My Social Work: A Significant Career

I have yet to encounter a social worker who entered the profession for acclaim or prestige. It is a demanding career with long hours and ceaseless paperwork. Social workers are frequently overburdened in addition to being underpaid. Occasionally, they witness agonizing tragedy, fundamentally changing them. Having worked in social services for a number of years, I have had these experiences.

Social workers are professionals who seek help for individuals and families. Workers team together to enhance society for a better world. In a journal, “There is no greater joy nor greater reward than to make a fundamental difference in someone's life” (McGeady). Showing kindness is like lifting the world off society shoulder. In the past, the government provided workers with a higher income, but suddenly there has been sudden decline. Too many woman were involved in the profession, quote Maxwell, “This woman's work, this woman's world” (Maxwell). Women were more involved in gender-based occupation fields, and making the men more powerful which made them to earn more wages.

The Circle Center has two social workers, Jay Burkhardt and Erin Brunette. I interviewed Erin Burnette January 30, 2017 in her office at The Circle Center. When I first walked into her office, I noticed how clean and neat it was which was surprising to me because I always imagined a social worker’s office to be unorganized with files everywhere. As I looked around I noticed pictures of her family and historical pictures, leaving me under the impression that she was a strong advocate for human rights. From the looks of her room, I assumed that having pictures of her family in her helps her keep stress at a minimum while at work. Erin Burnette, from Knoxville, Tennessee moved to Richmond in 1999 to attend Virginia Commonwealth University where she received her master in social work. Erin also has a master of divinity from Baptist Seminary at Richmond. With her master of divinity, Erin served as a Hospice Chaplain for ten years. As of today, she withholds sustainable credibility due to her Erin’s social work career began in the year of 2004 but she feels that she has been involved with social work her entire life. During our interview, Erin explained why she chose social work, she says that her parents and her

I recently conducted an interview with a Social Worker by the name Kathryn Schley. She has her Masters of Social Work, she is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and is currently the Homeless Services Program Manager. The company she works at is called Southlight, a private non-profit health care organization. SouthLight’s mission is to, “meet the holistic needs of individuals facing addiction, mental illness, and chronic health challenges, by delivering compassionate and coordinated behavioral healthcare with successful outcomes” (SouthLight, 2012). Throughout this interview she provides advice, personal experiences, and tips for success in the Social Work profession.

On September 21, 2015, I met with Ms. Katie, a student in the MSW program at NCSU, to conduct an interview. We met at Starbucks in Cary, in the crossroads shopping center. Ms. Katie’s responses helped me learn and think about social workers in the child welfare social field. As a prospective social worker, my questions were formed based thoughts that I was concerned about my responsibilities in the social work field..

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

The National Association of Social Workers says, “According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), social work is one of the fastest growing careers in the United States. The profession is expected to grow by 19% between 2012 and 2022. There are more than 650,000 people that currently hold a degree in social work” (“Social”). Social workers aim to help those in need. There are many positive and negative opinions about social workers. For example, some think that social workers only help people that live in poverty, and others think that all social workers have a heart for children. There are several myths about social workers such as all social workers take children away or that social workers are underpaid. Another myth that is said is that most social workers are women. Although these myths contain a little truth, they are still myths.

I have often exaggerated the workplace and lifestyle of a social worker. After meeting with a fellow social worker, I am now able to understand their busy lifestyle. A social worker has to consider the struggles clients have experienced and hear their narratives. At the same time, these social workers need to keep their life in order in a professional and healthy way. A social worker I had the chance to meet, has endured four years of training at Thompson Rivers University: he received a bachelor degree off social work with a child welfare specialization, and two practicums, as well as regular training introduced by the government; that broadened his understanding on domestic violence, child welfare, and interview training. He stated six particular duties: provide child safety, child welfare, family care, community development, assisting individuals and being a go-to person to fellow clients (personal communication, January 27, 2016).

Social work jobs: Social work is a broad and a diverse field. It is offered almost everywhere. Also, offers any career options and in different settings such as hospitals, schools, mental health center, community organization, and government offices. A social worker works with individuals, families, or small groups. The benefits that a social worker gives their clients is to overcome and stand up to face their problems such as abuse, addiction, and poorness to reach their

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.

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.

The decision to pursue my education in social work at Dalhousie University was not an easy one. While I was growing up, my career choice changed all of them time, but I always knew that I wanted to do something fulfilling, in which I could “help” and support people. My mom was a nurse and always loved helping people; I always figured I would follow in her footsteps, however I learned at an early age that sciences do not come easy to me. Unfortunately, my mom lost her battle to breast cancer when I was eight years old, so I hope that by me helping people socially, rather than medically like she did, will continue her legacy.

#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.

The social work profession provides humane and effective social services to individuals, families, groups and communities for the purpose of enhancing social functioning and the quality of life for all people. Social workers work in a variety of settings, locally, nationally, and internationally, for example, in hospitals, public and private social service agencies and schools. They provide services in areas such as health, mental health and child welfare. The roles of professional social workers vary depending on the agency with which they are employed and the type of position they hold; however, typical duties might include intake, assessment, intervention, case management, group work, outreach,advocacy, counseling, community planning and organizing.