Climate needy citizens

Conservative to dictate

Concern society

Defense to view

Human luxury

Welfare burden

Right vulnerable

Social program available

To balance reasonable

Budget to assume

To increase employment

Tax private

Appeal auspices

Decline to solve

Supply to limit

Competent quality

To prepare to cut

To reduce tide

To support to yield

To accrue

However, the tides of the political climate periodically yield a conservative orientation more concerned with defense than human welfare, with big business than human rights, and with cutting social programs to balance the budget rather than increasing the taxes of the wealthy. In such times the appeal of social work to many young people declined and the supply of competent social workers prepared to help people lead more satisfying lives was reduced. Paradoxically, the decline in support for human services has accrued at times when social and economic conditions dictated the greatest need for the services of social workers, when the demand for human services by needy citizens has increased within the society, social work positions have been viewed as a luxury that can be reduced when it is time for budget cutting. In effect, when there is a poorly functioning economy society increases the burden on its most vulnerable members by reducing the supports available to them.

Since it does not appear that the world will become perfect any time soon, it is reasonable to assume that large numbers of social workers will continue to be needed. Employment opportunities may decline or shift from public to private auspices and there may be variations in the number of human service programs the public is willing to support, but the need for the services the social workers can provide will still exist. Although employment cannot be assured for the new social worker, professional education programs continue to graduate fewer social workers than the US Bureau of Labour Statistics projects will be needed.

Social workers provide important services to help people solve problems that limit their social functioning and enhance the quality of their lives. Social workers provide these services in a variety of ways. Sometimes the social worker offers a “direct service” or helps individuals, families, or other groups on a face-to-face basis. In some situations they help people solve specific problems, while at other times social workers counsel people to solve problems or engage in activities that will chance the quality of their lives – whether or not they experience an identifiable problem.

The services of the social worker might also be provided on behalf of individuals or groups of people. These “indirect services” help to make social institutions such as organizations, neighborhoods, communities, or even the policies of a government or laws of a country more responsive to the needs of people.

Employment opportunities are an important factor for an individual to consider when making a career choice. Yet, as a review of the development of social work will indicate, the political climate has acted like a swinging pendulum that affects the availability of social work jobs. As it has swung from a conservative to a liberal climate and back, social work has adapted its employment patterns to these changes and has continued to provide needed services. The combination of attrition and the creation of new arenas of social work practice has always enabled the competent and professionally prepared social worker to find satisfying employment. Providing needed human services and contributing to an improvement of the quality of life for all people are personally rewarding experiences. A social worker can make a small but important contribution to the well-being of society. When one makes a career choice, these personal rewards must be considered.

Phonetic drills

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 884