Top 10 Ways to Introduce Students to the Social Work Profession

1. Make Career Day presentations at area middle schools and high schools.  Social work is not part of the average college student’s personal experience, so more planned exposure is required at an earlier age.
 
2. Explore community college presentation opportunities with instructors of human service, sociology, and psychology classes.  These instructors may be listed in the public online course guide; many of their students will transition to four-year universities.

3. Contact companies that produce online career exploration tools.  Many of these companies are currently using inaccurate social work salary information, and some do not link to the most current information provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
 
4. Feature your School of Social Work (your employer or alma mater) in the university alumni magazine and/or student outreach literature. Consider paying for ad placement in related campus literature.
 
5. Host and promote lectures and other events on campus that showcase social work expertise in exciting ways. Also consider co-hosting special events with different departments to expose students in related disciplines to the social work profession.  
 
6. Help run radio ads and sponsorships on stations with high youth demographics.  Although the advent of the iPod has affected radio audiences, commercial radio programs and websites are still good sources of info for youth-focused contests and concerts. 

7. Invite teen volunteer groups to visit your workplace. Student leaders from the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, and YMCA/YWCA may enjoy contributing to special projects at other non-profit organizations or community groups.  Research shows that young people who are exposed to social work as volunteers are more likely to choose the career in college.
 
8. Tell relatives and friends about your positive experiences and rewards while working as a social worker.  Research shows that students with relatives and close family friends in the profession are more likely to pursue a social work degree in college.
 
9. Pitch successful university/community partnerships to the local news media. These programs often address an important social need in the community and their impact can be newsworthy.  Although few young people watch the evening news, exposing their parents and other influential adults to positive messages about the profession can improve support for a student’s social work career choice.