Objective  Identify career opportunities in the Family and Community Services fields.  Evaluate the impact of employment on personal and family relationships.

Careers In Family and Community Services Who will you hire? What will you do for a living? Skills for Living pg

Employment Opportunities  May work for health care or social service agency  May work for schools, businesses or the government  Some specialize in specific age groups (geriatrics, youth, etc)

Entrepreneurial Opportunities  Many counselors have their own private practice  Some lobbyists are self employed

Entry- Level Jobs  With a high school diploma Caseworker’s aide Geriatric aide Volunteer agencies  Requires OJT- On the Job Training  Often requires training workshops

Mid- Level Jobs  With an associate’s degree in Human Services Technology for instance Coordinator of volunteer services Counseling paraprofessional Lobbyist

Professional – Level Jobs  With a Bachelor’s degree Family & Consumer Sciences Teacher Extension agent Rehabilitation counselor Social worker  With an Advance Degree (master’s etc.) Alcohol and drug abuse counselor Family therapist Social welfare administrator  Degrees may be in: Social work Youth Services Family Studies Family & Consumer Sciences

Personal Qualities Needed  Ability to understand human nature  True concern for people and their problems  Able to communicate with and relate to clients  Able to respect privacy of client records  Skill in guiding people and resources  Desire to be life-long learners  Objective  Flexible

Future Trends  Expected to increase  Some jobs in the area of research Impact of technology of the family Effects of technology on person’s development  Services for older adults and family members with disabilities are in demand  Services for immigrants in demand Bilingual skills are an advantage  Demand strong for employment counselors  Unfortunately the pay does not always match the level of responsibility

Career Plan  Take Family & Consumer Sciences courses in high school  Shadow a professional  Volunteer work

Impact of Employment on Personal and Family Relationships

What if….  Your dad is an architect in Salisbury. He has been offered a job which will pay his entire lifetime salary if he agrees to live in Iraq for two years to design new schools.  And… Your mom is a big business consultant who works in California from Monday through Friday, and flies home to Salisbury for weekends.  And… you have two younger siblings, age 8 and 10  This is your senior year of high school Does work affect family life? Does family life affect your work?

Balancing Family and Work  Pg 189 Skills for Living Textbook  One of the biggest challenges of families  Work should be an enjoyable part of a well rounded life.  Family oriented employers are adapting new programs and benefits to meet the needs of working parents.

The Effects of Work on Family Life  Positive Satisfaction at work carries over into home Work confidence can give home confidence Models a hard work attitude for the children Requires sharing the responsibilities at home  Negative Time management Work overload Too busy or tired for self or family

What is a Dual Career Family?  Both spouses work

Effects of Family Life on Work  Positive A supportive family gives the worker more energy  Negative Worker may be too tired Worker may be distracted by things on the mind from home Worker may be absent due to the needs of the family

How Should I Manage my Multiple Roles?  Set Priorities  Priorities are – important tasks ranked in order of importance.  What is best for my family? More time with them? More money to spend on them?

How Should I Manage my Multiple Roles?  Make Choices  Basic relationship skills help families work through situations when choices need to be made.  Should I work less, more, away from home, etc.  What can I cut back on that would not really hurt my family?

How Should I Manage my Multiple Roles?  Find Reliable, High Quality Child Care  Consider a leave of absence?  Have a back up plan for work or child care if someone is sick  Consider flexible hours  Consider location and travel time

How Should I Manage my Multiple Roles?  Consider Telecommuting – work in a home office connected by electronic technology  Consider Job – Sharing – two people divide the work of one.  Consider Flextime – set your own hours  Consider Flexible Work Week – 4 long days vs 5 regular days

How Should I Manage my Multiple Roles?  Look for Employee Benefits or Fringe Benefits Life insurance Health insurance Retirement accounts On site child care Vacation time with pay Discounts

Careers In Family and Community Services

Create A Want Ad For: Skills for Living pg