Human services professionals are different from other professionals in the same agency in that
they have different requirements regarding the specific degrees needed for their respective
decisions. Human services professionals may need a Master of Arts and Human Services
degree whereas other professionals, depending on the job, may only need degrees in social
work, physical therapy, or psychology. One similarity both types of professionals have is the
requirement of higher levels of education or skills needed for their positions compared to a
non-professional helper. In terms of volunteers, human services professionals’ contrast in that
they have more knowledge and skills compared to non-professional volunteers due to the
difference in education. As such, depending on the situation, the human services professional
can be seen as being more effective due to the skills they already acquired. This does not mean
that the volunteer is unable to learn through experience or even acquire new skills. It simply
means that they may need to undergo further training in order to reach the same level of
professional development. Volunteers, human services professionals, and other professionals
in the same agency all share the goal of helping the client and staying true to the agency’s
mission statement.
To work collaboratively with other professionals and non-professionals in the agency, the first
and most important step is establishing communication so that everyone is coordinating their
efforts and to get rid of potential confusion as to who has what responsibilities in the treatment
plan. This communication needs to be maintained throughout the treatment process with
follow-ups or meetings with each other so that everyone is working in harmony and aware of
any needed changes to the treatment plan. With these follow-ups or meetings, everyone should
feel free to ask questions and express their opinions on the treatment process so that they can
reach a consensus of the client’s progress and where to go to from there.
Human services professionals are different from other professionals in the same agency in that
they have different requirements regarding the specific degrees needed for their respective
decisions. Human services professionals may need a Master of Arts and Human Services
degree whereas other professionals, depending on the job, may only need degrees in social
work, physical therapy, or psychology. One similarity both types of professionals have is the
requirement of higher levels of education or skills needed for their positions compared to a
non-professional helper. In terms of volunteers, human services professionals’ contrast in that
they have more knowledge and skills compared to non-professional volunteers due to the
difference in education. As such, depending on the situation, the human services professional
can be seen as being more effective due to the skills they already acquired. This does not mean
that the volunteer is unable to learn through experience or even acquire new skills. It simply
means that they may need to undergo further training to reach the same level of professional
development. Volunteers, human services professionals, and other professionals in the same
agency all share the goal of helping the client and staying true to the agency’s mission
statement.
To work collaboratively with other professionals and non-professionals in the agency, the first
and most important step is establishing communication so that everyone is coordinating their
efforts and to get rid of potential confusion as to who has what responsibilities in the treatment
plan. This communication needs to be maintained throughout the treatment process with
follow-ups or meetings with each other so that everyone is working in harmony and aware of
any needed changes to the treatment plan. With these follow-ups or meetings, everyone should
feel free to ask questions and express their opinions on the treatment process so that they can
reach a consensus of the client’s progress and where to go to from there.
