A career in social work is rewarding and challenging. I am employed at Jewish Community Services, the oldest of the welfare organizations in Cape Town. We are a generic organization, providing a service across all areas of specialization – working with people at all stages of life, from young to the elderly. Working with people in all kinds of situations, the variety and unpredictability of social work means that social workers are never bored and only clock watch because there just are not enough hours in the day!
“A day in the life of a social worker at JCS”
6.45am – Social worker receives a call from a client who needs to be seen by her GP today – check diary – advise client social worker will be available after 4.00pm to take client to GP
6.50am – Social worker leaves home to fetch client in Sea Point to be at Dept of Social Development by 7.30am to apply for disability grant
7.30am – Arrive at Department of Social Development – number 21 in the queue
10.00am – Still waiting to be attended – social worker realizes that naively miscalculated time schedule for the day – sent BBM to social work manager advising that running late for supervision at 10.30am
11.05 – Leave Department, drop client off at home – head back to the office –
11.18 Arrive back at the office – reschedule supervision for tomorrow – sift through telephone messages – some urgent, others very urgent and one extremely urgent – social worker manages to return 2 calls before office interview with new client at 11.30am
11.30am – Initial interview with new client – a full assessment of client’s needs required
12.30pm – Interview terminated – social worker receives more telephone messages that need to be returned – social worker manages to deal with another 3 messages before having to leave the office for a 1.30pm home visit in the Southern Suburbs (the rest of the messages are returned while driving – hands free J)
1.35pm Social worker arrives at client – spends 50 minutes with client
2.30pm – Social worker on the road again to visit a client in hospital
3.35pm – Social worker arrives back at the office – reads and replies to emails – pick up more telephone message – leaves to fetch client for GP appointment
4.00pm – Fetches client for 4.15pm appointment with GP
4.25pm – Client seen by GP who advises social worker that client needs to be taken to hospital as a matter of urgency – GP has already confirmed that a bed is available and that cardiologist is on standby
4.35pm – Social worker and client on way to hospital – social worker escorts client to ward – nursing staff take over so that social worker can have client admitted.
4.52pm – Social worker returns to ward to be advised by cardiologist client is “having a heart attack” – client prepped for surgery – social worker advised that client will be in theatre for about an hour – giving social worker enough to go to client’s flat to collect toiletries, sleepwear etc.
5.35pm – Social worker arrives back at the hospital – client still in surgery – gives social worker opportunity to advise client’s “out of town” family re client’s situation
6.10pm – Client out of theatre – stable – social worker spends some time with client and has opportunity to speak to surgeon to receive feedback.
6.30pm – Social worker leaves client – social worker emails to cancel client’s meals on wheels for the next few days (thank goodness for Blackberry)
6.52pm – Social worker arrives home – social worker receives warm welcome from two four-legged furry children – thank goodness for left overs in the fridge – family fed – social worker showers and collapses into bed – and its only MONDAY
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