What Is Social Work
According to the National Association of Social Workers , the primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.
The primary focus of the profession is the well-being of an individual in the social context and societys well-being. Attention to the environmental forces that create and influence problems for an individual is essential to the practice of social work. Social workers are advocates of social justice and social change. The word clients is used to refer to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. People who are social workers are sensitive to diverse backgrounds and strive to end the oppression and discrimination that affect individuals and groups belonging to diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Activities social workers use to aid clients include direct practice, community organization, supervision, consultation, administration, advocacy, political action, policy development and implementation, education, and research.
Service Is Our Passion Progress Is Our Purpose
The City of Markham, an award-winning municipality with more than 354,000 residents, is Canadas high-tech capital and most diverse community, enjoying a rich heritage, outstanding community planning and services, and a vibrant local economy. Committed to being a model of public service excellence, with a diverse workforce, we are looking for people who share our values and are champions of innovative practices. Equity, diversity and inclusion is one of Markhams strategic priorities, and we strive to develop and maintain an environment that is inclusive and creates a sense of belonging for all.
The City of Markham is building a better future for all. As Canada’s most diverse city, and at the centre of the countrys second largest tech cluster, we are setting the pace for innovation, creative solutions and ongoing growth. This is your chance to progress with purpose, grow with confidence and make a bigger impact than you ever thought possible.
Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is the federal organization that works in partnership with local and tribal governments to administer Medicare, Medicaid and State Childrens Health Insurance Program to those who are eligible. One of the missions of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services it to act in a regulatory capacity to ensure that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Acts regulations are fulfilled by those who are regulated by this law. Certain quality of standards must be met by Nursing Homes and clinical laboratories and this regulatory capacity is also held by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The primary mission of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is to oversee and regulate the disbursement of Medicare and Medicaid benefits. As such, most jobs at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will be within the auspices of administering those programs. This mission is fulfilled by reviewing the work of each states Department of Human Services eligibility workers to ensure that the Medicare, Medicaid and State Childrens Health Insurance Programs are correctly applied and benefits released in a timely fashion to those eligible. Based in Baltimore, MD, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also have regional offices as part of its oversight mission.
Potential Jobs with a Bachelor of Social Work Degree: Health Insurance Specialist, Quality Control Reviewer
Don’t Miss: Doe Paraprofessional Career Training Program
Licenses Certifications And Registrations
All states require clinical social workers to be licensed. Some states also require nonclinical social workers to have a license or credential.
Becoming a licensed clinical social worker requires a masters degree in social work from an accredited program and supervised clinical experience after graduation. After completing their supervised experience, clinical social workers must pass a clinical exam to be licensed.
Because licensing requirements vary by state, those interested should contact their state licensure board. For more information about regulatory licensure boards by state, visit the Association of Social Work Boards.
Social Work Case Manager
Case managers work in hospitals, government agencies, and social service organizations. These professionals help people work through major transitions, including:
- Returning to society after incarceration
- Adjusting to a life-changing medical diagnosis
- Regaining custody of a child
- Maintaining sobriety following inpatient and/or outpatient treatment
Case managers assess clients’ needs and develop progress goals. From there, they support clients as they work toward their goals.
Case managers need to know what resources are available in the community, such as:
- Housing services
- Childcare services
- Medical and nutrition benefits
They may host meetings to encourage clients to meet their goals or have individual meetings with clients.
Read Also: Junior Achievement Virtual Career Fair
Social Worker Government Jobs
-
Santa Cruz County, CA Introduction County of Santa Cruz INVITES YOU TO APPLY FOR SENIOR SOCIAL WORKER To view the full job announcement: ClickPostedPosted 17 days ago·More…
| Monday to Friday |
| $45,402 – $74,005 a yearFull-time |
| Full-timeMonday to Friday |
| United StatesNon-tenure |
| $45,402 – $74,005 a yearFull-time |
| County of Contra Costa, CaliforniaContra Costa County, CA |
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Licensed clinical social workers generally work as counselors. They help people navigate mental health struggles, tough circumstances, traumas, and transitions. They can also be case managers or part of a research team. Licensed clinical social workers take a social work approach to treating clients, whereas a psychologist might take a different approach, such as a behavioral approach. Licensed clinical social workers may also focus on their clients strengths, helping clients leverage their own strengths to take control of difficult situations. The minimum education needed is an LCSW masters degree.
Salary Expectation: Licensed clinical social workers make between $40,740 and $70,660 per year.
Recommended Reading: Career Change For Truck Driver
Child And Family Social Worker
Child and family social workers provide assistance and advocacy in cases that involve children and their families. They have a long list of potential responsibilities, and those responsibilities may vary from one case to another. Those responsibilities may include:
- Working with at-risk children
- Staying up to date on a particular childs wellbeing
- Connecting families to services they may need
- Assisting in child welfare investigations
- Helping to place children in foster or adoptive homes
- Assisting with family reunification when appropriate
- Assisting with the adoption and/or fostering process
Child and family social workers often have their own offices, but they also do a lot of travel, so they need a certain amount of flexibility. They should also have good people skills, especially with children. They need empathy, but they also need self-regulation skills so they dont overwhelm themselves in the face of tough situations. Because they maintain case files and take notes, they should also have excellent organization skills.
Salary Expectation: The average salary for mid-level experience is $40,000.
How Do I Choose A Social Work Job Or Career
Different social work careers require different types of education. Social workers range in education levels, from bachelors degrees all the way up to doctorates. The more educated a social worker becomes, the more they can specialize in their career.
So, how do you choose the right career and education for yourself? And what are some of the best social work careers? With so many potential options, that choice can get difficult. There are more social work career options than many people realize, so a degree in social work can lead down many possible pathways.
The question of which careers are the best social work careers is subjective. Each social worker will find fulfillment in different areas, and what works for one person may not work for another. Start by thinking about your passions. For example, do you have a passion for working with children? Reducing the stigma around mental healthcare? Fighting for disability rights? Start with your passion, and look for careers that will let you work with that passion.
Recommended Reading: New Career At 50 Woman
Career Opportunities Of Social Work
Social work careers span a wide variety of job opportunities in both public and private practice. Social workers can directly work with people they serve and it is common for them to volunteer their services. Hartman identifies a number of career opportunities that include work as administrators, supervisors, planners, researchers, or teachers. They are in various contexts such as child welfare administration and elderly care services. They also help in obtaining financial assistance and medical care for the elderly and other services that will enable them to live as independently as possible. They can work in clinics and community treatment centers to provide counseling to alcoholics and drug abusers. They can also work in public housing projects to help people find dwellings for families made homeless by urban crises, and in corporations and labor unions to provide a variety of work-related services including health counseling and retirement planning. They can work as social planning practitioners. Moreover, they can do fieldwork involving organizing and developing programs that deliver social service, and they can work as researchers on social service issues.
The number of social work professionals in the Philippines are much smaller but they are present in a variety of settings, including hospitals, retirement homes, mental health clinics, schools, non-profit agencies, and government offices.
Social Work Organization Executive Director
- Required Education: A bachelor’s degree
Executive directors oversee all programs run by an organization. They manage staff members, daily operations, and their agency’s budget. Frequently, they’re the spokesperson for the organization they lead. These professionals may speak at public events or to the media. They also work closely with a board of directors to help raise money and awareness for their cause.
Social work organizations may desire executive directors who have experience serving vulnerable populations.
Also Check: Unit Trust Of India Career
Work Environment About This Section
Social workers held about 708,100 jobs in 2021. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up social workers was distributed as follows:
| Child, family, and school social workers | 349,800 |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 14 |
Most social workers work in an office setting. They may spend time visiting clients and meeting with colleagues and community specialists or other support workers. School social workers may be assigned to multiple schools and travel around the school district to see students. Understaffing and large caseloads may cause the work to be stressful.
Most Popular Career Paths For Social Workers
The most popular Social Work career options include a range of roles for Social Workers with a BSW, MSW, and also doctorate degree. Available jobs for social workers are abundant. Social Work is both a growing profession and a diverse field. Could a social work career be right for you? If youre considering a career in social work, take a look at the following questions.
- Do you enjoy helping people and have a deep concern for peoples general wellbeing?
- Is justice and equity your passion?
- Are you a resilient person with a lot of emotional fortitude?
- Do you have strong communication skills?
- Can you handle a job that involves a lot of paperwork?
If you answered yes to most of the questions above, then you may be built for a career in social work. At its core, social work is a career for people who want to help people. It concerns itself with groups, families, and communities, and it focuses on building a more just and equitable world. Social work is also a form of advocacy. Social workers go to bat for their clients, fighting for things like disability pay, erasing mental health stigmas, and preventing child abuse.
Career paths are presented in alphabetical order and by degree level.
| BSW | |
|---|---|
| Child and Family Social Worker | Psychologist |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse | Social Services Organizations |
| Licensed Clinical Social Worker | |
| Behavior Analyst |
You May Like: How To Pick Your Career Path
Social Work Careers Available
Social workers enjoy a variety of employment opportunities and career specializations. For instance, degree-holders can pursue careers in school social work, geriatric social work, or substance abuse social work. Although salaries vary by location, social workers earn around $48,000 per year. The field also boasts a large opportunity for growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that positions in social work will grow by 16% between 2016 and 2026, nearly 10% more than the projected growth for all occupations. This growth is partly due to a growing population in need of social services, including aging Baby Boomers and individuals suffering from addiction.
Social Work Careers Available by Degree Level
| Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work | Master’s Degree in Social Work | Ph.D. in Social Work |
|---|---|---|
|
Aspecialization Is Essential For Graduate Level Jobs For Social Workers
Selecting your career concentration is perhaps the most essential part of your Master of Social Work process. Universities offer a diverse spectrum of custom MSW tracks. These specializations focus your skill growth for certain subfield professions. The Department of Labor reports that Americas 682,100 social workers specialize in wide-ranging niches with fast 10-year growth of 14 to 20 percent apiece.
All social work careers share the common thread of improving peoples lives. However, most MSW-level jobs prioritize assisting unique populations facing setbacks and barriers. The NASW reports that there are now 50+ organizations for social workers interested in different practice types. For instance, the National Association of Perinatal Social Workers was started in 1974 to support members in maternal health.
Also Check: Yti Career Institute Altoona Pa
Child And Family Social Work
Children have the right to seek help if they are confronted with overwhelming challenges. Social workers mediate assistance provided by the state, institutions, the court, and schools and assist children in gaining access to these government-sponsored facilities.
They are designated to all specified social, psychological, educational, legal, and medical areas. Child and family social workers comprise one of the largest sectors in the field. Social workers direct families to the necessary resources and provide the required services to resolve issues confronting children.
School Guidance Counselor
A school counselor offers guidance to students regarding personal health, hygiene, social interaction, behavior, and conduct. School counselors assist with college options and career paths they give informed advice.
If the student displays disruptive behavior, the guidance counselor will find the root cause, whether bullying , family issues, or perceived inadequacy when coping with the academic curriculum. They must then address the issue and steadily ensure that the issue gets resolved.
If the school counselor has the right qualifications, they also provide aptitude tests to assess their skills and academic strengths and weaknesses. They direct students in the correct extracurricular activities to enhance their capacities and boost their academic record.
School Social Worker
Family Advocate
Earn Your Master Of Social Work Online From Usc
The MSW@USC is the online Master of Social Work from top-ranked USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. The Advanced Standing track can be completed in as little as 1 year. USC offers virtual and in-person field education, and students focus on adults, youth or social change.
- Minimum completion time: 12 months with a BSW
- Online classes taught by USC faculty
- Virtual field training to build skills and confidence
infoSPONSORED
What Do Social Workers Do? | Starting Your Career in Social Work | 12 Types of Social Work Careers | Career Interviews With Social Work Professionals|Social Work Careers by Degree | Social Work Salaries | Job Prospects | Skills That May Help You in Your Social Work Career | FAQs | Return to Top
Also Check: Career Step Dental Assistant Reviews
Substance Abuse And Addiction Counselor
An addiction counselor provides service to individuals and families struggling with substance abuse and addiction. Addiction counselors are attentive to the root reasons for substance abuse through active listening and inquiry.
Addiction counselors offer coping strategies to individuals engaged in substance-dependent behavior. They usually work in tandem with 12 step programs, group support like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous , rehabilitation centers or facilities, and halfway houses.
Addiction counselors also report to the court on the patients progress if this is warranted. Substance abuse counselors are responsible for facilitating patients to become productive members of society.
Careers In Social Work: Outlook Pay And More
Elka Torpey | March 2018
Over the years, Green has been a social worker for a nonprofit organization, a social services department, and a school. Its a versatile career, says Green. There are lots of different types of jobs.
Keep reading to learn about the diversity of social work careers. Through the lens of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, youll see whether becoming a social worker might be right for you.
Read Also: Career Switch To Data Science
