Guatemalan Social Work
- A degree takes only 3 years to complete.
- A master’s degree? What is that?
- Home visits conducted monthly.
- A universal code of ethics? Nah.
- Many males pursue social work as a career.
- More laidback attitude.
- Less regulation on how to communicate with clients.
- Social workers and clients can be friends outside of the agency.
- Organizations, agencies, nonprofits, and NGOs are pretty unorganized.
American Social Work
- A degree takes 4 years.
- You pretty much have to get a master’s degree to get a solid job.
- Then licensing takes 2 years.
- Then you have to complete a certain about of continuing education credits every year.
- Home visits conducted monthly IF caseload isn’t too high.
- A universal code of ethics and standards of practice (for this I am thankful)
- Pretty much a female dominated profession.
- Strict, albeit, uptight rules and regulations.
- Organized and pretty fair on who and how services are provided to people.
Each type of social work has strengths and weaknesses, but I cannot help but admire the way in which access to social services is open in America, whereas there is basically only privately funded NGOs and nonprofits that provide services to Guatemalans. I have studied the American welfare system for four years and I have seen the flaws, loop holes, and cracks. But I am thankful that we are moving toward holistic, inclusive, widespread, and humane welfare system in America. Maybe this hemisphere can take a lesson from the Baltic region?
For those of you who are unaware, the Baltic region has some of the world’s most educated, healthiest, happiest, and stable people in the world.
I am not the biggest fan of how Ronald Reagan conducted affairs while in office, however, I do agree with the following sentiment.
"Welfare's purpose should be to eliminate, as far as possible, the need for its own existence."
-Ronald Reagan
Cheers to human abilities for learning, growing, and changing!
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