When people think of social workers, they often think of poverty alleviation and child welfare, but the truth is they do so much more. Social workers can be found in hospitals, helping people cope with acute conditions and chronic illness. They provide therapy and work in community health centers, nursing homes and homeless shelters. They also work to prevent students from dropping out of school, help prisoners as they reenter communities and provide rehabilitative support in drug and alcohol centers.
“Social Workers are people who care about people, who want to make things better, who want to relieve suffering, and who want their work to make a difference”
National Association of Social Workers
The scope of social work is so much larger than people assume. A primary example of this involves a client in one of the county school systems. The student was struggling with completing her schoolwork within the assigned due date, exhibiting behavioral issues, as well as, experiencing anxiety and depression daily. The student’s family requested assistance from the school social workers to see what could be done. They were able to evaluate this student and assist in getting her an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Now the student is able to have her school assignments altered to fit her needs.
Social work is a helping profession. Social workers have a passion for helping people, especially those who are vulnerable. According to the National Association of Social Workers, the primary mission of social work “is to enhance human well-being and help meet basic and complex needs of all people, with a particular focus on those who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty”. If you want a career that has meaning, action, diversity, satisfaction, and a variety of options, this profession may be a great fit.
The National Association of Social Workers summarized it best by saying, “Social Workers are people who care about people, who want to make things better, who want to relieve suffering, and who want their work to make a difference”.
By: Desiree Brown, EKU social work student
National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Why Choose the Social Work Profession.
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