Social Worker's Day

If, when we think of a social worker, our associations are limited to the person who analyzes and evaluates the situation in which a person may or may not be qualified for the appropriate benefits, we are right, but this is only one of the many roles of this professional. This work is primarily heavy tasks, often in difficult conditions: coping with family situations full of violence, coping with heavy emotional strain when confronted with human dramas, as well as activating local communities and taking action on their behalf. On November 21, we celebrated Social Worker's Day. It is worth remembering on this day what this profession is and how we can appreciate the work of these professionals in the public space.

Professional training of employees = care for their well-being

Despite the fact that the purpose of the work of social workers is extremely noble, in the end it is about a person and supporting him in coming out of difficult life experiences, it is easy to get a quick professional burnout. Social workers are at the core of the social assistance system, which is why it is particularly important to support their mental and professional well-being. An example is the Mazowieckie Centre for Social Policy, which takes care of the development of competences and qualifications of its 2,300 employees. According to Aleksander Kornatowski, director of MCPS, the organization focuses on targeted training, tailored to specific needs, thematic conferences and forums, which allows to ensure comprehensive development and support of aid personnel. In addition, MCPS conducts annual surveys among employees of social assistance units and non-governmental organizations. The results of this research make it possible to create an offer of free training ideally suited to the needs of this group. Interest in trainings in the Mazowieckie voivodship continues to grow: in 2020 there were eight trainings for 554 people, in 2021 - 1974 employees took advantage of them, and in 2024 this number increased to 7095 participants, which is really impressive.

Between burnout and a sense of mission: the faces of social work

The profession of a social worker, which involves the provision of social assistance, comes with many challenges. On the one hand, it is associated with care, nobility and the desire to support another person, on the other hand, with numerous dilemmas and crises. However, this does not mean that this work loses its noble purpose; it is still a mission, but it requires drawing healthy boundaries between duty and sacrifice.

The scientific literature points to the many types of crises that social workers face. One of the rarely discussed is the tension between the desire to change the social structure and the obligation to help people in a functioning system. Sounds like a contradiction? And this is exactly how it is; workers, thanks to education and experience, perfectly understand what in the social system “does not work” and needs to be repaired, and at the same time their task is to help people who are not covered by this system or who find themselves on its margins. Another challenge is the need to make choices and compromises. Despite the desire to help a particular person, a social worker cannot always act solely in his interests - he must take into account the family and social context. It is also important to maintain equality and impartiality in the provision of support. In this work, the employee often faces powerlessness, resentment, aggression or difficult problems that require courage, tenderness and respect for the dignity of others.

The image of social work complements the statement well Senior Social Worker from the Social Services Centre in Szczecin for Jobs Door: The biggest challenge in the work of a social worker is that we often operate in a system that does not give us as many tools as we really need. It is difficult to break through institutional barriers, to obtain good cooperation between entities, and at the same time to meet the demands placed on our profession. We are expected to have high qualifications in an area with a fairly closed profile, while at the same time expecting broad competencies in everyday work. We must be able to find ourselves working with people experiencing violence, disability, mental illness, being in various crises in their lives and showing aggressive behavior, also towards us. This is a heavy burden, especially since the social evaluation of this work and salaries often do not go hand in hand with responsibility. The sense of agency gives a moment when you can see a real improvement in the customer's life. It is especially touching for me when I see that the client regains the sense of dignity and security that he lost during the crisis.

It is worth emphasizing that burnout is not only due to difficulties related to specific tasks - it also has to do with work organization, communication in the team, management and salary. According to data from the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy (2025), social workers earn on average from PLN 4,970 to PLN 5,255 gross in individual voivodships. The average salary of the main specialists and coordinators exceeds PLN 6,000 gross in only a few regions of Poland. Given the number of responsibilities, high responsibility, difficult working conditions and insufficient recovery time, it is easy to have a quick burnout in this sector. To take care of the financial situation of social workers From July 1, 2024, programs prepared in MRPips are implemented, which provide salary supplements in the amount of PLN 1000 gross per month for about 200 thousand social assistance, foster care and childcare workers up to 3 years.

From a scientific article by Katarzyna Nowosad Burnout of social workers as a result of occupational stress, published in Annales Universitatis Mariae Curie-Skłodowska, Lublin — Poland in 2024, we can find out that: It should be underlined that almost three quarters of social workers (72.3%) are confident in their competences and personal resources, are overconfident about the possibilities of dealing with various professional problems. Almost every fourth respondent (23.4%) experiences moderate intrapsychic stress. He performs tasks with which he copes perfectly, but at work he also has moments of confusion in the case of non-standard tasks and new challenges that he has to meet, and he has to deal with a deficit of resources or a demanding client. At the same time, there is also a feeling of introspection, which is accompanied by wet sleep states.

This shows that employees, despite being aware of their skills and work experience, experience intrapsychic stress, that is, one that results from beliefs about their own limitations, doubts in situations of new or non-standard tasks and fears about meeting professional requirements. That is why regular psychological help offered to employees and professional training to deal with stress is so important.

However, there are also bright sides of this profession; Social workers often derive satisfaction from helping others, a sense of meaning in the work they do, the development of interpersonal competencies and the opportunity to activate local communities. A sense of mission is often a motivation for action and a building block of lasting, not only social but personal values. Therefore, it is important to value the profession of a social worker in the public space thus showing the importance of the social welfare area.

Rewarding builds meaning

Recognition and rewards are of paramount importance in the profession of a social worker; they build a sense of meaning and show that hard work does not go unnoticed. Every year, the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy presents special awards to individuals and teams that introduce innovative solutions in social assistance. This year Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk awarded 10 individual awards and 10 prizes in the team category and 3 awards for the implementation of a social project and obtaining a second-degree specialization in the profession of social worker with distinction. Among the winners are:

Individual award

• Katarzyna Zukowska-Koc, Director of the Centre for Social Services in Łapy — for undertaking innovative and comprehensive activities aimed at the community of the City and the Municipality of Łapy, including the creation of a network of support centres for the elderly, people with disabilities and children and young people.

Team Award

• Social Work Team of the Social Welfare Center in Praszka — for the “Escape Truck” project, an interactive educational and preventive action involving young people and adults, as well as for other innovative activities in the area of peer violence, integration of generations and promotion of positive role models.

Awards for the implementation of social projects and obtaining a 2nd degree specialization with distinction

• Bożena Grygiel
• Catherine Korfini
• Eliza Winiarska-Kavala

Such accolades show that commitment, innovation and professionalism in social work are noticed and appreciated, and rewarding builds a sense of meaning and motivates to keep going.

summary

The work of a social worker is a mission full of challenges; from intrapsychic stress and systemic limitations to difficult family and social situations. At the same time, it gives great satisfaction, a sense of meaning and the opportunity to make a real impact on the lives of others. Regular support, training and professional rewards help keep you motivated and build a sense of agency.

Sources:

1. https://www.gov.pl/web/rodzina/dzien-pracownika-socjalnego-w-ministerstwie-pracy
2. https://czasopisma.uksw.edu.pl/index.php/snr/article/view/8681/7727
3. https://www.gov.pl/web/rodzina/pracownik-socjalny-zawod-trudny-i-potrzebny
4. https://journals.umcs.pl/j/article/view/17086/11586
5. https://samorzad.pap.pl/kategoria/praca/ile-zarabiaja-pracownicy-socjalni-sa-wyniki-badan-mrpips
6. https://mcps.com.pl/21-listopada-dzien-pracownika-socjalnego-kim-sa-pomagacze-i-jak-ich-wzmacniac/informacje-prasowe/