The role of a social worker is to protect vulnerable people , facilitate change and support those in need of help in the community.
It’s an emotionally draining job and taking the time to thank a social worker or showing gratitude is always appreciated.
Thank a Social Worker
You can thank a social worker or show your gratitude anytime, but each year in March, is social worker appreciation month also known as World Social Work Day.
You can take advantage of the occasion to be vocal about how grateful you’re for the work a social worker does.
Whether you are a manager, a colleague, friend, family, client or a service user, you can use the ideas in this article to show appreciation to a social worker.
What Day is Social Workers’ Day?
Social workers’ day each year falls on the 17th
of March.
You can help celebrate a social worker on this day.
This year’s theme is “social workers are essential,” and here are 11 simple ways to show gratitude to a social worker:
How Do You Say Thank You to a Social Worker?
1.0 Say, thank you
Sometimes, just saying “thank you” is enough!
It will warm a social worker’s heart knowing you appreciate what they are doing.
Saying thanks costs nothing, but it gives everything!
2.0 Share how you feel about them
Sometimes we forget people can’t read our minds, and we often think that our friends or family know that we appreciate them even if we never said it out loud.
The same goes for social workers; we often feel that we don’t have to tell them how much we appreciate them being in our lives and doing their best they can to help us.
Vocalising your gratitude is the best way to show it; you can start by saying things like “Thank you for supporting me through these tough times,”or “I appreciate you taking my call this late in the day.”
They might only smile and say that it’s their job, but deep down, you made their day.
3.0 Buy them a gift
You may be a friend, family member, or a colleague wanting to show your gratitude to a social worker.
You can buy them a gift!
It doesn’t have to be something big or expensive; you can bring them their favourite snack before meeting up.
Thoughtful gifts usually make other people happy because although you spent little on them, you took your time to buy something that the other person can enjoy.
The saying goes: It’s the thought that counts. This means it is the kindness behind an act that matters, however imperfect or small the act may be.
It’s that feeling of “I saw this and thought of you,”.
If you’ve ever gotten a gift because of that reason, you know what it feels like.
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4.0 Be patient
A famous saying goes … patience is a virtue.
This means that being patience often goes against our instincts, resulting in impatience.
The best results take time, and the social worker assigned to your case is doing their best to make sure that you end up in a better situation than you started with.
Be patient and let the social worker do their job.
They will appreciate this.
5.0 Trust the social worker assigned to your case
A relationship based on trust is essential in the role of a social worker.
You have to trust the social worker, and they have to trust you.
It might not be easy at first because you’re assigned to a stranger who promises to support you through difficult times, and that sounds too good to be true, but remember they studied for years and have a lot of experience, so you’re probably in good hands.
On the other hand, the social worker also has to trust you.
When you’re explaining your situation and your problems to them, they have no choice but to trust your words.
So, make sure that what you’re saying is the truth, and you can back it up with facts.
6.0 Hug them
If they are comfortable with it and you’ve built a relationship in which touch is no longer a taboo, hugging a social worker is a great way to show your gratitude, if not the best.
Be careful though, not everyone’s love language can be seen in a physical touch, and they might be bothered by you crossing boundaries.
Try asking, “can I give you a hug?” and wait for their answer.
Don’t get upset if they say they’re not comfortable and reject the hug; they still appreciate you.
7.0 Bring them coffee
Not everyone likes coffee, but if they do, the gift will be very much appreciated.
They need that extra energy that only coffee can give them, especially if they’re dealing with people all day and each person has unique challenges; they have to find a solution or work towards one.
That coffee you bring them might be the highlight of their day, and they’ll be eternally grateful.
8.0 Give them a break
Sometimes you have to sit back and give the social worker a break.
It is essential that you trust their skills and not question their actions for once.
Social workers work with people who think they know how to do their job better than them, but it’s easier said than done.
Giving them a break from time to time makes their life a little easier.
9.0 Write a note
Another way to express your gratitude by writing a small note that shows your appreciation.
If you’re not good with words, you can always find a nice quote online.
For example:
- One person can make a difference, and everyone should try – John Fitzgerald Kennedy
- At this very moment, there are people only you can reach…and differences only you can make. – Mike Dooley
- How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment to improve the world. – Anne Frank
- No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted. – Aesop
- I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you. – Oprah Winfrey
Sometimes motivational social work quotes like the ones in the following articles;
45 Motivating Social Work Quotes You Need After a Bad Day and
Ultimate Quotes about Happiness to Make You Smile can be useful.
It’s better if your thought is personal and not something everyone can find on the internet, but even a small gesture as leaving a note with a quote found in a book or online can improve a social worker’s mood.
They’ll probably keep that note in their journal to be reminded that nice people exist and you’re one of them.
10.0 Be a support system
Be their support system because they are your support system.
Often social workers work with people who want a support system but refuse to be one, making the job ten times harder than it should be.
Don’t forget that they’re people too, and they might have bad days as well, so having someone who gives them a shoulder to lean on from time to time is definitely something they need.
Make sure you still respect their boundaries, though.
11.0 Always say thank you
Saying thank you is such a difficult thing to do, especially in situations where the social worker working on your case is expected to be efficient.
Thanking someone may also be difficult to do; most of the time, we get shy, and even though we want to thank someone so badly, we don’t because we think it’s embarrassing.
Practice saying thank you in front of the mirror.
If you’re one of those people, try saying it to people often.
You might feel awkward at first, but you’ll eventually get used to saying it, resulting in being more comfortable each time.
Before you go
Gratitude or saying thank you is the simplest, most powerful way to acknowledge another person’s value and humanity.
The smallest thanks are always worth more than the effort it takes to give it.
So, show ‘gratitude’ and say ‘thank you’ when you can.
It shows a sense of respect toward the social worker.
Silent gratitude isn’t much to anyone if not expressed. It is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
So, thank a social worker today.
Thank a Social Worker| 11 Simple Ways to Show Your Gratitude
- Say, thank you
- Share how you feel about them
- Buy them a gift
- Be patient
- Trust the social worker assigned to your case
- Hug them
- Bring them coffee
- Give them a break
- Write a note
- Be a support system
- Always say thank you
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