Social workers are individuals whose primary job is to focus on the well-being of others both at the individual and community levels. Like various other professionals who deal with complex human behaviour, social work is also considered to be a very complicated field that can be segregated into a large number of subdomains or sectors. The demand for committed social workers has increased by leaps and bounds over the past few decades with the awareness of people about health, their overall well-being and their rights in society. 

There was a time when social was work considered to be only a ‘service’ but these days, it has become a full-time rewarding and satisfying career. Each year, the count of students seeking admission to the top MSW colleges in India is increasing.  

This blog has attempted to throw some light on the top work areas in the field of social work:

1. Therapist or Counsellor

Therapists are licensed mental health professionals whose primary job includes improving people’s overall quality of life. They carry it out by developing better emotional and cognitive skills among individuals. Therapists or counsellors help reduce mental illness symptoms by providing their clients with skills so that they can better tackle the hassles of their life. Depending upon the nature of their work area, the therapists might have to work with a wide range of locals.  

Some of the places they find work include reputed hospitals, online and offline professional counselling centres, family courts, clinics, community centres, and a large number of other establishments. A special module is a part of almost all MSW courses in India that deals with the techniques for treating mental illnesses. In case you are interested in taking care of people’s overall well-being either at an individual or group level, then MSW is just the right program for you.  

2. Administration and Management  

By earning a postgraduate degree from any of the best MSW colleges in India, you can choose to work in both the public and private sectors in different organizations across the country. Social work has become a part of the work culture of many government and non-government organizations wherein various administrative and managerial positions can be secured. The only condition is that the candidates must have in-depth knowledge and experience in different social work principles and processes. A clear vision for the future along with a deep awareness of human behaviour would be an added advantage. 

3. Medical Social Worker

Medical social workers are individuals who specialize in the field of public health, geriatric, palliative, and mental health care. Just like other social workers, these professionals can also find themselves in a comprehensive range of medical settings as per the location of their clients or patients. In case the medical field excites you, and you want to be a highly specialized social worker then, medical social service is the right occupation for you. You could get the opportunity to work specifically with infants or offer medical help to those who are in wait for any kind of transplant. Most probably, you will be working with different medical specialists, doctors, and nurses to provide clients with interdisciplinary care.

4. Marriage and Family Therapist

Marriage and family therapy is one of the most common designations for those who have completed their degree from any of the best MSW colleges in India. In this capacity, you will be specializing in diagnosing as well as treating different types of mental and emotional disorders arising out of marriage and family systems. The said disorders might be affective, behavioural, or even cognitive. These people are also called psychotherapy professionals who seriously counsel people regarding their concerns related to unsatisfactory married life, distress and grief caused by divorce, any financial problem or even parenting.

Marriage and family therapists while performing their job make use of psychotherapeutic, family-oriented theories and a large number of other techniques to bring betterment in their clients’ skills. They chart out some specific strategies for their clients so that they can confront their problems boldly and constructively. They develop fully personalized treatment plans to address different types of relationships in a family environment. These professionals also determine whether the concerned patients need any medical help or prescription to combat the situation. In a country like India, the demand for well-qualified marriage and family therapists is growing with each passing year, and as per estimation, this demand is going to grow by 23% by the end of the year 2026. 

5. School Counsellor

Counsellors who work in school settings are called school counsellors. They are known by many titles or designations. Some of them include:

• School counsellor
• Educational counsellor
• Guidance counsellor
• Student development advisor, and
• Vocational counsellor. 

School counsellors are generally responsible for serving the entire student population with a strong focus on meeting their emotional and social needs. They also prepare students for their future endeavours so that they can become good professionals. They might get involved in the following:

• Personal, social or behavioural problems
• Facilitation of workshops on topics and issues like the prevention of drugs or parenting
• Providing clinical testing for learning disabilities, and
• Extending support to tackle psychological disorders.

Being a school counsellor is a very sensitive job as these professionals deal with children. This position calls for expertise and experience in handling the children of new generation. A degree in social work is a prerequisite to grab this position at a reputed school.

Concluding Remarks 

Established on October 22, 2007, through an ordinance of the Government of Rajasthan, Jaipur National University, Jaipur is one of the most reputed self-financed private universities in Rajasthan sponsored by the Mahima Shiksha Samiti. The university has set a large number of benchmarks in the field of higher education, technical education, and medical education. The university offers exceptional academic excellence through a plethora of courses. JNU Jaipur has a world-class academic infrastructure that includes a fully Wi-Fi campus with 1500+ PCs, 158 laboratories across departments, auditoriums and libraries across its 4 campuses.