What is Social Work and Opportunities for Students
What is Social Work?
Social work is a professional activity. It is an academic discipline consisting Individuals, groups and communities to enhance their social functioning and overall-wellbeing. The concept “social work” was developed in the western world almost a century ago as a response to the needs at that time. In India, the concept of social work started with the establishment of ‘Sir Dorabji School of Social Work’ popularly known as the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
Social Work professionals work on these areas
The professional social workers work in various segments such as family welfare, child welfare, women welfare, disability, education, para-medical services, youth welfare, community development, criminal justice, human rights, weaker section, unorganized sector workers, corporate social responsibility, human resource and social policy development. This profession is sought in different contexts of life relating human welfare and development. The scope of social work profession is very wide as it can make interventions in diverse social context and environment. The social work professionals have the ability to deal with diversified mass facing problems in highly complex social situations and contexts.
The professionals develop special expertise in their chosen areas such as rights of the industrial workers, conducting research to facilities better interaction between the individuals and the society, providing consultation and guidance to other professionals, community based services for needy individuals and groups etc.
How do social workers assist people?
The professional social workers also assist people through making direct and indirect interventions through developing, empowering and changing individuals, groups and communities, administering social service agencies, supervising programmes and staff, conducting researches for facilitating intervention with diverse groups etc.
This profession is an outcome of integrated approach as the professional knowledge pertaining to social work has been derived from theories of psychology, sociology, political science, economics and other related fields. During training period, various practical skills are beingdeveloped through conducting seminars and workshops and fieldwork placement in different non-government organization and institutions under the supervision of professional social workers.
Career opportunities in Social Work
Manager Social Welfare:- A social welfare manager organises and runs programmes designed to improve the wellbeing of individuals, to alleviate suffering in communities and to improve the fabric of society
Development Planners:- Development planners are involved in planning for and with disadvantaged communities, both urban and rural. They formulate policies, strategies and programme to meet the needs of these communities.
Welfare officer:- A welfare officer is appointed to supervise and report on various programmes and schemes run by the state for the welfare of people.
Probation officer:- A probation officer is appointed to supervise and report on a convicted offender who is free on probation. A probation officer provides support and counselling to help the offender lead a crime-free life.
Consultant:- A consultant in social work helps in providing various knowledge-based facilitative service to professionals of social work.
Research officer :- A social welfare researcher investigates the causes of social problems and methods for overcoming these problems.
Community Welfare officer:- A community social worker identifies the social and economic pressures people experience that may cause social problems. The responsibilities of the social worker include research, administration and training of social auxiliary workers.
Lecturer in social work:- A lecturer teaches and develops courses for a specialised field of study to students attending university
Clinical social worker:- A medical social worker works with clients in hospital and in psychiatric care. Medical social workers use individual and group work to assist their patients, and conduct research into psychiatric and other disorders.
Manager Human Resource:- A personnel manager is responsible for the welfare of the employees in an organisation. He or she is responsible for the recruitment and selection of employees, improving productivity and job performance etc.
Child Welfare:- A child and family social worker helps children and families modify their behaviour or circumstances to promote a healthy family life.
School Social Worker:- A school social worker takes care of the welfare of the children in a school by providing education and information on life skills, and group and individual counselling.
Counsellor:- A counsellor helps the people to re-establish a constructive life and/or place in society by providing therapeutic retraining aimed at the individual achieving balance.
Para Medical Services:- A medical social worker helps people in hospital settings through providing various rehabilitative therapies and programmes.
