Social work is a challenging and ever-changing profession where you’ll encounter an incredible array of clients. Staying on top of developments in the field is key to providing excellent service to your clients and truly loving your job. Here are 10 online resources that every social worker can use to conduct research and connect to others.
National Association of Social Workers
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is one of the largest professional organizations that serves this field. The organization’s website offers a wealth of information ideal for students, recent graduates and seasoned social work professionals too. Here you’ll find the latest research on social work trends alongside information about how new public policies are impacting the field. Information about social work in general as well as specialty fields is presented in an easy-to-find fashion. The website also includes a job board that connects professionals to opportunities around the nation.
Child Welfare Information Gateway
This site is a must-know resource for any social worker who interacts with children. Information about dozens of topics that affect the wellbeing of kids can be found here. Whether you’re trying to better understand the challenges that face homeless youth or want to help a foster child cope with a new home, you’ll find factsheets and publications that meet your needs. All resources are broken down into topics and subtopics, and a simple search function makes it easy to locate items as well. State-specific resources are also included so that social workers can find statutes, adoption resources and other information pertinent to their local areas.
Social Work Helper
This diverse online magazine covers an incredible variety of topics that are of interest to social workers. You can browse the site to see the latest news and posts of interest to social workers. Among them, you’ll find practical tips to help you strengthen your career and keep yourself centered despite a hectic workload. You can also browse site content by topic of interest or according to the Global Goals for Sustainable Development. In addition to providing informative posts, entertainment posts of interest to social workers are also included. This is a great place to connect with serious issues and find some levity too.
Social Work Policy Institute
The Social Work Policy Institute (SWPI) publishes research on a variety of topics concerning the practice and development of the social work field. On this site, you’ll find reports that help you better understand your professional field and how you fit into it. The SWPI is a think tank formed by the National Association of Social Workers, so this is also the go-to website if you want to learn more about how public policy is impacted by social workers. Comprehensive information about some of the most common concerns of the clients of social workers is also available on the site.
The Council on Social Work Education Discussion List
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is dedicated to improving the quality of social work education throughout the nation. The main CSWE website offers a wealth of resources, but many professionals are drawn to the group’s mailing list in particular. When you join this list, you’ll be able to discuss the state of social work education today and collaborate with others to improve social work education. This is a great list for folks in the academic community, but it’s also valuable for those who supervise interns and recent social work graduates as well.
The Networking and Discussion Forum for Social Workers on LinkedIn
If you want to discuss the hottest topics in social work while making valuable connections to further your career, this is the place to turn. With more than 6,000 members, discussion on the forum is robust. No matter the type of question you have about social work, you’ll find someone here who can answer it. Of course, this is also a great forum to join if you’re looking for career opportunities and need to network with others in the field.
Help Starts Here
Sponsored by the NASW, this website offers a variety of resources targeted at the clients of social workers. While it’s aimed at a consumer audience, social workers can also find a wealth of useful information on this site. Filled with no-nonsense articles about health and wellness, kids and families, the mind and spirit, and seniors and aging, the site has a little something for everyone. It’s a great place to head if you’re having a hard time getting through to a client and need to find a new way to frame your thoughts.
Social Work Tech
This blog highlights the latest technological products and challenges that affect social workers. Whether you’re looking for a great mind mapping tool or want to read reviews on planners designed for busy professionals, you’ll find comprehensive information on this fun-to-read blog. In addition to reviewing technologies and products targeted at social workers, the blog also covers how professionals in this field can use social media tools, apps and software programs to better serve their clients. Downloads of handouts and tools of special interest to social workers are included too.
The Social Work Group on Reddit
If you have a question about social work grad programs or want to know how others in your field would handle a professional dilemma, Reddit is the place to go. This is an open forum where you can post your questions and comment on items that others post. Reddit is a great place to connect when you have difficult questions about the social work profession because you can interact with others while retaining total anonymity. Dedicated threads for questions about specific social work programs and state licensing requirements help keep the site free from clutter too.
The New Social Worker
Geared towards current students and recent graduates, this online magazine offers a wealth of career and job resources for social workers. Here you’ll find links to job listings as well as information on upcoming conferences and special events of interest to social workers. Real-world blogs help those new to the profession contextualize their experiences and understand what challenges and opportunities await them. Website visitors can sign up to receive free email newsletters targeting their personal interests as well.
Of course, online resources for social workers are constantly changing. Be sure to check the links section of any website you find particularly useful. If you participate in online forums, ask others there what resources they love too.
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