Social workers are essential members of society, and it’s a noble profession that lets you be an asset to people. Numerous issues need addressing, including piling domestic violence cases, gender wage gap, and even drug abuse. As a social worker, you’ll work the frontlines of these issues and bring change.
Social working is a multidimensional field, and you may get to work out with the people and back in the office. Hence, if you’re an introvert who wants to help people but hesitates with interaction, there’s work for you too. So, if you’re going to get a social work degree, here are some life-changing impacts you can make:
You Can Advocate Civil Rights
Not everyone living in a society is getting their rights, and there are massive gaps in the way people get treated. People get discriminated against for different reasons. It can be because of their skin color, sexual orientation, and gender. As a social worker, you can help these people achieve their rights through proper representation. You can help these communities find jobs and even shed light on companies who openly discriminate against employees and hold them accountable.
Push For Workers Rights
If you want a career in social work, you need to obtain at least a post-graduate degree. So if you already have a bachelor’s degree under your belt, hop on board and work for a master’s. Nowadays, you can easily apply for online social work master programs to facilitate your trade. With the added flexibility and self-paced learning, online education has been a blessing.
One of the most important jobs you will do as a social worker is pushing for workers’ rights. Different sectors make up our industries, and workers who dedicate their time and service in these sectors deserve fair and equal treatment. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. As a social worker, you can shed light and push for policies on a federal level about exploited workers. You can compel companies to have insurance policies and even disability rights.
Help People With Mental Health Conditions
Mental health is a stigmatized topic. People are unable to find appropriate help for their mental health conditions. You can recognize these people and help them find proper support. Part of getting help is informing their families about mental health and mental health conditions. You can also fight for mental health institutes to get more funding and awareness to reduce the stigma. You may even push for more policies that help people understand the cause of mental health problems.
Mainstream The Idea Of Counselors
People don’t ask for help even if they need it. There’s a belief that only people who can’t handle their lives see counselors, which is not valid. Counselors are professionals who understand the emotional, mental, and even physical wellbeing of people. They know that when people don’t get good help, they start suffering in other phases of their life. Social workers can push forward the idea of counselors. They can explain how their knowledge and wisdom are pivotal in getting help. You can even introduce counseling in various settings. They can work in schools, hospitals, and even in community centers.
Help Those In Poverty
Poverty is tragic. It makes it difficult for people even to achieve their most basic rights. The world may never end poverty ultimately. However, as a social worker, you can lend your support to those who need you. People living in poverty have various needs. Beyond multiple needs, they also have multiple issues. There are cases of drug abuse, domestic violence, and even starvation within these communities. You can help these people by finding agencies that have work for them. You can connect them to NGOs who can provide them with healthcare and food. There are even hospitals that work with the public health sector in ensuring that these communities find help.
Deal With Cases Of Child Abuse and Neglect
Many children are living in negligent households. These children face violence, abuse and get deprived of their fundamental rights. Some of these children don’t even have access to clean water and food. The reasons for their neglect can stem from parental neglect. Parents who neglect their children are liable for jail. At the same time, you can intervene and pull these children out of such households as a social worker. You can take care of them and find them better-living homes. That means entering children into a foster system away from their abusive households. If the parental neglect is too much, you can help file proper legal cases.
Help People Overcome Substance Abuse
People are hailing from different backgrounds abuse substances, which include drugs and alcohol. Substance abuse is a menace to society, making it unstable. People who abuse substances are dangerous not just for themselves but also for their families. They can incite violence and even accidentally kill people.
Abusing drugs doesn’t come cheap. The money that goes into funding the abuse is extravagant. It is not uncommon for people to steal money. In some cases, they can go home and even hurt their families. As a counselor, you can help people acknowledge that they have a substance issue. When the people know they’re struggling, you can connect them to proper rehab centers. If they’re not ready for rehab, you can always take them for counseling.
Wrap Up
Social work is a noble profession, and with the proper credentials, you can make a difference in society. Multiple problems are plaguing our communities, including all forms of abuse and neglect. As a social worker, you can help solve these problems. Apart from providing quick solutions, you can also help create reforms that can push for better changes. Some of the most common issues in society include child neglect, substance abuse, and mental health conditions. Unless social workers come together and perform their jobs, society will never progress. These problems will continue pulling us down. So there is an immediate need to address and solve them.