Editor LauraSocial work is a course that is focused on assisting people in overcoming challenges including poverty, addiction, unemployment, abuse, mental disorder, and a variety of other issues. The importance of social justice and equality is also studied in social work.
One of the institutions to study social work in South Africa is the Tshwane University of Technology. This is a South African higher institution formed by the amalgamation of three technikons: Technikon Northern Gauteng, Technikon North-West, and Technikon Pretoria.
Requirements For Social Worker At TUT
To study social work at TUT, there are some certain requirements that need to be met, and that are listed below;
- A National Senior Certificate (NSC) or an equivalent qualification, with a score level of at least 4 for English (home language or first additional language), 3 for any second language, and 3 for Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy.
- Applicants must have an Admission Point Score (APS) of at least 22
- Students will be required to take an admission test for some programs, which will determine whether they will be admitted to the program or whether they will be advised to enroll in a similar course.
Specializations In Social Work
There are three broad areas of specialization in social work, with each requiring different skills and degrees.
Direct Practice Social Work
For this socialization, you will need a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, as this field requires you to work closely in sectors like healthcare, child safety, and education.
Clinical Social Work
Since this involves more advanced information and procedures, you’ll need a Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW). This specialization also allows you to identify and treat mental diseases, as well as drug and alcohol misuse.
Macro Social Work
This specialty doesn’t require working with vulnerable people, as your main working area is usually in governments positions and public and private institutions.
Careers options for Social Work
Military Social worker
A military social worker educates and assists members of the military and their families with the special issues they experience in their line of profession. Military social workers can negotiate the complexities of working with both active-duty and civilian clients who are members of the military by providing counselling and assistance.
Community Social Worker
Rather than dealing with a single individual, a community social worker examines a group as a community and adopts measures and adjustments that benefit everyone. Community social workers help communities design and implement new initiatives, as well as allocate resources.
Mental Health Social Worker
People and families all around the country face several challenges which result in mental illness, and this set of people usually require more help and attention.
A mental health social worker’s job entails screening and treating people with mental health problems, as well as offering feedback and support to help them manage their behavioral and emotional problems.
School Social worker
A social worker serves as a voice and advocate for kids in most primary and secondary schools. A school social worker collaborates with the school, teachers, parents, and staff to ensure that students succeed both inside and outside the classroom. These social workers build relationships with families, provide community resources, and provide mental health and crisis management help.
Must-Have Skills To Be A Social Worker
To perform their task successfully, social workers leverage the use of their skills most times, as their skills come first when dealing with patients. Below are some of the must-have skills of a social worker;
Empathy
This ability allows the social worker to put themselves in the shoes of their client. Empathy allows a social worker to gain a better grasp of their client’s issues.
Organization
Social workers must be well organized due to their numerous daily tasks. Networking, calling, and arranging services can add up to a lot of paperwork and caseloads for everyone, hence the need to be well organized.
Communication
Communication is very important when doing this job because social workers need to be straightforward, concise, and transparent when dealing with clients, their families, care providers, and colleagues. Strong communication can also help in the prevention of misconceptions and the removal of other barriers to communication.
Problem-Solving
Every case is unique, and a social worker is constantly striving to find the best answer in a challenging scenario. A good problem solver is one that can assist clients in obtaining the best support possible.
Patience
As a social worker, you will deal with a wide range of people with different behaviours. To handle this set of people, you’ll need to maintain patience, as this will help to understand them better.
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Conclusion
Social workers are in high demand, with a growing demand on the job market. Social work is also one of the few categories of labour that continued to develop, although the financial crisis affecting the global economy and the need for more workers will keep increasing.