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Pemberton, Chelsea

College of Education and Social Services

2009

MEd

Belief in a professional realm may feel alien to some. Professionals can be narrowly defined by the advanced knowledge, training, and practice in which they are involved. However, it is the faith in and allegiance to a belief or set of beliefs that drives a professional to her profession in the first place. The concepts of Caring, Mattering, and Authenticity may seem to have no place in the professional sphere. Yet, it was the journey into discovering professional passion, my own reasons why I do what I do, that has unearthed these beliefs and led to pedagogy for one youth social services professional.
These beliefs are irrevocably inseperable from this professional, student, lover, friend, and daughter. Drawing on personal experience and scholarship, I will demonstrate the importance to becoming versed in the deep beliefs from which we approach our work, the beliefs we profess through our professions, as well as the implication these beliefs have for our work; specifically, work in the youth social services sector. Often times, professionals are well equipped with the technical knowledge with which to do their jobs. I assert that it also takes a deeper understanding of one's beliefs in order to do that work well and sustain professional passion.
I will illustrate how these three beliefs: Caring, Mattering, and Authenticity, are central to who I am and therefore, the way I work within youth social services. I hope to provide a method for other youth social services professionals to build their own pedagogy of service through exploring my path to discovering the beliefs that hold up the work I do.