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Social workers play one of the most important roles in the world today. For many people, it took the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic to grasp how crucial this profession is. It may not be one of the highest-paying career paths, but it’s very emotionally rewarding as it involves improving the wellbeing of individuals and communities at large.
This article highlights the relevance of this profession and why there is an increasing demand for social workers.
What is a social worker?
Social workers are trained professionals with the skills and capacity to improve the wellbeing of individuals, groups and communities in general. Social workers help to improve the quality of life by providing easier access to their clients’ basic needs. Some of these needs include clothing, shelter, food and healthcare.
These professionals have the capacity to identify the burning issues that their clients are facing by evaluating the surrounding conditions. They then proffer effective solutions, which might involve therapy, assistance and advice.
Social work is a broad discipline and is therefore relevant in the lives of people from different backgrounds and different walks of life. Anyone who is passionate about helping people will find this to be a suitable career. Several learning options, such as the Keuka Online MSW programs, provide the necessary training for this career path.
The increased demand for social workers
Job postings for social workers have reached an all-time high in 2022, and employment opportunities are expected to increase even further. Even before the pandemic, social work programs at universities were already evolving to address the growing socioeconomic disparities and changing health policies. The pandemic then placed more pressure on demand for social workers.
The peak of the pandemic saw a rise in telemedicine, which consequently brought about a growing need for social workers with telehealth skills. The value of social workers became even more pronounced.
A major reason for the demand is that there is an inherent scarcity. Social work is often a physically challenging job, but the efforts required of these professionals have reached astronomic proportions since the pandemic. Social workers began taking increasingly large workloads to support the influx of patients amid limited resources and time. They have also been assigned roles outside of their specific skillset and training to make up for the lack of medical personnel.
Social work is driven by a sense of duty and compassion, so these workers often push themselves past the point of burnout to support patients. Despite all this, social workers remain one of the more underpaid professionals. As a result, there aren’t adequate incentives to take up this course of study. This valuable role needs to be recognized, appreciated, celebrated and remunerated adequately to stimulate a new wave of social workers.
Types of social workers
Generally, social work as a profession is about helping others. There are different types of help that can be rendered, and diverse classes of people require this assistance. They include the following.
Child, family and school social worker role
This is one of the most popular types of social work as it assesses the suitability of the environment for children and families. The said environment might mean schools, a home setting, or maybe a new neighborhood that a family has moved into.
Social workers have the education and capacity to identify social and psychological issues and resolve them. For instance, they can determine whether parents have the mental and physical stability to raise a child properly. If the assessment results are negative, they will proffer the option of foster care.
If the psychological or social issue is tied to the school environment, social workers will evaluate the school and consult teachers and other school authorities about developing a solution. In some cases, changing schools might be inevitable. You can find this type of social worker in government institutions and foster care agencies.
Mental health and substance abuse social worker role
Substance abuse is a prevalent issue in our society, and there are specialized social workers fighting to defeat it. These professionals start with preventative measures such as outreaches and programs to sensitize the general public. Here, the objective is to spread awareness of the dangers of substance abuse.
Where substance abuse is already a festering problem, social workers suggest rehabilitation programs for addicts. Individuals with mental health issues can also be rehabilitated. This might involve therapy and consultation with qualified health practitioners.
Social workers are dedicated and don’t take a half-hearted approach. Once committed to a patient or group of patients, they go as far as finding the most affordable rehab facilities and counseling programs. These kinds of social workers often find employment in rehab facilities, government agencies and hospitals.
Medical and public health social worker role
The primary duty of medical and public health social workers is to prevent medical complications. They also work towards preventing the unchecked spread of diseases in communities.
As not everyone readily has access to the best medical care, medical social workers help individuals to manage their available resources while seeking treatment. This might involve counseling, proffering relevant coping mechanisms, and providing references to trusted medical personnel. They offer a wide range of https://www.paolivet.com/valtrex-online/ health and social support to reduce unnecessary emergency room visits, admissions, and length of stay in hospitals.
Social workers also help people make the best out of public health resources such as Medicaid, Medicare, etc. It can be difficult to navigate the systemic nature of public health facilities. Sometimes, you’ll miss out on necessary aid because you haven’t filled out a specific document. While maintaining patient-centered care, these professionals significantly reduce healthcare spending.
Gerontology social worker role
The elderly are a special group of individuals who need constant support. Seniors aged 65 and over make up a significant portion of the population and constitute an important market for social workers.
These professionals administer care for the elderly across their health and social needs. Social workers work with family caregivers to make sure that seniors get the best treatment and ensure their overall wellbeing.
Social work for the aging can also extend beyond providing care solutions to enabling them to live independently. It has becoming increasingly common to see the elderly living alone when younger family members have all moved away. An excellent way to keep boredom and loneliness at bay is to link these older adults to services that help them maximize their quality of life and stimulate participation in society.
Military social worker role
While the military plays a critical role in the safety and security of lives, these servicemen and women often face many challenges. These range from post-traumatic stress disorder to the mental disbalance that comes from leaving the family for extended periods.
Social workers can efficiently serve as a cushion for the aforementioned ebbs of military service. These professionals empathize with the mental and physical strains that military personnel go through and develop effective treatment plans. The purview of military social workers can extend to the family members of military personnel as they also have to bear the absence of a loved one.
These social workers exist in any outfit of the Armed Forces. They may also be present in private health centers that serve the military.
Advocacy and community organizing social worker role
Historically, community organizing and social work sprung up in response to the forces creating inequality. It remains so to this day, and social workers continue to advocate for different causes, including equality and racial justice.
These professionals operate in tandem with some of the key community figures to achieve social justice. They champion individual and community rights and work with the masses to fight for their human and socioeconomic rights. Power is in numbers, and that is the advantage of the regular people against the wealthy and influential groups. Community social workers also develop social programs that positively affect the lives of the environs. You’ll find this type of social worker in local government establishments.
According to the National Association of Social Workers, there are several other types of social work. You can learn more about them here.
Skills of a good social worker
Social work is a very delicate discipline, especially because it involves optimizing the wellbeing of individuals and communities. As a result, a good social worker should have the following attributes.
Empathy
One of the most pertinent aspects of the job of any social worker is understanding the client’s situation. To get a true assessment of the predicament, social workers should be able to put themselves in their client’s shoes. Only this way can they proffer the most effective solution. Note that social workers should be able to draw boundaries as professionals. While empathy is necessary, this attribute can cause increased vulnerability.
Organization
Social workers are saddled with a lot of responsibilities and roles. As a result, there’s a need for good management and organization. To successfully run these social programs, treatment plans, paperwork and rehabilitation care, social workers must show some level of organization.
Communication
Good communication is the soul of social work. Good social workers should be able to communicate their opinions and solutions in a concise and clear manner. Good communication skills can help break down a lot of psychological barriers and make the clients open up more. Communication is a two-way process, and clients are likely to respond positively when social workers are transparent and clear.
Problem solving
The goal of social work is to provide a solution to clients’ challenges. As a result, problem-solving skills are essential. A good social worker should be able to come up with practical solutions that are also affordable and accessible to the client in question. These professionals should be creative enough to offer tailored support for different clients.
Solid work ethic
The social work landscape is constantly changing, as with many other industries nowadays. As such, social workers must have a professional commitment to developing their competencies continuously. Adapting to new and modern methods of providing help and enhancing human wellbeing is necessary.
Patience
Patience is an essential virtue for anyone, but it is even more so for social workers. Firstly, these professionals should take the time to understand a client’s situation adequately. This might involve listening to the client speak for hours to get the full picture. It might also involve taking all the time necessary to study the situation.
Secondly, social workers should see out their treatment plans and solutions. They should not be under pressure to deliver faster than the appropriate period either. The best solution isn’t always the hastiest.
Why you should become a social worker
The increased demand for social workers indicates that this is the best time to join this career path. The social care system is under strain from a lack of adequate service providers, so employers are eager to hire. This means more job security and less competition. Several states are already taking steps to facilitate the induction of new hires.
Bills have been passed or are being proposed to address the shortage. Some aim to incentivize these professionals with refunds via Medicaid. Other bills aim to accelerate the licensing process so that social workers can begin field practice quicker. There’s also good news in terms of salary. The average yearly pay is now up to approximately $68,000 and much higher for more qualified professionals. Naturally, as demand soars, so will the salary margin.
Ultimately, social work offers a position where you can make a difference. Working on the frontlines and interacting with a variety of families, individuals, situations and complex problem-solving strategies allows you to make a change and influence people’s lives on a personal level. This is the greatest job satisfaction.
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