Social Worker Career Description
Social work is a modem profession, but its task of rendering help is as old as the human race itself. Social workers are professional, qualified persons who strive for the general well-being of people from every walk of life.
What am I going to do in this occupation?
It is social workers' task to help improve people's behaviour or circumstances to enable them to once again playa meaningful role within their families, communities and society. The following focus areas can be differentiated within the profession:
» Child and family welfare.
» Marriage and divorce counseling.
» Elderly care.
» Medical social work.
» Psychiatric social work.
» Social work with people who have a mental or physic disability.
» Social work with people who abuse
substances.
» Social work with offenders.
» Social work in the workplace.
» School social work.
The social workers' task may be aimed at the prevention and elimination of social problems in the community. This involves close cooperation with specific members or groups within the community. In some cases social workers work in close contact with other disciplines, such as the doctor, the psychologist and the educationist.
The aims of social workers are to identify social pressures and needs in the community, to employ existing resources or to establish those that might be lacking. Communities may for example be in need of:
» Housing.
» Improvement and development of the
environment.
» Facilities for leisure-time activities.
» Day-care for pre-school children.
» Centres for the care of school-going
children after school.
» Homes and service centres for the aged.
» Rehabilitation centres.
» Facilities for people with disabilities.
As with all the professions, social workers are involved in research and administration. Tasks in this respect are aimed at the identification of problems and needs, the exploration of the most effective way of preventing such problems and resolving that need and the maintenance and development of social work services. In addition to interviewing clients at the office, at their homes and contacting other significant persons in their social environments, social workers are also responsible for a large amount of office work. This includes the preparation of reports about clients for welfare organisations, schools and courts of law.
Requirements
What kind of personality do I need? Important prerequisites for a successful career in social work include physical and mental health, a genuine caring, interest in understanding the relationship and behavior of individuals, small groups and communities and a willingness to help people with their needs and problems. It takes a balanced person showing empathy, warmth and initiative to help others in an honest, objective and realistic way. In light of their activities, social workers must have a good intellectual ability and must be able to communicate easily with other people, verbally and in writing. Because social workers work daily with clients of different ages who have unique needs and problems, they must be able to adjust to dissimilar circumstances and maintain good human relations.
Where can I work?
The civil service is at present the main employer of qualified social workers. Other organisations that provide social work services or where social work is secondary to their primary functions, are for example The Christian Social Councils of the Dutch Reformed Church, the S.A. National Council for Child and Family Welfare, SA Federal Council of Disability, S.A. National Council regarding Alcoholism and Drug Dependency, S.A. Family and Marriage Society (FAMSA), provincial hospitals, Iscor, Sasol, various mines and other large commercial and industrial organisations. An increasing number of social workers are in private practice. Important posts in personnel
management are filled by social workers. Persons with the necessary qualifications and experience hold lecturing posts at training institutions.
Can I work for myself in this occupation?
In order to employ themselves, an increasing number of social workers are in private practice.
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