The Heart of Social Work [LOVE].

Since this is the last social work post coming from this blog, I thought I would take the time to share with you why I am so passionate about social work:





Finally, I will leave you with this song. Check out the music video and the lyrics listed below. I think it does a great job of summarizing what social work is all about and where my passion lies!



What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love,

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love

Where is the love
Where is the love
Where is the love
The love, the love

It just ain't the same, always unchanged
New days are strange, is the world insane
If love and peace is so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong
Nations droppin' bombs
Chemical gasses fillin' lungs of little ones
With ongoin' sufferin' as the youth die young
So ask yourself is the lovin' really gone
So I could ask myself really what is goin' wrong
In this world that we livin' in people keep on givin'
in
Makin' wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends
Not respectin' each other, deny thy brother
A war is goin' on but the reason's undercover
The truth is kept secret, it's swept under the rug
If you never know truth then you never know love
Where's the love, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the truth, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the love, y'all

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money makin'
Selfishness got us followin' our wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema
Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness in equality
Instead of spreading love we're spreading animosity
Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found
Now ask yourself

Where is the love?

The Black Eyed Peas - Where is the Love

Rap [social work style].

I found this great video on YouTube of a rap written and performed by the USC School of Social Work's Professor Ralph Fertig. Check it out and learn about social work and why older, white men should not rap!

Job searches [online].

There are some great resources online for anyone doing a job search.

There are generic websites such as The Job Search Engine, Monster.com, or Indeed to look for any type of job any where on earth.

There are many profession-specific websites that provide job listings in a specific area of work. Some great ones for social workers looking for jobs include social service.com, the social work job bank, and the NASW social work career center. Each website has a variety of benefits. For example, the NASW social work career center is a great resource for job listings, but NASW members receive unlimited access to all webiste features.

For job searches, research on each site, or any additional information, check out the above websites!

Random Facts [U.S. Dept. of Labor].

The U.S. Department of Labor outlines the social work profession and includes statistics and other helpful information. Here are some interesting facts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.

--Employment is projected to grow much faster than average.
--About 5 out of 10 jobs were in health care and social assistance industries and 3 in 10 work for State and local government agencies.
--While a bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement, a master’s degree in social work or a related field has become the standard for many positions.
--Competition for jobs is expected in cities, but opportunities should be good in rural areas.

To learn more about the nature of the social work profession, training, other qualifications, and advancement, employment, job outlook, earning, and additional information, check out the UDLBLS website.

Social Welfare [the Ethical Responsibility].

As we have been learning from the Code of Ethics, social workers have a mandated responsibility to many people. One area of ethical responsibilty is to the broader society (did you pick choice F in the quiz from the last post? If you did, you were right!). The Code of Ethics 6.01 says this,

"Social workers should promote the general welfare of society,
from local to global levels, and the development of people,
their communities, and their environments.
Social workers should advocate for living conditions
conducive to the fulfillment of basic human needs
and should promote social, economic, political, and
cultural values and institutions that are
compatible with the realization of social justice."

A great blog, called The Good Human has some great information about how social workers (or any contientious human being for that matter) can "promote the general welfare of society" by having a sustainable lifestyle. Several posts have practical steps that you can take in order to benefit both yourselves and others. Check out the Good Human website for more practical, environmentally friendly information!

Ethical Responsibility [a quiz].

In the last post, we learned about the Social Work Code of Ethics. The ethical standards set up in the Code of Ethics are relevant to the professional activities of all social workers.

Who or what are social workers ethically responsible to?
Let's see if you know the answer.



Here are your choices:
A. Clients
B. Colleagues
C. Practice settings
D. The social work profession
E. Broader society
F. All of the above
G. A and B only

For the correct answer, check out the Code of Ethics here.

Code of Ethics [of the NASW].

The Code of Ethics is a major component of the social work profession. Included in the Code of Ethics is a list of social work's core values. Under each value is a corresponding ethical principle. The social work values (v) and principles (p) include the following:

1. (v) SERVICE
- (p) Social workers' primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems.
2. (v) SOCIAL JUSTICE
- (p) Social workers challenge social injustice.
3. (v) DIGNITY AND WORTH OF THE PERSON
- (p) Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.
4. (v) IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS
- (p) Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.
5. (v) INTEGRITY
- (p) Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.
6. (v) COMPETENCE
- (p) Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise.

If you want to check out the Code of Ethics in its entirety, visit this link.

Kmareka [sounds like America, but less repressive].

Today I stumbled across a fellow social worker's blog. Kmareka, aka Kiersten Marek, LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker), blogs almost daily about a variety of social issues. Topics she has blogged about range from the upcoming Presidential election to feminism, economics and class to children and families, etc.

Not everything Marek blogs about is serious. As you can see below, she has a softspot for Frank Caliendo's impersonation of President Bush:



Check out Kmareka for some great information, a few laughs, and another social worker's viewpoint.

Social Welfare [the history].

The history of social welfare is very extensive and dates back to before Christ. It has evolved and changed immensely over the years, resulting in the social welfare system we have today. For an in-depth look at how it started, here is a great resource.

NASW [National Association of Social Workers].

The National Association of Social Workers is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world. It's purpose is to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to advance social policy, and to create and maintain proffesional standards.

There are many benefits to being a member of NASW. At the low student price of $48 a year, the benefits far outweigh the small cost to joining. Some benefits include professional development, advancing the profession, discounts, and cutting-edge information.

For more information, visit the NASW website.

Masters in Social Work [MSW].

As many social work majors near the end of their undergraduate education, they consider the option of getting a Masters in Social Work. As I researched the MSW programs of area schools, I found that they varied considerably. I thought that comparing two Twin Cities graduate schools would be beneficial. Here is what I found:

DIFFERENCES
University of Minnesota
-- semester academic calendar
-- weekend exclusive classes or Thursday/Friday/Saturday option
-- Advanved Placement completed in 12 months
-- posible concentrations in Direct Practice or Community Practice
-- 480 hour internship

Augsburg
-- trimester academic calendar
-- weekend classes (Friday 6-10p and Saturday 8a-5p) only
-- Advanced Placement completed in 1.5 years
-- possible concentrations in Family Practice or Program Development, Policy, and Administration
-- 500 hour internship

SIMILARITIES
-- need a minimum 3.0 GPA from an undergraduate social work program
-- must have at least a B (3.0) in a foundation class taken during undergrad to replace a foundation class
-- application deadline is January 15, 2008



For more information about these graduate school programs, visit their websites:
U of M
Augsburg

Social Work [in general].

As a senior social work major in an accredited undergraduate social work program, I have an obvious interest in social work. This blog, therefore, will be dedicated to my own life-long learning process as well as to educating others about social work.

Wikipedia does a great job of summarizing the field of social work:

"Social Workers are concerned with social problems,
their causes, their solutions and their human impacts.
Social workers work with individuals, families, groups,
organizations and communities, as members of a
profession which is committed to social justice and human rights.
Social Work is the profession committed to the pursuit of social justice,
to the enhancement of the quality of life, and to the development
of the full potential of each individual, group and community in society."