The social worker is a professional with a degree in social work and registered with the CRESS (Regional Council of Social Work) in their state. This type of professional focuses on collectivity and the integration of individuals into society. Because they deal with various types of people, this work can be performed in different places, but always with the goal of reintegration.
Social Worker Role
Many people confuse the work of a social worker with charity, but it is important to understand social assistance as a right for everyone, not as a favor provided by professionals. Valuing the work of a social worker is essential for it to be carried out with excellence.
The Social Assistance Market for Women
Within the social work field, the presence of men has historically been small, at least in numbers. This means that we often think of social assistance as a female profession, both in the values linked to the profession and the way its functions are built.
It is important to understand how the profession works historically to understand the current job market for social workers, with women making up about 97% of all practicing professionals.
In other words, the social assistance market for women has always been and continues to be very positive, with excellent opportunities for jobs and openings in different sectors.
What is the Profile of a Social Worker?
One of the main characteristics of social workers is, undoubtedly, the aptitude for dealing with people. And with all types of people, since this is a profession that strongly values humanistic principles such as respect for others and for differences, as well as the commitment to freedom, justice, and democracy.
Professional Characteristics
Dealing with people is one characteristic, but the social work professional must also have the ability to analyze and understand problematic situations to point out possible solutions. This analytical ability is not just theoretical; that is, the solutions indicated by the professional are also implemented by them.
Planning ability is another common characteristic of social workers, who need to know, in their work, how to apply proposals to achieve their objectives.
What Does a Social Worker Do?
The main role of a social worker is to reduce social inequalities and ensure that the rights of all individuals are respected. To achieve this, social workers can operate in several ways: researching, analyzing, proposing social improvement programs, and putting these programs into practice.
Most social worker positions available today are linked to public institutions like city governments and state governments. Foundations also offer various positions for professionals who want to work directly with the public, usually with the help of religious institutions.
However, it is not uncommon to see openings for social workers in private organizations such as hospitals, daycare centers, and schools, for example. Social workers can carry out a wide range of functions in the public sector, private sector, and the third sector, such as:
Main Fields of Work
- Housing Social Worker
- Children and Adolescent Social Worker
- Social Worker in Companies
Housing Social Assistance
This type of social assistance aims to ensure that all individuals have a place to live. A home is defined as a place where a person can sleep, store belongings, and have somewhere to prepare and eat food. Housing can be shared with others or not.
Those wishing to work in housing social assistance should look for jobs with public institutions, usually city governments. The work typically involves the planning and execution of social housing programs, approved after analyses conducted by specialists, who can also be social workers.
Children and Adolescent Social Worker
With a focus on providing assistance to guarantee the basic rights of children and adolescents, the social worker in this area may work in the public sphere, such as city governments, in the private sector, or in the third sector, such as NGOs and social movements.
Since education is directly linked to the rights of children and adolescents, it is common for professionals in the field to also work with educational rights. The aim is to monitor the education of young people and identify what can be improved so they can adapt to social life.
Most professionals in this field work with children and adolescents from underprivileged communities, but there are also private schools that hire social workers to observe and take measures to ensure children have a positive environment.
Social Worker in Companies
The role of a social worker inside a private company is to observe the daily routines of workers, identify problems affecting their quality of life, and propose ways to solve these problems.
More and more companies are hiring social workers, and this is no coincidence. In recent years, many business owners have realized that for their work to be performed efficiently, employees need to be happy and satisfied with their work environment. Thus, a social worker in a company does not only have a humanistic role but also, in a way, an administrative one.
The work of social workers in companies generally takes place within the human resources area, where they are responsible for monitoring potential internal and external conflicts which could negatively affect the work environment.
In addition, a social worker also proposes, together with the HR team, projects so company employees can improve their quality of life at work,
Social Work Degree
The undergraduate degree in social work is not one of the most popular or sought-after in the country, but it is perfect for those interested in this kind of service. Its curriculum focuses on helping students understand the social reality around them and analyze situations critically.
Degree Course Subjects
Subjects such as political theory, history, philosophy, economics, ethics, and law are some of the main courses included in the curriculum. Various public and private institutions offer the social work bachelor’s degree and the majority of students aim to work in the public sector, with the more conventional social worker roles, such as upholding the rights of children and adolescents or assisting the homeless.
Main Social Work Universities in Brazil
- Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
- Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo – São Paulo (SP)
- University of Brasília – Brasília (DF)
- University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos – São Leopoldo (RS)
- Federal University of Pernambuco – Recife (PE)
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul – Porto Alegre (RS)
- Júlio de Mesquita Filho São Paulo State University – São Paulo (SP)
- Federal University of Paraná – Curitiba (PR)
- Paulista University – São Paulo (SP)
- University of the Amazon – Belém (PA)
Social Work Specializations
Professionals who have completed a bachelor’s degree in social work can also opt for graduate programs either to specialize in a particular field or to work in research and academia.
Main graduate courses you can find:
- Organizational Social Work
- Public and Social Policies
- Psychosocial Intervention
Organizational Social Work
This course aims to train social workers to work in companies, both in the public and private sectors. It’s designed for those interested in applying their social work knowledge in various sectors.
The curriculum focuses on subjects like economics and resource management. The course lasts an average of 12 to 18 months and monthly fees are around R$ 350.00.
Public and Social Policies
A professional wanting to work directly with public policies for social assistance will find this course to be almost an extension of their undergraduate studies, delving deeper into political debate about social assistance.
As most professionals in the field work in the public sector, it is important that a graduate course like this is available, as it offers a competitive edge for the professional and allows the area of social work to advance nationally through student research.
The course lasts on average 12 to 18 months and features heavy political theory, as well as deeper training in public resource management, human resources, and other subjects. The graduate program in public and social policies can be taken at both public and private institutions, with an average monthly fee of R$ 300.00.
Psychosocial Intervention
This course aims to develop students’ ability to devise improvements for situations social workers commonly face, through psychology. As the name suggests, it has a strong emphasis on psychology to train the student, and encourages the practical application of their psychological proposals. This course lasts 18 months and has monthly fees averaging R$ 475.00.
How Much Does a Social Worker Earn?
A social worker can work in different types of companies, so the average salary may vary from one position to another. Here are a few examples:
Hospital Work: Between R$ 4,600.00 and R$ 8,100.00
Work in City Governments: Between R$ 1,890.00 and R$ 4,900.00
Administrative Area: Between R$ 2,200 and R$ 9,000.00
Education: Average of R$ 2,100.00
Third Sector: Average of R$ 2,100.00
Average salaries for social workers also vary from state to state, with the south and southeast regions offering the highest pay for this type of professional. Here are some examples:
- São Paulo – R$ 2,535.00
- Amazonas – R$ 2,365.00
- Pará – R$ 2,250.00
- Minas Gerais – R$ 2,140.00
- Bahia – R$ 2,100.00
We also note that although São Paulo has a higher average salary compared to other states, the difference is still small. It’s important to remember these are only averages for professionals in the field; some positions pay more and others less.
How Much Does an Organizational Social Worker Earn?
At the corporate level, salaries for social work professionals can differ greatly and are usually higher than those of professionals working for non-profits or some public sector jobs.
How Much Does a Trainee Social Worker Earn?
Small Company: R$ 1,625.00
Medium Company: R$ 2,115.00
Large Company: R$ 2,750.00
How Much Does a Full Social Worker Earn?
Small Company: R$ 2,540.00
Medium Company: R$ 3,300.00
Large Company: R$ 4,300.00
How Much Does a Senior Social Worker Earn?
Small Company: R$ 3,970.00
Medium Company: R$ 5,165.00
Large Company: R$ 6,715.00
The work of a social worker is often misunderstood or confused with other types of work. Even so, all those who carry out the role know the importance that social workers play in society.
Especially in Brazil, where there are major inequalities and a significant effort is needed to guarantee the rights of the less privileged. Besides loving what they do, social workers certainly understand the importance of their work’s results and what it means for us to live in a fairer world.
See Also: Esthetician – What They Do and How Much They Earn
Photos: Cadastro Unico
