“One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.” These words by J.F Kennedy sums the concept of helping others or making a difference in the world little by little. Look around; you may find several charity and welfare organisations willing to help people in need. The existence of these organisations highlights the fact that some people among us are not as privileged as we are. It might be due to various factors like differences in socioeconomic status, health inequalities, lack of education, etc.
Social workers are always ready to promote social change and cohesion while empowering people, communities, and societies as a whole. Regardless of the differences in social, economic, and racial differences, social workers are always there to help people overcome the difficulties in their lives. They further assist the various government and non-profit organisations that offer social services to the most deprived or vulnerable people.
More than 95% of the US nation’s land is rural, and surprisingly these rural areas have 20% of the US population. Many rural communities lack the resources to get comprehensive care. Some of the most vulnerable citizens of your country might even lack access to get the basic healthcare services. Given the rise in social inequalities or the prevailing issues in various communities, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 13% growth in the employment opportunities for social workers by 2029. Hence, those with a relevant education background can opt for an accredited masters in social work programs to play their part in helping people.
Depending on your chosen field of specialisation, you can work in the capacity of the following roles:
Geriatric Social Worker
Older adults require more assistance than people in their youth. The ageing and slowed brain function take a toll, making them vulnerable to frequent falls, loss of memory, and other health-related issues. In some instances, senior citizens have no one to look after them, and they spend their lives in old-age nursing homes.
Thus by pursuing a career in social work, you can help them to carry out their everyday tasks. As a geriatric social worker, you can make decisions regarding their transportation, health services, and food after consulting with the people in charge of these areas. Older adults need someone to listen and help them navigate through the final years of their lives, hence being a geriatric social worker, you can serve as their emotional, social, financial, and familial support system.
Clinical Social Worker
People striving for a better life have to bear various challenges in the form of limited wage, inflation, lack of access to quality healthcare, etc. All such recurring issues ultimately take a toll on their mental health, leaving them depressed. It is where the role of clinical social workers comes into play. Being a clinical social worker, you can collaborate with the mental health workers in nursing homes, hospital settings, or schools to conduct individual and family therapy sessions.
You can help people understand their mental health, the triggers, and coping mechanisms to deal with their daily life stressors. Clinical social workers play a significant role in evaluating and diagnosing people’s mental and emotional health as well as behavioural issues. You can create a difference in someone’s life by arranging therapy sessions or providing them access to other treatment options available for mental health issues.
Family Service Worker
Families that live from hand-to-mouth experience both economic hardships and relationship distress. Family social workers identify a family’s needs and issues that significantly affect their relationships. For instance, children with a parent in prison may exhibit antisocial behaviour. Such children may develop abusive behaviour in the latter part of their lives. As a family service worker, you can help these families by providing them emotional and financial support to overcome these difficulties. You can also conduct counselling sessions for families to resolve issues that significantly affect their relationships.
Adult Guidance Worker
Are you an empathetic listener and sensitive to people’s needs and development? A career as an adult guidance worker is your call. These individuals can work with people that have varying needs. Adult guidance workers help people think about their careers and guide them towards various learning and training opportunities. They also advise people about multiple opportunities that they can avail to make an informed career choice. As an adult guidance worker, you can make a substantial difference by helping out people or professionals struggling with their transition phase. These transitions can result from health issues, redundancy, or a desire to change a career.
Conclusion
Although problems and roadblocks are part of life, some people go through extreme situations that affect their physical and mental wellbeing. Social workers have helped many people by providing them the most valid solution to their problems. A society is a mixture of individuals belonging to different ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds. From helping a child undergoing domestic abuse to counselling a family to eliminate relationship distress, social workers play a substantial role in smoothening the bumpy road a little. The empathy and compassion of social workers make it easy for people to connect with them for help and guidance.
