Social work is HARD work, and is often difficult to understand from the outside. When working closely with children and adults experiencing severe trauma, it tends to follow you home in the form of vicarious trauma, which can be very isolating. The theme of this years’ Social Work Month is Uplift, Defend, Transform. The important work of Hephzibah’s social workers to enhance human well-being, meet the basic needs of all people, and empower the vulnerable and the oppressed is worth celebrating! There are more than 810,000 social workers in the United States, making it one of the fastest growing professions according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. We’re proud of our case workers continuing to make a better world for all families and children, one neighborhood at a time.
In March we celebrate our staff who work hard every day to improve quality of life within our communities. We’re thrilled to welcome Zoe Gurick to Hephzibah as our newest secondary case worker! Zoe works with our foster care team to make sure our foster parents and kids receive the services and supports they need to thrive together. Hear firsthand the intricacies of social work behind-the-scenes, and what motivates the staff at Hephzibah to continue showing up for families in need day after day!
One easy way you can support social services is by challenging the common misconception that social workers are the “bad guys.” As Zoe says,
“…I want to express that that’s NOT true. We’re here to help families in whatever way that looks like for them. Every case is unique; this work isn’t one size fits all, and we’re here to help and support.“
While this might seem intuitive or obvious, some of your neighbors and friends may feel this stigma deeply. As Social Work Month comes to a close, we’re asking you to apply this mindset to the conversations we’re having in community. We need your help to change the narrative: it’s OK to ask for help! Together, we’ll always be bigger than the obstacles in our way.
