Tiffany Plagman

Intern: Four Oaks (Cornerstone Program)

Journal Entries

Sept. #1

The Cornerstone program works with families on welfare to help them become selfsufficient. This is a social work service that works with lower income families. All of the
families receive FIP (Temporary Federal Income Assistance). All the families we work with
volunteer to be a part of the program. As an intern, I was able to observe how this program
assists families.
During the interview, my supervisor, Jessica Weis, had told me that there was no way to
prepare for this job. Every person their program worked with was different. I should make note
of how to adapt to different situations.
First, I was introduced to the department. Six social workers handled up to 19 cases
(ideally) each. Each case worker individually worked with their families. However, while I
interned, they also worked on projects for Christmas and Charities, organizing events for their
families. I discussed the program with my supervisor, and she informed me that we usually
dressed casual but appropriately, as we had informal meetings with families. Only time I was
warned to dress more formally was during Recruitment Meetings or community visits to the
Courthouse or DHS. I understood that the atmosphere was supposed to be comfortable.
I was introduced to the routine my first couple of days. Jessica would take me with her to
visit families in their homes, or other community places. Sometimes, we visited the Workforce
building to discuss the families employment goals. We also recruited in the workforce building,
discussing the program with individuals already receiving FIP. The meetings lasted for about an
hour.
I was so nervous my first couple of days, as this was my first internship. I was eager to
contribute. However, I disclosed a bit too much with our clients, often derailing the topic of
discussion. Although I was friendly, I was all over the place, nervous and unprofessional. Jessica
and I discussed client relationships and boundaries. My new goal was to develop a professional
attitude and learn boundaries.
My first couple of days, my timing was off, so I was five minutes late. I made a mental
note to arrive earlier. I at least left ten minutes earlier than before, and that had worked well for
me. I had no tardiness problems after that. I wanted to treat this experience as if it was a real
career. I wanted to learn and be an asset.

Sept. #2
Every family that Jessica worked with was different. I learned about the protocol. Since
this was a volunteer program, the clients could drop out at any time, and some did without
warning. Usually, the families who didnt appear for scheduled meetings, responded to contact,
or keep up with requirements with their other social workers, would drop out of the program.
The most difficult thing was recognizing how little control we had in a familys decision.
I observed some unhealthy habits. Some families lived in a different house every two
months. Since every family we worked with had children, it was difficult to discuss how
inconsistent living conditions affected development. Some habits you can stress, but the person
is not going to recognize it as a problem.
After one meeting, Jessica asked what I thought of it. This was my first meeting with the
client. The client was withdrawn, and her answer to a question varied depending on how the
question was phrased. Often, she went off topic to discuss other peoples problems. I mentioned
what I noticed, and Jessica affirmed that the client was being evasive. It was rather obvious, if
you observed how she handled a certain topic. Trust issues and secrecy were usually motivated. I
began to notice that some people were more willing to divulge than others. Some families were
very personal, and I could immediately get a full picture of their life, as they would answer
honestly and seemed comfortable around Jessica, who they had developed a comfortable
relationship with.
All the families had unique circumstances. I practiced adapting to each, which was
natural, as you have to judge the atmosphere. I believe the most difficult part of interacting with
so many people was keeping things straight. I realized that I had difficulty with names, so I had
to work on that weak spot. I remembered to take care to address people by name and catalogue
important tidbits about people.
I had to practice paying attention and filtering information because another important part
of this job was documenting each visit. I was eager to tackle this challenge, but was very
intimidated. We wrote down a contact note after every meeting, summarizing important topics
that were discussed. My first time trying the note, I needed a little help narrowing down
important topics of interest. Some goals that were important included: Employment, Health,
Child Education, Adult Education, Housing, and everything in between. Each family had their
own needs.
Taking notes was a bit helpful during visits. However, the Cornerstone supervisor
suggested that it might make people uncomfortable. Therefore, I stopped bringing a notebook
and left it in the office so I could write down what I remembered later.

Oct. #1
After a little experience with this program, I gave serious thought to my goals. My
personal goal for this program was to learn my weaknesses and my strengths. This way I could
learn what areas I should focus on developing and what areas benefit me. My concrete goal was
to be able to work in the office as if I was an employee. I began learning the program used to
keep track of notes and information. I learned special terms and protocol. I was highly interested
in the work Cornerstone did with Child Development.
During some meetings, we interacted with children. I was told that it was important to
involve the parent and child and discuss development and parent relationships. A lot of
assessment and involvement took the form of play. For one toddler, we pointed to objects and
anatomy for her to find and observed how she interacted around people. Since I was curious, I
spent one day filing and taking notes about the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, or ASQ. The
assessment helps determine the stage and level of development of a child depending on their age
group. The ASQE was a shorter form, an emotional questionnaire. I met with one parent whose
daughter who wasnt developing her motor skills. Jessica told me that when she brought up the
concern, it took a while for her to convince the mother that her daughter might have a physical
problem, as she couldnt roll over. The mother took her social workers advice and took her
daughter to a specialist. Her slow motor development was due to a muscular disorder, and she
was able to receive medical braces to develop her muscles.
I learned that I have a natural focus when interacting with children. During one meeting,
when a little girl was anxious and upset that she had to wait, I was able to get her to open up just
with playing. I used art therapy as a distraction, and asked her to draw me the best things she
could. I even instructed how to draw a five point star. She openly talked with Jessica and me as
she drew. She went from sticking her tongue out, to guiding my hand so I could draw a heart like
hers. We visited her mother often, and I was able to get to know the familys situation well, so I
knew that her daughter and son acted out in school. We talked about discipline, and the mother
was very adaptable and willing to work, so I was able to see quite a bit of progression and a little
bit of the positive results of this program.
Early October was a busy time. I had an unexpected lesson about how to handle conflict
of interest when the family we were scheduled to visit happened to be the sister of a family
friend, and living with her. I told Jessica my circumstance, and decided to sit that meeting out. I
believe it was the right choice, as I didnt want anything I heard from face book, or the family to
conflict with my obligations while with the social work program.
Ethics are important in this field, for social work and psychology. I havent written down
or used official names or addresses because we are obligated to protect the families
confidentiality. Because of this, either most forms go under lock and key, or any extra forms or

put in a shred box. In some odd circumstances, families that cornerstone works with know each
other. At times, they will talk about other families. However, because of confidentiality, we cant
talk or acknowledge they are part of the program. Because of the position, Cornerstone the trust
that the information the client divulges to us will be confidential. Families are assured of that. In
order to keep that open line of communication and trust, we have a strict policy about protecting
the confidentiality of every family.
If we need to talk with other organizations on behalf of the family, we need paper work
and release forms. This is the same for DHS workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and medical
doctors. The release forms and other forms like Statement of Family Rights, and Hippa (for
medical information) protect the client.

Oct #2
October continued to be a busy month. I had been sick and missed a couple of days, and I
handled some constructive criticism.
When you are working with families, you encounter some values that conflict with your
own. This time, I had to ask myself, What do I want to, and want am I able to handle. I thought
a lot about boundaries, especially after I realized that I gave a client personal opinion about child
punishment. I immediately recognized that I had mixed up personal morals with the job. The
subject immediately changed and I was careful the rest of the day.
The focus of these meetings is about the client. They are not about me, my opinions, or
my life. I may have experience that could help a family understand how to solve their own
problem. However, my personal life should be separate, so I can help someone else. People do
not see a social worker to talk about their opinions.
I also realized how impatient I was. A lot of people who enter this field have an interest
in people and solving problems. I want to be the difference in someones life. Yet, I didnt have
that much control. In fact, a lot of the families left the program, and nothing anyone said could
change that. I wont know the magical words to fix all life problems, and it is not feasible to help
a person with their own problems. The Cornerstone program is there to assist families and help
them become self-sufficient. If the social worker planned their schedule, managed their money,
and did a lot of the work for the families, it will enable them to not take responsibility. It wont
help them once they are off the program and havent learned how to manage these programs. We
do offer support. The Cornerstone program is support, a link between the family and
organizations, and will help a family as much as that family is wiling. Some people thrive during
the program. Some have yet to come to that stage.
I reassessed my personal goals to reach an epiphany. I was not going to be the one to
change someones life. The only person that can control their choices and feelings is that person.
I am not unnecessary, though. I am more like the guru, or guide, that leads a personal through
lifes trials, but I cannot overcome their obstacles for them.

Nov #1
I was given the opportunity to observe how other Cornerstone employees interact
with families. Every person has a different method. Some people who were in the program for a
while kept little notes and were able to juggle important topics into light conversation naturally. I
talked with another worker who graduated with a BA in Psychology and found his first job in
Social Work.
As I grew more accustomed to the schedule and the clients, I began to learn how to
construct a contact note, a summary of our visit and important matters topics of discussion. The
importance of these notes is to give the reader an idea of the families situations, progress, and
how the program helps.
I used a program designed especially for social work. I learned how to admit, how to
filter important details. Admittance information gave general information of the family when
they were admitted into the program: names, general salary, ages, obstacles, anticipated goals. It
is during this point that we also fill out a Self-Sufficiency Matrix, a standardized scale that
gives us a rough idea of how much aid the family needs. The matrix is a 1-5 scale, 1 being
critical and 5 being self-sufficient, that measures how much support the family needs in different
areas: Housing; Safety, Legal, Adult Education, Child Education, Child Development, Physical
Health, Mental Health, Employment, Support Systems, and Transportation. We schedule two
visits every month for the first three months. After initial assessment, if they scored low on selfsufficiency, we continue intense involvement. However, after three months, some families score
high enough on the self-sufficiency scale, so they only require meetings once a month. Every
family has different needs.
Learning to keep notes organized was a difficult part of this job. I was allowed to fill out
more contact notes. However, I often made a few mistakes. Most of the time, I included too
much information. I was told that it was just a skill that takes time to learn. Once you grow
accustomed to the process, knowing what needs to be documented becomes second nature. The
purpose of learning to keep notes is to keep track of your clients progress. It is difficult to
remember everything off the top of my head. Every family had a file of contact notes that kept
track of their progress for months. We kept everything organized, signed documents, contact
with organizations about the family, anything related to their situation, so we have easy access to
the information if when we need it.
If a family left a program we also had to go through their file and fill out an exit form,
documenting how many goals were reached, any significant changes, and the reasons they left
the program. Since it is government funded, Cornerstone documents the progress the family
makes and how this benefits the welfare program financially.

Nov #2
I struggled with my role as an intern. In some ways I was unfit. I lacked focus during
meetings. I was good with some areas. I could read the situation and keep calm. I found it easy to
offer support and advice. After every visit with a client, I asked if I divulged too much when I
contributed. I did improve, as these instances became less frequent.
The trick to me was finding experience that helped the person. I had to consider whether I
was diverting the attention from their experience to mine, or if I was using my experience as an
example. And at times, sometimes you want to share experiences to build a trusting relationship.
It is easier to hold a conversation when all parties are comfortable.
During one visit, our family member was passionate when she talked about someone she
didnt like. She admitted that if someone yells at her, she will yell back, even if the person was a
potential employer or a boss. We discussed conflict resolution but she was so adamant about not
compromising her position. This was an exercising in respecting another persons views but at
the same time offering an alternative. When we discussed conflict resolution, we also accepted
that she had valid points. I shared how some people have learned to control their anger by having
a trusted friend to confide in. She didnt have to compromise her views or feel any differently or
accept rude behavior. We discussed how acting nice can help resolve issues, as it is harder to yell
at a nice person. She responded that she could definitely act nice, but still be mad. After the
meeting, my supervisor received a text from her, saying thank you and that we helped her feel
better and control her anger. Jessica told me that this was the first time she received a message
saying thank you.