Jul 19 2011

Social services jobs -€“ how to get started

Social work jobs might sound interesting, but it is worth considering whether you really know what working in this field really entails, and the different kinds of jobs that are available.  There are a a variety of specialisms within social services jobs, but the two most important are residential social work and field social work.  The former refers to the care and supervision of a group of people (they might be children, elderly people, the mentally or physically handicapped, or people suffering from alcohol or drug addiction) in a residential home or school.  Those who specialise in field social work handle the problems of individuals or groups.  This might involve child care, mental welfare, finding foster homes, or advising those adopting children. Generally, these types of social services jobs are about trying to restore acceptable or improved social conditions for an individual family or community.

Social worker jobs are not right for everyone, and there are certain characteristics that are required of anybody who is interested in working in this field.  You will need a desire to help the disadvantaged, the ability to communicate clearly and effectively, the ability to get on with people from many different walks of life, and a willingness to work outside the normal 9-5 day.  It is vital to be able to show concern for others’ feelings without becoming emotionally over-involved, otherwise the job will become much more stressful than it should be.

Entry requirements are fairly specific; you will need a degree in social work to become a social worker.  If you are currently studying for a degree in a different field and you are considering this kind of career, you will need to take another undergraduate degree, which usually takes three years.  However, there are some accelerated two-year programmes for those who have studied relevant subjects such as sociology, social policy, psychology and law.  In some cases, graduates can get government funding if they want to retrain as social workers. The ‘step-up to social work’ programme was created to attract high-flyers into the area.  Those with a 2:1 degree and experience working with children or families are paid to study for a Masters degree. The Children’s Workforce and Development Council provide £15,000 for each candidate, and there are up to 200 places on the programme.

There are, therefore, many different routes into social work jobs.  Whether you are studying for a degree in social work or have a vague sense that this kind of role might be right for you, there should be a route into social services jobs that suits you.  If your skills and interest meet those that are required of social worker jobs, then it promises to be an extremely fulfilling and enjoyable career.

Please visit http://www.sanctuarypersonnel.com/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.sanctuarypersonnel.com/

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Sep 19 2010

Social Services Jobs: Choose the Type of People You Want to Work With and Help Them

Social work jobs are not a straightforward walk in the park. No-one should go into social worker jobs if they are searching for an easy life. In social service jobs scenarios are challenging and frequently stressful or traumatising. But the positive is that they are also, more often than not, satisfying, fun, and inspirational. They are jobs in which you have very much interaction with a variety of individuals.

If you think of yourself a people person, then you might be perfectly suited for social work jobs. The communication skills needed for social worker jobs include a many different qualities. For example, maybe the most important point in some types of social services jobs is that you need to be patient. The people you work with vary a lot in their individual needs, problems and, of course, characters, so you will need to be fairly adaptable. Even if you do social worker jobs in one particular area – such as youth and school, drug or alcohol abuse rehabilitation, or mental health and learning disabilities – there is a massive amount of variety in each area. As all workers in the field know, no two days are identical.

Of course every job will vary greatly, so there are no hard and fast rules to do with what you can expect your everyday working life to involve. Sometimes you might have uneventful days, and simply spend time with the people you care for, take them on a fun day out, or help them to unwind and keep them company. Other times, however, you will have to work in very difficult situations, and you will encounter challenging, and at time dangerous or violent, behaviour. It is in these situations that, with the right education and guidance, you will really be able to earn your wage and make a difference to people’s lives.

There are vulnerable people across the nation, from all walks of life, who need assistance. If you are thinking of going into social worker jobs, it is a good idea to decide what kind of people you would most like to work with. You might think you are best suited to social services jobs with children who come from troubled backgrounds and live in rough areas. Your social work job could help them to get on well at school and grow up in a positive way. Alternatively you could prefer to work with people who have learning disabilities, assisting them in their daily lives, coping with challenging situations and helping them to gain as much independence as they can.

Please visit http://www.socialworkandcarejobs.com/ for further information about this topic.

http://www.socialworkandcarejobs.com/

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