Have you ever wanted to really help people? To make a difference in someone’s life? To create a fairer, more equitable, more just world? That’s what social workers do—every single day. They are on the front lines of some of our country’s most important issues, like managing mental health crises, assisting those victimized by the opioid crisis, caring for foster children, tackling food insecurity, and improving access to affordable housing and health care. Learn more about this essential profession below, and how to plan for your social work education.

Why Choose Social Work

Do you like to help people? Are you good at maneuvering through complex situations? If so, social work should be on your list of career options! Social work professionals are found in a wide variety of environments, from hospitals and universities to communities of all types.

Types of Social Work Practice

Micro-level practice

This practice works directly with individuals and help them cope with their situations.

Mezzo-level practice

These social workers focus on groups instead of individual clients.

Macro-level practice

Lead and establish social change on a large scale through organizing, policy change, and administration. Social workers share a commitment to promoting social welfare, helping people of all backgrounds overcome their unique challenges, advocating for social and economic justice for all members of the community, and embodying a professional code of ethics.

What Do Social Workers Do?

Social workers are a diverse group of professionals who share a commitment to helping enhance the well-being of people, communities, and society. They have a rich history of striving for social, economic, and environmental justice, advocating for human rights, competently providing services for clients at every stage of life, and engaging in lifelong learning. 

Defining what social workers do can be difficult because they work in a wide range of situations. Examples include:

  • Identifying individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities in need of help
  • Assessing clients’ needs, environments, strengths, and support networks to help them identify their goals
  • Providing psychotherapy services
  • Researching, referring, and advocating for community resources, such as nutrition assistance or child care
  • Developing and evaluating programs and services to ensure that basic client needs are met
  • Advocating for policy change on the local, state, and federal levels
  • Working on interprofessional teams and leading organizations to fulfill their mission and goals
  • Organizing groups, task forces, and communities for social change events and movements

Learn More: National Social Work Organizations

Joining a national professional organization is a valuable way to learn more about the profession and stay connected to the social work community. Some of the benefits of membership include opportunities for mentoring, networking, and professional development. Start by exploring these organizations:

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE): Starting with...us! CSWE has the information you need to plan your social work education. Our members include more than 950 accredited baccalaureate, master’s, and doctorate social work programs, as well as individual social work educators, practitioners, and agencies dedicated to advancing quality social work education. Because our organization is the sole accrediting authority in the United States for social work, we are a great go-to resource for getting started on your education path.

National Association of Social Work (NASW): Founded in 1955, NASW is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world. NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies. 

Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): This nonprofit organization comprises and is owned by social work boards and colleges across the United States. ASWB is focused on social work regulation. It owns and maintains social work licensing exams, and its website has sections dedicated to continuing education. Along with an annual conference, membership benefits at ASWB include assistance with license application and issues, updates on changes in regulations, and access to its social work registry.

Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR): SSWR was founded in 1994 as a free-standing organization dedicated to the advancement of social work research. SSWR works collaboratively with a number of other organizations that are committed to improving support for research among social workers. Our members include faculty in schools of social work and other professional schools, research staff in public and private agencies, and masters/doctoral students. SSWR’s more than 1800 members come from 45 states in the United States as well as from Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad, and the United Kingdom.