Are you looking for jobs in the social sector and want to develop your skills in the field of social work? Then you've come to the right place! Those who work in the fields of social education and social work have a proverbial "job with a purpose", as they make it easier for everyone in our society to live together and actively or passively help people to overcome challenges in their lives.
Be it in youth welfare, assistance for the disabled and elderly, work with refugees, social management or in charitable companies and addiction counseling centers.
In this article, I would like to introduce you to some career prospects in social work that you may not yet know about. You'll find out how you can develop professionally and what jobs could be waiting for you after graduation. Let's go!
You can find a brief overview here in advance:
- Curative education nurse:in
- Social informatics:in
- Psychosocial:r Process Companion:in
- Street worker:in
- Manager:in accommodation for refugees
- Environmental educator
- Addiction Counselor
- Counselor for education, career and employment
- Social pedagogue
- Head:in Inclusion
Social work: definition, fields and popular professions
Before we move on to the actual jobs, I would first like to briefly introduce you to the definition and the basic career opportunities in the field of social work. This knowledge serves as an important Basis for finding the career that best suits you and your wishes and dreams.
What is social work?
Social work is a field that has emerged from the combination of social pedagogy and social work. Social work serves to prevent and solve social problems - and promotes social justice, the self-determination of people and cohesion in our society.
What are the areas and tasks in social work?
Perhaps you're wondering what you can do after studying social work? Fortunately, the professional fields in social work are Extremely versatile. Here I'll tell you some of them:
- Offender support
- Child Protection
- Adolescent Psychiatry
- Social planning
- Addiction counseling
- Curative Education
- Employment agency
- Emergency service
- Health Aid
- Combating racism
- Integration work
- Poverty reduction
- Advancement of women
- Help for the elderly
- Debt counseling
- Refugee work
Does social work have a future?
The work with people is one of the professional subject areas with the greatest future prospects. Even today, youth welfare offices and socio-educational institutions are desperately looking for people willing to help. The increasing potential for social conflicts and crises makes it even easier to find a fulfilling job in social work.
10 Jobs: What are the careers in social work?
There are plenty of subject areas in social work that you can specialize in. As you can see, social work is a very broad field that offers you Very much room for professional development offers.
"It is ever true that he who does nothing for others, does nothing for himself."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (more at Good Deeds Quotes)
As promised, I would now like to provide you with at least some of the many specific career and further training opportunities that you can use to actively help other people or lay the foundation for their help. You are guaranteed not to know some of them yet!
1. curative education nurse:in
In the curative care you make everyday life easier for people with physical, mental or psychological disabilities. You support them in difficult life situations and help them to manage their lives increasingly independently.
With a graduated Education or training (about 2-3 years with a final state examination) you can become a curative education nurse. Important for this are positive traits such as empathy and a certain level of conflict resolution skills.
Tip: Many people are suddenly dependent on help from one day to the next. The aim is, of course, to cope with everyday life under their own steam as far as possible. How those affected can, for example, manage the Making life easier in a wheelchair you can find out in the linked blog article.
2. social informatics:in
In social informatics develop suitable methods and solutions for IT operations in social organizations - and combine your technical and social skills to help people.
Through a Study you can specialize in this sub-discipline of social work and lay the foundation for becoming a responsible manager who plans and coordinates projects, measures and concepts.
Particularly well suited is for example the dual master "Digitization in Social Work" at the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW). You can complete the individual course of study flexibly alongside your work and thus actively promote the overdue digitalization of the social sector.
As part of your dual master's degree program, you will remain in your job without interruptions, benefit from practical content, and be able to use the Apply theory so directly in practice. The dual Master's degree is characterized by its high degree of flexibility and individuality, which allows you to continue your education in a way that suits your professional goals.
3. psychosocial:r process companion:in
Victims of crimes, such as human trafficking, sexual abuse, or other traumatic experiences, face before, during and after a court case under great emotional stress. As a psychosocial process facilitator, you give those affected stability and calm with your introductory skills and open manner so that they can cope with this pressure situation.
The prerequisite for the necessary, recognized Education or training is usually a previous degree - for example in social work, social pedagogy or psychology.
4. street worker:in
As a social worker or street worker, you are in the middle of things instead of "just" being there. You are out and about on the roads and work directly with homeless people, prostitutes or drug addicts to make life easier for them in the socialized world. For example, you help them fill out forms and take them to housing associations, doctors, sports clubs or authorities.
The basic prerequisite for employment as a street worker or social worker is generally the Bachelor study Social work. A background in psychology, education or social sciences can also open doors for you. In order to take on leading tasks in the social sector later on, a Master study, as well as the Verbeamtung or possible further training.
5. leader: in accommodation for refugees
A refugee shelter is a stationary facility for people who have been displaced (e.g. due to political persecution or climate change (Environmental refugees)) had to flee from their home country. As a leader:in you are responsible for the management of the respective accommodation, take responsibility for budget and personnel, ensure smooth and target-oriented work processes and ensure compliance with legal requirements.
If you have a previous degree in social work (or equivalent), as well as an Strong leadership and communication skills you are very well suited for this position.
6. environmental educator
The topics of social work, sustainability and the environment can also go hand in hand! As an environmental educator you promote above all the Environmental Education of children and adolescents. Your planning, preparation and implementation of projects and offers promotes their understanding of nature and Environmental awareness very specifically.
The prerequisite for this social profession is usually the Study of environmental sciences or even social work in combination with a scientific specialization.
Tip: Are you looking for specific job postings? Then be sure to take a look at the sustainable job portal from CareElite for social jobs!
7. addiction counselor:in
As an addiction counselor or addiction therapist, you work directly with people who are addicted and whose addiction makes it difficult or impossible for them to cope with their everyday lives - prominent examples are the Alcohol or gambling addiction.
In addiction counseling, your job is to help those affected by addiction Provide advice and assistance at all stages of the rehabilitation process. For example, you arrange a place for them in an addiction clinic and get them "back on track" in the event of any setbacks. You are also available to them as a contact person even after successful therapy.
If you want to work in addiction counseling, you should generally have the Degree in social work, educational science, or psychology as well as have successfully completed advanced training in addiction therapy.
Good to know: In addition to alcohol, games and cigarettes, more and more people are now addicted to their cell phones. How you can Successfully combating smartphone addictionyou can find out in the linked blog article.
8. counselor for education, career and employment
As a consultant for education, career and employment you make it easier for people to (re)enter the world of work. You plan qualification measures, provide targeted answers to questions about career choices, benefit entitlements or funding opportunities and, above all, help those who find themselves in difficult life situations.
To become a consultant for education, career and employment, the eponymous, Dual Bachelor's degree program at the Federal Employment Agency basic requirement. Strong social skills and strong communication skills are also important character traits that you should have for this social profession.
9. social pedagogue
As a social pedagogue (similar to a social worker), you mostly work with children, young people and families where Behavioral problems, educational issues or school problems are the order of the day. Among other things, you perform family Education and counseling work and take care of the allocation of kindergarten places, for example.
After the Social work studies all doors are open to you in the world of social pedagogy. Incidentally, your career prospects will increase immensely if you are emphatic, patient and communicative. It also helps if you have already gained professional experience in the social sector during your studies.
10. head:in inclusion
In the course of your career, however, you may no longer work directly with people in need, but instead manage a social institution that helps these people, for example.
As a "Head of Integration Assistance" you are responsible for Responsibility for your organization's team and the respective, smooth work processes. As Manager:in, you will also continuously develop the support concepts for your work and keep an eye on the available budget at all times.
The basic requirement for this job is once again the Social work studies or the completion of a comparable course of study. Also any further training or additional qualifications in the Social Management can increase your job opportunities and give your career wings.
Social work is work for the heart!
The fact that people act in solidarity and stand up for each other is the The basis of peaceful coexistence. Those who are socially committed in their everyday work and stand up for other people not only make a difference for others, but ultimately also for themselves. Social work is work from the heart and for the heart - and can be done both in direct exchange With people or in the background for people be performed.
"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of it for another."
Charles Dickens (more at Helpfulness Quotes)
I really hope that this article has given you some additional inspiration for your career in the field of social work. In conclusion, I would like to further blog posts that could help you to act even more socially in your everyday professional and private life:
- Good deeds in everyday life
- Fighting racism - What everyone can do!
- Vegan for human rights
- Organize CleanUps
Do you have any questions, other jobs or even experiences in the field of social work that you would like to share? Then please write me a comment.
Stay fair and socially committed,
PS: Bullying is also a societal-social problem. Signs, types and consequences of child bullyingas well as suitable countermeasures for parents and children, in the linked blog post.
