Social work is a profession that is growing by leaps and bounds, but the public does not always recognize the contributions of the many social workers who keep society running. Social work deserves more praise for its wide scope of services and achievements.
However, it seems that it is not getting the recognition it deserves. This is not mere observation; it is a fact, as according to a 2020 survey by Social Work England, 76% of the people involved do not think that social work is respected by society.
Social work encompasses a broad range of services with an emphasis on prevention; these include assistance with children in care, assisting with homelessness and poverty issues, developing policies that support individual rights, advocating for improved conditions in prisons, or addressing addiction problems, among many others.
There are many issues that social workers face that are possibly a foundation for the lack of praise for their field. Let us take a look at them.
Social Work Education
The fact that many qualified social workers and practitioners find it difficult to move from the sector to other sectors is telling of social work education. A lot of people who were educated in the field ended up working in various aspects of this field, such as clinical, developmental, and health social work.
These are all aspects within the same field, and that should not be a problem. The good thing is that due to the rise in awareness regarding social work, getting a degree in the field has become more accessible now. In fact, many people with bachelor’s degrees went on to pursue social work masters programs online to find places of even more influence in their fields.
The issue is that society, in general, does not consider social work to be a “competent” or “competitive” degree. Social work degrees suffer the same stigma as gender studies and other social sciences degrees that people who pursue these degrees will not end up with stable jobs.
In reality, social workers can find jobs in HR unions, public relations, and even in education as professors or counselors, among many other fields of work.
Negative Media Coverage
With the increase of negative media coverage and social problems, it makes sense that people are not respecting the field of social work.
Many believe that the reason for this is due to a barrage of negative media articles. The fact is that there are hardworking social workers in all areas of the field, and they are making strides for humanity every day. However, many do not hear about these inspirational deeds. They only hear about when things go wrong, which is far too common.
Most of the media coverage that social workers get is when a group, community, or NGO is found to be involved in negative areas such as bribery, corruption, spreading lies, and other matters of the ilk. In a survey by YouGov, it was revealed that 82% of the masses involved believed that the media was responsible for the negative image of social workers.
Whenever the authorities instigate any action against negative matters, it becomes the most publicized headline on the news bulletin and ends up making the front page of newspapers.
Disregard For The Vulnerable
Although social workers toil away for everyone, they are considered a godsend for those susceptible to harm. Whether we’re talking about religious minorities, sexual minorities, marginalized communities, or victims of assault and violence, there are branches of social work readily available to help everyone.
The issue arises that the general majority does not pay much attention to the issues of minorities. Unless people are activists, they do not actively take part in bringing light to the issues of marginalized communities.
Since social workers are associated with minorities and marginalized communities, when the aforementioned get sidelined, so do those who work for them.
Lack Of Funds
The lack of adequate funding and resources is a major problem that persists in the social work field. Since social workers often belong to private organizations, their requirements to put their plans into action often go unfulfilled.
Social workers have a wide range of issues that they deal with in society, and these issues cost them a lot of money to deal with. The fact that many state and local governments are cutting down on social work budgets is disheartening for the many who work hard every day to serve their communities well.
Unrealistic Expectations
The general public has set unrealistic expectations in the field of social work. These general expectations are the reason why social workers feel like they shouldn’t be satisfied with their jobs. The more demanding a job seems to be, the more dissatisfied they become, feeling as if they should do more and more. Often, many social workers do work for organizations, but they do so at a very low cost.
Many of the causes for the lack of respect given to the field of social work lie in the history of the field. Social work is officially a recent profession despite the fact that many have unknowingly served under its banner, so its history has not been as long and glorious as other professions. But with time, society will come to realize how much social workers do and how important they truly are for their stability and betterment.
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We live in what is perhaps the most unpredictable time of the century. There is a pandemic out on the streets and we have been forced to abandon our ways of interaction. Businesses have been forced to adapt almost overnight, bringing about a radical shift in operations. Nonprofits have also been forced to do the same. In just the last year the importance of fundraising platforms has risen exponentially.
Fundraising has been the key to the operations of any and every nonprofit. Lately, the more commonly relied-on fundraising methods have been made redundant. A lot of nonprofits have been forced to go back to the drawing board and reevaluate ways to gather funds. Luckily the existence of text messaging platforms for nonprofit can easily get into the middle of it and utilize the same channels to make their ends meet.
Why does online fundraising work?
The reason is simple; we live in times where people are willing to lend out a helping hand, anywhere, anytime. Nonprofits simply need to host events online and let their donors know that they are very much active and are trying to make a difference in their communities irrespective of the condition. Sending your message across and showing them the work you are doing can appeal to all kinds of donors.
Nonprofits can quickly adapt using fundraising platforms to reach out to donors and volunteers using the same methods that businesses rely upon. These channels have now become the normal way to work through and nonprofits have realized that they also need to be malleable. The pandemic has changed our understanding of what normal is and donors will be understanding. This is why hosting events, and especially fundraisers online has shown a lot of promise.
Let us look at five great ideas you can use to supercharge your online fundraising campaign.
Five great online fundraising ideas
1. Peer-to-peer fundraising
The most innovative and proven way to raise funds online is through peer-to-peer fundraising. P2P fundraising accounts for nearly a third of every online donation. The idea is to use the credibility of your donors and their contacts to gather funds for your nonprofit.
A great statistic is that ¼ emails sent by P2P fundraisers to their peers result in a donation. It might seem meager, but it is staggering when you compare it to the fact that 1/1250 emails from nonprofits result in a donation.
Nonprofits can encourage donors to raise funds and run campaigns on their behalf. They can enlist the help of fundraising platforms to build their campaigns and send emails to their peers. Nonprofits can set up these directly on their websites. They can even use a personal appeal and a social sharing button on their website for direct encouragement.
2. Email flash fundraiser
Another third of every donation made online comes through Emails. Yes, even in this day and age when instant messaging is the norm, E-mails more than do their part to raise funds. It is one of the older ways to gather funds and chances are your nonprofit has already finished its email fundraising campaign for the year. No worries, there are no limits to how many times you can leverage email fundraisers.
A great idea would be to select a day and conduct an email fundraising blitz. You should not choose a popular day such as Tuesdays. Enough organizations are running Giving Tuesdays. Instead, choose a day that has symbolic importance to your organization or its cause. Your emails should build up a narrative that highlights your cause, the day, and a call to action. Urgency is the key and the better you express the need of the hour, the more likely you are to receive donations.
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3. A drive for donation matching
The idea behind donation matching is to encourage people to contribute, knowing that in the grand scheme of things the total donated amount will be big. Use the frenzy created by your flash email fundraising campaign to launch a drive for donation matching. You can secure a match from a company and advertise it in your email campaign.
Donation matching is a good way to keep the interest afloat and to attract the younger crowd. Studies show that millennials are more likely to donate if they know companies are going to be matching their donation.
Donation matching can also be used to boost a fundraiser. If there is a noticeable decline in the donations, launch a donation matching drive amid another campaign to acquire more funding.
4. Crowdfunding
There is this misconception amongst nonprofits that crowdfunding is meant only for individuals. This fact could not be further from the truth. Nonprofits can use crowdfunding to amass a wealth of funds in a very short period. They can also use crowdfunding to appeal to a whole new group of donors.
Through crowdfunding, nonprofits can gather funds for specific causes and projects. Nonprofits can easily set up a page on crowdfunding sites. They also have social sharing options to further promote your cause.
PRO TIP: Before you choose a crowdfunding site, check if they have an easy-to-use UI, integration with compatible software, a mobile-friendly page, and space to tell your story.
5. Prospect research
While this may not qualify as an idea as such, prospect research can help you land big philanthropists for your donation pool. Nonprofits can conduct thorough research to identify prospective donors. Doing so can help them focus on donors that can make a difference.
Prospect research is especially important when it comes to online donors. The reason for that is online donations come in small amounts and it is hard to identify which donors can contribute in a big way. Research can help you land bigger donations.
Final Thoughts
These are just some of the ways you can maximize your donation pool through online fundraisers. By using the right tools and strategies your nonprofit will be back on its feet and perhaps, even run better than it did before.
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When a person grows old, he/she becomes dependant on other people. Sadly, isolation can bring drastic effects on an aged patient’s wellbeing as he/she’s more susceptible to develop negative consequences.
That’s why experts often pursue senior companionship programs for older people. It’s an unfortunate fact that many hospitals worldwide still do not follow a person-centric approach.
This innovative model focuses on prioritizing a person’s values, desires, and preferences in making healthcare decisions.
Some elements that furnish an effective patient-centric plan involve focusing on physical and emotional wellbeing and having a family member present in the care setting. This approach also concentrates on providing accessible, cooperative, and collaborative facilities to the aged patients while allowing them to make informed decisions.
The elderly population in the United States is growing rapidly. It’s expected to exceed from 17% to approximately 20% by 2050. It is worth mentioning that, like every other population, senior citizens in America are also more vulnerable to isolation. These factors contribute to different challenges associated with the mental and physical wellbeing of old people.
In this article, we’ll provide an extensive explanation of why aged patients must receive patient-centered care for better results. Some of its benefits include:
1. Job satisfaction:
Satisfied doctors are more likely to treat their patients productively. It’s been observed that patient-centered care even motivates physicians to become more efficient at their jobs.
Many medical practitioners, especially nurses, take a step ahead by enrolling in various MSN to DNP nursing education programs for excellence in their careers.
This extra qualification enables healthcare professionals to focus on the strategies that can help them attain the best outcomes for aged patients. Hence, patient-centric care empowers the staff, which indirectly affects the mental/physical health of the old population.
2. Healthy environment:
Hospitals implement a patient-centered model to incorporate the patient-first approach. This leads to the creation of a supportive environment where patients are provided individualized attention and personalized healthcare. This environment contributes to the patient’s emotional wellbeing.
This model further streamlines the workflow, thereby enhancing the organization’s overall efficiency. Patient-centric care ensures that the staff eliminates every inefficiency and capably delivers the facilities your patients need.
3. Patient engagement:
The ancient residents feel valued and respected when hospitals implement a patient-centric model. Focusing on their needs and abilities, patient-centered care enables patients to participate in decisions related to their healthcare plans actively.
With a quality-based patient experience, hospitals can drive greater patient engagement. When you deliver a personalized experience to the patient community, they communicate efficiently with the medical staff. This communication leads to their well-being.
When your patients feel satisfied with the healthcare they receive, it increases their life expectancy. Since the individualized care makes them feel important again, patients believe that they’re leading a purposeful life instead of living a pathetic, meaningless existence.
4. Patient profile:
The patient-centric model allows the creation of a holistic patient profile for better healthcare facilities. This approach enables the medical staff to collect the patient’s information for better understanding.
Now, whenever a patient engages with a medical expert, he/she will access the patient’s medical records. This practice enables doctors to understand the patient’s unique touchpoints – risk factors and medical records – to provide the right medicinal solutions.
5. Mental health:
The elderly often feel helpless and secluded from their surroundings. This sense of isolation isn’t healthy at all! Boredom affects the mental health of elderly patients.
However, patient-centered care allows them to engage in several activities. These actions ward off depression and cure their sense of solitude. Some of these riveting activities involve mundane tasks such as:
Painting
Gardening
Listening to music etc.
A study published by Pew Research last year showed that one-fourth of US adults aged 60+ are living alone. This means more and more adults are likely to face mental health issues, which has increased the need for quality health care in older adults.
6. Good reputation:
This approach improves patients’ satisfaction since the patient-centered service aligns with the patients’ healthcare expectations. The Beryl Institute found that over 70% of patients would share their good or negative experiences at a healthcare institute, making satisfaction important for your reputation.
This practice also improves your organization’s public perception. Since we live in a world where online reviews are of uttermost value, it may affect a hospital’s reputation if patients aren’t happy with the health outcomes. Patients who feel that they’re properly taken care of by the medical staff enable the organization to maintain its reputation and remain in patient’s good books.
Conclusion:
Patient-centered care helps them curb loneliness and escape isolation. This approach improves the healthcare outcomes in any country for the aged population.
In the end, several researchers have demonstrated that patient-centered care has better results than traditional medical maneuvers for the elderly. Hospitals that implemented a patient-centered approach have reported better health outcomes since patients recover faster and don’t frequently visit ER.
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If you work in a nice, cool, and modern office, you spend most of your day sitting at your desk and walking on a carpeted floor. Indeed, carpeted floors feel so much better to walk on; they are pretty to look at, absorb sound and reduce noise, help insulate the room, provide a non-slip and safer surface, and are just a lot more comfortable. However, there is also a good chance that the very carpet you love could be hiding some serious dangers.
As we all know, carpets are excellent dirt magnets. Foreign particles ranging from allergens, and bacteria to toxic chemicals could get trapped in between the fibres of the carpet; these things can pose potential health hazards. This is what commercial cleaning, particularly office cleaning and carpet deep cleaning, is about.
Allergens
One of the most common, and probably the biggest, danger hiding in between the fibres of your office carpets are allergens.
Allergens come in various forms, from dirt, dust, pet dander, dust mites, pollen, etc., which are all practically invisible to the naked eye. These particles get trapped on the carpet but can become airborne when someone walks on the carpet. People with hypersensitivity to these allergens can easily feel allergic reactions from these particles, such as sneezing, coughing, stuffy or runny nose, red, watery and itchy eyes, headaches, etc. Those with asthma, allergic rhinitis, or similar respiratory conditions will feel the worst of the symptoms.
If you often suffer from allergies, you may notice that your symptoms are usually worse t work. And if you work in a carpeted environment, there is a good chance it is caused by dirty office carpet.
To reduce your exposure to harmful allergens, make sure to invest in a vacuum cleaner that comes with a HEPA filter. HEPA is a special type of filter that traps extremely small particles. The good thing about hiring good commercial cleaning companies is that they use HEPA vacuums for their office cleaning.
Bacteria
Another common danger that could be lurking in your office caret is bacteria.
As said earlier, carpets are practically dirt traps. It traps anything and everything, including moisture. Beverage spills, wet food, or various liquids dropped on the carpet turn the carpet into a breeding ground for bacteria.
Bacteria, as we all know, can cause a long list of serious illnesses, such as pneumonia, meningitis, etc. To reduce your risk of these health problems, it is important to have your office carpet professionally cleaned.
Commercial office cleaners use HEPA filter vacuums, special cleaning equipment and commercial-grade cleaning agents to effectively clean and disinfect carpets. They can safely clean bacteria lurking between the fibres and deep into the carpet without damaging the fabric.
Toxic Chemicals
Another danger that is often overlooked in the office setting is toxic chemicals.
Often, office chemicals are treated with special chemicals to make them flame-retardant and stain-resistant. You will often see this in carpets placed in high-traffic areas, as they are incredibly convenient in terms of care and safety. However, over time, as the carpet ages, these special chemicals can off-gas, releasing toxic fumes into the air.
Some of the most common chemicals used in treating carpets are benzene, formaldehyde, and toluene. These chemicals have been linked to a variety of health problems, such as respiratory issues, dizziness, and headaches.
To reduce your chances of exposure to these chemicals, make sure to choose office carpets that are certified as low-emitting or free from harmful chemicals. If your office has already installed carpets with these chemical treatments, consider testing them for chemical emissions.
Mould
Mould is another common danger that is often overlooked in work settings like offices. Since carpets can trap moisture, they become damp. Hence, they become an ideal environment for mould growth. Mould can release spores into the air, and like allergens, they can cause respiratory and health problems.
To reduce your risk of exposure to mould, it is crucial to have your pipes checked for possible leaks, improve office ventilation, and use a dehumidifier to reduce humidity levels. Also, make sure to have your carpets cleaned by professional commercial cleaners.
Tips For Keeping Your Office's Carpet Clean And Safe
Now that you know the dangers that could be lurking in your office carpet, it is important to take the necessary steps to keep your carpets clean and safe. Here are some tips for that:
Vacuum Regularly
Office carpets must be thoroughly vacuumed at least once a week to remove dust, dirt, and another allergen buildup.
Use HEPA Filter
Make sure to invest in a HEPA filter to effectively remove all small particles that have settled deep into the carpet.
Clean Up Spills As Soon As Possible
Prevent moisture from seeping deep into the carpet fibres by cleaning up spills promptly.
Invest In Safe Cleaning Products
Not all cleaning products are the same. Many may be effective in cleaning and killing bacteria, but they can be made from harmful chemicals. People hypersensitive to these strong cleaning solutions may be at risk of experiencing health problems such as allergic reactions and respiratory symptoms.
Have Your Office Carpets Professionally Cleaned
You can save yourself from all the hassles of cleaning and buying special cleaning equipment and cleaning solutions or hiring and training office cleaners by simply getting the services of professional office cleaners.
Professional commercial cleaning services include deep cleaning, which is exactly what office carpets need. Health experts recommend that office carpets must be deep cleaned at least once a year (twice for offices with heavy foot traffic) to remove deep-seater allergens and dirt and keep them clean and safe for everyone.
Takeaway
Your office's carpet may seem innocuous, but it could be hiding some serious dangers. Save yourself from the stress of guesswork and hire professional commercial cleaning services to take care of your carpet cleaning needs.
Commercial cleaning services provide customized cleaning plans to give you the exact, comprehensive, and quality service you need. Also, these office cleaning services companies hire professional cleaners, train them, and equip them with advanced cleaning techniques and equipment to ensure safe and thorough cleaning of your office. Their experienced cleaners are fully trained and well-versed in handling various cleaning and building maintenance tasks, including deep cleaning.
Lastly, hiring professional cleaning services from legit professional commercial cleaning companies can help you save precious time and money in the long run. Not only that they have the manpower and special equipment to provide the highest quality cleaning, but they are also extremely efficient. They can work around your schedule, reduce downtime, and improve the productivity of your workplace.
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The fact that many qualified social workers and practitioners find it difficult to move from the sector to other sectors is telling of social work education. A lot of people who were educated in the field ended up working in various aspects of this field, such as clinical, developmental, and health social work.
These are all aspects within the same field, and that should not be a problem. The good thing is that due to the rise in awareness regarding social work, getting a degree in the field has become more accessible now. In fact, many people with bachelor’s degrees went on to pursue social work masters programs online to find places of even more influence in their fields.
The issue is that society, in general, does not consider social work to be a “competent” or “competitive” degree. Social work degrees suffer the same stigma as gender studies and other social sciences degrees that people who pursue these degrees will not end up with stable jobs.
In reality, social workers can find jobs in HR unions, public relations, and even in education as professors or counselors, among many other fields of work.
The lack of adequate funding and resources is a major problem that persists in the social work field. Since social workers often belong to private organizations, their requirements to put their plans into action often go unfulfilled.
Social workers have a wide range of issues that they deal with in society, and these issues cost them a lot of money to deal with. The fact that many state and local governments are cutting down on social work budgets is disheartening for the many who work hard every day to serve their communities well.
