The Newspoint team celebrates the month dedicated to Social workers, therefore we asked Dr Sue Vella, Head of Department at the Faculty for Social Wellbeing to give us an insight of the daily life of social workers.
No day is like another in the life of social workers, as they stand up for human rights and give a voice to the unheard. Social work is a profession that seeks to make a positive impact on people’s lives, promoting social justice and cohesion, and empowering people and communities. Social work is relational and sees the person in their environment. Social workers support service users through a shared process of engagement, assessment, intervention and evaluation, using a rich skill set including empathic communication, creative problem-solving and organisational skills.
Social workers also strive to change the systems which contribute to social problems. They operate in many areas including child protection, homelessness, domestic violence, adoption and fostering, mental health, education, health and migration, and collaborate with all the significant persons in service users’ lives, whether professionals, family or friends. There are undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in social work, and over the last ten years, the social work programme had an average annual intake of 24 students. After attaining their qualification, social workers need to register with the Malta Social Work Profession Board and must practice under supervision for two years before they can apply for a warrant. A social work career is challenging yet rewarding and requires practitioners to engage in continuous professional development. Social workers also commit to regular supervision, which offers a safe space where social workers discuss and reflect upon their work.
Jade Laudi, currently a fourth-year social work student, chose to study social work as she became more aware of the injustices that many people face in their lives. She explained that this awareness ignited her drive to be part of a change where vulnerable people who are taken advantage of or pushed aside, can live a better quality of life and be treated with both dignity and respect. Jade said that she likes the social work course as it gives students insight about many different aspects that affect people’s wellbeing and are taught and supported to provide the best possible service to persons in various challenging situations, making a real difference in their lives.
If you are interested in a social policy and social work career, visit the website for more information.