

talks with my supervisor, it is still something I need to pay attention to and continue to work on

as I transition in my career. I also want to commit to continuing to improve on the skill of

advocacy- not only for myself and clients I serve, but for wider scale social movements. Being

an effective advocate is much more than just showing up. There are specific skills and strategies

that are employed for constructive and successful advocacy, especially for community or larger

scale advocacy work. I want to continue to learn more about these skills and strategies so that I

can be a better grassroots advocate and organizer for environmental movements, among other

things.

Opportunities:
As I transition into the next stage of my career, there are several steps I can take to ensure

ongoing professional development and education. I have been accepted into University of

Denver’s Ecological Justice Masters of Social Work program for a fall 2024 start date. As I make

the decision of whether or not to attend, I have been putting a lot of thought into how I get my

foot in the door of the emerging field of environmental social work. Due to it being an emerging

field, networking has been a priceless strategy in finding opportunities and making connections

with people. It can be intimidating, but not being afraid to put yourself out there to professionals

who are doing what you hope to do one day, is essential in gaining knowledge and connections
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SOWK 484

that can help guide your path. It is important to me that I develop and maintain these professional

relationships as I transition into my next chapter. Since I have had limited opportunities to

explore environmental social work in my undergraduate program, seeking out internships,

fellowships, and even volunteer opportunities is paramount in my next steps for continuing to

develop my skills and gain experience in this specific field. Taking the steps to transition

knowledge and skills I have learned in the classroom into hands-on experience that I have yet to

have the opportunity to receive, is a vital next step for me in figuring out if environmental social

work is the right path for me to pursue professionally.

Self-Care:
As I transition out of this program and into a new setting, it is imperative that I have self-

care strategies put in place in order to promote my own wellness and ensure that I am practicing

to the best of my ability. One strategy that I have been working on and will continue to develop

is setting healthy professional boundaries. This looks like setting boundaries that ensure I

effectively serve my clients and do my responsibilities, while also protecting my own mental and

emotional wellbeing and protecting myself from taking on too much. These boundaries help me

to prevent burnout. Attending therapy has also been extremely beneficial in promoting and

protecting my own mental health, as well as work through things that may be a threat to it. I

believe continuing my own personal therapy will help me adapt to and cope with the stress of

graduate-level education if that is what I chose to do, but it also something I plan on continuing

long-term regardless of my choice so that I can be the best version of myself. Some specific

things I do to support my self-care goal of staying mentally healthy and grounded is spending

time outside to reset my nervous system and connect with nature, journaling to help me process
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SOWK 484

my thoughts and feelings, and meditation / yoga to clear my mind and move my body. Spending

time with and cuddling with my cat also does amazing things for my mental health.