Why Social Workers Are Amazing

March is National Social Work month, and it is important that we take the time to appreciate all that they do in our local communities on a daily basis.
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

March is National Social Work month, and it is important that we take the time to appreciate all that they do in our local communities on a daily basis.

There are more than 600,000 social workers in the United States.
  • Social workers are working in our schools and with parents, teachers, and administrators to make sure that children reach their highest potential.
  • Social workers are on military bases and in veterans' centers making sure that people get the assistance and benefits that they need for themselves & their families.
  • Social workers are in hospitals helping patients & their families through extremely difficult situations.
  • Social workers advocate for vulnerable children when no one else is there to do it, & they find them protection and comfort.
  • Social workers are the largest group of mental health service providers & continuously lend support to those struggling with mental illness.
  • Social workers fight for our local communities & are actively pushing for programs, policies, and legislation that will benefit the most vulnerable in our society.

Social workers have an incredibly stressful & exhausting job. It can be physically taxing & emotionally draining with long, odd hours. Very few people understand what it takes to be a social worker & do these incredible things on a daily basis without the reward of money or recognition.

So why do they do it?

SocialWork@Simmons, where you can get your MSW online, features students, faculty, & alumni that have shared why they chose to become a social worker...

Kathryn Audette:

I decided to become a social worker to honor the life and legacy of my son who lost his battle with cancer at the age of 16 months old. Specifically, I became a social worker in order to effectively advocate for those in our society who are most often overlooked so that they might have a voice in order to influence our policymakers. While my passion is advocating for children with special health needs, as a policy practitioner, I also have the opportunity to work on issues that improve the lives of marginalized and oppressed groups such as the working poor and immigrant communities.

Jennifer Clements:

I took a volunteer job at a domestic violence shelter when I was an undergrad. The director had a social work degree and I loved how she worked side by side with the families to make life changes. I wanted to be a part of a profession that was so empowering. The opportunity to be a part of individuals lives, either one on one or in a group setting, to help them make changes that will impact them forever is one of the great privileges of being a social worker.

Alexandra Saari:

Simply put, I want to help others and I have always had a calling to go into therapy. After all, my name "Alexandra" means "helper of mankind." One of my favorite psychologists, Carl Rogers, said, "People are just as wonderful as sunsets if I can let them be. When I look at a sunset, I don't find myself saying, 'Soften the orange a bit in the right hand corner.' I don't try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds."

Kimberly Matthews:

After practicing law for 20 years, I decided to pursue my MSW to be able to make a meaningful difference in the lives of my clients. Complete client advocacy includes promoting social justice and helping to empower clients to make a meaningful difference in their own lives.

It is very clear that social workers do their incredibly difficult jobs because they genuinely want to help those around them. They are truly making the world a better place, & it is our responsibility to take the time out of our day to thank them for all that they do!


Follow Shari on Snapchat & other platforms with the handle: mom_shar

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot