Social writer – Maxine Plowden
People often ask “Why would a person enter such a thankless profession. Condemned by the decisions you take”?)
In my humble opinion, you are in the wrong career if you wanted praise. (Though I have to admit it is nice when you receive thanks).
I entered the Social Work profession because I wanted to work with people and enjoyed finding practical solutions to problems.
At this point, I should mention that I have a visual impairment. I wanted to prove to others and me that disabled people able to undertake normal jobs other than stacking shelves or making things in factories.
Armed with my BA in Social Work, I sought paid employment.
Photo courtesy ehow.com
I wanted to work with adults who had mental health issues. I was not keen on working with children. I avoided working with adults who had disabilities. It seemed that society states that if you are disabled you should only work with that group. I have worked with disabled people and have enjoyed it.
I registered with agencies and applied directly to employers. I got some short-term agency jobs but nothing permanent. I found that people saw my disability first, it did not matter that I had completed the same course and training as them. In their eyes, I was not good enough or not capable of undertaking the job.
I have decided after eight years since graduating there are too many gaps in my C.V and I am tired of having to explain that I was seeking work. Agencies and employers find it hard to believe that a person can be out of work for years or months. I cannot gain experience without a job and training courses are expensive.
It has been a year now since my last post. Therefore, I have decided reluctantly that I need to change my career choice. Do something else with my life. What are your thoughts…?
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