Social work assistant jobs in Finland
Social work assistants are practice-based professionals who promote social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. They interact with individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities in order to assist in providing various forms of therapy and counseling, group work, and community work. Social work assistants assist guiding staff, helping clients to use services to claim benefits, access community resources, find jobs and training, obtain legal advice or deal with other local authority departments. They assist and work together with social workers.
Social work assistant - Which skills are essential?
Assist and guide social service users to resolve personal, social or psychological problems and difficulties.
Practice social care and social work in a lawful, safe and effective way according to standards.
Apply quality stardards in social services while upholding social work values and principles.
Systematically apply a step-by-step problem-solving process in providing social services.
Intervene to provide physical, moral and psychological support to people in dangerous or difficult situations and to remove to a place of safety where appropriate.
Use established processes and procedures to challenge and report dangerous, abusive, discriminatory or exploitative behaviour and practice, bringing any such behaviour to the attention of the employer or the appropriate authority.
Help social service users identify and express their expectations and strengths, providing them with information and advice to make informed decisions about their circumstances. Work with individuals, families, groups, communities to achieve change and improve life opportunities.
Deliver services which are mindful of different cultural and language traditions, showing respect and validation for communities and being consistent with policies regarding human rights and equality and diversity.
Communicate professionally and cooperate with members of the other professions in the health and social services sector.
Ensure hygienic work practice, respecting the safety of the environment at day care, residential care settings and care at home.
Plan the social service process, defining the objective and considering the methods of implementation, identifying and accessing available resources, such as time, budget, personnel and defining indicators to evaluate the outcome.
Develop, define and implement actions that can prevent social problems, striving for the enhancement of the quality of life for all citizens.
Supporting client`s rights to control his or her life, making informed choices about the services they receive, respecting and, where appropriate, promoting the individual views and wishes of both the client and his or her caregivers.
Treat individuals as partners in planning, developing and assessing care, to make sure it is appropriate for their needs. Put them and their caregivers at the heart of all decisions.
Assess the social situation of service users situation balancing curiosity and respect in the dialogue, considering their families, organisations and communities and the associated risks and identifying the needs and resources, in order to meet physical, emotional and social needs.
Recognise, understand and share emotions and insights experienced by another.
Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.
Identify, respond and motivate individuals in social crisis situations, in a timely manner, making use of all resources.
Apply social work ethical principles to guide practice and manage complex ethical issues, dilemmas and conflicts in accordance to occupational conduct, the ontology and the code of ethics of the social services occupations, engaging in ethical decision making by applying standards of national and - as applicable - international codes of ethics or statements of principles.
Review social service plans, taking service users' views and preferences into account. Follow up on the plan, assessing the quantity and quality of services provided.
Interact, relate and communicate with individuals from a variety of different cultures, when working in a healthcare environment.
Maintain accurate, concise, up-to-date and timely records of the work with service users while complying with legislation and policies related to privacy and security.
Use verbal, non-verbal, written, and electronic communication. Pay attention to the specific social service users' needs, characteristics, abilities, preferences, age, developmental stage, and culture.
Develop a collaborative helping relationship, addressing any ruptures or strains in the relationship, fostering bonding and gaining service users` trust and cooperation through empathic listening, caring, warmth and authenticity.
Social work assistant - Which skills are useful but not essential?
The development and characteristics of social work theories underpinned by social sciences and humanities.
Counselling techniques used in different settings and with various groups and individuals, especially concerning methods of supervision and mediation in the counselling process.
Exchanging and conveying information, ideas, concepts, thoughts, and feelings through the use of a shared system of words, signs, and semiotic rules via a medium.
Enable individuals, families, groups and communities to gain more control over their lives and environment, either by themselves or with the help of others.
Respond methodologically to a disruption or breakdown in the normal or usual function of a person, family, group or community.
The prescribed legislative and regulatory requirements in the social sector.
Practice that encourages clients to concentrate on how they feel at the present moment during the counseling session in order to search for the most appropriate solutions.
Strive to provide the appropriate services to social work clients while staying within a professional framework, understanding what the work means in relation to other professionals and taking into account the specific needs of your clients.
Empower individuals, families and groups towards healthy lifestyles and self-care.
Programs targeting the social development and learning of individuals in their own community, through a variety of formal or informal education methods.
The theories, methods and concepts related to consultation and communication with clients.
The development and characteristics of sociological, anthropological, psychological, political, and social policy theories.
Induce clients, colleagues, executives, or public officials to talk fully, freely, and truthfully, so as to explore the interviewee`s experiences, attitudes, and opinions.
Interview clients and assess their addictions in order to establish an appropriate plan for action.
Help families by counselling them on how to cope with serious situations, where to find more specialised assistance and services that can help them overcome the family problems.
Recognise and critically evaluate any possible mental health/illness issues.
The study of human behaviour, performance, and psychological development from infancy to adolescence.
Work with offenders to promote social change, challenge their offending behaviour and stop the recurrence of such behaviour.
Coping strategies in crisis cases which allow individuals to overcome their problems or fears and avoid psychological distress and breakdown.
The structure and function of health care services.
Understand the developments and the development needs of children and young persons, observing the behaviour and the attachment relationships in order to detect developmental delay.
Comply with the regional and national legislation that is relevant to one`s work and apply it in practice.
Consider the social service user in any situation, recognising the connections between micro-dimension, meso-dimension, and macro-dimension of social problems, social development and social policies.
Provide founded feedback through both criticism and praise in a respectful, clear, and consistent manner. Highlight achievements as well as mistakes and set up methods of formative assessment to evaluate work.
Promote inclusion in health care and social services and respect diversity of beliefs, culture, values and preferences, keeping in mind the importance of equality and diversity issues.
Liaise via telephone by making and answering calls in a timely, professional and polite manner.
Communicate in foreign languages with healthcare users, their carers, or services providers. Use foreign languages to faciliate patient care according to the needs of the patient.