Every day we come across heart-wrenching news, increasing domestic violence, child abuse, rape, and whatnot. With growing unemployment, many families are living on the edge, trying to make ends meet, falling into the poverty trap. In a world full of injustice and incredibility complex challenges, we need people who are committed to making a difference in the lives of people. Here is where the need for social workers arises.
They play a prominent role in improving the lives of communities by helping individuals of all ages to thrive. They act as advocates for those who have lost their voice and pull out children and adults from vulnerable situations. The goal is to relive people’s sufferings and fight social injustice to strengthen communities.
As Luther King, Jr. says, “social work helps the arc of universe bend towards justice.” It provides light in the darkness and hope when people are on the verge of giving up. Social work value encompasses everything – integrity, individual dignity, and compassionate service. If you wish to explore this arena further, let us help you understand the importance of social work and its values.
CORE SOCIAL WORK VALUES
Social work summarizes the ethical principles to set standards to guide workers. These codes reflect the values and practices of social workers.
- Service: The aim is to help needy people, address their concerns, manage, and resolve social problems.
- Integrity: Social workers follow professional values, specific ethical standards, and continually improve their work expertise.
iii. Values: Although there are different types of social workers, all share the same set of values. They respectfully treat each client by being mindful of individual differences, cultural norms, and ethnic diversity.
These values lay a foundation for social work, preparing workers for all kinds of challenges in this field.
WHY IS SOCIAL WORK IMPORTANT?
The rising social issues in today’s era are increasing the demand for social work. Even though the government is tirelessly working to make societies better, but they need support. Social workers help with the following.
1. COMBATS POVERTY
Poverty levels vary around the world, but there are millions of people living below the poverty line. Some don’t have a roof under their head, while others can’t afford three proper meals in a day. As a result, they send children to work at the age when they should be attending school. Social workers act as a safety net for many communities. They utilize their training and education to stop people from further falling into this trap.
They make efforts to help individuals become economically self-sufficient by assisting them with education. Alongside proposing incentives for free education, they take initiatives themselves, such as street school. All the people on the streets – children, adults, seniors, can attend this school and get primary education to thrive in this competitive world.
2. RESCUE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Like every other crime, the exact number of domestic violence assaults is hard to determine, but it exists in every society. Abusers trap victims and break their sense of self-worth through physical and domestic abuse. Social workers rescue victims, provide one-on-one counseling to reduce the impact of social trauma because healing mentally is no easy feat.
They share potential options and resources with them, helping continue their life. They follow a strength-based empowerment approach to help victims realize their worth and capabilities. In short, social workers make every effort to save victims and give them a new perspective on life.
3. WORKER RIGHTS
Economic injustice comes in the form of low wages, job discrimination, unhealthy working conditions, and a lack of training opportunities. Social work is all about fighting for injustice by advocating policies to increase employment opportunities. They put pressure on organizations through trade unions to stop the exploitation of workers. Besides, they are reforming laws and implementing programs to help unemployed people. Alongside unemployment benefits by the government, they are establishing unemployment insurance, disability, and worker’s security.
4. STOPS CHILD LABOR
Despite various laws by the government on child labor, it exists worldwide even in the 21st century. You can spot children working on construction sites, transportation, and also the manufacturing sector. Social workers create awareness programs for underprivileged families, explaining to them the importance of education for children.
They persuade them to send their children to schools instead of making them work at a young age. Likewise, social workers collaborate with the government to provide incentives to children. For instance, they can give minimum wage to students for attending school – this how Japan eliminated child labor.
5. FIGHTS INJUSTICE
Social workers strive against discrimination to make this world a better place to live, providing equal opportunities for all. They speak for minors, the oppressed, and people who can’t stand for themselves like the LGBT community. Social workers use affirmative therapy that validates and recognizes this community. They help in reducing peer pressure family rejection, easing the social stigma to combat feelings of isolation. Likewise, they work with policymakers to fight discriminatory practices against women, race, sector, religion, or culture.
FINAL THOUGHTS,
Social work is all about helping individuals overcome difficult situations in their life. It helps people learn how to move past problems by strengthening themselves and taking support from government entities. However, social work is not limited to individuals, but social advocates also push the government to change harmful laws. After all, the aim is to make this world a better place to live.
