A Day in the Life as a Social Worker
Darlene Albury, LMSW
As a social worker I spend most of my days helping people with complicated problems such as depression due to circumstances in their lives, foster care issues, court appointments and advocating on their behalf in getting their children returned to their care. I have also Help clients with housing issues, homelessness, family reunification-putting them back in connection with their families, which was a result of their drug addiction.
As a social worker I operated in a faceless bureaucracy that struggles to connect to people. I work to provide counseling, advice, and direction for people who would otherwise have no way to better situations in their lives. I help people by connecting them to organization and agencies. Not knowing what to do can be scary, and confusing especially for someone who has had all kinds of problems and disadvantages in their lives. I help clients to overcome their issues and have a healthier and happier way of life.
I chose social work because, being a social worker I am uplifted by the job that I do, and what I consider work of value. People are in need of our help. We have to be familiar with all types of assistance and services for those in need. It requires continuing education to keep abreast of programs, their funding and the power to produce a desired outcome. As a social worker you have to be prepared for disappointments and the clients as well. Social workers are asked to find an area of concentration, such as criminal justice, gerontology, medical, and social issues. Social workers face significant educational requirements. Most initial positions which are clerical require only a bachelor’s degree in social work BSW or a related field of sociology. Positions which involve psychological recommendations or assessment are positions with more responsibility; a Masters Degree in Social Work is required. All programs require extensive field work and client contact. Licensing and additional certification is required and varies in different states.
As a social workers I have strong instincts to help people. I am a professional trained to talk with people and their families about emotional or physical needs, and to find them support services. As a social worker I know how illness can affect a person's life, I can help with a particular crisis and/or day to day problems with family, school or work. Financial concerns, insurance, and government programs are all areas in which social workers are trained to help. For parents a social worker can help ease the stress involved in raising children with special needs, and can offer advice, resources, and help with financial and insurance concerns. I also confront issues that are stemmed from the dynamics of how the client relates with others. According to Carl Rogers, "Many interactions of the client are a direct and indirect representation of how they view themselves." Forming a solid rapport and sense of trust, I am able to guide the client into a healthy and positive relationship. This will proved to be a beneficial foundation in building a new structure of relationships.
In order for the client to function in a nurturing and healthy relationship, they must first break down their walls in order to rebuild a stronger structure. I act as a guide to facilitate inner learning, in which many obstacles and blockages will be overcome. There are three characters of building an effective relationship, genuineness, acceptance and understanding. In order for me as a social worker to exhibit a sense of genuineness, I must be able to recognize my own strengths and shortcomings. I help provide the client with the ability to look deeper within themselves. By being genuine about his or her feelings I am able to establish a more effective relationship with the client. I feel that in addition to being real with the client, I must be accepting of him or her needs. The client's individuality must be maintained unconditionally. As a social worker I need to convey to the client that it is all right to feel and act differently than others. In many cases the client may display a low sense of self or self-worth, in which she or he feels inadequate of his or her condition, behavior or feelings. It is the role of the social worker to instill a sense of security that will encourage the client to establish more accepting relationships. As a social worker I must be able to empathize with the client in order to understand his or her views. I must also be able to view the client as he or she sees him/herself in relation to the world. I must be able to establish a relationship with the client, this union will be supportive as well as a solid foundation for the client to form other healthy relationships. I act as a guide to the client's inner learning and that many blockages and obstacles can be overcome. The client is also empowered to become more understanding of him/herself in attempts to accept all others unconditionally, regardless of their shortcomings. The importance of developing a relationship between the client and the social worker is not only about the client's thoughts and problems, but rather an exchange of genuineness acceptance, and understanding. This exchange allows for learning and growth to transpire for both the client and me as a social worker.
