Graduating with a social work degree doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go on to be a social worker. Your skills and qualifications would allow you to find work in other fields. If you did choose to become a social worker, there are many different specialties, and different groups of people you could work with. Being a graduate of a masters in social work could open up many doors and allow you to have a long and rewarding career in whatever path you chose. Here are some of the great career options available to you.
Social Work
Social work helps many different groups. From helping veterans finding their place in society and dealing with any issues they may have, looking after the elderly or children and families, to assisting the victims of domestic violence. Social work can be challenging, but there aren’t many more rewarding careers out there.
Advocacy
A social work degree would allow you to work as an advocate. Advocates use their skills and knowledge to represent their clients. Advocates work to ensure their clients’ voices are heard, defend their rights, challenge decisions on their behalf, and make sure they understand outcomes. Advocates work in a variety of different situations, from court rooms, to medical meetings.
Family Support Work
Family support workers work with families, children and young people to ensure they get the best help possible when they need it. Working with families who are facing either short or long term issues, family support offers both practical and emotional support. This could be anything from finding affordable housing and applying for benefits to being a shoulder to cry on.
Therapist
Therapists help people dealing with conditions such as stress, anxiety and depression, by talking to them and helping them to find their own coping strategies. The work of a therapist often reduces the need for medication and long term care.
Mental Health Worker
Mental health workers not only help to identify mental health conditions and care for patients, they also play an incredibly important part in educating society about mental health conditions and treatments.
Probation Officer
Probation officers work with those who are leaving and have left prison, to make sure they lead productive and innocent lives upon their release. Probation officers play a large role in educating offenders, as well as helping them readjust to society and find jobs, all while ensuring the safety of the public.
Charity Worker
Your skills as a social work graduate could help you work within a charitable organization. Charity work is exceptionally varied. You could find work with rehousing organizations, in sheltered accommodation, as an advocate or counselor within an organization, or as part of a fund-raising team.
Youth Worker
Youth workers work supporting young people who need help. Some may have problems with their families, while others may be in legal trouble, or struggling with mental disorders. As a youth worker, you would be responsible for identifying your client’s needs, and working with them to find solutions, offering emotional support along the way.
There are many ways you could use your social work degree to help others. While some of these careers might require you to complete further education or training, they are all incredibly rewarding and fulfilling choices.
Image credit: By PITER – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
