Social Worker

The social worker analyzes the deep-rooted causes of social problems and helps those concerned to overcome them. He/she is concerned with problems such as poverty, broken homes, underprivileged children, drug addiction, housing and medical care.

The social worker aims his/her services at the person in this individual group, family, organization or community context and his environment, as well as at the interaction between man and his environment.

• dentifying psycho-social problems, needs and circumstances in individual, family or group context which might lead to social dysfunction.
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• Improving people’s behaviour or circumstances to enable them to once again play a meaningful role in life by planning, drafting and supplying therapy programmes.



• Executing pre-sentence investigation relating to youth and criminal court cases.



• Selecting foster and adoptive parents.



• Planning and coordinating the treatment and development facilities that might be lacking or employing existing resources to solve social needs.



• Conducting research to identify social problems, resolving that need, and maintaining and developing social-work services.



• Interviewing clients and preparing reports about clients for welfare organizations, schools and courts of law.



• HIV/AIDS counselling

Requirements
 
Secondary Education
Possession of a valid HIGCSE Grade 12, or equivalent qualification, with matriculation exemption is required to enrol at a South African university, and an IGCSE/HIGCSE Grade 12, or equivalent qualification, with passes in five subjects and at least 25 points on the UNAM point evaluation scale, is needed to be admitted to UNAM.
 
Compulsory subjects
None
 
Tertiary Education
South African universities as well as UNAM offer the four-year degree course in Social Work. The academic training is complemented with intensive practical training. Postgraduate degrees and specialisation in a specific area are also offered at South African universities.
 
Personality
The prospective candidate should have good interpersonal skills, be mentally and physically fit as well as able to adjust to dissimilar circumstances. He/she should also try to maintain an empathetic, objective and realistic approach.

Work Opportunities
Social workers are employed by the Ministries of Woman Affairs and Child Welfare, Prisons and Correctional Services, Justice, Basic and Higher Education, and Health and Social Services. They are also employed by other welfare organizations and work opportunities are generally good. Persons with the necessary qualifications and experience can lecture at a training institute.

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