Despite recent press stories about funding, there will always be a need for workers in social care. The aging population and the increase in families living below the poverty line make for more cases than there are workers to handle. It is clear that something needs to change soon to make sure everyone that needs support in the community is receiving it. This is why there is a need for bright, creative, and innovative individuals to enter this rewarding line of work.
It is easier than you think to develop a career in this essential sector. Your education and work experience background won’t necessarily be a problem here. Even if you’re a recent graduate in an unrelated field, there are entry routes to top tier positions that might be easier to reach than you thought. It all starts with an interest in the important work you could get involved with.
There are several areas to choose from. You might be keen to get into the heart of the community and deal with the most challenging of cases. Substance abuse and child welfare are areas where qualified social workers are most needed. It is here that you could do some of your most rewarding work. Private practice is also an option, or you might find work as part of a larger hospital or health care organization.
To enter this line of work, you will usually need to have a clean criminal record and a good grasp of the local language for the area you wish to work. Many social workers have previously volunteered in roles related to the sector they are keen to work in. This is a great approach as it often puts you on the front line of services. You’ll see service users and service workers building relationships and making lives better. As part of that, you might gain experience in leadership, people skills, and basic medical applications.
Once you know which area you want to dedicate your career to, you can begin to approach your own education with a good plan of action. Social worker qualifications are easier to acquire than you think. Regardless of the subject you studied at college, you can enter for a graduate degree social work online and come away with a Masters in just a few months. Studying online means you can work around your studies with no need to take any time off from your current job.
When you study for a Master of Social Work, you will be eligible to apply for roles across the diverse field of social work. With this advanced qualification, you might also be ready to take on upper management opportunities. There are many supervisory positions, and project leader roles that might interest you. You might be taking this course so you can enter other roles within care or social care. There are many to choose from and a wide spectrum of levels to select.
Some people take qualifications and courses in this line of work without fully knowing where they want to take it. Fortunately, it is easy to place yourself in lots of different roles or areas once you have the qualifications you need. Developing your career might start with some voluntary work or a personal experience with social care. Where you go from there is up to you, and there are plenty of choices:
Community Activities
Lots of social care roles involve facilitating activities within the community for service users. You might be placed in a children’s or family center. Perhaps you’re in the middle of a senior’s village? Wherever you are, your activities should be interesting and engaging. Some might even empower those that you work with. It’s sure to be something that will be greatly appreciated by the service users.
You might enjoy arts and crafts, or perhaps you prefer physical activities and health-related movement? Music, dance, and reading are also firm favorites. You might choose to volunteer your time. You might even turn it into a business and visit different care facilities to provide your enrichment classes. There is a lot of scope for you to live the lifestyle you want while providing a much-valued service in social care.
Counseling
This is a much-needed service that you might be ready to provide when you graduate. You could also supplement your Masters with additional training and qualification. Some specific areas include counseling or substance abuse support. There is scope here for you to deliver your service in a number of ways. You might become a full-time employee of a hospital or clinic. Private practice is another option that might appeal to you.
Counseling is a tough job to take on but can become one of the most rewarding roles you have in your career. You need to have a caring and sensitive side, but should be willing and able to separate yourself professionally from your cases. This isn’t always easy, but advanced training can help you better cope with these situations.
Veterans
Post traumatic stress isn’t the only problem that military veterans might have. Leaving the services can be traumatic in itself. Many counselors and social workers that engage veterans have not served in the armed forces themselves. Building trust with your client or patient could be the biggest challenge to overcome. Helping these heroes is an honorable job too.
Working with veterans is a rewarding career choice. There may be some distressing situations to manage and families to care for too. As with any other job in this line of work, there will be times when you can become quite overwhelmed by a case. This is why it is often best to work with professional teams that can support each other. Sometimes you need to hand a case to a colleague. Even the most experienced social worker needs support from time to time.
These are just a few of the areas where your qualifications as a social worker can provide you with a great career. It doesn’t need to take a long time to qualify, and there is a huge variety of work for someone with the right qualifications. How far will your career in social care take you?
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