Everyone has an idea of what “social work” is. I would guess that many of our ideas are unique but also somewhat similar. Some may have a negative perception of what social work is, or a social worker is, while others may have fond memories.

Social work can encompass a broad spectrum of coverage.  If you’re looking for a definition, you are likely to encounter a wide range of adjectives as well. Instead, let’s look at the action words for social work that can help us define the scope of the practice:

• Help
• Provide
• Connect
• Advocate
• Counsel
• Work
• Accept
• Comfort
• Intervene

Those are some pretty powerful verbs!

Social work is a field of study and it’s also a degree.  There are Social Workers, Licensed Social Workers and Licensed Clinical Social Workers, as well as a bevy of related higher degrees.

To me, there are a lot of people who do not have an official title but are defined as social workers because of their daily tasks. Teachers are the first ones who come to mind. Community leaders often play the role of social workers, whether they are law enforcement, scout leaders, volunteers at after school program, daycare workers, benefits administrators or many others. Take a moment to think: Who are some of the people you know who perform social work?

The theme for this year’s Social Work Month is “Compassion and Action.” While it is the action you may have noticed or admired about some social workers, you have also certainly noticed their compassion as well. Compassion can sometimes be easily felt, especially if we can identify with a person. Yet, social workers are trained to show compassion to those who may be unlike them. This is critical to their role because they are often tasked with helping those who have critical needs. Examples may include someone who suffers from a mental health disorder, the elderly, a person who has suffered abuse at the hands of another, children or any at-risk group who struggles to navigate the world without aid. It’s not a stretch to say that, without social workers, people would die.  Likewise, many others would have a lower quality of life than one experienced with the help of social workers. At Lincoln Prairie, we are fortunate to have numerous people who fit the role of social workers.

We need social workers in our lives, working in our communities to make them stronger. They play essential roles in healing people and bringing us together. With social workers protecting, teaching, and caring for us, we are stronger people overall.

Chas Swearingen is a community liaison for Lincoln Prairie Behavioral Health Center. He obtained his master’s in clinical psychology from the University of Illinois- Springfield and has worked exclusively in the mental health field for the last 11 years. You might find him in the pool or near a pond. The pond might be good for you. He lives in Carlinville, IL with his wife, their sons, a big brown dog, and a cat which adopted them.