World Social Work Day: Social work around the globe

Social workers from Australia, Finland, Iran, Kenya and Canada tell us what they like best about their job

Guardian Social Care Network, Guardian Professional, Tuesday 19 March 2013.

To mark World Social Work Day, we asked social workers from different countries what they liked best about their job and how they thought the role of social workers would change in the future. With this year's theme being promoting social and economic equalities, we asked them how their role incorporates this on a day to day basis.

Karen Healy is national president of the Australian Association of Social Workers and has been a social worker for 26 years

The best thing about my job is the opportunity to make the world a better place; it is work with meaning. I also enjoy the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. And I can't describe the thrill of meeting former students or service users who say I have made a positive difference for them.

The big change that will affect us all is global warming. Social workers will need to become even more involved in assisting communities affected by this looming challenge.
Through research and advocacy I have contributed to the development of community programs enabling disadvantaged people to access education, employment and housing. People need stable housing, and access to quality education and employment opportunities if they are to meaningfully participate in our society.

Shima Paranfar began working as a social worker in Iran in 2004 in child welfare

Being able to help and work with children who have almost no one to help and protect them. They have no one even to talk to them in their sadness. They are an innocent group who really need care and attention. I think in the future social workers in Iran will have a more important role in comparison with now.

Our main job is promoting the social and economic situation for these children. We do this job by educating them and their families. The government gives them a small amount of money each month until they study and can get a job. We try to prepare them for different stages of their lives – for example when they are students or want to start a business or want to marry.

Riikka Kimpanpää has worked as a social worker in Finland for six years

The best thing about my job is that it is the most important job in the world. Nothing is more rewarding than someone who gets better by your help and support. Social workers are society's consciousness, they need to inform others about the problems in society.
In future, I think social problems will be bigger. In Finland the welfare state is changing. It will be very hard to go backwards, cutting benefits people rely on. Social workers will be needed even more when the economic situation gets worse.

I work with people and families who have economic difficulties. It's important to realise that it could happen to anyone. Anyone can get sick. Suddenly your income goes and you can't pay your rent. My job is to offer a way to get over the worse, to help the person to the path again.

Charles Mbugua is a frontline social worker in Kenya and is currently involved in peace building and reconciliation programmes

Seeing people's resilience and their willingness to contribute to solutions to their problems. The role of a social worker is changing and is becoming central to the lives of people and communities as we embrace new and complex economic, political and social changes.

In my day to day role, I am involved in "promoting social and economic equalities" by agitating for changes in discriminative policies and those which are not supportive of the poor and vulnerable. A major role involves interrogating policies which on the face of it do not appear discriminative.

Archie MacKinnon is a board member of the Canadian Association of Social Workers

I am pleased with the evolution of social work from a rather undefined profession to that of an increased understanding of the many social work roles. There will always be an important role for social work at the grassroots level and direct practice, but I am excited that this profession is moving increasingly toward leadership of people. We have a long history that demonstrates respect and dignity of people is what defines us - let's lead in the same way.