“Modern communities face a lot of challenges related to health and well-being, inequality, displacement, domestic violence, mental problems, loneliness, and many others.”
Social workers have an immense impact on people’s lives. The profession helps individual people, builds families, enables communities, and promotes human dignity. Social work is also based on certain values: social justice, respect, equality, human rights, professionalism, and compassion.
At its very core, social work is about working with people. It means being there in difficult moments in people’s lives when they need help. Listening to them and understanding their problems. Supporting them in times of despair. Social workers deal with crises, but also with transformations and transitions in people’s lives. Being a social worker takes not just professional knowledge and skills, but also courage and endurance.
Nowadays, the need for social work is particularly acute due to the ever-increasing social complexity, constant changes, and uncertainties. Modern communities face a lot of challenges related to health and well-being, inequality, displacement, domestic violence, mental problems, loneliness, and many others. In this case, social workers become key advocates of access, recovery, inclusion, and sustainability in terms of social well-being.
World Social Work Day is an opportunity to remind ourselves of the international nature of the profession. Despite the differences in the specifics of work in various countries, the challenges of people around the globe are similar. Social workers around the world share one common mission—the promotion of social well-being and protection of the interests of the most vulnerable populations. This international community of professionals allows learning from each other and enhancing the effectiveness of social work.
In terms of social work education, the task is to prepare students and to provide the future social workers with knowledge and skills. However, it is important not only to teach theory but also instill values such as ethical behaviour, critical thinking, cultural sensitivity, and a sense of purpose and commitment.
Every social worker—whether he or she works with clients directly, in positions of management and leadership, participates in policy development, conducts research, teaches at universities or develops community—is valuable to this profession. His/her efforts matter. His/her contribution makes a difference.
In addition, it is important to pay attention to the relationships between professionals because social work implies not only the provision of services but also caring for people. Professionals have to take care of themselves, but also of each other in order to support and assist in their complex work.
World Social Work Day is both a celebration and an invitation to act. It is a reminder to maintain a focus on professional values and principles and to speak truthfully and with integrity. In addition, social workers need to show empathy and compassion in their everyday practices.
This year, the theme of World Social Work Day—”Co- Building Hope and Harmony—A Harambee Call to a Divided Society”—emphasizes that a collective approach is needed in order to address divisions and build harmonious communities. The term “Harambee” means “all pull together.”