Can you name something better than working to help people find homes, to find a way to eat and to work to better themselves into becoming an integral part of society no matter what unfortunate cards they may have been dealt?
The answer should be that there are very few things better than helping those in need. The oppressed, the downtrodden and the unfortunate are the kind of individuals whom social workers work with every single day. They ensure that no person should have to live in a despairing situation without some sort of hope.
With 15 percent of the total United States population living in poverty and 20 percent with some sort of mental illness, the need for social workers is rising at a steady rate. They help to prevent people from falling between society’s cracks, which allows them to have a proper chance at living the kind of life that every person should be able to.
They even help people who may temporarily be going through an unfortunate period in their lives due to illness, natural disasters or any other kind of event that would otherwise force them into a situation that they couldn’t bounce back from.
Social workers help individuals in need by performing a number of duties. They may be tasked with helping with administrative duties that make government aid programs run smoothly, which in turn increases the number of people who can be helped exponentially. They may work to help people with societal problems or mental illness to learn how to cope. They may work as teachers who help the impoverished learn how to acquire jobs, manage their money, or seek education programs they need to change their lives.
They may work in hospitals, government institutions or private agencies. The types of people who they see and the problems that they solve are varied, which means that they face one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs.
The increase in demand for social workers has led to many good-natured people seeking out how to acquire their social worker degree. They want to work to help people who may be in need, which provides a rewarding experience that builds emotional bonds and strengthens the individual.
Whether it’s to answer a higher calling or to simply help other people, becoming a social worker is a big step that starts small. These small steps lead to changing the lives of individuals and as they add up, the very way that entire communities function.