| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | NGO and Social Sector |
| Level | Entry level |
| Reports to | Programme Officer |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 1 to 4 years in social work or community support |
Social Worker job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Social Worker
Department: NGO and Social Sector
Reports to: Programme Officer
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Social Worker helps individuals and families access the support, services and rights they need. They assess situations, provide guidance, link people to health, education, welfare and legal services, and follow up until issues are resolved. The role reports to the Programme Officer or Programme Coordinator. A good social worker builds trust in the community, handles cases with care and confidentiality, and keeps following up so vulnerable people actually receive the help they are entitled to.
Key responsibilities
- Assess the needs of individuals and families through home and community visits.
- Provide guidance and support on health, education, welfare and rights issues.
- Link people to government schemes, services and entitlements and help with applications.
- Follow up on cases and referrals until the person receives the support.
- Support vulnerable people such as children, women, elderly and persons with disability.
- Run awareness sessions on rights, services and safe practices.
- Maintain confidential case records of visits, referrals and outcomes.
- Coordinate with health workers, schools, police and local officials as needed.
- Identify and escalate serious cases such as abuse or neglect for safeguarding.
- Report field observations and case trends to the supervisor.
Requirements
- Graduate or postgraduate in social work
- BSW or MSW is preferred
- Local language fluency
- 1 to 4 years in social work or community support
KRAs and KPIs for a Social Worker
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Casework | Active cases handled meeting the monthly caseload target |
| Service linkage | People linked to schemes and services followed up to a known outcome |
| Follow-up | Referrals and applications tracked to closure for most cases |
| Awareness | Awareness sessions delivered to the monthly plan |
| Records | Confidential case records complete and current for every case |
| Safeguarding | Serious cases escalated promptly with safeguarding rules followed |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Case record formats, Scheme and referral directory, Awareness materials, Smartphone for records, Assessment checklists.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Programme Officer, Community Counsellor, Case Manager
Interview questions for a Social Worker
- How do you assess what a family really needs on a first home visit?
- How do you help someone apply for a government scheme they are entitled to?
- How do you keep case information confidential in a close community?
- What do you do when you suspect a child is being neglected or abused?
- How do you follow up so a referral does not fall through the cracks?
- Tell me about a family or person you helped and the outcome.
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What does a social worker do?
A social worker helps individuals and families access support, services and rights. They assess needs, provide guidance, link people to health, education, welfare and legal services, and follow up until issues are resolved. They support vulnerable people, run awareness sessions, keep confidential case records, and escalate serious cases for safeguarding.
What is the difference between a social worker and a counsellor?
A social worker focuses on linking people to services, schemes and entitlements and on wider casework in the community. A counsellor focuses on emotional support and helping people cope with personal issues. Their work overlaps, and many social workers do some counselling, but social work is broader and more about practical support and rights.
What qualifications do you need to be a social worker?
Most social worker roles ask for a graduate or postgraduate degree in social work, so a BSW or MSW is preferred. Local language fluency is important. Employers look for skills in needs assessment, service linkage and awareness work, the ability to keep cases confidential, and genuine empathy for vulnerable people.