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Social Work

Home > Career Library > Social Services > Social Work
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Social Work

Summary

Do you look at the people around you and have this desire to reach out and help them? Do you wish to bring about change and the betterment of society? If the answer to anyone of the above is yes, then you should consider the career of a social worker. Social workers work with different subsets of populations and provide advice, support and help to individuals who are vulnerable sections of the society or who need assistance in various situations, such as adoption, dealing with abuse, etc. Further, the job of a social worker also requires the individual to be up to date with laws and policies in order to effectively help their clients.

Career Opportunities in Social Work

  • Child welfare social workers
    Child welfare social workers work with children who have been neglected, abandoned or abused. They may specialize in one field within child welfare as well, such as adoption. The main aim of their job is to protect the child. They could be working individually or be employed by schools or NGOs. Individuals should be well versed with the laws pertaining to children in order
  • Public social worker
    The focus of public social worker is on the general wellbeing, development and health of the community members and the community in general. Their work starts with assessing the community and its' needs, then understanding those problems and finally finding appropriate plans to address those problems. This could involve addressing issues within the community, seeking help for the same or working on policies that would benefit the community and the effective implementation of these policies
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
    Corporate Social Responsibility is an area where professionals with a background in social work are appointed to work in the corporate sector. In this department of the company, social workers are actively being hired to guide and assist the company in making CSR related decisions.
  • Substance abuse social workers
    Substance abuse social workers work with the target population of individuals who have certain addictions which are interfering with their daily functioning and social life. These specialized social workers assess the problems of substance abusers and assist them in their path to overcome the addiction and make a full recovery by providing support and devising treatment plans best suited to the individual.

How to Become a Social Worker

Stream Graduation After Graduation After Post Graduation
path 1
Clear Class XII with Any Stream Pursue Bachelors in any streamPursue M.S.W for 2 yearsPh.D for 3-5 years
path 2
Clear Class XII in any streamPursue Bachelors in Social Work for 3 yearsPursue M.S.W for 2 yearsPh.D for 3-5 years

Important Facts

  • Must have passed class 12thor senior secondary examination with at least 50% marks

Leading Institutes

Top Social Work Institutes in India
College Location Website
Delhi School of Social Work, Delhi University Delhi www.du.ac.in/du
Tata Institute of Social Sciences Mumbai /Guwahati www.admissions.tiss.edu
Panjab University Punjab www.puchd.ac.in/ss
Christ University Bangalore www.christuniversity.in
Madras School of Social Work Chennai www.mssw.in
Institute of Rural Management (IRMA) Anand www.irma.ac.in
Christ University Bangalore www.christuniversity.in/humanities-and-social-sciences/social-work/master-of-social-work-(msw)-human-resource-development-and-management
Jamia Millia University Delhi www.jmi.ac.in/socialwork/courses-name/MASocial_Work-147/1
College of Social Work Nirmala Niketan Mumbai www.NA
School of Social Work Roshni Nilya Mangalore www.sswroshni.in
Pune University Pune www.csrd.edu.in/web/programmes/msw
Annamalai University Chidambaram www.annamalaiuniversity.ac.in
Top Social Work Institutes in the World
Institution Location Website
University of Chicago United States www.uchicago.edu
Columbia University School of Social Work United States www.columbia.edu
University of Michigan United States www.umich.edu
University of Washington United States www.washington.edu
University of California Berkeley United States www.berkeley.edu
University of Texas at Austin United States www.utexas.edu
University of South California United States www.usc.edu

Social Work Entrance Exams

Undergraduate
College Tentative Date Important Elements Website
TISS BAT BA Programme End April Early January
  • Verbal Ability
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Numerical Ability
  • Logical Reasoning
General Awareness		 www.admissions.tiss.edu
Postgraduate
Institution Tentative Date Important Elements Website
DSSW Entrance Exam First Week March
  • Current Affairs
  • Social Awareness
  • Logical Reasoning
  • English
 www.dssw.du.ac.in/admissions.html
Christ University Skill Assessment Mid June
  • Written Skills
  • Communication Skills
Logical Reasoning		 www.christuniversity.in/apply-online

Work Description

  • Work with people to support them through difficult times and ensure that vulnerable people are safeguarded from any harm
  • Develop and maintain professional relationships with people acting as advocates & guides for them
  • Assess clients' needs, situations, strengths, and support networks to determine their goals
  • Organize and manage packages of support to enable people to lead fullest lives as far as possible
  • Recommend and make decisions about the best course of action for a particular person or family
  • Participate in multi-disciplinary teams and meetings regarding child protection, mental health, etc.
  • Develop plans to improve clients' well-being
  • Help clients to adjust to changes and challenges in their lives, such as illness, divorce, or unemployment
  • Respond to emergent situations, such as natural disasters

Pros & Cons of a Career in Social Work

Pros
  • Flexibility of work and workplace
  • Highly satisfying and provides chance to help people
  • Demand for social workers is high
Cons
  • Is an emotionally taxing job
  • Requires following strict ethical guidelines
  • Work environment may not be pleasant
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