Nowadays, the human service sector is one of the most promising, rapidly developing segments of the economy. The book Helping Skills for Human Service Workers presents the readers with a composed, powerful, and educational text for either undergraduates or graduates who seek knowledge in social disciplines and other related fields of study. The authors, France and Weikel (2014), have incorporated their method of guidance to the text so that students apply their knowledge and experience appropriately and cover every aspect and area of crisis prevention, such as mental health, patient care, treatment, problem-solving, and so on.
The book covers a few fundamental issues of social work, including therapeutic helping relationships and the usage of the previously mentioned practice aptitudes. Human service workers practice the implementation of the state policy in supporting the least protected people and are in constant contact with veterans, people with disabilities, and so on. The main goal of service activities is to meet the social and individual needs of people. The authors focus on the significance of positive relationships, which is narrated through discussions of the crucial ability areas of sympathy, kindness, validity, and cultivation of therapeutic partnership.
Before reading the book, I have never suspected that human service work was such a complex and interesting specialty. The book helped me to realize the importance of the profession of a human service worker, understand the social mission and moral nature of such a job, and finally comprehend the obligation and duty of a person who has chosen this profession. Moreover, I have realized that human service work is not only and not so much a profession, but a state of mind. I believe that this is a vocation that gives a sense of ownership and devotion to its responsibilities, without which it is challenging to sustain communication with the clients and their vulnerabilities. A human service worker should emotionally empathize with people, feel compassion and love for them, have a desire to help, and even sacrifice something personal to change other people’s lives for the better.
After analyzing the pure concept of human service work, I have also become aware of the fact that, sometimes, human service workers may experience the pain of other people they work with, as their own. Therefore, the profession can become a matter of life only for those who are willing to work selflessly for people who, due to illness, age, and other circumstances, cannot properly function without outside help. A human service worker strives to do everything to ensure that people are happy and satisfied with their life. I cannot even comprehend how much this profession requires humanity, kindness, attention, and sensitivity. A human service worker performs a special noble mission, since in their work they deal with vulnerable people, for whose health and the life they take moral responsibility. The clients, in turn, rely on knowledge, responsiveness, good faith, love, and care of the worker.
Human service work is undoubtedly a unique profession, which exists not only to help certain people but also to set an example of a humane attitude to a person. The contribution of the human service worker to society is tremendous and priceless. Having finally read and analyzed the text, I learned to approach many situations with an understanding and compassion, to treat everyone more humanely, and empathize with people. In conclusion, it is essential to note that it is unlikely that there is another area of activity where mercy, sympathy, and worldly wisdom would play such an important role as in human service work.
Reference
France, K., & Weikel, K. (2014). Helping skills for human service workers: Building relationships and encouraging productive change (3rd ed.). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher Inc.