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kenzie
Student
Covina, California
3
Questions
Asked
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When being a social worker do you get attached to the children?
when working with all types of kids, does there situation hurt you and you feel attached to them? #social
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Christine Galvin
Sr Client Service Coordinator
2
Answers
Warwick, Rhode Island
Updated
Christine’s Answer
Hi Kenzie!
I am not a social worker, but I worked in the humanities for quite a while, as I had thought about becoming a social worker as well. To decide if the career was meant for me, I did few things. I worked as an assistant to a social worker in a nursing home. I did not enjoy that experience very much. We would spend about 15 minutes every few months with each person then we would have to write up plans for the patient's future. That lack of time and then having to make big decisions for the patients really bothered me. So, I changed course.
I decided to become a Youth Care Counselor in a residential program for behaviorally and emotionally disturbed boys, ages 5 thru 18. This job I really enjoyed, but it was difficult. The kids that I worked with were a step down from training school/jail and they were determined to not be safe at home or at school. The first part that I found difficult was hearing their stories (abuse/neglect/etc.) and then having to give them consequences as if they were normal kids. I combatted this by waiting to read their histories until I got to know them so that I would not be as biased and possibly do them a disservice by "going too easy" on them. The reality is that no matter what happened to them in the past, it does not (and will not) mean that they can act however they want to in their future. Our job was to help them realize that so that they could become productive and happy adults.
The second most difficult part of that job for me is that I am by nature an extremely hopeful person. Balancing that part of myself with the fact that many, if not most, of my kids would end up "failing" by society's standards (i.e. end up in jail, etc.) once back out in the world was difficult to do. I changed my mental approach in order to have job satisfaction and not feel "useless". I chose to be grateful that I could keep the kids safe for the time that they were in my care and provide the best support by teaching life and coping skills. I worked there for over 5 years.
The thirds thing I did was I volunteered as a Big Sister for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization. That was a wonderful experience that I highly recommend. While not all "littles" have social workers, many do and it's a good way to get to know a youth, make a strong impact, and hear about things from their side.
There is a lot of acceptance involved in the humanities field and it can be difficult to not get burned out. But, if you create a good support group for yourself, you can work through it. I will add some recommendations to try before going through the schooling needed to become a social worker. I wish you the best of luck!
Volunteer with an advocate group of some sort: CASA, BBBS, etc.
See if any internships in a humanities organization near you are available and apply (many are unpaid, but give invaluable experience)
Shadow a social worker for a day
I am not a social worker, but I worked in the humanities for quite a while, as I had thought about becoming a social worker as well. To decide if the career was meant for me, I did few things. I worked as an assistant to a social worker in a nursing home. I did not enjoy that experience very much. We would spend about 15 minutes every few months with each person then we would have to write up plans for the patient's future. That lack of time and then having to make big decisions for the patients really bothered me. So, I changed course.
I decided to become a Youth Care Counselor in a residential program for behaviorally and emotionally disturbed boys, ages 5 thru 18. This job I really enjoyed, but it was difficult. The kids that I worked with were a step down from training school/jail and they were determined to not be safe at home or at school. The first part that I found difficult was hearing their stories (abuse/neglect/etc.) and then having to give them consequences as if they were normal kids. I combatted this by waiting to read their histories until I got to know them so that I would not be as biased and possibly do them a disservice by "going too easy" on them. The reality is that no matter what happened to them in the past, it does not (and will not) mean that they can act however they want to in their future. Our job was to help them realize that so that they could become productive and happy adults.
The second most difficult part of that job for me is that I am by nature an extremely hopeful person. Balancing that part of myself with the fact that many, if not most, of my kids would end up "failing" by society's standards (i.e. end up in jail, etc.) once back out in the world was difficult to do. I changed my mental approach in order to have job satisfaction and not feel "useless". I chose to be grateful that I could keep the kids safe for the time that they were in my care and provide the best support by teaching life and coping skills. I worked there for over 5 years.
The thirds thing I did was I volunteered as a Big Sister for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization. That was a wonderful experience that I highly recommend. While not all "littles" have social workers, many do and it's a good way to get to know a youth, make a strong impact, and hear about things from their side.
There is a lot of acceptance involved in the humanities field and it can be difficult to not get burned out. But, if you create a good support group for yourself, you can work through it. I will add some recommendations to try before going through the schooling needed to become a social worker. I wish you the best of luck!
Christine recommends the following next steps: