Social work responsibilities are probably the biggest responsibilities when handled seriously and professionally. The very fact that there are no stringent laws and professional ethics carved out for this field the liability increases manifold.
As it is commonly said, anything done or given for free is always doubted to have some ulterior motive, same stands true for social work. It is not easy to be in this field. there are many factors that should be taken into consideration when taking up responsibilities to do something.
There are certain things which one should be aware of while diving into this field of work. Like the different levels at which projects are taken and handled, the money that comes in, the funding that is needed, etc. Get involved only when you are aware of this crucial information so that you know exactly how the resources are utilized. Plus, one also needs to know the job profile and well defined scope of work.
As for now we have a number of articles that will apprise you of the details in different jobs in this section. Some of the points from the check list are enumerated below:
Know the Culture and Values
Be Mentally Strong
Foresee Opposition and Prepare
Communicating with the Media
Build Motivation
Returns
If you have any expectation from the state or central government, the local political parties or anybody else, make sure you gauge such possibilities well. There is no guarantee of anything, keeping this in mind you should start and continue your work. If you think you are such a kind of person social work is for you.
Research and Surveys
One should be good with statistics, if not in interpreting at least in inferring relevant important information for preparing for a project. Surveys are a basic and very crucial part of starting any new work.
There are experts of different fields who you can approach or some organizations where you can find assistance and they also have volunteers who are ready to offer assistance to people or groups wanting to work.
Laws and Regulations
Knowledge of laws and regulations of the land as well as the laws related to the domain where you wish to contribute is necessary. Make sure when you plan to take any major step you consult the local police and the law makers too.
Mental Support
Believe it or not, given today’s hectic schedules and emotional crisis that most of the people face in their lives providing mental support is essential in the arena of social work.
There can be different age groups and various topics on which one can become a support to someone. But when doing social work you should ensure that you do something which makes people independent to a certain extent. That is when you empower them.
Work Environment
The work conditions are totally dependent on the field you wish to work in and the kind of projects you take up. You can check for one thing though; you can check if the organization you are associated with has any affiliation, grants or not.
These were some pointers to bear in mind and check before going out searching for employment. There is a lot of scope in this field and it is necessary to go into details like where the work fits in, for example, macro, meso or micro levels.
Here is the list of different types of social work job responsibilities: