By: Mikayla Alberico, social work intern at Chrysalis Center

Social workers apply values and skills set forth by the National Association of Social Works Code of Ethics to help individuals, families, groups, and communities to enhance well-being, help meet basic needs, and cope with social, emotional, behavioral, and health concerns. They abide by six ethical principles: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. Social Workers emphasize a holistic, strengths-based approach in which they assist in improving clients biological, psychological, social, spiritual, and cultural functioning.  

The key difference between Social Workers and other helping professionals is that a “Social Worker’s primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems” (NASW, 2021). Social Workers hold service to others above self-interest in pursuit of social change. They care for people, while always having cultural humility. They believe that clients are the experts in their own lives and that everyone has individual strengths within them that will help them to learn, grow, and change.  

Social Workers work in many different areas. They can practice at any level, from social and political advocacy to individual therapeutic care. You can find them working in private practices, hospitals, child welfare, schools, community organizations, and even holding political offices. Social Workers are there for you, to help you become whoever you want to be.  

References:  

National Association of Social Workers. (2021). NASW Code of Ethics. March 19th, 2024. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English