Social workers stand up every day for human rights and social justice to help strengthen our communities. They can be the voice for people who aren’t being heard, and they tackle serious social issues in order to help people reach their full potential and make our world a better place to live. There are over 600,000 social workers in the US alone, yet all too often their work goes unnoticed in society.

Providing help to persons in need is the central theme of the social work profession. The three elements that come to mind that are essential to this process is the person offering the assistance, the assistance itself, and the person receiving it. The focus is on the person offering the help and to what degree that person is willing to request help when he or she needs it.

There are many core social work values that encompass everything from integrity to individual dignity to compassionate service to social justice to human relationships. These values embrace the effectiveness of social work activities and programs.

Service

The primary goal of social workers is public service through helping needy people address, manage and resolve various social problems. Social workers must always elevate public service above self-interest and personal gain. Social workers use their skills and knowledge to help their clients through serious social problems, such as drug dependency, child abuse, residential instability and criminal behaviors. Social workers often volunteer their professional skills through community organizations free of charge.

Social Justice

Social workers advocate for social justice and fight against social injustice. They offer social support and resources for vulnerable individuals and oppressed groups. Their social change efforts are primarily focused on poverty, education, housing, unemployment and discrimination. They promote public sensitivity to social justice issues and encourage the public to embrace cultural respect and genetic diversity. Social workers ensure that their clients have access to basic services, resources and information.

Values

Social workers value the dignity and worth of each person. They treat each client in a compassionate and respectful way that is mindful of individual differences, cultural norms and ethnic diversity. They promote clients' socially responsible self-determination based on their individual values. Social workers strive to increase their clients' capability to change, address their own needs and become self-reliant. They help to resolve conflicts between clients and society in ways that are respectful and socially responsible.

Integrity

Social workers must always act in trustworthy ways. They must maintain a continual awareness of their organization's mission, their profession's values and their individual ethical standards. Social workers must honestly and responsibly conduct themselves in public to encourage their coworkers and support their organization.

Human Relationships

Social workers recognize the primary importance of human relationships. They understand that relationships between people are important vehicles for change, advocacy and equity. Social workers engage clients, other professionals and community program staff as partners in the healing and helping process. They improve relationships among people in order to restore and promote the functionality of clients, their families and communities. Because social work depends on the ability to maintain positive relationships with individuals who may be hostile and unreliable, social workers must be patient and communicative.

Social work is never done! Social workers spend time with patients, students, and clients in good times and in bad. They serve as a resource for information as well as a shoulder to cry on. So, Social Work Month is an opportunity to shine a light on the profession — social workers really do work to improve the world. Get involved during Social Work Month — it’s a great cause!