Career: Human-Service Assistants
Think of all the people who need special help: the elderly, homeless families, pregnant teens, people with addiction problems. The list goes on. And some of these groups are growing.
Agencies need to provide for all of these people, yet they face tight budgets. Human-service assistants -- who receive less training and therefore less pay than social workers -- are stepping in and doing more of the work that used to be done by social workers. The responsibilities of human-service assistants vary greatly. They range from helping people with the chores of daily life to coaching disabled adults as they adjust to new jobs.
Human-service assistant is a general term covering a large number of job titles, including mental health aide, life-skill counselor, and gerontology aide.
Did You Know?
- Human-service assistants are supervised by professionals such as social workers and psychologists.
Are You Ready To...?
- Help clients get services, such as food stamps
- Train clients in cooking, shopping, bill paying, and other skills of daily living
- Help clients find jobs
- Assist with craft activities
- Arrange transportation
- Give medications
- Keep records
- Discuss client progress with supervisors
It Helps to Be...
A good communicator. You'll also need to have a strong sense of responsibility and good time-management skills. You'll do well in this career if you are a patient, understanding person who loves helping others.
Make High School Count
- Take psychology to learn about human development, emotions, and communication.
- Read the newspaper to keep up with issues concerning groups (such as the homeless, the elderly, or teenagers) that you might serve in the future.
- Sign up to be a peer counselor at your school.
- Volunteer or work at a day program for people with disabilities, a home for the elderly, a clinic, or a hospital. While there, ask human-service assistants for career advice.
Did You Know?
- People eighty-five or older are sometimes called "the oldest old." According to the U.S. Census Bureau, they are the fastest-growing group within the elderly population.
Outlook
Government economists expect job growth for human-service assistants to be much faster than the average for all careers through 2014.
One reason is that employers are looking for new ways to save money -- and assistants cost less than social workers, who are more highly trained. Another reason is the profession's high turnover; many people leave the field because of low pay and high stress.
Compensation
The U.S. Department of Labor reported that the average salary of human-service assistants was $27,200 in 2006.
