A career in Social work

TracyCa

Hi,

I need a few opinions on Social work. My sister has just turned 18 and is in her last year of school. She is a quite introvert person!

She is currently looking into her college choices and course choices and her top choice seems to be Social Work.

She comes from a well protected family that would never have been around or seen any of the horffic cases seen in Social work (and I know not all cases are horrific) but I am sure for every 1 case there is a horriffic case.

Her second choice seems to be teaching which I think she would be excellent at however it is trying to get the social work out of the way.

I don't want to push her away from anything she wants to do, however... knowing her for 18 years and knowing exactly what she is like I can't see SW being for her.. I am trying to gently push her in the teaching direction but without her knowing.

Anyway what I am after is some info.. Does anyone know of places that maybe take some work experience on so she could get a taste of what it cold be like??

Thank You!

Mrs OBumble

Remember that social work is a very broad field: statutory jobs involving kids can be horrific. But ones with older people or people with disabilities not so much, and the clients come from all walks of life.

She could approach any of the volunteer agencies for some work experience, eg Age Concern, Vincent de Paul, etc.

sarkozy

Concern isn't a social work organisation, though the skills required in international development are broad, and social workers can find roles in that difficult, competitive sector.

Social work is a vocation, and perhaps she's thinking of it as such, because working at the coalface can be very difficult but, for the right person, very rewarding.

It's also an area of work which can be difficult to get into and, as we are seeing around us, the number of job opportunities in social work tend to decline as need increases (i.e. social welfare/protection tends to get slammed first during an economic crisis).

As someone struggling to find an entirely new career after having had enough of unemployment and job insecurity in the international development sector, I would urge one important caution: make sure your sister does proper research on the social work labour market and help her to do so. What jobs are available? What jobs are in demand? Are most jobs in the public sector/private sector? Is the pay enough? Is the type of job and pace of life the right match for her? All these kinds of questions need to be explored. If I'd have got real about chasing after 15 jobs in all of Ireland, I'd have changed tack much sooner.

At the same time, if it's her passion and she really wants to study social work/social policy at third level, then you have to support that. But encourage her to look realistically. I never did. Too idealistic.

Rower2

she should contact the colleges like TCD that do the undergrad course and ask for more information about the career or try to make contact with a social worker

she may surprise you!

k_t11

Hi,

I was in the same position; teaching / SW and my mother tried to direct me away from SW for similar reasons you are saying. But I was determined and completed my degree in June.

Obviously something has brought your sister to want to do social work so you should ask her what exactly is pulling her towards it instead of pushing her away from it.

She could volunteer with organisations but that doesnt really give you an idea of the work because you are limited in what you can do.

There's a book I read when beginning my course called "becoming a social worker" by vivien cree (2003) its a book of experiences of social workers in England there's also a book by Shane Dunphy called Wednesdays Child (his experience as a social care worker in ireland) that would give her an idea.

But find out why your sister wants be a social worker and support her in her decision because it is a difficult job and a good support network makes it a little easier.

Also there are courses that give you a bit of both. I did Early childhood studies in UCC and I did modules In psychology sociology child health and education. And they have fantastic placements in school and social settings that give you a taster of being a teacher and the social work line. Its a three year course and then from there I did a two year masters in social work 5 years and im all done! I did my masters in Scotland but another girl in my course went straight into the masters in social work in UCC.