positive impact
Jackie Chow Siu-wai, social work officer at the Integrated Family Service Centre in Tin Shui Wai, says her interest in the field began as a child.
I developed a deep interest in social work in my childhood because I liked helping out others. After graduating with a social work degree from Polytechnic University in 1995, I worked for two years as an assistant social work officer at a family centre in Sheung Shui. After that, I spent another two years working as a medical social worker at Sha Tin Hospital, counselling the elderly and cancer patients.
In 1999, I became involved in the planning and co-ordination of projects focused on youth development and voluntary work. I worked in this role until 2007, when I was promoted to the position of social work officer and posted to Tin Shui Wai.
I now supervise a team of 10 assistant social workers and senior social work assistants. We provide fully integrated services to the local community. For the professional growth of individual team members, I provide coaching and training. When team members encounter obstacles with challenging cases, I do joint visits with them. I also monitor the progress of individual cases dealt with by my team.
I have handled many complicated cases in Tin Shui Wai, but a successful case involving a single parent and his handicapped son made a deep impression on me. The son had committed a crime which was reported widely in the local media. The father was consumed by guilt as he blamed himself for failing to bring up his son properly. The father became withdrawn from the community. Because he thought his neighbours looked down on him, he considered moving out of his unit in the public housing estate.
The case came to our attention through the media and we took the initiative to approach the father. There was resistance initially, but we helped him get back on his feet. He expressed his gratitude and even volunteered to help out at our centre.
I get satisfaction from seeing our projects make a positive impact. Another example is a cross-sector collaboration initiative involving major corporations. This has provided job opportunities and reasonable wages to senior citizens with low education living in the Tin Shui Wai district.
Optimism, sincerity and enthusiasm for helping others are the main attributes of a successful social worker. A positive attitude enables a social worker to develop creative ways to help. Young people interested in a social work career should first participate in voluntary programmes to see if it suits them.
