What even is Social Work?
Okay, so let’s start from square 1: the National Association of Social Workers or NASW defines social work as a helping profession devoted to enhancing human well-being, meeting basic needs, and empowering vulnerable, oppressed, or impoverished populations (socialworkers.org). Social work was founded in the late 19th century in response to the Industrial Revolution and is largely credited to Jane Addams, who in 1889, founded Hull House in Chicago, pioneering the settlement house movement in the US and focusing on community organization and social reform. She became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931 for her work (naswfoundation.org). Just a few of the other things we have to thank social workers for include (socialworkers.org):
The civil rights of all folks regardless of gender, race, faith, or sexual orientation are protected
Workers receive unemployment insurance, disability pay, worker’s compensation, and Social Security
Folks with mental illness and developmental disabilities are afforded humane treatment
Medicaid and Medicare give eligible individuals access to health care
As a society, we seek to prevent child abuse and neglect
Treatment for mental illness and substance abuse is gradually losing its stigma
A Master in Social Work (MSW) unlocks versatile career paths ranging from mental health care to nonprofit administration to policy advocacy. You can find social workers in schools, healthcare, child and adult welfare, and even the military. The options are endless! Did you know that 60% of mental health professionals in the US are clinically trained social workers (hold an LCSW/LICSW) (css.edu)? It is a predominantly women driven (think upwards of 90% per NASW), fast-growing, caregiving field that is desperately in need of new recruits. That being said, what could possibly be the drawback.
Well…One Word…Burnout. First, our staffing isn’t great. Per, Social Work News, for some Child Protective Services (CPS) social workers, their caseloads can average between 45-60 but can exceed 100 at any given time. Same with Adult Protective Services (APS). I’ve had positions where my case loads were 50 and that was considered GOOD! Second, pay isn’t great. We go to school for a minimum of 4 years but average of 6. You have to have a bachelor’s in something. I have a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology. But then nearly everyone goes back for a Master of Social Work, which on average, is a 2-year program (including summers and UNPAID internships). My program cost me $100,000. My first job out of school…I made $45,000. Living in downtown Chicago. Let that sink in for a minute...Third, it isn’t always a safe job. 62% of social workers have reported being subject to psychological aggression and 14.7% have experienced physical assault perpetrated by clients in the past year alone respectively (naswma.org). I have stories for days and so do all my colleagues. But hey, its just a job, right?
