Social Worker Interview

Social Worker Interview
Agency-Based Questions:
Q: Please tell me about the history of the agency/workplace.
A: I work in an NGO (non-government organization) focusing on community development that
is locally and internationally funded. These are community-based organizations focused on
community development based on the trust that the NGOs are looking for. I have worked in a lot
of NGOs since becoming a social worker. Some of the NGOs I’ve worked at are Caritas and
Siervas which are social service organizations by Catholic churches.
Q: What are some of the services that you provide?

A: We provide services to the community focusing on the residents’ basic social needs such as
health, water, and sanitation. We also help the residents know where to get the services they need
and educate them about the services that the government provides and how they can avail of such
services. For example, vaccination. Some households/individuals who live in remote areas don’t
know about the existing services offered in their local municipalities and even the programs of
the government. We help open the eyes of the residents by facilitating the services that are
currently available to them. We also work closely with trained barangay health workers and
barangay nutritionist scholars who can help disseminate the information to the residents.
Q: What are the target populations that your agency serves?

A: The people living in a certain community or the residents/settlers to whom we are specifically
assigned within a specific time frame. We oversee the program to see how it achieves the goal
for the community in a targeted time. Also, we educate and teach the residents how to sustain the
already existing programs/services for their own betterment. We also help a certain group of
people like farmers’ organizations, fisher folks’ organizations, cooperatives, and women’s
organizations.
Q: What impact has your agency had on the lives of those you serve?
A: Once we were able to facilitate and develop the community and the residents, we were able to
change the resident’s views regarding the social needs and available services for them within the
community. Also, their decision-making has improved because of the training, and they become
fully participated in helping develop the community and sustain the program created for them.
They become more involved and united. Their lives were also developed because there is an
actual application from the conducted training and workshop.
Q: What other social work services are needed to further address some of the social problems in
your area?
A: The need for mental health services especially for teenagers. I have seen how time is so
different now, especially how it affects the younger generations. There have been a lot of suicide
cases mainly involving teenagers. We need to be open about this kind of issue and educate
people about the importance of mental health because a lot are not aware of this kind of social
issue, and those who are suffering from this kind of problem don’t know where to get help.
Professional Questions:
Q: When did you decide to pursue social work as a career?

Maam Betty: When I was in my fourth year in high school, I was already decided to pursue
social work. My mom greatly influenced me in my decision to study social work. And I enjoyed
social work more when I was in college because I really liked it.
Q: Can you share a little bit of your journey to becoming a social worker (education, family,
influences, etc.)?
Maam Betty: After graduation, looking for a job in social work was not hard for me because I
was able to work in an NGO focused on community groups. Community work was my hated
focus in social work practice when I was doing my practicum, but I was hired by an NGO which
focuses on community development and until now I still work in this area of practice. At first, I
didn’t really like community work, but I have grown to love it because it gives me the
opportunity to meet different kinds of people, understand their perspectives in life, and visit areas
that I never knew were populated.
Q: Looking back on your education and career path, where have you grown the most as a Social
Worker?
Maam Betty: I developed personally and professionally when I was already working as a social
worker mainly dealing with community development. It developed how I interact with people
who have different problems and issues. I also learned how to develop my communication skills
so I can convey information well. Also, I learned how to do research on topics that are relevant
to my job in the community so that when people asked me about the issues, I am ready and
prepared to give them answers.
Q: Why are Social Workers needed in this world?

Maam Betty: We need professional, licensed social workers because the social needs of people
don’t end. Without social workers, no one will be there to help facilitate their needs. We are the
ones who capacitate and give knowledge to people on social needs, issues, and services. We are
the ones who coordinate and link them to government agencies that can help and answer their
needs. The bottom line is to help improve people’s lives and their human rights.
Q: Social Workers deal with a number of difficult issues; how do you spend your time away
from the realities of being a Social Worker (self-care)?
Maam Betty: I have learned in my years of working as a social worker, you must learn how to
manage your time between work and home. It took me a while to realize that I should not bring
my work when I go home. Once my shift ended as a social worker, I must leave all work-related
matters at the office and have personal time for myself and for my family. You should have time
to refresh your mind and body. When it is your day off, make sure to spend that time for yourself
and your family, and never let problems at work interfere. You need that time to recharge
yourself so that when you go to work the next day, you are ready to face your responsibilities
and duties. If you don’t find the balance between work and personal time, the demands at work
will drain you until you get burned out and you will no longer enjoy what you are doing. In
whatever job, it is important that we love what we are doing so we will find enjoyment in it.
Also, always give time to your family. Make sure you spend time with them. Don’t be too
focused on your job that you already forget your family.
Q: Looking ahead, why would I enjoy a future career as a Social Worker?

Maam Betty: Personally, and professionally, I become who I am today because of the nature of
my job. The experiences in my job helped me grow and develop and shape who I am. Only a few
years left, and I’ll be retiring soon, but I still enjoy and love what I am doing. My advice is that
you will enjoy social work if you love what you are doing. In reality speaking, this job will not
make you really rich but what I love in this profession is the opportunity I have to build
relationships with people, to really know them, and to have a sincere desire to help them. So, if
you love interacting with people, you will enjoy working in this career.
Interview Reaction
During the interview I had with Maam Betty, a licensed social worker who also came
from my hometown, I realized a lot of things about the reality of the job and the essential need
for social workers in every community, around the world. I was made fully aware of their
important roles in improving the lives of the people in their social needs and their human rights.
As I listened to Maam Betty’s responses, I can see her complete dedication to the job and her
sincere desire to help improve the lives of the people in my hometown. For her, it was more than
just a career, her love for the people she serves is what drives her to sincerely help them and give
them better opportunities in life. She was not only able to help the people she was assigned to
help but she was also able to develop her personality as she interacts with different kinds of
people. Talking with her, I have realized and found out facts about the job of social workers. One
thing that I remembered when I was still in the Philippines, in my hometown we would find
people knocking on our doors and doing surveys on every household asking them basic questions
about the people within the family, the parent’s and children’s occupations, and other basic
information. I just realized during our conversation that they do this to assess and determine the
basic needs of every household within the community. At times there are also free training and
workshops conducted in our barangay for the residents about livelihood programs and I didn’t
really understand the purpose of why they were doing it when people don’t even seem interested.
I thought they were just wasting their time doing training and workshops because the residents
are not even fully involved and don’t even seem to care. In the interview, I found out that they
are social workers who are trying to help the community by trying to improve the lives of the
residents through conducting free training that would give the residents skills and resources to
start their own livelihood. I reflected on how hard it must have been for them to try to help
develop the community when the residents themselves are not participating. Just like what Maam
Betty said, the total participation of the residents is needed in order to sustain the program and
services being offered to them. Without their involvement, the chances of changes in their
current situation won’t take effect. I gained respect and admiration for them as they do this job
which requires a lot of time, effort, and patience on the social worker’s part.
Another thing that impressed my mind during the interview is the sad reality for those
people who are not yet aware of their human rights to basic social needs, and how social workers
are the ones who open their eyes to the privilege that they have from the community and the
government. Because they live in such remote areas where there is scarcity for almost all the
basic social needs, they suffer from poverty and deprivation. But through dedicated social
workers, they are made aware and are given their human rights for food, healthcare, shelter,
education, and other social needs.
Social work is all about people and humanism. It isn’t just a career or a profession. It is a
job that requires a social worker’s heart to connect with the hearts of those people they help and
serve. Maam Betty was right when she said that the bottom line of social work is to help improve
the lives of people and help them exercise their human rights. Through this interview, I gained a
better understanding of and a newer perspective on how important social workers are. Without
the social workers, those who are poor and marginalized, those who are suffering and abused,
and those who need help but don’t know how to get them, would remain in a state of ignorance
and suffering because no one is there to help and guide them.

Social Worker Interview

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Social Worker Interview

Q: What are some of the services that you provide?

Q: What are the target populations that your agency serves?

Q: When did you decide to pursue social work as a career?

Q: Why are Social Workers needed in this world?

Q: Looking ahead, why would I enjoy a future career as a Social Worker?

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