A day in the life of Comforting Hearts’ Social worker

Much is expected and much is given in the field of social work.  This noble profession has allowed me to grow as individual as well as a mother and a wife. However, there are those days when you wish it would all end then a warm smile hits you and you remember why you are in this profession.

As a social worker attached to Comforting Hearts I take my duties very seriously and as such is delighted to share one day out of so many with you.

Upon arrival to work, a caregiver approaches me to say a client has not been attending clinic or taking his/her medications; as the social worker, I would then visit that client to assess why they are not attending clinic and taking their medications, and, based on the responses from the client  the necessary counseling and intervention will be administered. Then, I invite the caregiver in the conversation to explain the situation and issues and to render the much needed assistance to the client. When successful, that client is taken to clinic and given their much needed medications.

After leaving that client, I will visit other clients to complete sessions with them for the Positive Health Dignity and Prevention program to educate them on various topics that can be very helpful for their well being.  Then there’s the clerical work that has to be completed, all while attending to the many clients not scheduled for that day that show up asking for assistance.   I am often forced to leave my work and attend to those clients. After composing myself, I come up with lessons for grade one through seven children who will be at the office at three for the after school session. Assisting in the preparation of the snacks for the children is also a part of my day.

While  going through the lessons for each grade I may have to leave the class and attend to a client who may walk in with an issue. With the help of the caregivers, I am able to deal with his or her issues right away.  If the client has to be taken to the Child Protection Agency, Hospital, etc. I must then relieve myself of my current task and take the client to receive much needed help. When all is said and done, I leave it all and head to the Corentyne Coast to attend classes at the University Of Guyana in order to complete my Degree in Social Work.   

When all of this is done she return home, assist my nine year old son with his home work spend some time with my twenty month year old daughter and husband.

 It is all worth it at the end of the day when one person can say I am now enrolled in clinic and taking my medication on time every time, and, at the end of the school term when the report cards are in with improved grades for my OVC, and they smile hearing how proud you are of them, then I will continue to do the work I am doing.   

The Challenges and benefits of being a Social worker in Guyana

Social Work is a noble profession that seeks to enhance human wellbeing. The Social Worker provides services to humanity. As a professionally trained Social Worker, my practise in Guyana over the years has been beneficial yet challenging.

The Guyanese society spans many cultural groups and socioeconomic backgrounds. The clients I am serving have multiple needs which present an opportunity to gain multicultural experiences. Also working with a variety of cases has widened my scope of skills and competencies in generalist practice.
 Ongoing training is a very important aspect of Social work especially since social issues are not static and as professionals we need to be informed of the various social phenomena. Working with Lifeline Counselling Services, a non-governmental organisation has exposed me to many training opportunities which has increase my knowledge and enhanced my skills.

Guyana has many social agencies both governmental and non -governmental that collaborates to assist the clients. Hence, in performing my role as a Social Worker,  I had numerous  opportunities to  link persons to appropriate services,  in so doing I was able  to establish relationships with other professionals.  These bonds assisted me with my professional development such as learning best practice.

Building a strong coping mechanism in harsh working environment is one such benefit which I have experience since joining the profession. One has to learn how to weather the storms of disappointment when the organisation offers services that does not meet the needs of the clients yet strengths are gained from being able to serve humanity though resources are limited.

While enjoying the benefits of serving the Social work profession in Guyana challenges are ever present. Poor working conditions prevail –low salary when compared with other countries, lack of job security especially while working in the project environment. The Social worker functions with an air of uncertainty concerning the future of the organisation. Low staff morale coupled with high staff turnover, especially within the NGOs has been factors of discouragement which serve as demotivators. A troubling concern is the lack of safety and privacy for both the client and Social Worker. However, in addressing this safety issue from the Social Worker‘s prospective, it puts us at risk of being accused of breaching confidentiality and client abuse. In Guyana there have been reported cases of client abusing the Social Worker vice versa. In many instances work spaces are not design with emergency exits.

Further case overload and burnout continue to plaque the profession over the years. This is more common in Governmental agencies that serve the country  with limited staff  however NGOs are not exempted from this trend  more so since  they are target driven. Service to humanity donor driven thus the Social Worker becomes burnout and is frustrated with the many deadlines and donor driven schedules.

In the Guyanese context Social Workers lack status. There is no strong support body that represents Social Workers, coupled with the fact that we practice without license make us more vulnerable to misrepresentation and malpractices.

My Life and Thoughts as a Student Social Worker in Guyana

Some days work is in an office where you are afforded the opportunity to interact with many different people with varying issues, other days work is in the community visiting homes and families with further diverse issues and situations.

Welcome to the life of a social worker in Guyana!

A wise person once said that “the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” As social workers the only way to improve and enhance individuals and communities is to be passionate about the work you do. Social workers work with people to support them through challenging times. Social workers are looked upon to improve the quality of life and enrich the well-being of individuals and communities. Our role is an enormous one, one that requires much strength, kindness and passion.

Social workers are instrumental in mending and bringing families closer together. Our work can improve life at home and strengthen communications between parents and their children. School social workers counsel students about their problems, teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, bullying and other issues that affect the way they behave, both in school and at home.

I am not sure if I can call myself a social worker, though I am a trained and certified counselor and tester and currently reading for my degree in Social Work at the University of Guyana. Both my professional and academic experiences can classify me as a social worker, or not. For me, one of the biggest challenges facing social workers in Guyana is identification. I would recommend that social workers be issued with a license after completing their tertiary education or based on years of experience in the field. In some developed countries, social workers are registered with the appropriate regulatory body. I also believe that if this is done more persons might have confidence in the profession and want to join; conversely practicing social workers will show more ownership and thoughtfulness.

As a counselor and tester, I understand the importance of proficiency and attentiveness in my job. Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) is an important part of the continuum of HIV prevention, treatment and care services. VCT is one of the main times when a comprehensive individual risk assessment is taken, making it the best opportunity for accurate referrals to more intensive services. VCT uses short, client-centered counseling that can be effective in increasing condom use and preventing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). My work contributes to the overall national programme and targets. Having all this information at the back of my head makes my job a lot tougher but stimulating. My days at the office differ. There is no such thing as “predicable days” when you work as a social worker. Different people from different walks of life stroll into your place of operation daily. You are required to always be prepared to assist as best as you can. Some days dealing with some issues can leave you feeling powerless and emotional - as humans dealing with human issues it is only normal. Other days you feel victorious and satisfied that you were able to assist someone in crossing an obstacle that was holding them back.

As social workers, although you might not always see the results of the work you are doing at the time, rest assured that little by little you are making a difference in someone’s life. Knowing that I am able to enrich lives, and by extension families and communities, continues to propel my passion and love for the profession.

As a student at the University of Guyana exposed to different aspects of the profession, I do believe that more can be done to develop the field. Though systems and procedures exist to ensure the efficient delivery of services in the field of social work, there is room for improvements. Important  data, needed for the improvement of regulations and key services, is lacking.  There is the need for the formation of new policies and programmes for the advancement of the profession in institutions and communities across the country. As mentioned above, there is the need for a regulatory body and for continuous training and programmes for improvement.

While the unfavourable remuneration does not attract many to this line of work, it is a career that enables us to feel good about ourselves. By playing a key role in improving the lives of others, social workers build their own self-confidence and can feel proud for being involved in such an admirable profession.

Shane Paul, Guyana Business Coalition on Health Awareness (GBCHA) and

the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD)