Career Opportunities

Helping Individuals:

Social workers work with people who are homeless, dispossessed and unemployed, as well as with people who have mental or physical health concerns; with street youth, splintered families, victims of violence and people who have committed crimes.

Communities:

Career opportunities in social work, however, are much broader than many people realize. As well as working with individuals, families and small groups, many social workers work on a larger scale with organizations and communities to improve social conditions and to plan for better communities.

Preparing the Safety Net:

All of us enjoy a number of social benefits as citizens of Canada and residents of Ontario. Large scale programs, such as unemployment insurance, old age pensions and financial assistance which improve life for individuals and society need careful planning and design – a task carried out by social workers who are specially trained in social policy and planning.

Getting to the Bottom of Things:

Effective social policy, planning and services must be based on sound knowledge and research. Social work researchers study problems as diverse as homelessness, unemployment, family conflict and child abuse. Questions explored include both identifying causes and evaluating methods of helping. Research in social welfare history helps us understand our roots and also tells us what methods have been most effective in the past.