The first question is, "How are human services professionals similar
to and different from other professionals who work in the same
agency?" a From the chapter 9 reading, there were many levels of
professions that not even I was aware of. In human services, I related
it to social workers, working endless shifts hours and being
overloaded with cases that were stacked for the next month or year.
But upon reading all the levels of jobs that work in human services,
anyone in human services works can do the same for everyone
involved, and that I mean, case managers that work with individuals
and families for resources of the needs they come in for. The
individual that looks into home care with agencies to bring in services
for someone staying home instead of nursing homes. a The second
question, "How are they similar to and different from non-
professional helpers (e.g., volunteers) who work in the same agency? "
The difference between the professional and non-professional
(volunteers) is helping out at schools, in the lunch room, or helping
with reading in the school library. It is working on their time and going
out to sites for volunteering in food banks, and second-hand stores or
some may need assistance in transportation. Volunteering keeps the
workload lite for the human services that are getting paid to do other
work that requires work to be done. The third question is, "What
could you do to work collaboratively with both other professionals
and non-professionals in the agency? " I am not much of a person to
volunteer for work, it may be for an occasion for some small party or
babysitting, but for me, I am one to do a job and get paid for it. The
social worker has more "on the plate" than anyone in the human
service work, this doesn't leave out counselors or case workers, but a
case manager is someone that can do a lot in assisting a social worker.
Paperwork is a big project that takes a lot of time and social workers
end up bringing it home. If case managers have duties that require
their own attention, then a volunteer can be of assistance to social
workers. Chapter nine did fill my head with ideas of what titles work
in the human services division and I can understand more of all the
work and brainstorming everyone does in their title with human
services. If it were up to me now, I would try for being a case manager
but I am someone that gets involved deeply. The other one I would
look into is the Mental health counselor, I have an ear and can
empathize with a lot of clients that have dealt with some stress in
their lives.
Woodside, Marianne R. An Introduction to Human Services chapter
nine pages 225 to 253
