Social work jobs abroad
Hi all! I've been researching for a while and can't seem to find guidance on this. I'm a clinical social work student anticipating graduating, and I'm planning ahead to find opportunities to work abroad in Canada, Europe, or Latin America (I'm flexible!). I speak Spanish and have several years' work experience doing bilingual social service work with youth from immigrant families (counseling, health education, youth development programming).
I'd like to continue working with immigrant, migrant, refugee, or trafficked youth abroad -- most likely doing agency work or school social work. I have some international experience, having interned in the DR, studied abroad in Spain, and traveled extensively.
Questions for folks who are using (or looking to use) their social work degrees abroad:
- How have you gone about your search?
- Thoughts on most accessible countries/regions to immigrate to with this skill set?
- Any suggestions for fellowships or scholarships (no matter how selective)? (e.g., I may apply for a Fulbright; I don't qualify for Peace Corps)
I know this is a tough game, but I'm scrappy and flexible and not much puts me off. Many thanks!
You might have to think more laterally, and find some way to use your skills in some other capacity.
I have a friend who is a social worker and is Irish. She was thinking about applying to emigrate to Australia a year ago, and we looked up all the info about it. At the time, Australia was in need of social workers (particularly those who would work in rural and regional areas), and they were making the application process for immigrants easier for people who had these skills. So, maybe you could look into it? Not much Spanish spoken here though!