Requirements for Volunteer Services
If this is an area you're interested in getting into, you're in luck. In fact, public interest service jobs, especially those in regard to the elderly, may be on the rise. Social workers are among those who work in public interest service jobs, and although social workers themselves may often be paid, they often use groups of volunteers to help them run the agencies or organizations doing the work.
To become a public interest manager, it may be of benefit to you to become a social worker first. Once you complete your social work degree, you may then be able to move into a volunteer services manager position.
What the Job Entails
Social work is as varied as the people who do it, and in fact, this is one area of the job market that may grow very fast despite the weak economy. Indeed, because the economy is suffering, more people are going to need to be working in these areas than ever before.
To begin working as a social worker, you must have as your main motivation the desire to help people improve their lives. You may be assisting people in coping with stress, dealing with relationships, and solving problems. In some cases, social workers help clients deal with disabilities or a life-threatening diseases, while in others they may be helping them with issues like unemployment, substance abuse, or a lack of housing. They get involved in domestic conflicts, too, especially those involving child abuse or spousal abuse.
If you like getting involved in policy formulation, you as a social worker may also advocate for these services, help implement new policies to better people's lives, or conduct research. Many social workers, for example, specialize by serving a particular group of people or by working in a particular setting, such as a drug abuse residential treatment center.
Getting an Education
If you decide this is an area you want to pursue for your career, getting a bachelor's degree in social work is the most commonly accepted means by which you can get this type of work. In some cases, you may be able to do this type of work if you have a degree in psychology, sociology, or a related field. If you're going to work in health settings or clinical work, you need a master's degree in social work. This is also true for some jobs in public and private agencies.
Becoming a Manager
It's often true that if you're going to be managing volunteers, you need to have an advanced degree, but this really depends on the situation.
Other Qualifications
Speaking a second language (especially Spanish) is especially valuable in certain areas of the country where non-English-speaking clients are very common. This will help you deal with clients directly without having to use an interpreter, which may help increase the rapport you have with them.
Other Licensing Requirements
Most states have certain certification, registration, or licensing requirements for social workers who wish to get involved in practices, although this is not usually true for volunteers. In addition, professional ethics, strong communication skills, and sensitivity to diverse cultures are especially important. If you're going to be working in clinical situations, you'll need to have at least 3,000 hours of supervised experience to be licensed to do this.
Emotional Qualifications
Although many careers require that you have a calm demeanor and maturity, this is especially true if you work in social services. You'll be dealing on a day-to-day basis with people who are in crisis, and they have to be able to count on you to be a calm resource. In addition, you'll need to be responsible, able to work independently, and able to work on developing good relationships with both your volunteers and with clients and coworkers.
Compensation and Outlook
On average and across all sectors, social workers earned about $43,000 per year as of 2006. That number may be somewhat lower for public service sectors. This is one area of the job market, though, that is expected to grow quite rapidly, especially during times of crisis. Given that the economy is in flux right now and that health and human resources are in greater demand than ever, it may be that this particular area of the economy will grow until the rest of the economy recovers. Of course, this depends in large part on the amount of government funding available for its growth.
