Social Service Aides serve as links between social service agencies and people seeking help. Working under the close supervision of the professional social worker or counselor, Aides enable agencies to assist a greater number of people more effectively.

JOB DUTIES

Social Service Aides may:

Greet new applicants

Help them fill out agency forms and other forms

Describe the agency's services, facilities, and procedures

Interview individuals to compile information on social, educational, criminal, institutional or other history

Gather information needed to determine applicant's eligibility for assistance

Keep records of activities and the services provided clients

Participate in staff meetings to evaluate programs and to receive inservice training

Plan and lead group activities

Refer clients to various public or private agencies for assistance

Offer clients encouragement and counsel

Assist in routine neighborhood surveys and counts

Escort disabled or elderly clients and children

Speak up for clients unable to express adequately their own needs to employers, other agencies, and institutions

Provide emergency transportation

The equipment and materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Social Service Aides may specialize in these areas:

195.367-010 CASE AIDES act as assistants to caseworkers. They may help clients find jobs, housing, medical care, or other services. They are responsible for the more routine duties involved in less complicated cases.

195.367-018 COMMUNITY WORKERS investigate problems of residents who are assigned to neighborhoods. The workers determine the needs of residents who are disadvantaged because of income, age, or other economic or personal handicaps. They seek out and visit individuals and families and address neighborhood groups to publicize supportive services available to the unemployed, parolees, or others needing special assistance.

195.367-014 MANAGEMENT AIDES help the residents of public and private housing projects and apartments with relocation. They explain management rules and inform tenants about the facilities and services available.

195.367-018 NEIGHBORHOOD WORKERS assist residents in contact with courts, unions, schools, and landlords. They encourage residents to participate in programs designed to fight common problems.

195.367-026 PREPAROLE-COUNSELING AIDES provide individual and group guidance to inmates of correctional facilities who are eligible for parole. They also assist in developing vocational and educational plans in preparing inmates for reentry into community life.

309.354-010 HOMEMAKERS assist agency clients and their families in private homes when the homemaker/client is hospitalized, or at home but unable to care for her or his family. Most services are of a non nursing nature, such as helping families plan and prepare nutritious meals or maintain a clean environment.

195.367-034 SOCIAL-SERVICES AIDE

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Social Service Aides work under the supervision of a social worker, counselor, or the other professional staff person in the agency. They work as part of a team.

Working conditions can vary greatly. Aides usually work in agency offices which are comfortable, well ventilated, and well lighted. However, Aides may visit the homes of clients where conditions vary from pleasant, with people who are cooperative, to homes in which the Aide may feel threatened.

Many Aides in both public and private agencies work part time. Aides might find that working hours include evenings and weekends when clients can be reached. Aides working in recreational programs or in programs dealing with children may have longer hours during summer months. Considerable travel or work in the field is often required. Aides may belong to employee organizations that require dues.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities concerned with communicating information

• Activities which involve helping people with their problems

• Activities resulting in esteem from others

You Should Be Able To:

• Handle responsibility

• Use good judgment and reasoning in decision making

• Deal effectively with people having many kinds of problems

• Deal with disappointment or painfully slow progress

• Work cooperatively with agency personnel and clients

• Use tact and consider the feelings of others

• Act in a manner that will foster trust

• Plan and direct programs and activities

• Write reports and keep records of your activities

• Perform a variety of duties which may change often

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

On the average, each client takes 30 minutes to work with, how many clients could you see in an 8 hour day?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Stress is the body's response to external conditions (or stressors) that upset our equilibrium.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write reports about each client that you visit with an explanation of the problems he or she is going through.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to decide the best way to talk to a client who could benefit from a particular service but does not believe what you say.

Some typing ability is required for certain positions. It might be necessary to have a driver's license and your own car. Aides assigned to a community where a language other than English is spoken may be required to speak that language and to understand cultural differences. You may also be required to be a resident of the community or neighborhood where you work. Tests or immunizations for communicable diseases may be required.

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EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer or a High School Diploma or Equivalent or A Certificate (program of up to one years of study beyond high school) or an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

There are no specific educational requirements beyond a high school diploma or its equivalent for many Social Service Aide positions. However, a two-year Associate of Arts (AA) Degree in Social or Human Services may be earned.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 2200 MATH , 3000 SOCIAL STUDIES

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

189 SOCIAL SERVICE AIDE TRAINING

Social Service Aide Training Programs provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed for employment providing services which supplement the work of professional social workers.

Courses vary from school to school but may include:

Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

Please check the Military web site at http://www.myfuture.com

SOCIAL WORKER

The military needs close cooperation and a spirit of teamwork among its men and women. Social workers focus on improving conditions that cause social problems, such as drug and alcohol abuse, racism, and sexism.

What They Do

Social workers in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Counsel military personnel and their family members

• Supervise counselors and caseworkers

• Survey military personnel to identify problems and plan solutions

• Plan social action programs to rehabilitate personnel with problems

• Plan and monitor equal opportunity programs

• Conduct research on social problems and programs

• Organize community activities on military bases

Physical Demands

Social workers need to be able to speak clearly and distinctly to work with clients.

Special Requirements

A 4-year college degree in social work or related social sciences is required to enter this occupation. Some specialties require a master's degree.

Work Environment

Social workers in the military usually work in offices or clinics.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful attributes include:

• Desire to help others

• Sensitivity to the needs of others

• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely

• Interest in research and teaching

Training Provided

Job training consists of 16 to 24 weeks of instruction. Course content typically includes:

• Ways of controlling drug and alcohol abuse among military personnel

• Management of equal opportunity programs

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian social workers work for hospitals, human service agencies, and feral, state, county, and city governments. They perform duties similar to those performed by military social workers. However, civilian social workers usually specialize in a particular field such as family services, child welfare, or medical services. They may also be called social group workers, medical social workers, psychiatric social workers, and social welfare administrators.

Opportunities

The services have about 100 social workers. On average, they need 10 new social workers each year. After job training, social workers are assigned to counseling or assistance centers. With experience, they may advance to senior management positions.

E-Learning Courses and Programs

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Experience in this field may be obtained through volunteer, part-time, or summer work in camps, hospitals, schools, community centers, and social welfare agencies. Related co-op or work-experience may be available through postsecondary college programs in social service aide training. Community action programs and local politics may provide additional exposure. Experience may be gained in military service also.

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Social Service Aide employer

internships

volunteer work with a Social Service Aide employer

community service work with an agency

Social Service Aides usually enter this occupation by applying directly to private employers or completing civil service exams for federal, state, and local governments. School placement offices and newspaper want ads might offer 1leads to available positions. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

Michigan Talent Bank

Michigan Jobs & Career Portal

Classifieds Employment  

Yahoo! Careers

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