A Life-course Research Of Wenchuan Earthquake-induced Disable Individuals Turning Into A Social Worker

The Wenchuan earthquake has been the most devastating earthquake ever since the founding of the People's Republic of China and affected millions of lives.So what is the impact of the Wenchuan earthquake on the individuals who became a social worker after the earthquake?Research into this question may not only help us understand the life history of this particular group and explore the influence of self-identity,occupational identity and professional identity on their self-development and professional services,but also provide insight into self-identify reconstruction for those who suffered from earthquake-induced disability.Based on the life course perspective,this study focuses on the special life event of the Wenchuan Earthquake which occurred on May 12,2008.Through the understanding of the life course of these earthquake-induced disabled social workers,this study explores their internal and external motivation to major in social work and engage in social work career,including the haphazard and inevitability.The study found that earthquake experience has promoted the formation of professional identity among the research subjects.Their experience of receiving helping after the earthquake deepens their understanding of providing help,and their professional learning and practice make them more aware of the professionalization of social work.Social work values such as respect,acceptance and the belief of helping people to help themselves make them believe that social work is a very meaningful profession,and thus with stronger professional identity.The second major finding of the study is that earthquake experience sparks painful memories as well as self-identity reconstruction.With the understanding of helping in social work deepening,the research subjects increasingly become aware of their existence value,and have a stronger mission for people in need of help.They believe that receiving help from others in the past and helping other at present is passing love.The study also found that earthquake experience has also indirectly promoted the formation of occupational identity of the research subjects.The experience of receiving help after the earthquake not only deepens their understanding of helping others,but also give them the opportunity to get in touch with social work career and industry earlier,to build more social networks,and to receive more social resources than their counterparts.Meanwhile,their disability and experience of receiving help make it easier for them to showing empathy to clients in need of help than their colleagues.Moreover,better job performance also enables them to gain more recognition from their fellow students,colleagues,teachers and bosses,thereby enhancing their self-identity and further enhancing their love and loyalty to social work profession and industry.