Getting into Social work, voluntary, part time and career wise.

oldscoil

Hi All.

I am at a bit of a dead end workwise.
I have a job, it's aaaaaaalright i 'spose .....it's a job, put it that way.
But I'm thinking of getting into something a bit more challenging, and rewarding!!!!!!

So I have been thinking about social work.

Does anyone have ANY INFO how I can enter this line of work, perhaps voluntary, part time, or even a course i can do, with a view to perhaps building a career in it.

Also, how is this vocation in regards to career, promotion, reccession, pension.

Much appreciated.
Thanks folks.

Moonbeam

For Social Care work there are loads of courses out there,from Fas to degrees.
For social work UCC and TCD offer a 4 year full time courses leading to becoming a registered social worker and also post grad courses.

www.nswqb.ie (for anyhting related to becoming a social worker)
www.qualifax.ie will have most of the course information.
www.fas.ie might help too.

There is quite a difference between being a social worker and social care worker.

LadyMayBelle

Hey oldscoil.

Im about to start on a masters Social work course. I did a course unrelated to it for my undergrad, took a few years out and landed in the social care arena, by chance to be honest, but worked my way into social work by doing a social care course.

Can i ask if you are interested in the college or work side of things? What area of social care/work are you keen on? where in the country would you be based?

PM me if you need advice, trust me , ive been thru the mill!

dory

Hey LadyPennyworth. How did you get into the masters without a relelvant undergrad? I would love to get into social work but am not sure I can afford to go back to college for an undergrad if I also need to do a postgrad later. Where did you do the social care course?
Hope you don't mind the questions!
In answer to the questions you asked the other guy; I would like to be based in Dublin/Kildare/Clare/Limerick not really fussy. And in terms of work, I've worked with abused children before when on overseas voluntary placements and found that interesting and challenging. But if I tell people that's what I'd like to work in they usually think I'm a psycho.

LadyMayBelle

Hiya Dory.

I worked in the field after i left college, with an intellectual disability organisation, and also some misson trips abroad. I did a BA. I notched up a few two day courses working in the job, like child protection, studio 3, etc and then went on to do a part time social care course in nuig. one night a month. as far as I am aware, that course may be being run in limerick, as we had a lot of ppl from Rehabcare coming up to the class.

http://www.nuigalway.ie/health_promotion/courses/outreach.html

I also moved to a different company to expand my experience, and didnt get social work on my first time trying! most ppl have to re apply as it is hard to get into.

Galway, trinity, cork and ucd do social work masters but the latter two require you have a social policy dip done first.

Basically you need, two excellent references, one ideally from a tutor, up to a years experience full or part time, a statement and an interview, and at least a 2.2 degree.

Hope it helps!

oldscoil, I left out some bits in my pm, i put the in here!

silvine

Came across this thread and seems relevant to what I want to do.

I've an undergraduate degree in Communications and work in the learning disability field.

I want to get qualified in the social care field. I'd like some sort of part time post-grad around the Dublin area or via distance learning. The Galway course looks interesting too but I'd be starting from scratch.

Can anyone offer advice about which social care course would be suitable?

LadyMayBelle

Would you not be starting from scratch anyway in terms of the knowledge or do you mean as in the idea of starting a new degree?

I know the social care course I did was just a stop-gap as I already had a Degree, and I needed to prove to the social work people that I was keen in pursuing social work...

I'm really not sure about what part time courses there are in Dublin postgrad wise you could do, www.postgrad.ie tho cos there are some courses there you might be interersted in...community development in Galway maybe?

silvine

So did you do the first year of that Galway course and then enrol for a Masters?

LadyMayBelle

Yeah, I had done a degree in 2000, took 5 years out and then enrolled on the part time (one night a month) social care course so came out with cert as i only did one year and had been accepted on the social work masters. They do (on the masters) look for a relevant degree even tho I wasn't hugely relevant Galway do consider you

silvine

Cheers for the info.

The thoughts of starting completely from scratch is a little daunting. I suppose I am looking for some way to use the degree I have and some work towards a masters or do a higher diploma.

So did you qualify as a social worker or social care worker in the end?

LadyMayBelle

Only half way there!! just doing my second semester so ages left but hopefully it will be worth it..MA in social work.. good luck with whatever you choose!