The social work career field requires passion for serving vulnerable populations and desire to improve public policy. We need more social workers out there.
6 year social worker here. I’ve worked in hospitals, child protection, aged care and veteran support. It’s mind blowing what you see and hear in this job. Get ready for trauma. It’s not easy don’t do it if you aren’t tenacious and strong hearted.
Last year MSW student here! Thanks for the love! It’s such a great and diverse field. I also REALLY needed to hear that this field can be difficult. My boyfriend just graduated from law school and I’m finding it so hard not to compare our experiences. Law school is cut throat and I often think “man I have it easy” because all the professors are so understanding and empathetic.. because they’re social workers. I’ve been feeling like a fraud in moments of struggle when in reality it IS a difficult field in a very different way from law. I needed that validation today.
@@dannaaaaa344 Hi! So I graduated with my BSW and currently taking my MSW courses (advanced standing program). It's definitely a lot of work and easy to get burned out, but it's incredibly rewarding. SW is very broad so you'll have a lot of options. Currently on a school SW track with another internship this fall. Hope all goes well for you!
I’m only a freshman at a community college currently, but I’m set to transfer into a bsw program after my associates and plan to get an msw! I would love to eventually work with lgbtq populations or at an lgbtq organization like you do! If you don’t mind me asking, were there any specific settings you had experience in/any certifications you had that you would say helped you get that position?
Something worth noting for those going into the bachelor's in social work is be sure that it accredited by the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE) as this will allow you, assuming that you maintain good grades, the opportunity to do a shorter master's program also accredited by CSWE, known as "advanced standing."
I love this Fast Guides series, every single episode is crafted with so much thought and care! Curious if you'll launch a later spin-off called Long Roads, on career paths after graduation from specific major categories-engineering, science, humanities/social science BA, etc. This could cover the interesting question of working in the social sector without majoring in social work-there are many liberal arts and STEM folks who go on to work in public service, nonprofits, education, etc.
I have a BSW and MSW (and Ph.D. in Special Education) and I'm a professor of social work. I like this video and it is mostly accurate, but at the 6:45 mark, he says that at the BSW level you don't have clients. I'm not sure why he says that. BSW social workers absolutely have clients and have direct client contact. There is an important distinction between the level of work that BSWs and MSWs do, but it would be more accurate to say that BSWs don't provide therapy. Many states have three levels of licensure: LBSW, LMSW, and a clinical license which uses different letters depending on the state - it's LSCSW in my state. At each level of licensure, social workers are found in a variety of settings. For example, in a mental health center, BSWs commonly work as case managers; MSWs and clinical social workers provide therapy. Both may work with individuals or groups. Social workers are also found in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, agencies that serve people with developmental/intellectual disabilities, correctional settings (jails, prisons, probation, parole, court service officers), community action programs, child welfare, addiction settings, and many more.
When i was in college i took two classes as soon as i got in, intro to social work, and intro to computer science. It became quickly apparent to me in the social work class that i wasnt going to be able to look at situations that i had no recourse to solve, and leave them be with my mental health in tact. There's no shame in realizing that as much as your heart is in the right place, it may just not be suited to the practical reality of being on the ground in the fight. This definitely would have helped me realize that if i wasnt able to take both classes at once when i was starting out!
The most things that matters are patience and good heart. You can learn everything else, but you need the patience to wait long enough for the right thing to happen. It's not for everyone. It isn't for most people. You're going to see the worst parts of humanity, but for that, I respect you. All of your coworkers will be female forever.
02:25 Yes! Statistics is a must for almost everyone entering college. You will need at least a basic understanding of statistics in order to fully understand the test data in all those peer-reviews papers you will be reading. (Checking out Crash Course Statistics is a good place to start!)
Hi! Due to its increasing popularity, I believe a Fast Guide on Animal Science/Veterinary Science would be extremely helpful. Many students seem to be misinformed or misguided with how rigorous and STEM-heavy the degree plan is, then drop because they don't care for science. Thanks! ☺️
Hi I am student about to finish my associate's degree this May. Mov eon, to a four year university for social work. I am very excited ! to start in Fall 2024.
I love to see a big channel like this cover the field! So many people would make great social workers but don't pursue it because they don't know you need a specific degree for it or have heard negative misconceptions and stereotypes about the field! I do want to correct one thing in the video! You say that the nonclinical work that BSW grads are qualified for do not involve working with clients. That isn't entirely accurate. Nonclinical roles just do not use psychotherapy or other methods to counsel people or treat mental health conditions. BSW grads can absolutely work with clients in nonclinical roles, and form the backbone of the social work workforces in child welfare, homeless services and outreach, nursing homes and services for older adults, the justice system and probation, and case management across all domains including clinical ones, especially in rural areas where MSWs are hard to come by. There are both client-facing roles and macro roles available to BSW grads! The MSW is required to practice therapy (clinical social work), and is required for certain specialized fields like hospital social work and school social work. MSWs also have additional training in supervision and research, but BSWs can supervise in human service organizations too, and sometimes even supervise MSWs working in non-clinical roles.
As an MSW student I'd like to thank y'all for putting this together. This content is mostly accurate and a welcomed preview for folks. The one thing I will say is you can do program management as an MSW social worker and often are tasked with challenging issues within the larger community that may need to be considered within the scope of your program. Not every social worker works directly with clients either though most do as a matter of course of their roles. Very diverse field with a lot of different skill sets.
I am a currently a freshman in college, and my goal is to become a social worker. The problem I have run into is not a bad problem, but actually a good one. I never knew the different fields that are related directly to the social services profession. As I further go into my college career I will eventually find where I feel I belong because this field is a calling for me.
If you take suggestions for this guide, I would recommend radiologic technologist. It is a tough yet rewarding career and the need for technologist is high.
I have major burnout from being a social worker. It was pretty hard on my mental health and I never made a livable wage. I urge people to volunteer rather than go into debt in college to help others.
@@Gataxyz Started out working with at-risk and group home adolescents, moved to substance abuse for a while, then on to hospice and home health. Working with dying people was actually the easiest part out of all of my positions- it was usually their families that created the most stress. Had a spouse take his own life when his wife died (in hospice) and didn’t see it coming. Still haven’t forgiven myself for that one. Don’t get me wrong- social work can be a very fulfilling career path if you keep mind of your own mental health and take care of yourself, too. We tend to put everyone else’s needs before our own and it takes a toll. Biggest problem is even with a Master’s degree, at least in Alabama, you won’t make a good living. I do still enjoy volunteer work but won’t be returning to SW as a career.
@@lauradennis6985 I feel like this is really inaccurate. I live in Ohio, and I don't suspect the wages/job market is much different. I've found various jobs that require an MSW/LSW that pays $70k+, I've even found BSW positions that pay 50-60k
@@cryspong I homeschooled my special needs daughter for a while and am now just focusing on taking care of my family. The Bachelor level jobs in my area aren’t worth the stress, at all. My 17 yr old son makes about the same hourly pay at Walmart, and I’d honestly rather work there! (I’m 51 for reference- it took a while before I hit the burnout wall but when I did I slammed into it).
I am a baby MSW here; I just completed my degree at the end of July: beginning the job hunt as an individual with a visual impairment has been interesting, but I am sure I will find a job for me; I am also studying for my LGSW!
would it be good to major in sociology and minor in social work or the other way around? initially my goal was to major in journalism and minor in sociology but i’ve changed my mind since i am much more interested with sociology and social work. i just know for sure i don’t want to keep working minimum wage jobs and i want my future career to be helping people but not in a marketing, counseling, or public service setting. i would be going to community college btw, WAYYY to broke to afford university lmaooo
In my opinion its better to major in social work than sociology because you have a wider range of jobs that you'd be able to get, the field is so large that you can do SO many things with it. I don't often see a requirement for a sociology degree on job search sites as I do social work, not saying that there isn't any because I've definitely seen them but not as often. Also if you want to study or minor in sociology, I want to let you know that its a requirement to take a few sociology & psychology classes anyways since social work its so deeply intertwined with the two. When it comes to minoring a good tip is to imagine how you want to use your degree and find a minor that supports that vision. A minor in journalism sounds like it would be super interesting paired with social work since social work focuses on a lot on injustice but it's all dependent on what you're envisioning for your life.
What major should i choose between Sociology, Psychology and Social Work, if i want to be a Mental Health Counselor? For more context, i want to understand why people do certain actions, whether its their life, or something external like something socially. With the ultimate goal of helping them by talking to them and listening to them. What field should I study?
Good evening family, depending where you are. I'm in Liberia West Africa, I have just wrote my entrance exam for social work. But I have been in the NGO SECTOR the past 8 years now with so much passion for the career. Now enrolling into University as social work student, what do you think that I can do? please advise me!
Not in this first edition, I'm afraid - the PDF on the Study Hall website mentions Biology but not Chemistry. Study Hall and Crash Course Chemistry are amazing series, btw.
Anthropology is probably not as applicable in social work as sociology, but you would likely still be able to take anthropology classes in this major, depending on your school's program.
I’ll save you the time. Don’t do it. The field is massively underpaid and you’re going to quit within 5 years. Lots of toxic work environments in this field
Really do your research, you are speaking from personal experience, don't discourage others, rather say the field you are working in stay clear of it than to dam the whole sphere of SW
Jason, how many different work environments did you work in? Genuinely interested in going into this field. If you could elaborate I would greatly appreciate that 🙏
The social work career field requires passion for serving vulnerable populations and desire to improve public policy. We need more social workers out there.
6 year social worker here. I’ve worked in hospitals, child protection, aged care and veteran support. It’s mind blowing what you see and hear in this job. Get ready for trauma. It’s not easy don’t do it if you aren’t tenacious and strong hearted.
I can’t wait. ❤
Last year MSW student here! Thanks for the love! It’s such a great and diverse field. I also REALLY needed to hear that this field can be difficult. My boyfriend just graduated from law school and I’m finding it so hard not to compare our experiences. Law school is cut throat and I often think “man I have it easy” because all the professors are so understanding and empathetic.. because they’re social workers. I’ve been feeling like a fraud in moments of struggle when in reality it IS a difficult field in a very different way from law. I needed that validation today.
i am law graduate, is it suitable for me to hav a Master’s degree social work
Just submitted my last assignment for my masters of social work :)
Best career choice :)
Hey! Looking for an update! How is it going so far?
I would also love an update 💕 hope all is well 🙏
2024 we are waiting for u dear
As a social work student, I appreciate this!! Very excited for my internship in the fall!
Hello , how did it go? I’m getting ready to start school in two weeks! Any advice?
@@dannaaaaa344 Hi! So I graduated with my BSW and currently taking my MSW courses (advanced standing program). It's definitely a lot of work and easy to get burned out, but it's incredibly rewarding. SW is very broad so you'll have a lot of options. Currently on a school SW track with another internship this fall. Hope all goes well for you!
Hayy
As a clinical social worker I appreciate this video!
I’m a social worker at the macro level. I have my BSW and MSW and do strategy at an LGBTQ+ advocacy org!! Love this.
I’m only a freshman at a community college currently, but I’m set to transfer into a bsw program after my associates and plan to get an msw! I would love to eventually work with lgbtq populations or at an lgbtq organization like you do! If you don’t mind me asking, were there any specific settings you had experience in/any certifications you had that you would say helped you get that position?
Something worth noting for those going into the bachelor's in social work is be sure that it accredited by the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE) as this will allow you, assuming that you maintain good grades, the opportunity to do a shorter master's program also accredited by CSWE, known as "advanced standing."
I love this Fast Guides series, every single episode is crafted with so much thought and care! Curious if you'll launch a later spin-off called Long Roads, on career paths after graduation from specific major categories-engineering, science, humanities/social science BA, etc. This could cover the interesting question of working in the social sector without majoring in social work-there are many liberal arts and STEM folks who go on to work in public service, nonprofits, education, etc.
I have a BSW and MSW (and Ph.D. in Special Education) and I'm a professor of social work. I like this video and it is mostly accurate, but at the 6:45 mark, he says that at the BSW level you don't have clients. I'm not sure why he says that. BSW social workers absolutely have clients and have direct client contact. There is an important distinction between the level of work that BSWs and MSWs do, but it would be more accurate to say that BSWs don't provide therapy. Many states have three levels of licensure: LBSW, LMSW, and a clinical license which uses different letters depending on the state - it's LSCSW in my state. At each level of licensure, social workers are found in a variety of settings. For example, in a mental health center, BSWs commonly work as case managers; MSWs and clinical social workers provide therapy. Both may work with individuals or groups. Social workers are also found in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, agencies that serve people with developmental/intellectual disabilities, correctional settings (jails, prisons, probation, parole, court service officers), community action programs, child welfare, addiction settings, and many more.
When i was in college i took two classes as soon as i got in, intro to social work, and intro to computer science. It became quickly apparent to me in the social work class that i wasnt going to be able to look at situations that i had no recourse to solve, and leave them be with my mental health in tact. There's no shame in realizing that as much as your heart is in the right place, it may just not be suited to the practical reality of being on the ground in the fight. This definitely would have helped me realize that if i wasnt able to take both classes at once when i was starting out!
Dropped out of nursing school and considering this as my next move. Thanks for the video.
Same here😅
Planning the same
Same lol
Same😊 I'm excited
Same! ❤
The most things that matters are patience and good heart. You can learn everything else, but you need the patience to wait long enough for the right thing to happen.
It's not for everyone. It isn't for most people. You're going to see the worst parts of humanity, but for that, I respect you. All of your coworkers will be female forever.
My husband is a social worker!
Gotta show social workers love ❤️
I just got accepted into my university’s social work program and I loved how this video concisely laid out what this major is like!
02:25 Yes! Statistics is a must for almost everyone entering college. You will need at least a basic understanding of statistics in order to fully understand the test data in all those peer-reviews papers you will be reading. (Checking out Crash Course Statistics is a good place to start!)
Hi! Due to its increasing popularity, I believe a Fast Guide on Animal Science/Veterinary Science would be extremely helpful. Many students seem to be misinformed or misguided with how rigorous and STEM-heavy the degree plan is, then drop because they don't care for science. Thanks! ☺️
Hank very good as usual...former MSW student
Hi I am student about to finish my associate's degree this May. Mov eon, to a four year university for social work.
I am very excited ! to start in Fall 2024.
I’m considering going back to school in order to become a social worker, and this is very helpful. Thank you 💖
I am in my Master’s of Social Work program right now!
I love to see a big channel like this cover the field! So many people would make great social workers but don't pursue it because they don't know you need a specific degree for it or have heard negative misconceptions and stereotypes about the field! I do want to correct one thing in the video! You say that the nonclinical work that BSW grads are qualified for do not involve working with clients. That isn't entirely accurate. Nonclinical roles just do not use psychotherapy or other methods to counsel people or treat mental health conditions. BSW grads can absolutely work with clients in nonclinical roles, and form the backbone of the social work workforces in child welfare, homeless services and outreach, nursing homes and services for older adults, the justice system and probation, and case management across all domains including clinical ones, especially in rural areas where MSWs are hard to come by. There are both client-facing roles and macro roles available to BSW grads! The MSW is required to practice therapy (clinical social work), and is required for certain specialized fields like hospital social work and school social work. MSWs also have additional training in supervision and research, but BSWs can supervise in human service organizations too, and sometimes even supervise MSWs working in non-clinical roles.
As a student of social work ,It’s useful
im sure you’ll do a good job as a social worker good luck
As an MSW student I'd like to thank y'all for putting this together. This content is mostly accurate and a welcomed preview for folks. The one thing I will say is you can do program management as an MSW social worker and often are tasked with challenging issues within the larger community that may need to be considered within the scope of your program. Not every social worker works directly with clients either though most do as a matter of course of their roles. Very diverse field with a lot of different skill sets.
I am a currently a freshman in college, and my goal is to become a social worker. The problem I have run into is not a bad problem, but actually a good one. I never knew the different fields that are related directly to the social services profession. As I further go into my college career I will eventually find where I feel I belong because this field is a calling for me.
These are really helpful even tho I'm not American I would really love to you guys cover linguistics next
Academic fields are not that different from country to country at least in the west
Crash Course has a Lingustics series, btw! :)
If you take suggestions for this guide, I would recommend radiologic technologist. It is a tough yet rewarding career and the need for technologist is high.
I had just got admitted to study social work in the University of Nigeria Nsukka. I'm excited to study what I'd always dreamt to study 📖 ❤️
Informative. thank you!
Am positively moved and excited.
thanks for teaching us 🤷🏽♀️🙏🏽
Can you make a video explaining what health administration is and the route of masters of Healthcare management?
I have major burnout from being a social worker. It was pretty hard on my mental health and I never made a livable wage. I urge people to volunteer rather than go into debt in college to help others.
What type of social work did you do?
@@Gataxyz Started out working with at-risk and group home adolescents, moved to substance abuse for a while, then on to hospice and home health. Working with dying people was actually the easiest part out of all of my positions- it was usually their families that created the most stress. Had a spouse take his own life when his wife died (in hospice) and didn’t see it coming. Still haven’t forgiven myself for that one.
Don’t get me wrong- social work can be a very fulfilling career path if you keep mind of your own mental health and take care of yourself, too. We tend to put everyone else’s needs before our own and it takes a toll. Biggest problem is even with a Master’s degree, at least in Alabama, you won’t make a good living. I do still enjoy volunteer work but won’t be returning to SW as a career.
@@lauradennis6985 I feel like this is really inaccurate. I live in Ohio, and I don't suspect the wages/job market is much different. I've found various jobs that require an MSW/LSW that pays $70k+, I've even found BSW positions that pay 50-60k
@@lauradennis6985 just curious, what is your current career after SW?
@@cryspong I homeschooled my special needs daughter for a while and am now just focusing on taking care of my family. The Bachelor level jobs in my area aren’t worth the stress, at all. My 17 yr old son makes about the same hourly pay at Walmart, and I’d honestly rather work there! (I’m 51 for reference- it took a while before I hit the burnout wall but when I did I slammed into it).
I am a baby MSW here; I just completed my degree at the end of July: beginning the job hunt as an individual with a visual impairment has been interesting, but I am sure I will find a job for me; I am also studying for my LGSW!
this video is really good❤
What’s the difference between social work n human services
would it be good to major in sociology and minor in social work or the other way around? initially my goal was to major in journalism and minor in sociology but i’ve changed my mind since i am much more interested with sociology and social work. i just know for sure i don’t want to keep working minimum wage jobs and i want my future career to be helping people but not in a marketing, counseling, or public service setting. i would be going to community college btw, WAYYY to broke to afford university lmaooo
In my opinion its better to major in social work than sociology because you have a wider range of jobs that you'd be able to get, the field is so large that you can do SO many things with it. I don't often see a requirement for a sociology degree on job search sites as I do social work, not saying that there isn't any because I've definitely seen them but not as often. Also if you want to study or minor in sociology, I want to let you know that its a requirement to take a few sociology & psychology classes anyways since social work its so deeply intertwined with the two. When it comes to minoring a good tip is to imagine how you want to use your degree and find a minor that supports that vision. A minor in journalism sounds like it would be super interesting paired with social work since social work focuses on a lot on injustice but it's all dependent on what you're envisioning for your life.
What major should i choose between Sociology, Psychology and Social Work, if i want to be a Mental Health Counselor?
For more context, i want to understand why people do certain actions, whether its their life, or something external like something socially. With the ultimate goal of helping them by talking to them and listening to them.
What field should I study?
Good evening family, depending where you are. I'm in Liberia West Africa, I have just wrote my entrance exam for social work. But I have been in the NGO SECTOR the past 8 years now with so much passion for the career.
Now enrolling into University as social work student, what do you think that I can do?
please advise me!
Will there be a chemistry fast guide? 💞
Not in this first edition, I'm afraid - the PDF on the Study Hall website mentions Biology but not Chemistry. Study Hall and Crash Course Chemistry are amazing series, btw.
Is anthropology also apart of social work? I see that sociology is there.
Anthropology is probably not as applicable in social work as sociology, but you would likely still be able to take anthropology classes in this major, depending on your school's program.
Great video!
Senior year BSW here ❤️❤️❤️
Congrats on almost being done!!
What you actually do in jobs?
Can you please tell me about bands requirements please as I'm trying for australia
let's always do alot of good
👏🏼 proud social worker here
This field requires a rich husband/wife/spouse or rich af parents…. I regret becoming an MSW
Never thought social work was fun , I always thought they were done by lower class after all we have politics😮
I want to get my doctoral degree.
Margret Route
Please, men, if you want this, come here! It is so lonely! I need some bros! Too much estrogen! Send help!
First?
Your mom
I’ll save you the time. Don’t do it. The field is massively underpaid and you’re going to quit within 5 years. Lots of toxic work environments in this field
Really do your research, you are speaking from personal experience, don't discourage others, rather say the field you are working in stay clear of it than to dam the whole sphere of SW
Jason, how many different work environments did you work in? Genuinely interested in going into this field. If you could elaborate I would greatly appreciate that 🙏