Social workers counsel and help people to understand and solve personal
and social problems. They may work with individuals, families or other social
groups.
These problems may include inadequate housing, unemployment, lack of job
skills, financial distress, serious illness or disability, substance abuse,
unwanted pregnancy or antisocial behavior. Social workers also assist families
that have serious conflicts, including those involving child or spousal abuse.
There are three main types of social work:
- Case work
- This is face-to-face involvement with individuals or families.
- Group work
- This involves rehabilitation and recreation, working in areas like housing
projects, hospitals, institutions and schools.
- Community organization work
- This involves taking on the concerns of a whole community. Community workers
are often assigned to particular neighborhoods.
They work in a variety of settings. Sometimes they visit clients in their
homes or speak to groups in community centers and institutions, so they're
often away from the office.
Social workers are employed as managers, supervisors, administrators, educators,
therapists and researchers. They may work for private businesses, universities,
police departments, courts and public agencies.
Social work can be a difficult and stressful job, according to experts.
It takes a special kind of personality.
"A good social worker is calm, committed and intelligent," says social
worker Robert Tell.
"You need to have a high tolerance for frustration and a real desire to
help people," says social worker Elizabeth Blue. "You also need to be articulate,
an advocate and an activist -- not only for the clients, but also for the
profession. You have to believe in what you're doing."
The most important qualities a social worker can have, according to experts,
are good communication skills. "Communication skills are what it's all about
-- making contact with people to help them help themselves," says Felicity
Coughlin. She is a social worker in South Africa who has worked in child welfare.
For social workers, caring about their clients while maintaining a safe
distance is an ongoing struggle. This can be especially difficult when you
strongly sympathize with a client.
"Any place where you identify with a client can be tough," says Blue. For
example, a social worker who has been an abused wife in the past may find
it difficult dealing with other women in spousal abuse cases.
It's important to have a plan for taking care of yourself to avoid taking
the job home with you at night. Many social workers deal with this by having
a group of friends or colleagues they can talk to about their day. Others
cope with the stress by having a relaxing hobby.
Social workers who don't have a plan for dealing with the difficult experiences
that they encounter in their work can suffer from burnout -- a common problem
in this field.
"I think there are a fair number of people out there who get crispy and
don't take good care of themselves," says Blue. "You have to develop a plan
for taking care of yourself."
Despite the stresses and difficult situations, social workers say there
are many rewards in this job. "My most rewarding experience so far has to
have been when a 60-year-old paranoid man shook my hand," says Tell. He works
with mentally ill people.
"This is a broad, roomy and encompassing profession," says Blue. "Whatever
your interest is, there's room for you to grow and develop over time."
Find out exactly what the career entails. "A desire to help people is good,
but it's not all you need," says Coughlin.
Contact a social worker in your community and ask if they can spare some
time to speak with you about their job. You can find out a lot just by talking
to people. A good way to find out if you're really interested in helping people
is to start volunteering in your community.
"Get volunteer or paid experience with people you are interested in working
with," says Tell. "This could include working in seniors' homes, institutions
[and] battered women's shelters."