Many of you are now focusing on graduation and next steps. Some of you may have some classwork to finish up before moving on. Either way, your field experience has given you a new lens through which to view your knowledge. It is important to be intentional about processing this experience and using it as a building block in your human services foundation. Whether you are going straight into the field, or pursuing a higher degree, hopefully this experience can inform where you go and how you see your work. It is time to create your pathway to the future and build it upon your academic and field experience (Fig. 10.1)

Figure 10.1. Now it is time to take your experiences and look to the future

10.2.1 Revisiting Your Equity Lens and Practice

A main focus of this text is centering equity throughout the chapters. An understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion is key to becoming an effective worker in the field. The Ethical Standards of the National Organization for Human Services refer to these areas multiple times. Standards 10-18 focus on the human service professional’s responsibility to the public and to society. These standards include providing services without discrimination, awareness of and respect for diverse cultures, and an understanding of how social and political issues impact communitities differently.

In addition, Standard 16 states explicitly the need for action in addition to awareness:

STANDARD 16 Human service professionals advocate for social justice and seek to eliminate oppression. They raise awareness of underserved population in their communities and with the legislative system.

Our profession is grounded in social justice, but many organizations have lost that focus due to bureaucracy, funding, staff overturn, and other factors. Bringing your equity lens provides an opportunity to recommit to the original vision of the human services profession. You now have the knowledge, skills, and vision to turn your awareness into action.

10.2.2 Building on Your Foundation

With your knowledge, skills, and experience, it is time to focus on the future you want to create. This includes acknowledging the work you have done, as well as being able to articulate this to others. While you may “know” internally how much you have learned, part of building your foundation includes being able to describe and demonstrate your growth to potential universities and.or employers. We will be discussing some specific strategies in the next section, but there are some things you can be thinking about ahead of time that can prepare you for your next steps.

Referring to your journal can help you reflect on some of these key areas. Here are some prompts to get you started:

• What do you think are the top 5 areas of growth for you during your academic program? What are some examples that demonstrate these areas?
• What have you learned about yourself through your program and internship? How can you apply this to your work going forward?
• Have you had to change your worldview regarding certain issues? How? How will you use this new knowledge in your profession?

These are just a few ideas to get you started. Thinking ahead, and being able to put these experiences into words can help you communicate how you would be a benefit to the agency or university.