Who is the social worker and what does he do?
The social worker carries out interventions of prevention, support and recovery of people, families, groups and communities in situations of need and hardship . As main activities, the Social Worker:
- Sets up, develops and controls the implementation of welfare projects
- Provides psychosocial support, personal assistance, medical attention, and emotional support
- Follows the fostering or adoption application procedures
- It helps people with physical and mental disabilities get the right treatments
- Activates and certifies procedures aimed at public assistance, carries out social secretarial activities
- It takes care of relations with entities and institutions, activates social and territorial networks
- It contributes to the planning of territorial policies consistent with the needs expressed by users
- He financially assists families, manages financial resources
- It works for the social and work integration of disadvantaged groups such as the handicapped, immigrants, prisoners, psychiatric patients
- Apply the principles, methods and procedures for the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of mental dysfunction
- It carries out first listening activities, welcomes and takes charge of the user, analyzes and evaluates the needs of citizens and, based on the needs encountered, plans the actions and services, plans the times and mutual commitments to achieve the shared purposes
- Provides advice
He has direct relationships with the public, adapts to situations and is flexible in his approach. He is an empathic person and, through face-to-face interviews, guides and accompanies the person in front of him, helping him to enhance his resources. He actively understands and listens to others. He dwells on what they say and asks questions at the appropriate time, avoiding inappropriate interruptions. Speak and communicate, orally and in writing, clearly and effectively. Knows at least one foreign language.
Those who practice this profession have experience in recognizing human behaviors and performances , individual differences in attitudes, personalities and interests, have mastery of learning and motivation mechanisms, apply the methods of psychological research and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. Media in conflict situations.
He knows group dynamics, social influences and trends, human migrations, ethnicity, different cultures. It carries out didactic – training activities.
He knows how to juggle laws, legal procedures, regulations, executive sentences, he knows what the role of institutions is and he knows administrative procedures.
The social worker is equipped with analytical skills: identifies problems, collects useful information to evaluate multiple options, considers the strengths and weaknesses of the issue and finds solutions. He is persuasive, he is able to change people’s minds or behavior. It works proactively to find solutions to meet the needs of others.
He is cooperative and sociable. He is tactful, but he is also firm in character. He is precise and accurate in his work and has a fair amount of self-control. He works with consultancy contracts, for a fixed or permanent term, for public structures, such as local authorities, local health authorities, ministries, or for private structures.
