W A N T E D: S O C I A L  W O R K E R S

                   Nangka is one of the most accessible barangays in Marikina City since it is along public roads used for transportation. They are also one of the barangays in Marikina with a large population thus they would encounter numerous social issues such as children getting involved in criminal offenses, poverty, malnutrition and poor family planning. Nonetheless, the most alarming issue of the barangay is poverty which would usually stem out from lack of financial stability and lack of proper education among the residents. Poverty causes malnutrition in the area which made them the one of the top barangays who experiences malnutrition. Lack of financial stability as well as lack of proper education raises the cases of Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL).
                   
                    However, the barangay utilizes all its resources to be able to respond to these problems. Regarding the lack of proper education, the barangay supports the Alternative Learning System (ALS) which aims to support old aged out-of-school youth. The barangay also has a foundation which supports out-of-school youth that are identified by the Department of Education. They are then granted with free uniform and school supplies. Regarding the poverty and malnutrition that the barangay experiences, the barangay has a daycare. The daycare provides support for 50 students and their families residing in the settlement area through a feeding program done daily and livelihood support for the families by providing a small starting capital. However, the families do not have enough knowledge on business which makes the livelihood program a little useless. Additionally, the barangay partners with the religious sector to perform community service to respond to these issues. They also encourage volunteers to teach values education among the youth. Lastly, as a response to malnutrition, health workers monitor the families of children by regularly checking on their health status and they would provide basic treatment to any health issue. The programs above are effective since the families really utilize the livelihood support provided to them and the children really do learn from the education support the barangay provides.

                       The barangay only has ONE social worker which is a little alarming since the barangay has several social issues to address. The barangay wants social workers to do thorough research on the problems that the barangay is experiencing to really know what is the root cause of the problem. They also wish for the social workers to provide seminars to the local officials and employees because sometimes, the problem stems out from the system of governance. The barangay also wishes to be provided help to address all the aspects of society. The barangay appreciates physical government support but they wish to have a psychological support form the government, as well as from the social workers in the country. Sometimes, these people do not only need to have material things to address their problems but they also need moral support to help them go through their hardships within themselves as well as from their surroundings.
                     
                 

Here is a short video which highlights a few, important points from the interview in Nangka Barangay Hall:

            The kagawad that was interviewed stressed on the idea that although they may only have one professional social worker, they still consider everyone in the community as a social worker. Since they are all in one community, it is just right to support each other towards positive change.

13 Reasons Why ft. Social Work

/ˈsōSHəl ˌwərk/ 

"any of various professional activities or methods concretely concerned with providing social services and especially with the investigation, treatment, and material aid of the economically, physically, mentally, or socially disadvantaged."

            

                 

   #01

                        A Heart for the Needy 💖

                                    

                                    Social workers always put the needs of other people first since their ultimate goal is to provide help to the marginalized. They have this inert capability to be of service to other people and it is in their nature to support and assist those who are deprived of it.

     #02 

                  Earn a Degree 🎓

              Social workers take up a licensure examination to legitimise their profession. It permits them to perform their specialization so as for other people to not question their capability and credibility. With that being said, this profession must be regarded as important too and shouldn't be, AT ALL COST, belittled.

   

 #03

                        Avenue to Meet Different People 👫

                  Social workers tend to ALL types of people. Of course, this career gives the individual an opportunity to help people and improve lives thus it is an avenue for them to interact and affect different lives. Their work lets them embrace diversity and widen their perspective to different cultures and belief that is inevitable to encounter with. With this, they are also advocates of equality among everyone.

        #04

                 Human Rights Advocate ✊

                   This is the core of their career. Social workers have a responsibility in upholding the human rights of their clients through the different field work. Without it, the main function of their career to promote social justice will be void. 

    #05

              Improve Lives ✔️

              Improving the well-being of people is always the first on their list. Social workers create and find different solutions that would cater to the problems that their clients experience so as to help these people live a more comfortable life. Social workers do what they can in order to provide a better life for people who are in need and are oppressed in society. They have different roles in the society in order to effectively improve the lives of the people and these are: enablers (helping people find solutions), brokers or advocates (managing cases), teachers, facilitators (organizational development), mediator, activists (aid of social action) and a lot more. 

     #06

                 Legislator 📝

              A legislator is a person who creates laws addressing the different problems the community is facing. They do not only work in the slums but they also work in the offices. Through their researches on the problems of society, policies are made and are efficiently implemented. 

     #07

               Confidanté 😌

              Not only are they good in communicating verbally and non-verbally but they also establish trust that no normal people can easily get. This is the main reason why social workers have the opportunity to help people and better their lives because their clients trust them enough with the improvement of their lives. 

     

     #08

             Critical Thinker 💆

       Social workers create solutions as a response to the problems of their clients and it is not done hastily. Instead, it is done meticulously by taking a deeper look in every client’s case. Through this, social workers provide solutions that would really help their clients become better and have better lives.

     #09

             Catalyst for Community Service 💯

       A catalyst is a person or a thing that leads to an event. Like a catalyst, social workers are agents to drive people to serve the marginalized. At the same time, they do something to initiate themselves in order for them to do their tasks efficiently as modern heroes of society.

      

     #10

              Flexible college program 👮👷💂👨

       This is the GREATEST MISCONCEPTION! College people do not want to choose this course because they think they will only end up in one job. In fact social workers work in different fields. They can work in the government, in schools, or in non-government organizations. They also have different specializations: family and child welfare, health, mental health, corrections, schools and etc. All these fields can be attained with just ONE course. 

     #11

              Infinite Learning Experience 👣

       Just like any other profession, you always do research. Since we have a rapidly changing world, it is necessary for a social worker to update their knowledge regarding different matters for them to help people in whatever context they are in. With this, they also contribute their knowledge to the benefit of development regarding this matter.

     #12 

            Integrity is and will always be necessary ☯

             Integrity is the heart of all morals present. It is upholding ones stability and principles altogether. A social worker is expected to be of an individual who possess this competency because nothing is and can be successful and accomplished without integrity as one of its core life values. This value drives them in doing what they are doing and pushes them to empower people and do their job with purity and genuineness.                 

      

     #13

           You're a Constant Need 🔍

              The truth is, there will always be problems that need to be solved but not all problems can be solved alone. Social workers are those few people who are willing to sacrifice their time and effort just to improve the lives of those in need. Our society will not function well if there are no social workers present because a society that has skilled social workers develops into a better and safer community. With the help of social workers in the community, other people, whatever belief, race, religion, culture they have, are influenced to be better citizens of the country and are inspired in helping one another to achieve harmony within the community.

Our HUMSS class had given us an opportunity to visit organizations and homes that cater to different groups of people: the elderly, the orphaned, and the offenders. Different fields of social work can be seen through these different institutions. 

MARIKINA YOUTH HOME

             This institution is a governmental organization located alongside with the Marikina City Hall and Marikina Public Safety and this organization caters to people, especially children, who have committed an offence against the law. These offenders are often called "children in conflict with the law" and they have done different offences that brought them into the supervision and care of the social workers present in this institution. 
              One of the main specialization that is practiced in this youth home is the field of corrections or correctional because the social workers who belong in this type of specialization involve themselves with programs and preventions concerning the number of crimes happening in their surroundings. The juveniles still get to do activities that are often done by children -- they show off their talents and skills by representing their community in different competitions, they do bible sharing, they also get to go out (depending on their case) once a week with supervision, and etc. 
               As we have observed, the social workers who work in these field possess a good skill of communication, may it be non verbal or verbal. They can command through their words and actions and the children will follow them shortly. They also think critically because they analyze different cases and create solutions to address the cases of each individual. 
               Although this is a governmental institution, they also are in need of donations like clothes, school supplies and most especially, toilteries. With the timely issue of drug use where minors are influenced and involved, there is an increase in the number of juveniles thus making the resources of the youth home scarce.

ST. MARIA DE MATTIAS

                 This institution is under a congregation of nuns and one of their employees is Sir Jonathan who is a social worker. They cater the basic needs of young girls and their mothers through education. Their clients are referred to them and should meet certain requirements such as: the child must be an above average student, their age must be 18 years old or below 18 years and they must be all-girls. The institution provides tutoring services to these less fortunate children at the same time developing their talents and giving them the chance to showcase their talents. What's good about this institution is they do not demand for a fee whenever a child is admitted in the institution. They simply ask for the mothers of these children to serve the institution by learning how to do housekeeping. These services offered by the institution aims to hone the values of their clients so that when their clients chose to be independent from their assistance, the institution will be confident that their clients can live off their lives unaided. 
                 Sir Jonathan is a very passionate family man who seeks to address the needs of the clients in the center. He is very close to his clients especially the little girls but still imposes authority to them to maintain professionalism. He knows very well the needs of these children and how to address them properly. He acknowledges that it is not all the time that he can be the one to help his client, instead he also refers them to other professionals who are more competent to address the problems of the children. However he stressed out his disappointment whenever the children he assisted do not come back to the center and volunteer to serve. 
                 They have very few volunteers who tutors the kids since very few people are willing to teach the children without any salary or exchange. Nonetheless, he lives with a positive outlook that his clients who have left the center were able to gain something from his service. 

ST. CAMILLUS MEDHAVEN NURSING HOME

                 This institution is a private organization located in Marikina City and this institution is a nursing home for the old and the abandoned. Their place can be described as peaceful, eco-friendly and possesses the ambiance that is right for the elderly. They are also only catering elderlies who are Catholics or Christians since most of their activities are in the context of that religion. 
                 The social workers present in this organization are specialized for the field in geriatrics -branch of science that deals with the health and care of old people. These social workers possess kindness, care and patience in dealing with these kinds of people because in general, elderlies are difficult to manage and cared for because of complications and complexities brought by their age. They also possess good communication skills in order for them to establish a good relationship with the elderly since there is a thin line of difference of dealing with kids and elderly. They do planning of daily activities, counseling, social case work, practical services and a lot more. 
                 Since these elderly are immobile and incapable of always going out of their homes, they lack companionship from other people aside from the caregivers. They also are in need of supplies of toiletries and appliances that the elderlies can use. So if you are willing to visit during personal occasions or spend an ordinary day with them, the center will be grateful to welcome you as their guests.

For those who wish to help in these institutions through donations and financial help, feel free to contact them with these contact numbers:

YOUTH HOME MARIKINA:(02)369-4132
ST MARIA DE MATTIAS:(02) 490-7448
ST. CAMILLUS MED HAVEN:(02)9484456

          

         

For the stereotypes:

 HUMSS may not focus on numbers and concepts, but I tell you, it is not an easy strand.

To begin with, social science is a field of science that deals with studying of the society and how it works. It helps people understand why a certain occurrence happened. It helps us understand the world beyond our limits. It tries to answer where, what, when, why, and how. It can make us comprehend things we thought we wouldn't know. Yes, I know. Social science is amazing.

Not convinced? Okay, then. These are the seven different disciplines of social science that can make you raise your eyebrows.

1) Knowing how policy, power, laws, foreign affairs, and etc. work is tackled by Political Science. This discipline basically studies how the government works, how do the elected officials and public servants allocate power, how do the branches of the government work and a lot more. Politics affects every aspect of our lives that contributes to the welfare of a nation. You can have various of options when you grow up as a political scientist. You can be a budget analyst, researcher, politician, lawyer, sales manager, public relations specialist and a lot more. 

2)Anthropology is the study of ancient society and their cultural traditions. Through this, we can lean on finding commonality and differences. If there is no anthropology, there wouldn't be new ideas and knowledge based on what happened in past societies. Community developmental worker, international aid worker, local government officer, anthropologists, market researcher are some awesome careers this discipline offers.

3) The discipline that deals with the allocation of budget and overcoming scarce resources is economics. It deals with people's wants and needs. If economics does not exist, then we cannot fully grasp the idea of having unlimited wants and needs in the context of limited resources. This discipline might be in order to establish balance and there infinite needs. No economics, means no budget, no business, no finance, etc. 

4) The study of people relating with each other and systematically studying human society are covered by sociology. This explains how and why things are occurring. It studies the root of unemployment, different reasons why people migrate, public relations with the fisher folks and their problems towards the government and a lot more. Through sociology, we can uncover various causes as to why a phenomenon is occurring. Research and planning, criminal justice, government, public relations and etc. can be done through sociology.

5) Studying human population and its activities is covered by demography. This is where the census and other vital statistics are from. This is where the different factors that are causing population growth or population decay is studied. There are different factors affecting human population such as fertility, death, migration, and etc. where we wouldn't have come to know about if it wasn't for demography. 

6) Psychology -- The study of mind and why individuals behave a certain way. Without psychology, we wouldn't be able to pinpoint the different causes and reasons why people behave a certain way and how we can help people who are different from others. It explains how we feel, how we learn, how we interact. It plays a vital role in describing the crazy of our mind and the intelligence behind it. 

7) The study of different languages and how it evolved overtime is done through linguistics. This discipline identifies the underlying cultural tradition and customs based on the languages that are being studied. We can able to know and comprehend why things occur just by studying the language of a certain society because it is also a gateway in knowing their identity and culture and correlate them to today's language and culture.

Need a proof? These two studies in social science are proof that this is not just some course to take up.

One study is done in Umea University and it talks about how chronic stress and depression accelerates aging. It talks about the telomere which is the outermost part of the chromosome. With increasing age, telomeres shorten, and studies have shown that oxidative stress and inflammation accelerates this shortening. The research team shows that shorter telomere length is associated with both recurrent depression and cortisol levels indicative of exposure to chronic stress. This study includes 91 respondents with depression and 451 healthy controls. Their stress regulation is also measured. The results show that the telomere length is shorter than those of healthy control group.According to the researchers of this study, the fact that depressed patients as a group have shorter telomere lengths compared to healthy individuals can be largely explained by the fact that more depressed people than healthy people have disturbed cortisol regulation, which underscores that cortisol regulation and stress play a major role in depressive disorders. 

Umeå University. (2011, November 10). Depression and chronic stress accelerates aging. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 15, 2017 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109093729.html

Another study talks about the economic impacts of migration, a research made in Harvard University. This study is about the immigrants' effect on the Northern European countries. It shows that as immigrants are more often outside of the labor force or unemployed, it has been assumed that they spend more time on welfare and other forms of social assistance compared to natives. While the US literature has concentrated on wages, more European studies analyze employment assimilation. Typically, immigrants are found to experience lower employment and wages than natives at entry. Immigration is often viewed as a large burden for European public or as a possible saviour if correctly harnessed. On average, immigrants appear to have a minor positive net for host countries. These benefits are not uniformly distributed across the native population and sectors of the economy. This conclusion means that the migration in host countries does not have that of a big impact to their economy.

Kerr, S. P. (2011, January). Economic Impacts of Immigration: A Survey. Retrieved from http://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publication%20Files/09-013_15702a45-fbc3-44d7-be52-477123ee58d0.pdf    

Did HUMSS chose me or did I chose HUMSS?

Being in the HUMSS strand is not an easy task. You have to have this passion in you to investigate more, to dig deeper and know more. You have to have this skill of learning how to look through in different knowledge fed to you. Being able to express my thoughts and learn how to express them well is a part of why I chose HUMSS. Yes, I chose HUMSS. And HUMSS will never be affiliated with the word 'lang' because this strand offers so much more than what stereotypes see. Yes, we may not deal with mind-boggling concepts and stacks of terms to memorise but we deal with so much more than what the eyes see. We deal with things some people cannot perceive because HUMSS is never in the surface of learning but is within it. Some people may not see it now, but HUMSS contributes so much in the world may it be in education, government, literature, society and etc. Studying humanities and social sciences is harder than what it looks like, believe me. 

I've been through different brainstorming activities just to come up with an idea for a script. I have been in the sea of readings and reviewing terms and concepts older than me. I have been in the void, lost for words, to write the perfect prose and poetry. I tell you this, it is not a valid reason to look down on other strands or courses in the face of numbers and concepts and terms or be proud of their strand just because they seem to study 'harder' concepts and ideas because all of us, whatever our strand is, experience lack of sleep, bodies driven by caffeine and tear-stained nights due to workload. My reply to your 'HUMSS ka lang' is this: "Eh kasi HUMSS ako." I am proud of my strand. The workload drives me nuts and somehow makes me want to give up. But, I am in love with the workload. I am in love with what I do and with what I learn. Yes, I admit, I am tired and sometimes running out of ideas, but aren't we all? Understanding the mess of the society, creating stories, learning the art of governance, and seeing through a world where not everyone sees is why Humanities and Social Sciences is worth it. And that, my friend, is more than 'lang'.