Compare and Contrast Two Occupations
Final Interview Paper
Occupations require a myriad of skills, training, and requirements. The personality and talents of individuals can guide them into their choosing a profession. For example, someone who is an accountant may prefer little interaction with others and for information to be very precise in every situation. Compare that to a therapist whom interacts with people daily and no two situations are the same or precise. I am going to compare two professions, Social Work versus Information Technology, to explore the similarities and differences in these two occupations.
Social Worker
Social Work is defined as, “The professional activity of helping individuals, groups, or communities enhance or restore their capacity for social functional and creating societal conditions favorable to this goal. Social work practice consists of the professional application of social work values, principles, and techniques” (Coyle, 2014, p. 6). Social Workers can act as mediators, negotiators, educators, and advocators just to name a few of the roles they play. They follow a written Code of Ethics that guide their professional judgement and practice. Some job titles used for Social Workers are Mental Health Counselor, Child Advocate, Adoption Specialist, Human Rights Representative, Healthcare Social Worker, and School Social Worker.
For this paper I spoke with a Mental Health Social Worker. This person does individual counseling
Social work professions need to understand the importance of how individuals interact both with other people and their environment, to have an understanding how individuals are affected by these interactions (Rogers, p. 2). According to Rogers (2016), “Social workers are knowledgeable about human behavior across the life course; the range of social systems in which people live; and the ways social systems promote or deter people in maintaining or achieving health and well-being. Social workers apply theories and knowledge from the liberal arts to understand biological, social, cultural, psychological, and spiritual development (p. 2). Their work with clients begins with assessments to evaluations of intervention and is based in and supports of the core value system of the profession.
There are many different type of social workers and what they do. Child and Family social workers protect vulnerable children and support families in need of assistance. Assess client’s needs, strengths, and support network to determine their goals. Develop plans to improve their client’s well-being. Help clients adjust to changes and challenges in their lives, such as divorce, illness or unemployment. Research and refer clients to community resource, such child care, heath care and food stamps. Help clients work with government agencies to apply for and receive benefits such as medicare. Respond to crisis situations such as child abuse. Advocate for and help clients get resource that would improve their well-being. Follow up with clients to ensure that their situations have improved.
Social workers form relationships with people and assist them to live more successfully within their local communities by helping them find solutions to their problems. Social work involves engaging not only with clients themselves but their families and friends as well as working closely with other organisations including the police, local authority departments, schools and the probation service.
Social Work is an occupation that once was assumed in a negative view to the uneducated and misinformed, as being “baby snatchers,” yet over time; the role has established its status, displaying significance, and competence, by advocating for individuals, children, families, and groups. It is clear that this profession is highly qualified when addressing the needs of adults and children, and social problems that arise, by offering qualities that generate from a magnitude of Social Work values, principles, and standards.
Social Work is a career defined as “work carried out by trained personal with the aim of alleviating the conditions of those in need of help or welfare”. Social work varies in several fields, social workers work as part of multi-disciplinary teams with child welfare organizations, adoption and foster care agencies, hospitals, schools, prisons, mental health institutions, and more. Social work may leave the impression that it’s an easy field because it is assumed that all social workers do is serve others and manage paperwork but that is only a small chunk of the job. Social workers must deal with the ethical and emotional aspect of helping others. As a social worker, it is critical to comply with the National Association of Social Workers
While my supervisor is not a social worker, however, her job could easily be considered close. In classes such as Introduction to Social Work and Generalist Practice, we learn about the roles of a social work: educator, broker, advocate, and others. The Abused Adult Resource Center does advocacy and brokering work everyday. This week though they also fulfilled their role as educators by giving that training to the Foster Grandparents.
Social workers meet in an office, hospital or school setting. Our text states, the focus of social workers is helping individuals, families, and groups cope with a wide variety of problems (2015). Social workers can work as a case manager, keeping records, files, and different types of documents and referrals for their client. They will take notes, make plans and keep the clients needs and choices in the clients hands, making sure they are respected and valued at all times. Social workers will network and work with others to ensure the client’s needs are being meet. The Occupational Outlook Quarterly states, a social worker also acts as an advocate for clients and refers them to other resources (2011). Their tasks vary and are similar to many other jobs in the field. The educational requirements are a bachelor’s degree to start, and require masters for positions in mental health or administration (Woodside & McClam, 2015). According to Human Services Career Network, This position interviews, coordinates, and plans programs and activities to meet the social and emotional needs of their clients. Works with the client to utilize community resources to meet individualized needs of the client. Typically reports to a senior case manager or director (2005). Social workers work with all populations, range from individual to group, from young to elderly and special needs. The average salary according to the Occupational Outlook is $44,200 per
Abstract The roles of a social worker are many and although it may be seen to most as a simple profession, it is of great value. A social worker has to broaden his or her horizon to see things in a new perspective. One must be able to understand, empower and help individuals, families or groups to overcome some of lives most difficult obstacles. As a social worker you are supposed to be able to appreciate the perspectives of all parties involved.
Social workers provide professional support and wide variety of services to people who have social difficulties, and are trained to address human needs. They can work in different settings and can specialize in working with people, groups and communities, at all stages of life, from young children to older adults. The role of a social worker varies depending on what setting they are working in, like a hospital or a school.
According to the National Association of Social Workers website, “Social work practice consists of the professional application of social work values, principles, and techniques to one or more of the following ends: helping people obtain tangible services; counseling and psychotherapy with individuals, families, and groups; helping communities or groups provide or
Social workers assist individuals, groups or communities restore or enhance social functioning through creating living conditions favorable to their goal or need. Social workers are trained professionals that help people overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges such as poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, physical illness, educational issues, mental illness, disability, unemployment, etc. They accomplish this through counseling individuals, families and communities; teaching them how to cope with the stresses of everyday life. From a political standpoint, social workers spend time and money on campaigns that elect public officials that are committed to social work values. Sound public policies enable social workers to meet human needs, be fairly compensated and promote social justice. Overall I perceive social work as a “take action” profession. Often times, we as human beings complain and talk about what needs to be done but do not do anything beyond that. Social workers are hands on. They are not just talking about what “should” be done but they are doing something to better our communities. Social workers are about making a difference in society by helping others out that are in need for various reasons. If you are very sick and in need of assistance to perform normal, everyday functions, social workers can assist
Social workers are the critical bridge between families and the resources that they need. The job of those specializing in child and family services may include protecting children and families from domestic abuse, discrimination, and illness. They also help with connecting families with resources like food stamps, homes, and psychological treatments.
A social worker has a very important job. Social workers help children and families in need of food, homes, and health care. They help children have a brighter future. There are many different types of social work. There are mental health, child and family, elementary, and high school social workers.
Social work may not be the most respected profession but it’s a recognizable one. Social workers help people or groups identify their problems, determine their skills and capacities, what they are doing well, and how that was accomplished, and then analyze ways that those strengths might be applied to the identified problems. Social workers are helping professionals.
#1 A: Social work can be defined as a broad profession, with the sole purpose of improving the lives and relieving the hardships of the members of a population. Social work addresses many problems for the well being of society, including: health care, criminal justice and domestic violence, economic and public policies, child and family welfare, as well as homelessness. Social workers are trained professionals with the education and tools necessary to address problems from several different perspectives, with the intention of helping the masses and not just individuals. Social workers have the ability to inform people in need of resources available to help them achieve a wide variety of goals, whether personal social mobility, or financial independence.