Deciding Between School social work and Community social work Social work practice has become a vital part of our society. They are found in almost every aspect of our community as well as our schools. Social workers are problem solvers that help people deal with daily issues that may become problems that affect them. As our society becomes more challenging, social workers help bridge the gaps for people who face extraordinary challenges in their lives. The social worker’s scope of practice may contain helping at risk or overwhelmed individuals find resources, develop new coping strategies, resolve problems and conflicts, and secure opportunities to improve their quality of life. (Flynn, 2013) Although the scope of practice is basically the same, there are various types of social workers with various levels of education. It doesn’t matter if you are a medical, clinical, school, military, psychiatric or community social worker, the goal is Both are impactful on different scales. The community social workers often deal with a large scale of people and occasionally have to deal with people on an individual basis. The school social worker is just the opposite. They deal primarily with individuals while occasionally addressing community issues as it crosses with educational goals. Both positions are an integral part of the community. According to the Department of Labor Statisics, There are requirements on becoming a Social Worker. A bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) is the most common for entry level work. (Statistics, 2015) Some employers will hire people with a degree in a related field such as psychology or sociology. This is usually the case with the community social worker. Most states have require most social workers to be licensed. A Master’s degree can be required depending on the
The basis of this assignment was to create a further and more in depth understanding of my chosen field, social work. Social workers aid and support individuals, groups, and communities through difficult times and ensure that vulnerable people are safeguarded from harm. Without them our nation would not have the proper support to establish order and relations in society. I explored the numerous types of social working jobs, ranging from Child, Family, and School social workers, Mental Health and Substance Abuse social workers, to social workers in Administration, Policy, and Research. I provided all of the educational requirements necessary to become a social worker, along with the benefits of acquiring a higher degree. In addition, I included the average salary of an entry level social worker and the average salary for a social worker with a Master’s degree or other professional licensure. I provided all essential information one would need to know before entering the field of social work. For example, what the job requires beyond what you can learn in a classroom. Patience, understanding and empathy are a few of the many imperative personality traits a social work must possess. Along with the facts and statistics I incorporated into my paper, I also included a personal section explaining why I chose to enter this field.
These careers fall into the category of “Micro” social work and they involve face-to-face contact with clients experiencing socio-emotional difficulties. However, that is not all you can do with a degree in social work, which many students are not aware of. I agree with Rothman that the landscape of social work is changing. With the economic roller coaster, micro social workers need to advocate for themselves and their jobs on a community level. They may see emerging trends with their clients or barriers to services that need to be resolved by the state or local government. Macro social workers need to understand how social work practice influences the issues they are championing as lobbyists and government agents. At the end of the day, social workers serve people and all of its levels of practice are important. To recalibrate the imbalance between micro and macro social work, I believe that macro policies and standards should be strengthened; macro faculty and the field instructors should teach more and share their experiences with students, more promotion and public support of macro leaders and practitioners and develop a unifying curriculum for both micro and macro
I knew I loved to help others but it was not until I was an emerging adult that I knew what my calling was. My devotion to improve the quality of life for those who are disadvantaged is one of the reasons I have chosen to pursue a Master’s in Social Work. After obtaining my masters, I plan on diversifying my masters by getting licensed and becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I would like to study social work because I feel it will lead me directly to one of the most emotionally fulfilling careers available, as well as giving me the chance to combine helping people 's mental well being with their physical
Social workers are viewed by the world to be “fixers” in society. The general public sees social workers as just “people who work in child protective services”, they do not know about the other things that social workers are also involved in. I interviewed, Stuart Brewster, a therapist for children and families, he graduated from the university of Washington with a masters degree in social work.
Becoming a social worker is dependent on numerous factors, one of which being education. “A bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) degree is the most common minimum requirement to qualify for a job as a social worker, however, majors in psychology, sociology, and related fields may be sufficient to qualify for some entry-level job” (Chao & Orr, 162). Many people when pursuing the goals of being a social worker, however, are most interested in jobs in public agencies and/or having their own practices. “A master’s degree in social work (MSW) is necessary for positions in health and mental health settings and typically is required for certification for clinical work” (Chao & Orr, 162). One’s level of school is not the only thing employers are focusing on when looking to hire social workers. Along with one’s education, a social worker must have “a broad liberal arts base which includes a knowledge of the social sciences (sociology, psychology, anthropology, history, political science, and economics) to provide explanations about the nature of human society and the human condition” (Johnson, 48). There are many more skills that are just as essential, if not more beneficial, to the employer as well as client.
Social workers help people with their everyday lives. There is so many different social workers. Like clinical social workers who diagnose and treat mental, behaviors, and emotional issues. Just being a social work you need a bachelor’s
Social work as a profession strives to help the welfare of those within the community whether its persons or families through advocacy. Often times clients are those who may be vulnerable and disadvantaged. Social workers aim to help people fulfill basic needs in their everyday lives and assist them by providing beneficial resources and intervention counseling. They do more than just help them in their current situation, it’s about helping them to survive and set attainable goals to live a fuller and better life for themselves, and most time for their families.
Others consist of community social workers, gerontological social workers, medical and health social workers, mental health social workers and much more. There are four different levels of education In social work; bachelors, masters, clinical and advanced generalist. In the future, social workers have a bright future, especially in regards to military and veteran affiliations. The military is a consistently growing field in our nation, we will always need members of our society to protect and serve to defend our freedom. In that sense, there will also be times that those brave soldiers will need to retire and they need kind social workers to help them in their transitions from military to civilian life, as it can surely be difficult. Obviously, if there are growing numbers of military members joining, then there will be just as many retiring that require help in
An education in social work is the start of building upon knowledge, skills and values. There are a wide range of career paths to choose from in the field of social work. A person can choose to work in the Child & Family Welfare System. Social workers who work in the Child & Family Welfare System can choose to work in a private or nonprofit agency. Most people in this field primarily work for county social services. People in this field usually work as child protection specialists, intake specialists, case managers or as adoption workers to name a few. Social workers are also needed in law enforcement, corrections and justice systems. Social workers in this field can work with both youths and adults. Working in law enforcement, corrections and justice systems the social worker plays a direct service role such as staffing group homes and treatment programs. They also can work as probation and parole officers. If this is the field a social worker wants to work in, they should consider getting a minor in corrections. The Healthcare field is another area that a social worker can choose to pursue. A person can work in a hospital, clinic, home health care, public health, hospice and mental health. In the health setting a social worker can also work in a nursing home, chemical dependency programs and even in rehabilitation facilities. In the hospital settings, the social workers deal with people of all ages,
For years, when I thought of Social Workers, I imagined a person coming into a client’s home and taking their kids away for neglect. Later, I found out that social workers could go into so many dimensions, such as clinical social workers, case mangers, and even administrative positions in agency settings. Furthermore, I realized that I was maturing into an adult. For example, when I began telling people of my decisions to become a social worker, a lot ...
After coming to North Carolina Central University I have distinct opinion of what the social work profession is. Before, when I was still in high school I had a poor general idea of social workers. I was aware that school social workers had a degree but, I was under the impression that such degree was not needed to work in a place like the department of social services and both positions carried the same title. I knew of someone who worked at DSS for many years and they had begun working there straight out of high school. I know now that I was wrong, however, was my predetermine opinion that much different than the public’s? The only reason I have a more precise knowledge of the field is because I am a social work major. However, the vast majority of the population are not social work majors and thus their impression is based on what they have experienced and seen. In this paper I argue the different publics views based on interviews, readings, and personal experience.
Social workers and human rights workers have very close worlds. Social workers help people realize their rights everyday and help communities and neighborhoods collect their rights. Social work is a profession that is built on, according to the AASW’s Code of Ethics: the pursuit and maintenance of human well-being. Social work aims to
The social work profession is defined as “a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people (ISFW, ‘Global Definition of Social Work’, 2016).” The definition may be true about the profession but it is more in depth than just that. To me, the profession’s primary focus is to help others through life as much as we can while letting them make their own choices and guiding them. In society, social workers are utilized in many different nonprofit and government roles. They serve the community in many different ways from monitoring parent visits to helping people through mental illnesses. Human beings are so complex and things that happen
My understanding about the social work profession is one that works with a diverse group of people to better their well-being in all aspects. Social workers requires: responsibility, passion, and knowledge. The social worker has to understand their own personal cultural values, beliefs, and appreciate the multicultural identities of different people. The profession of social worker requires a lot of skills because they have different tasks and responsibilities. They are aware of social policies and programs for the diverse clients advocating.
Many individuals from communities have devoted their time and efforts to do social work, a lot of these volunteers did their practice in churches before it was recognised as a profession. It was through social investigation and attempts to understand family situations that social work began to develop a profession. A lot of people such as teachers or lawyers believe that what they do is also ‘social work’ that is why social work is a very broad context. Social work is more than just ‘doing good’ and