CAREERS
IN SOCIAL WORK
CAREERS
IN SOCIAL WORK
| "Social Work: A Profession of Many Faces" |
his statement has been used to describe
the diversity of the social work profession.
A social worker is one who is committed to working with individuals, groups, and communities, helping them to use the resources within themselves and the environment to cope more effectively with problems. Social Work as a profession is committed to the promotion, restoration, maintenance, and enhancement of social functioning. In contrast to other similar helping professions, social workers focus on bringing about change in small target systems (individual, family, and groups), larger target systems (organizations, communities, and society), or both. Social Work: A Chosen Profession The final decision regarding whether you have what it takes to be a social worker and whether social work is something you want to do, can be made by only one person--you. The following questions can assist you in the decision making process. 1. Do you want to work with all kinds of people? 2. Do you believe in human potential for growth and change? 3. Do you work well with people? 4. Are you interested in your own personal growth and well-being? 5. Do you want to develop problem-solving abilities? 6. Are you interested in the whole scheme of things? 7. Are you interested in research? 8. Do you care about people? 9. Do you value individual differences? 10. Can you keep a secret? 11. Can you make tough decisions? For additional help in deciding on social work as a profession, talk with professional social workers in the community, social work students, and social work faculty who are available to help in any way. |
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| Fields of Practice |
|
There are currently more employment
opportunities available in social
work than in many other fields and the future looks encouraging. In
1998,
the U.S. News and World
Report selected social
work as a top career
choice. The report stated "Social workers now provide more than half of
all therapy services, treating patients battling conditions such as
depression,
alcoholism, and anorexia." In fact, social work has been selected as a
top career choice for the past several years. Social services and their
delivery are becoming integral parts of our fast-paced existence and
the
demand for qualified personnel is expected to expand. If you share
social
work profession's commitment to changing social conditions and
improving
quality of life for all, then you should consider social work as a
career.
|
| Areas of Practice |
| Social
work has identified more than 240 different areas for social
work practice. Some of the settings in which social work is practiced
include: 1. Alcohol and Substance Abuse 2. Children and Youth Services (protective services, foster care, adoptions) 3. Gerontology/Elderly Services 4. Community and Neighborhood Services 5. Corrections and Criminal Justice 6. Disabilities (Physical and Developmental) 7. Family Services 8. Medical and Health Care 9. Mental Health and Mental Illness 10. Schools 11. Medical/Hospital 12. Domestic Violence 13. Program Administration 14. Family Support 15. Employee Assistance 16. Home Health 17. Case Management 18. Industry |