FUTURE CAREER GOALSThe field of social work may be broader than you think, and it is getting ever more so. Sports social work, in which a social worker is embedded with an athletic team to provide therapeutic services and support, is one new area. Social workers have also been hired by airlines to conduct human trafficking training and by human resources departments to address organizational behavior. No matter the area of social work in which you intend to practice, do you see yourself in a leadership and management position? Transitioning from advanced practice to administration is not uncommon in social work. It is useful, then, to think about the relevant ideas, experiences, and skills that might prepare you for such a role.In this Discussion, you reflect on your career goals and the wide-ranging roles in social work that might interest you. You also consider how you can leverage your learning from this course in a future position.ReadingsNational Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). Career centerLinks to an external site.. https://www.socialworkers.org/Careers/NASW-Career-... Media Transcript:[MUSIC PLAYING] MATTHEW ATWOOD: My nontraditional role was working as a social scientist. JENNIFER BOECKEL: My nontraditional role in social work is program evaluation. PHIL FARMER: I've been a consultant at prisons and in hospitals. EARL SMITH: Diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant for various law enforcement agencies. KRISTIN RICHARDS: I'm a financial therapist and a financial therapist takes a look at the psychological and sociological aspects of finances. [MUSIC PLAYING] The financial therapist is someone who recognizes that money is more than numbers. So, we understand that the psychological and sociological variables of money are essential and should be considered. For instance, what meaning does one ascribe to money? It's something that I often ask. How was that meaning cultivated? What patterns of spending, saving and investing are maladaptive and need to be addressed? Conversely, what patterns serve as strengths and should be capitalized upon? So ultimately, the goal is to help an individual achieve their financial goals. This role developed out of my social work education, actually. I had professors both at my BSW, MSW, and PhD levels encouraging me to think critically and on a deeper level. So, what does that mean? That means having an understanding of human behavior theory. Examining the research literature to identify gaps in the research and ask questions regarding how theory might apply to unique circumstances and situations. EARL SMITH: My non-traditional role in social work has been a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant with law enforcement bureaus or departments around different trainings relevant to improve community and police relationships. There's so much happening in law enforcement, and in policing, and defunding across the country. For social work to really to go into this area and bureaus are looking for people who have a diversified background to be able to do this type of conflict resolution, mediation, trainings. JENNIFER BOECKEL: My nontraditional role in social work is program evaluation. And what that is really is a systematic method for collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer questions about projects, and programs, and sometimes even policies. We look at their efficiency and their effectiveness. And in social work, this is really a macro level activity and it can focus on a single organization to programs and policies in the community, county, state, and even national levels. Being able to build rapport is one of the things that we learn in social work and it's proved to be extremely beneficial throughout my career. I rely on it across all the levels of practice. Right? But it comes down to developing relationships and those relationships allows you to work together and to bring about that change. PHIL FARMER: Over the past 45 years of practice there have been several nontraditional things, including being a consultant in a prison where I worked to assess prisoners and especially their mental health. Also, with hospitals to consult with them to review patient records. Social work training is so broad that I had the advantage not only to be able to understand the mental health issues, but also the socialization issues and also the social justice issues that went with consulting at this private prison. MATTHEW ATWOOD: My nontraditional social work role was working with the Department of the Army as a social scientist. We would go with the commanders in the Army units and do social, cultural research for them. During the time of the Iraq and Afghanistan war we wanted to win the hearts and minds of the people. And one of the ways we could do that was to actually go in and talk to the people in the villages of Afghanistan and Iraq and find out how we could best help them and meet their needs. Learning, just, how to talk to people, how to interview, how to do research, these are all skills that we learn and we do in social work. KRISTIN RICHARDS: I was raised by grandparents and parents that were entrepreneurs. And I saw their ideas start with just small seed of an idea and then grow into something very successful. And I knew that I wanted to help individuals make a difference. These are things social workers say all the time, but really enhance the quality of life of the people that I was serving. And I initially thought, 20 years ago, that that had to be within a traditional social work role, but then I really began to explore what was out there. EARL SMITH: I encourage anyone that's going into a non-traditional role to definitely solidify their social work background on the master's level and to work with their advisors to see whether or not they are really suited for a non-traditional role. MATTHEW ATWOOD: Sometimes students will come out of graduate school thinking that they thought that they knew what they were getting into. And they do it and they realize this really isn't for me. And that could be a good thing because you're left with a degree that can go into other types of career fields. JENNIFER BOECKEL: Often, we don't look carefully enough at the macro level aspect of social work and I do really think it's a place, not only that we need to be, but we really belong there. There's work to be done and it's exciting work. PHIL FARMER: Say yes to lots of things. Try new things you've never heard of. It's been helpful to me. And I think it's very helpful to the profession as well because we fill in a lot of places most people don't expect to see us. JENNIFER BOECKEL: Find an area of interest and then go explore it and find where you fit in there because there will be a role for you. [MUSIC PLAYING]To prepare:Envision yourself in the future. Where are you working? In what role are you serving? Reflect on your career goals and the extent to which they involve a leadership or management position.View the video in the Learning Resources in which social work faculty discuss their careers in nontraditional social work roles. Reflect on the diverse range of opportunities within the discipline of social work. Based on this video, explore an area of social work you didn’t know existed or an area that you are not sure whether or not you would like.BY DAY 3Post your thoughts on your future career goals and your interest in moving into a leadership or management position. Based on the video and other research you have done, what is another area of social work that might interest you? Why? Then, explain at least one significant idea or experience from this course that may be of value in preparing you for a future role.BY DAY 5Respond to at least two colleagues by connecting their career goals or social work area of interest to leadership and leadership skills. Then, suggest a useful resource for professional development, based on their career goals.Response to Peer J.A. -Career Goals, Interests, & LeadershipI usually do not consider leadership or management roles when I think about my future career. Although the idea of being my own boss does have its appeal, I have learned from every single professional experience I have ever had, that I work well as a team or when I have a clear understanding of what is expected of me and consistent feedback. I am more productive on-site than I am virtually. I consider this a form of work/life balance preservation. Feedback is important to me and I highly value human-relationship in my work environment. I strive off the satisfaction of connecting with colleagues.Non-Traditional Areas of InterestIn the video by Walden University, LLC. (2022), Social workers describe several different nontraditional social work roles. Macro social work does consistently play a more and more interesting role in my thoughts of my future career. Throughout my MSW program, I have moved further away from providing therapeutic services directly to a caseload of clients and more towards overseeing the overall wellness of certain populations, specifically in a certain environment. I am interested in working in the prison system, assessing how the prison system directly influences the mental, emotional, and overall well-being of inmates. The National Association of Social Workers (n.d.) career center describes multiple career options within the Department of Justice. I am interested in micro, mezzo, and macro social work practice within the Department of Justice.Class InfluenceIn preparing for my future role as a social worker, I think this class has furthered my understanding of the importance of management and leadership. I still have little interest in fulfilling management or leadership positions in which I am leading and/or managing others, but I am now more aware of how those in leadership/management roles influence my own career trajectories. I can understand that I am not a complete separate entity when it comes to how I operate as a social worker. I am influenced by the agency and the team of management and leaders within my agency.Resources:National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). Career center. https://www.socialworkers.org/Careers/NASW-Career-...Walden University, LLC. (2022). Nontraditional social work roles [Video]. Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com/