Social Worker

Job overview
Social workers are professional, qualified persons whose aim is the general well-being of people from every walk of life.

What do people do in this job?
Social workers aspire to helping improve the behaviour or circumstances of people who, in one way or another are, or have become,? “?disadvantaged?”? and to enable them to return to a meaningful role within their families, communities and society.

The following focus areas can be identified within the profession:?

• Child and family welfare.
• Marriage and divorce counselling.
• Elderly care.
• Medical social work.
• Psychiatric social work.
• Social work with people who have a mental or physical disability.
• Social work with people who abuse substances.
• Social work with offenders.
• Social work in the workplace.
• School social work.

The social workers?' ?task may be aimed at the prevention and elimination of social problems in the community.

This involves close cooperation with specific members or groups within the community.

In some cases social workers work in close contact with other disciplines, such as the doctor, the psychologist and the teacher.

Social workers attempt to identify social pressures and needs in the community and to make full use of existing resources or establish those that might be lacking.

Communities may for example be in need of:?

• Housing.
• Improvement of the environment.
• Facilities for leisure-time activities.
• Day-care for pre-school children.
• Centres for the care of school-going children after school.
• Homes and service centres for the aged.
• Rehabilitation centres.
• Facilities for people with disabilities.

Social workers are necessarily involved in research to identify problems and needs, and to explore the most effective way of preventing or resolving them.

In addition to interviewing clients at the office or at their homes and contacting other significant persons in their area, social workers also have to cope with a large amount of paper work, including the preparation of reports about clients for welfare organisations, schools and courts of law.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
Important prerequisites for a successful career in social work include good physical and mental health, a genuine, caring, interest in understanding the relationship and behaviour of individuals, groups and communities and a willingness to help people with their needs and problems.

It takes a balanced person showing empathy, warmth and initiative to help others in an honest, objective and realistic way.

Social workers must be able to communicate easily with other people, verbally and in writing.

Because social workers work daily with clients of different ages who have unique needs and problems, they must be able to adjust to dissimilar circumstances and maintain good human relations.

What qualifications are needed?
Social workers will normally have completed a diploma or degree course in social work or may have taken such courses after a degree in sociology.