Your questions answered from a Social Worker
Are you applying to study social work? Or thinking about it? Do you want to know more about what it's like to work as a social worker?
We asked Nick Hoose, our Senior Lecturer in Social Work, to answer a few common questions in the hopes of inspiring a discussion about social workers and to clear up some confusion about the career.
Nick qualified as a Social Worker in 2010 and went into a role working for a Youth Justice team in North Wales, where he spent his time before joining Wrexham Glyndwr University. We asked him a couple of questions, some included here and all of the answers can be found on our blog:
How did you realise you wanted to be a social worker?
I am politically aware and pride myself on promoting social justice and equity which are key components of my profession. You do not have to be politically active to be a social worker but working in an anti-oppressive and anti-racist way is foundational. I’m of the opinion that these values should resonate throughout your whole life and way of being rather than being something you “turn on” for work. With social work, my personal values aligned perfectly with the line of work I was interested in, so it was a no-brainer!
Is it difficult to find a job?
In my experience, any graduate that wants to work will be able to secure employment. Social work is an in-demand job, and it also offers opportunities for professional development and advancement within organisations. This means that there are regular shifts in the work force and posts are available. Some areas of practice experience higher staff turn-over than other areas, however, this is not to say that these are any less rewarding.
What is a typical day as a social worker?
To be honest, there isn’t one “typical day”. Social workers can be involved in a massive range of work depending on their area of practice and on the most pressing matters at the time. They work face-to-face with individuals and/or families, but there is also a lot of time spent completing assessments and creating care plans as well. The paperwork can be overwhelming, but this is outweighed by the encouraging feeling of supporting people to make a positive shift in their life.
If you want to find out the answers to more questions like "how have you found the balance between work and family life?" or "what is a statutory placement?" then read our blog to hear from Nick.
We asked Nick Hoose, our Senior Lecturer in Social Work, to answer a few common questions in the hopes of inspiring a discussion about social workers and to clear up some confusion about the career.
Nick qualified as a Social Worker in 2010 and went into a role working for a Youth Justice team in North Wales, where he spent his time before joining Wrexham Glyndwr University. We asked him a couple of questions, some included here and all of the answers can be found on our blog:
How did you realise you wanted to be a social worker?
I am politically aware and pride myself on promoting social justice and equity which are key components of my profession. You do not have to be politically active to be a social worker but working in an anti-oppressive and anti-racist way is foundational. I’m of the opinion that these values should resonate throughout your whole life and way of being rather than being something you “turn on” for work. With social work, my personal values aligned perfectly with the line of work I was interested in, so it was a no-brainer!
Is it difficult to find a job?
In my experience, any graduate that wants to work will be able to secure employment. Social work is an in-demand job, and it also offers opportunities for professional development and advancement within organisations. This means that there are regular shifts in the work force and posts are available. Some areas of practice experience higher staff turn-over than other areas, however, this is not to say that these are any less rewarding.
What is a typical day as a social worker?
To be honest, there isn’t one “typical day”. Social workers can be involved in a massive range of work depending on their area of practice and on the most pressing matters at the time. They work face-to-face with individuals and/or families, but there is also a lot of time spent completing assessments and creating care plans as well. The paperwork can be overwhelming, but this is outweighed by the encouraging feeling of supporting people to make a positive shift in their life.
If you want to find out the answers to more questions like "how have you found the balance between work and family life?" or "what is a statutory placement?" then read our blog to hear from Nick.
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