5 Must-Read Social Work Blogs
- Social Work Career
- The Political Social Worker
- Social Work Synergy
- Social Work Tech
- JaeRan Kim
Reading blogs about social work can be a great way to learn more about a career in the field from on-the-ground professionals working in a number of different areas. These five blogs all help enhance readers' understanding of the scope of the profession and what working in the field is like.
1. Social Work Career
Written by a psychotherapist and mental health writer, Social Work Career focuses on sharing resources that are helpful to both professionals and students. While mental health is a large part of the blog's focus, it also includes information on career guidance and tips for the LMSW as well as lists of free webinars. Interviews with professionals in the mental health field, information on workshops and conferences and book reviews are also regular features on this social worker's blog.
2. The Political Social Worker
This blog looks at the intersection of social work and community advocacy. Authored by an outreach and community advocacy consultant and instructor at Stony Brook University, The Political Social Worker aims to fill a gap in online information about macro social work and community practice. People who are interested in areas of social work that allow them to work with community organizations, influence policy or advocate for underrepresented people in the community may learn more about these areas from the blog.
3. Social Work Synergy
Many blogs for social workers are written by individuals. Social Work Synergy is a multi-author blog from the School of Social Work at the University of Buffalo. Its aim is to inform its readers about topics related to human rights, trauma and trauma-informed care and practice. It includes posts by guest authors and interviews with professionals, so readers get a wide range of voices and perspectives. The blog also aims to facilitate discussion of these issues.
4. Social Work Tech
Blogs about social work often deal with a particular area of practice, but this one does something a little different. While this blogger does not post very frequently, when he does, it is in the unique niche of how technology can help social workers do their jobs more effectively. Social worker Ignacio Pacheco wants to empower social workers by showing them how to use technology, and he does not just review gadgets but talks about how technology should be used as well from email etiquette tips for social workers to suggestions of how technology can be used for self-care.
5. JaeRan Kim
This blog is written by a professor of social work at the University of Washington. Topics she blogs about include social work theory and practice, research, education, race, disability, adoption and other social justice issues. The site itself includes a wealth of information, and the author maintains a second blog, Harlow's Monkey, that deals with intercountry and transracial adoptions.
Related Resource: Top 10 Affordable Online Masters in Social Work 2018
There are many resources out there for social workers and aspiring social workers, including blogs that are concentrated in specific regions or on specific areas of practice. People interested in the field will find a wealth of information in blogs about social work, but these five are good places to start.