"Today we look at the profession of Social Workers," she said, smiling.  "Social Workers are concerned with social problems, their causes, their solutions and their human impacts. Social workers work with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Social Work is the profession committed to the pursuit of social justice, to the enhancement of the quality of life, and to the development of the full potential of each individual, group and community in society.  It's a very noble profession, dedicated to the good of the people, however it has a high rate of burnout and is notorious for low-pay."

"Social work is also a new profession, not coming into play until the 19th century.  The 19th century ushered in the Industrial Revolution," Ghani said, handing out another packet.  "There was a great leap in technological and scientific achievement, but there was also a great migration to urban areas. This led to many social problems, which in turn led to an increase in social activism.  Note that I said activism, not social work.  During this time, the Poor were considered the responsibility of the Church, or whatever religion an area subscribed to.  Caring for the poor was considered pious, and a necessity in a culture.  It only slowly became professionalized, instead of tended to by zealous missionaries."

"Professional social workers have a strong tradition of working for social justice, and of refusing to recreate unequal social structures. This means going beyond state sponsored practices which merely cater for individual needs, in order to transform society as a whole."  Ghanima walked around the room, handing out yet another packet.  "The roles of the Social Worker also vary from culture to culture.  It is important to note that each country has differing views on the profession, and have not streamlined it in any way."

"There are three levels of intervention:  Micro, which is individual & family work, Mezzo, which works with agencies & small groups, and Macro, that focuses on societies, organizations & communities.  Each level is highly specialized, and requires people with different sets of skills.  Do you work better one-on-one, or mobilizing a group?  Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can guide you to the correct branch of this profession."

"Professional social work is a very strictly regulated profession, with a number of associations overseeing it.  The primary one here in the states is the National Association of Social Workers," she said, handing out a leaflet from the organization, "and qualifications vary worldwide.  Credentials from one country may not, and usually do not carry over to another country.  For those of you interested in learning more about the various degrees and such needed to become a Social Worker, please refer to this packet."