So, What Do Social Workers do in this Social World?
I was working from home, and it was my break time when the children interviewed me for this. At the end, they said, 'Well-explained, we now get it, we would have loved to hear more, but unfortunately, your social time is up, it's time for you to go back to work...'
So, What Do Social Workers Do in this Social World?
no, we don’t just tik boxes and tok
yes, if we don’t pen
it then it didn’t happen
but of course, we listen more than we talk
because we were taught to always remember the importance of listening:
everything great involves the ear
it helps us analyse what we hear
it helps make things clear
it makes those who are far feel near
it is what makes us dear
it can reduce a person’s’ fear
it makes us view what is at the rear
it makes large portions of problems and risks disappear
it helps us get in the right gear
it can help wipe away a person’s tear
it helps prevent wear
it lightens what people must bear
we listen carefully so we don’t miss the cry that might be hidden in laughter
of course, we love likes
and we like loves
and of course, we love to follow and to be followed
and we love commenting and being commented on too
but we are mindful that words can construct but can also destroy
we do not appreciate always getting praised or always getting criticised
we appreciate constructive criticism
we love to select our words with wisdom
for example, we might need not say I will help you
we might need to say I will help you to help yourself
it is called caring plus empowering
and indeed, more than anything we love views
views as in sight
and views as in opinions, beliefs, ideas, ways of thinking
we value individuals’ views
we view what is visible and we view what is invisible
like viewing a smile and viewing the misery that is coated by that smile
we view what is obvious and what is not obvious
like viewing the able part of a vulnerable individual
we do not end at viewing, but we also review
we differentiate a want from a need
we sympathise and we empathise
yes, we are human beings who can experience anything that comes with being human
of course, sometimes we almost snap
but of course, before we snap
we quickly turn to our colleagues, supervisors, managers, and we chat
of course, we chat to keep zen, to reflect, to get advice, to say our minds… _
yes, we often need to act insta-fast
thinking on our feet and reflecting not only on action but also in action
no, our caseloads do not weigh only a gram
they can be heavy sometimes and heavy often
our competence is not measured more by
the quantity of work we do
but the quality of work we do
yes, you can hear us tweet
in our flocks (our teams)
because we are birds of the same feathers:
no need for expansion
no need for compression
just our hearts full of compassion
and our ability for imagination
of another human being’s situation
yes, we joined social work
because we had Pinterest for it
professional interest, permanent interest, persistent interest, plus interest… _
yes, we do face
so much that sometimes we forget to remember that if we do not book
some space and place to care for ourselves too,
we can risk burning out
yes, part of our job is to know WhatsApp in people in need’s lives
but of course, when we assess, we don’t only focus on what’s up
but also, what’s down, sideways, in, out, behind, ahead, around… the lives of people in need
it’s called holistic assessment and it supports holistic wellbeing
yes, we can support you to make informed decisions and choices
and throughout that process, who do we put at the centre?
of course, you
if we do not put you
at the centre of all assessments, decisions, plans about your life
our work will go down the tubes
Yes, MeWe are all important
but when we work there is less Me
and more We
we are more powerful as a team and as teams
we are more powerful when we combine our strengths and acknowledge our weaknesses
we also work in collaboration, in partnership, in integration with other professions
of course, we must always be LinkedIn
we don’t work as islands
yes, we always carry our Tumblr
cup glass…
to keep hydrated
social and health go hand in glove
yes, each time something negative was written about social workers
we reddit
sorry, I meant read it
we acknowledge that just like music can have discord
sometimes things can go wrong in our work
but we always try and be quick to rectify
and we learn from mistakes.
yes, we love vimeo
we love videos
but we don’t record, post, share
the confidential information of people without their consent
unless of course in those exceptional circumstances where
not sharing that information will or can or might result in harm
yes, when it is our day
world social work day
of course, we Meetup
physically or on Zoom or houseparty
to raise our glasses to the profession that promotes social change and development,
social cohesion, the empowerment and liberation of people… _
promotes social justice… using such theories as theories of social sciences…
to the profession that makes a difference