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Careers
in Social Work
Social work is a dynamic, changing and challenging profession
with a vast range of career
options and rich opportunities for deep personal job satisfaction. Professional
social
workers are experts who help people cope with complex interpersonal and social
problems and obtain the resources they need to live with dignity. At the same
time, the
social worker is also committed to making society more responsive to people's
needs.
Wherever there are people, there are social workers. A useful way to see the
social
worker's role is as "the professional in the middle". On the one
side are the individual
families; on the other, the community and its resources. The social worker
weaves back
and forth between the two--assessing, understanding, developing relationships,
mobilizing and initiating/helping people build their own lives and helping
the community
create and deliver the services and supports that many people sometimes need.
Social work's historic mission has been helping the disadvantaged, those who
have been excluded from participation in the ideal of a just and equitable
society. But the contemporary social worker also assists people from all walks
of life--rich and poor, black and white, young and old. No matter what the
political climate or the nature of personal and social problems, there will
always be a need for social workers because there will inevitably be people
in need of assistance. Some of the social work positions are:
Child Welfare:
Social workers work to improve the physical and emotional health of deprived
children. A main thrust of social work today is in the area of child abuse
and neglect. The social worker investigates physical, sexual or emotional
abuse of children, intervenes to provide for the child's protection and sometimes
initiates legal action.
Public Welfare:
Developing sound public policies and implementing programs and services for
those who need support are traditional and critically important areas of social
work. These professionals work in local, state or federal agencies, and their
jobs range from client assistance to top level administrators. Social workers
in many settings help to develop legislative strategies, organize communities
and lobby in the hope of influencing and improving the public welfare.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse:
Industry, hospitals, community group homes, and prisons are just a few of
the social settings in which social workers help those with drug or alcohol
addiction. Through individual and group counseling, and community education,
social workers provide the necessary support and assistance.
Mental Health:
Half of all mental health treatment in the United States is given by professional
social workers. They are found in psychiatric hospitals and mental health
centers and clinics. Social workers also give direct mental health counseling
services to individuals, families and groups in private settings, and serve
as administrators of large mental health agencies, both public and non-profit.
Health Care:
Hospital social workers are advocates for patients' rights and plan for discharge
and re-entry into the community. The social worker can also arrange for home
care for patients and continued access to service as needed. Social workers
in public health--in rural health departments, on Indian reservations, in
public health agencies and inner-city clinics--work with the entire community
to prevent disease and avoid health risks.
Developmental Disabilities:
Physically or mentally disabled persons are increasingly finding their place
in the mainstream of society, and social workers help them by providing counseling,
referral and education in daily living skills. The social worker also works
closely with people suddenly disabled by accidents or critical illness to
help them adjust to their disability and live as independently as possible.
Services to the Aged:
The fastest growing segment of the population are the elderly, and here social
workers can find some of the greatest job opportunities of all. Social workers
have vast new opportunities in helping the aged and their families obtain
vital services, find meaningful activities and relationships and adapt to
the aging process.
*Portions of the above were adapted from The Many Career Opportunities in Social
Work, St. Louis:
George Warren Brown School of Social Work. For further information about careers
in social work, contact
the: National Association of Social Workers 7981 Eastern Avenue Silver Spring,
Maryland, 20910
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Resources
in Social Work
The Social Worker Network
Links of Social Work
Web Resources for Social Workers
Net Lists for Social Workers
GraduateSchools of Social Welfare and their Directors
Regional
Graduate Programs in Social Work
University of South Carolina College of Social Work
University of Georgia School of Social Work
University of Tennessee College of Social Work
East Carolina University School of Social Work
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Human Services on the Web
American Psychological Association
WWW Site for Psychological Resources
Center for Disease Control
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI)
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
Web Links for Physical and Mental Health
School Psychology Resources Online
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