One can only imagine a world without charity. My country, India, went through its worst nightmares in April when it was hit by the most horrifying account of the COVID-19 second wave. The landscape was marred by a lack of basic medical amenities as a result of which people had to come together and engage in an unprecedented level of charity and social work to establish an informal network of cooperation. The entire world poured in its resources to help us, and this makes me believe that charity makes people stronger.

Social work has paramount importance in human life. What makes humans different from other species is our peculiar sense of dependence and well-being in times of crisis. Many universities across the world acknowledge this undeniable fact but also find it necessary to galvanize this into a set of actionable knowledge and skills. As a result, there are many degree programs on social work. I say, it is a wonderful thing to educate oneself on the more nuanced aspects of social work, and I will tell why.

Here are 5 reasons why you should take up social work at university!

1. Interesting areas of study
   Anyone who pursues a course on Social Work will be instructed in a range of interesting areas. For example, at the undergraduate level, you will be most likely trained in community-level planning and taught about the existing social welfare policies. Complementing the theoretical coursework, you will be asked to undertake on-field projects in the form of camps, awareness programs, and whatnot. All in all, you will be educated in, inter alia, social service delivery mechanisms, research methods, micro and macro human behavior, and others. Things will become more advanced as you move up on the degree ranks.

2. A plethora of work opportunities
   It is perfectly alright to focus on self-interest when studying social work. I find it unacceptable for people to assume that those in social work should always necessarily put others before them. Altruism should not come at the cost of one’s well-being, and a graduate of social work is a human too with essential needs. To those interested, there is an array of work opportunities for you such as case consultant, counselor, researcher, and project manager. Many graduates are employed by big companies to offer psychiatric and general counseling services or assist them in discharging their obligations under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) framework.

3. A wonderful skillset
   You must have already gathered from the aforesaid points that you will gain and develop a range of diverse skillsets. The fact that social work involves education in different subject areas, from sociology to statistics, will make you a well-rounded person who can employ his skills almost anywhere in the world. For example, communication skills are imperative for a graduate in social work because of the inevitable interactions with people on the ground. These communication skills can help you to secure jobs such as that of public relations officer in organizations. Plus, effective communication improves personal life as well.

4. Opens your mind
   What distinguishes social work from others is the human element involved. You cannot be a social worker without this element. As a result of this, you are closely involved in understanding your interest-areas. For example, if you are an environmentalist, you will be taught the perspectives of economy and environment and this will offer you a more open-minded viewpoint on the struggles of balancing environmental mandates with the economy. As a social work graduate, your expanded mental framework will offer analytical skills that will go a long way in your life.

5. Contribute to the well-being of the world
   Just imagine the sheer amount of efforts LGBTQ supporters and social workers have put in throughout human history. Yes, it took a lot of time before most of us reached a point agreeing that LGBTQs are as human as heterosexuals. This is one of the many powerful examples of how social work has contributed to the well-being of humans, animals, the environment, and whatnot. Indeed, you don’t need a degree to work for a social cause. A degree, however, will arm you with the right kind of knowledge and skills under expert supervision, and this will help you create a greater impact.

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