Social work today has come far from the days when it used to be the prerogative of a few visionaries who believed they could make a difference to the way people lived, but didn’t have adequate resources. It looks like you have almost made a choice. But remember that to become a successful social worker, you need to have genuine compassion for the underprivileged, a very real urge to help others make better lives for themselves and the capacity to work hard, and under far-from-perfect working conditions. With the emergence of a number of non-government organisations (NGOs), this sector has become much more organised than before. With institutes like the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Delhi School of Social Work offering job-oriented degrees in social work, it looks like this career choice, once considered unusual, is becoming not so unusual, after all. The social work programme is open to graduates. Applicants with a sociology, social work, or psychology background get preference. Admission is through a written test and interview. The test assesses mental ability and general awareness, while the interview is aimed at identifying candidates with a genuine interest in social work. Anthropologists, sociologists and psychologists are also suitable for some of the work social workers do. Most universities offer Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in social work. Social workers specialise in: Criminology and correctional work: Jobs in prisons, and government departments. Medical and psychiatric social work: Clinics, hospitals, sanatoria, child guidance clinics, counselling centres, mental hospitals, medical colleges and community public health centres and so on. Community development work: This involves field work with community groups, government and voluntary agencies in areas related to women and child welfare, education and literacy, poverty alleviation programmes, rural development, child care and family services and work in family planning and AIDS programmes, awareness campaigns of the government etc. With a degree in social work, you can also join the labour and industrial relations and personnel departments in the industrial and corporate sectors. International organisations such as the United Nations sponsor projects to facilitate developing countries in their social welfare and other development programmes. So, you have many areas to work in after taking an MSW qualification but the choice will rest upon your interest and commitment. Usha Albuquerque

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