What is a Social Worker?

I realized today that I have neglected to write about social work! I apologize and will try to make up for it.

For some of my readers the above question may sound a little boring, but trust me, even social workers don't know the full extent of their own field of practice because it is constantly expanding. Most people associate social workers with child protection agencies who come into the home and tear families apart, but that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what a social worker does.

The best definition I have heard is that a social worker is a resource. Social workers are community based and are charged with knowing about community resources, such as transportation for the disabled, translation services for the hearing impaired (sign language), support groups for substance abusers and their families, job services for criminals on parole, counseling services, etc. This list could go on and on, but basically social workers are there to help people who don't know where to turn, or maybe they have fallen in a "gap" inbetween services and don't know what to do, or maybe they just need some basic education about something they are facing but don't know who to talk to. A social workers job is to reach out and meet the needs of individuals and organizations in their community. This can be done through a variety of different ways, for example, a school social worker is charged with helping students and their families with needs related to school involvement. When issues arise that are outside that realm, the social worker is expected to know who to refer too and still expected to follow the situation to provide any assistance the family or individual might need.

Let me give a historical example of what a social worker does by talking about one of the most famous social workers, Jane Adams. In 1889, Jane and a friend started a settlement house in Chicago now known as Hull House. This was a place that immigrants (mostly Polish) came and learned skills such as sewing, reading, writing, health care, and received training in English taught by prestigious professors from neighboring universities. All at no cost to participants. Hull House continued to grow over the years to serve over 2,000 people every week, ranging in age from toddlers to older adults. Hull House became a well known community resource that everyone, not just Polish immigrants, used.

Hopefully that gives you a better understanding of what it is that social workers do. Any time someone experiences a transition in their life, like a baby being born, a diagnosis of cancer, or the passing of a loved one, a social worker would be equipped to help you navigate that transition, or if they can't they at least would know of or be able to find someone who could. Social workers can be found in almost every field, education, different types of industry, buisness, research, they have an effect on legislation, immigration, social services, medical and health care related fields, counseling, mental health, etc. And this list is constantly expanding.

Now you might be wondering, with all the possibilities, what I plan to do with my social work degree. That is the beauty of social work, I have many different interests and just as many possibilies. I am looking into the possibility of doing research in the field, right now I am interning at a gerontological doctor's office (a doctor who specializes in people over age 65) which I really enjoy, I also have a background in working with people with disabilities and would like to do some disability advocacy and help reform ADA legislation. I would like to work for International Justice Mission to help rehabilitate women and children who have been freed from the sex slave trade. And international adoptions interest me, as well as educating foster parents about being a foster parent. I would also like to work on a church staff as a church social worker to help coordinate services within the church and coordinate efforts of the church to meet the needs of the community. This and so much more!

I hope this gives my readers a better picture of what a social worker does. If you have any questions feel free to ask, or if you have been helped by a social worker I would love to hear your story. Take some time to check out the links. I will be spot lighting IJM in my next post because they really are a phenomenal organization.