Job Skills
To be a family social worker, you’ll need to be trustworthy, stable, and mature to deal calmly and responsibly with people and families in crisis. You should be able to work independently or as a team member, and to get along with a variety of people.

Income
In 2008, the median annual salary for child, family, and school workers was $39,530. The median earnings of the lowest 10 percent of workers were $25,870, and the top 10 percent’s median earnings were $66,430. The highest numbers of child, school, and family social workers were employed by elementary and secondary schools (mean annual salary $56,570) and local government agencies (mean annual salary $48,440).

Training and Education
There are three levels of social work training and education: the bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW), the master’s degree (MSW), and the doctorate (DSW or PhD).
• BSW. To be a family social worker, you’ll need at least a BSW, which requires at least 400 hours of supervised fieldwork in addition to 4 years of classroom courses.
• MSW. You’ll need an MSW to work in health settings or to do clinical or private work. An MSW takes about 2 years of classes beyond your BSW and requires at least 900 hours of supervised internship.
• DSW or PhD. To teach social work in a college or university, you’ll need a DSW or PhD in social work. A DSW of PhD also allows you conduct research into problems or questions relating to family social work.
All states have license, certificate, or registration requirements, although requirements vary from state to state. As of 2006, there were 458 BSW and 181 MSW programs in the U.S. accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. There were also 74 doctoral programs accredited by the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education.

Employment
Child, school, and family social workers held about 282,000 jobs in 2006.

Job Outlook
Between 2006 and 2016, the number of jobs for child, school, and family social workers is predicted to increase by 19 percent, which is higher than the average growth for all jobs. Your opportunities will be greatest in rural areas, where it’s often difficult to attract and retain qualified social workers. Social workers who specialize in helping those with disabilities or want to work in public schools may have the best employment opportunities.
With the right education and certification, you can become a supervisor, manage a program, or direct a family social work agency or department.

Nursing World

There mottos is “Caring for Those Who Care” and they mean it. This web site belongs to the American Nurses Association. They represent more than 3 million nurses, and are actively seeking to purse the best interests of all nurses. There’s lot of information that covers a broad spectrum of issue when it comes to nursing, and there are lots of resources as well.

Nurse.com

This web site belongs to the Gannett Healthcare Group. The site is a gold mine of information that ranges from regional news, events, education and nursing specialties all the way to finding a job in the nursing field. They’re a community of professionals whose aim is to enrich the lives of nurse, and celebrate the unique contributions they make to society. Check out the community area of the site that includes a blog where you can glean eons of knowledge from.

School Nurse News

Thinking about becoming a school nurse? Even if you aren’t, this is an excellent site to learn what it’s like to serve children, and adolescents. You can bet that at one point or another you will be caring for people in these age groups. Check out this site, and read about the experiences of a host of nurses who have cared for children and young adults in a school setting. Whether you’re planning on working in a school or not, there’s lots of good information when it comes to hands-on caring for these young ones.

Student Aid

Embarking on a nursing career can be costly. For some students it can seem almost impossible for them to become a nurse because of the cost involved with the schooling. Student Aid is a site where you can find all sorts of information on financial aid from the federal government. Don’t let money, or rather the lack of it, prevent you from perusing your dreams.

Medi-Smart

This site is packed with all sorts of different information and resources that any nursing student can benefit from. Find out about nursing degrees, check out the blog, learn about the different types of nurses, check out nursing school by state, or ask a nurse anything you want. This is an excellent web site.

ERNursey

If you want to know what it will be like to work in an emergency room after you become a nurse, then check out this blog that details the experiences of nurses in the emergency room setting. Gain valuable insight into a piece of the nursing world that almost every nurse will surely experience.

What happens to a city neighborhood when houses are torn down and absentee landlords leave behind abandoned lots? In a dense urban neighborhood of row houses, it creates an eyesore, is a hazard for residents, and dramatically reduces property values.

Finding Lots for Vacant Lot Project
In 2009, after having success creating the Youth Organics Garden in an unused open field at the Creighton Story Housing Project, the Director of Grand Street Community Arts, Tom McPheeters, approached the city about vacant lots in the Mansion Neighborhood and adjoining South End Neighborhood.

Properties were researched to determine ownership and the master plan for the South End revitalization was studied by volunteer Rebecca Platel, who has a background in community organizing and planning. It was found that a number of the vacant lots were now taken over by the city and available.

Employing Teens from City Summer Work Program
The city of Albany Youth Employment Program (YEP) hires, pays, and assigns teens to work at various not-for-profit organizations or at city sites during the summer vacation.

Four teens from YEP were assigned to Grand Street Community Arts to work on the Vacant Lot Project with three volunteers – a community organizer and planner; an architect and University at Albany MFA student; and an artist/educator – to design and implement the transformation of a vacant lot for public use.

The YEP teens meet 4 hours daily during the week with the goal to understand the issues surrounding abandoned urban vacant lots, to learn about art in public places, and to visit local salvage warehouses where unusual materials are available.

The teen’s work is a combination of facilitated dialogue, creative design, and hands-on work:
• designing a logo for the Vacant Lot Project
• drafting a plan for potential use of the lot
• talking with neighbors about their ideas
• establishing a working plan for lot transformation
• physically building or finding ways to obtain necessary materials

Without current operating funds for this project, work is being done on a shoestring encouraging the teens to think “out of the box” about discarded materials that can be found, gathered and used…like tires, doors, or wrought iron railings.

Making a Difference
The Vacant Lot Project will make a difference in Albany New York – one lot at a time. Public interest is mounting as the teens are out in the community and as residents become engaged in the process. Interest and community engagement will continue to grow as the abandoned lot begins to change. Vacant lots can go from being an eyesore to a useful public space with a lot of hard work from organizations and individuals dedicated to making a difference.

There are a number of federal financial aid programs available through the U.S. Department of Education, including federal student loans, federal grants, and federal work study programs.

This article reviews some of the grant options available for social work education students, and details how to apply for federal grant money.

How to Apply for Social Work Education & Social Work Online Degree Grants
This article details in the following sections a number of federal student grants available to social work students, including online students enrolled at participating schools.

To apply for any of the federal grants detailed below, students must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form measures a student’s finances (as well as those of a dependent’s parents or guardians) in order to calculate a student’s need for financial aid. Students should be aware that the FAFSA requires tax information for both dependent students and their parents, as the federal government only awards student grants to those who show a definite financial need.

Once the FAFSA has been turned in, students will receive in the mail a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR lets a student know if he/she is eligible to receive federal student aid, and details exactly to which programs a student has been granted access.

The FASFA is required for any student seeking federal student grants, federal student loans, or a federal work study program, and the form can be accessed via the U.S. Department of Education’s website (or through affiliate links).

Pell Grants for Social Work Education & Social Work Online Degrees
Pell Grants, which are the bedrock of the federal student grant program, are available to social work undergraduate students who are able to demonstrate to the federal government a legitimate financial need on their FAFSA application; award amounts are determined by this level of need.

While award amounts can be as high as $5,000, the money awarded typically ranges between $1,000 and $4,000 per year.

FSEOG Grants for Social Work Education & Social Work Online Degrees
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is specifically designed for those students who have an extreme financial need which exceeds the requirements for Pell Grant eligibility.

Social work students who meet the criteria are eligible, and award amounts are typically between $500 and $4,000, depending on a student’s cost of attendance. Those who receive an FSEOG Grant are also eligible to for Pell Grant funding.

ACG Grants for Social Work Education & Social Work Online Degrees
The Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) is specifically designed for students who went through a very rigorous high school program of study. (The U.S. Department of Education determines which schools qualify as being rigorous.)

This grant is available for those students who are either in their first or second year at an eligible undergraduate program, and social work students who meet the above criteria qualify as well. Those awarded an ACG Grant can also have Pell Grant eligibility.

Benefits of Social Work Education & Social Work Online Degree Federal Grants
Students who receive a federal student grant never have to repay any of the awarded money, so long as they are not in default on a federal loan and maintain acceptable grades at their host school.

Social work students who receive federal student grant money are able to defray the costs of admission, and hold down the burdensome student debts that many students accumulate.