63- Social work and counselling professionals

Job Title: 

Social work and counselling professionals

Job Description: 

Provide advice, advocacy and support to people with personal and social problems including providing support in helping them decide on actions they can take to solve problems and create change in their lives. They also help with community and social issues.

Summary: 

Social work and counselling professionals provide advice and guidance to individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations in response to social and personal difficulties. They assist clients to develop plans, skills and access resources and support services needed to respond to issues arising from unemployment, poverty, disability, genetic disorder, addiction, criminal and delinquent behaviour, marital or domestic and other problems. Social workers help people by giving them information, advice and access to resources like healthcare facilities and counselling services. They may also provide care and case management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare. The fields of work are diverse and typically cover specialist fields such as family, youth and child welfare services; medical and health services; disability services; psychiatric and general mental health services; juvenile and family law courts; aged care and disabilities; income support; and mediation. Maybe required to be licensed, registered or certified to be permitted to work by a government authority, agency or approved certifying body.

Tasks: 

Job activities and tasks include:

  • interviewing clients individually, in families, or in groups, to assess their situation and problems and determine the types of services required
  • analyzing the client?s situation and presenting alternative approaches to resolving problems
  • compiling case records or reports for courts and other legal proceedings
  • providing counselling, therapy and mediation services and facilitating group sessions to assist clients to develop skills and insights needed to deal with and resolve their social and personal problems
  • planning and implementing programs of assistance for clients including crisis intervention and referral to agencies that provide financial assistance, legal aid, housing, medical treatment and other services
  • investigating cases of abuse or neglect and taking action to protect children and other at risk persons
  • working with offenders during and after sentence, to help them to integrate into the community and to change attitudes and behaviour in order to reduce further offending
  • providing advice to prison governors and to probation and parole review boards that help determine whether, and under what conditions, an offender should be incarcerated, released from prison or undergo alternative correctional measures
  • acting as advocates for client groups in the community and lobbying for solutions to problems affecting them
  • developing prevention and intervention programs to meet community needs
  • maintaining contact with other social service agencies, educational institutions and health care providers involved with clients to provide information and obtain feedback on clients? overall situation and progress
Knowledge: 

Advanced specialized knowledge of principles, concepts and techniques in field of work, discipline and/or professional practice

  • Specialized knowledge of analyzing, planning, managing and establishing ideas, policies, strategies, projections and/or conditions in the field of work, discipline and/or professional practice
  • Advanced knowledge of research principles and methods
  • Advanced knowledge of high level governance of systems, processes and procedures including legislative, regulatory, standards, codes and conventions
  • Higher knowledge of recent developments in the field of work, discipline and/or professional practice
  • Higher knowledge of principles, concepts and techniques in management, economics, finance, statistics and fiscal disciplines related to the field of work and/or professional practice
  • Higher knowledge of political, government, legislative and regulatory systems related to the field of work
  • Higher knowledge of laws, regulations, standards codes and conventions of the UAE and specific Emirates related to the field of work, discipline and/or professional practice and more general subjects including OHSE and cultural understanding and awareness
  • Higher knowledge of principles, concepts and techniques in sensitively recognizing and responding to the management of highly complex ethical issues
  • Leverage information technology, executive information systems, management techniques and tools for optimal field of work performance and/or professional practice
  • Higher skills in research, analysis, consultation and synthesis of information to evaluate ideas, policies, strategies, projections and/or conditions and generate recommendations and/or relevant alternatives
  • Manage advanced relationships and coordinate related activities of respective stakeholders
  • Advanced skills and experience in high level policy analysis, formulation and research, plus strategic planning in sensitive and confidential environment
  • Develop abstract concepts and convey strategic indications from the spectrum of development experience
  • Higher negotiation cultural sensitivity and diplomatic skills
  • Use of information, tools, resources to support high-level and complex work achievement
  • Work sensitively and effectively in a multi-cultural environment
  • Work with others to develop creative solutions to complex unpredictable and/or abstract problems
  • Communicate with influence, and a proven record of developing and maintaining effective partnerships across an organization and with diverse external clients and other key stakeholders
  • Highly developed advanced oral and written communication, interpersonal and representational skills, and a proven ability to use these skills to prepare and present clear, concise, high quality advice
  • Highly developed leadership and effective management skills, with capacity to initiate, implement and sustain improvements within a team environment, as well as the ability to work flexibly and cooperatively as a member of a team
  • Personal drive and integrity, the ability to self-manage and the capacity to identify and effectively manage risks associated with change, as well recognize and implement ethical standards to highly complex ethical issues
  • Achieving results within tight timelines, and capacity to set and implement new policy directions
  • Highly developed higher organizational skills, including the ability to manage priorities and meet tight deadlines
    • Work Context: 

    These professionals deal with people who face life-threatening situations, such as criminal activity or substance abuse. May be employed by hospitals and can interact with doctors, nurses and hospice workers and provide the services needed such as visit at-home care or treatment referrals to sick, infirm and disabled people. Some social workers travel to visit clients or run group meetings. In regional areas they may travel long distances. They may also be involved in private practice, research or teaching

    Education: 

    Bachelor degree in community and social development, social science or related field of work/discipline, higher qualification or equivalent. In some instances may require Master of Science (M.S.) in Early Childhood Studies with a specialization in Administration, Management and Leadership or Ph.D. in Human Services.

    Required Work Experience: 

    5 - 7 years and above

    Probable Employers: 

    Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council, Emirates Heritage Club, Family Development Foundation

    Occupational Size: 
    Less than 5,000
    Expected Earnings: 

    Above the industry average

    Projected Growth: 
    Very good
    Alternate Titles: 

    Examples of job titles:
    Addictions counsellor - Bereavement counsellor - Child and youth counsellor - District social welfare officer - Family counsellor - Marriage counsellor - Parole officer - Probation officer - Family crises and assault counsellor - Social worker - Women?s welfare organizer
    Examples of some related occupations:
    Welfare worker - Genetic counsellor - Hereditary cancer program coordinator - Prenatal and paediatric genetic counsellor - Community worker - Careers counsellor - Criminologist - Diversional therapist - Health promotion practitioner - Midwife - Psychiatrist - Psychologist
    Rehabilitation counsellor - Social service case manager - Sociologist - Special care worker
    Welfare centre manager - Welfare worker - Youth worker - Life coach

    UAE Industry Groups: 
    Community, health and social services
    International Careers(ISCO): 
    Similar O*NET Careers (USA) : 
    Source Of Info: 
    Occupations and Careers Handbook for UAE Nationals(Copyright NQA ). Referenced from New York University, Abu Dhabhi