If you’re studying to be a social worker in college, you have several options for specialization. When you specialize, you can focus your studies on an area that interests you. After graduation, you will have an edge when applying to those types of jobs. If you aren’t sure what areas you should consider for specializing, here are some suggestions.
Social Work Overview
Social work is concerned with the overall well-being and social functioning of individuals, families, groups and communities. It is a specialized discipline that requires advanced and specific training. Many social workers specialize in certain areas of the discipline, like substance abuse counseling, violent behaviors exhibited by individuals, and other socially-deviant behaviors. Some individuals that are helped by social workers have been abused and misused by society, their own family, and/or their superiors. Some have even been sexually abused, which is especially problematic to deal with.
Behavior Analysis
With a graduate certificate or master’s degree in behavior analysis, you can learn what makes people do the things they do or why they act in certain ways. The way people act can vary greatly depending on setting and stress level too. Armed with this information, you can develop programs that actually make a difference. With a degree in behavior analysis, you’ll learn the “why” behind people’s actions, which can help you learn how to prevent negative actions and encourage positive ones. Learning more about how people think and act can enable you to help them in many different capacities.
Age Specialization
You also have the option to specialize on who you work with after graduation. You can choose to help dysfunctional families or those in need by specializing in children’s and family social work. At the other end of the spectrum are social workers for the elderly. They help meet needs of older people who have medical or financial issues. In either age group, your job may include setting up and monitoring services as well as helping the individual obtain community resources like support groups. Some social workers may start out working with one particular age group of individuals, and then move on to a different age group later in their career.
Substance Abuse
Social workers are often needed in substance abuse settings. Aws this can be a particularly touchy area, fraught with challenges because of the drug war, individuals pursuing this area should be prepared for anything. They can find jobs in substance abuse treatment centers, hospitals, juvenile detention centers, and prisons. If you choose this specialty, you’ll learn how to help people who are addicted to certain substances. Whether it be legal, like alcohol, or illegal, like in the case of methamphetamine. You may help them apply various treatment methods or assist in helping them return to their normal lives after completing a program. While this can be a difficult specialty, its value is significant.
Child and Family Social Work
This is an incredibly important area of specialization. Child and family social workers help support the basis of our society by helping out with family and personal problems individuals face. Whether dealing with issues of abuse or neglect (another form of abuse), this is a delicate role for students to undertake. The kind of individuals that excel in this area are compassionate, good planners, and have practical ideas that can be applied successfully. Some of these social workers, like ones that work with children in schools, help students with learning disabilities and social anxiety. Everyone deserves to have the tools available to them to reach their full potential, and social workers facilitate this. It is a great and noble work that people should value. There is always a way to help out those in need, and becoming a social worker for families and individuals is a big step in the right direction.
IT
This may seem to come as a surprise, but nothing could be further from the truth. You can combine an IT degree with social work to provide a unique skillset that is sorely lacking in many places today. Many people would not think about this right from the off, but both of these can easily be used to your advantage. For example, many social workers in rural settings often have a difficult time doing their job because of the lack of technology. At the same time, technology provides programs to assist social workers in research and treatment of patients. It also enables them to be able to reach out to experts and others who can help them with their jobs.
You can specialize in a specific area as a social worker to help you be more effective in your job and to make you more competitive in finding a placement. Choose a specialty that will allow you to develop your skills in the best way possible.