Social Worker: Older Persons, Ref No. DSD 28/2025 at Western Cape Government

Job Purpose    

• The Department of Social Development, Western Cape Government has opportuniies for a suitably qualified and competent social worker to provide social work services within the service delivery areas through the promotion of social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance social well-being.

Minimum Requirements    

• A relevant tertiary qualification in Social Work (Bachelor of Social Work) that allows professional registration with the South African Council for Social Service Professions as Social Worker; Registration with the South African Council for Social Service Professions as a Social Worker; Grade 1: No experience; Grade 2: A minimum of 10 years appropriate experience in Social Work after registration as a Social Worker with the South African Council for Social Service Professions; Grade 3: A minimum of 20 years appropriate experience in Social Work after registration as a Social Worker with the South African Council for Social Service Professions; Grade 4: A minimum of 30 years appropriate experience in Social Work after registration as a Social Worker with the South African Council for Social Service Professions.

Recommendation    

• None.

Key Performance Areas    

• Render a social work service with regard to the care, support, protection and development of vulnerable individuals, groups, families, communities and organisations through the relevant programmes.  Attend to any other matters that could result in, or stem from, social instability in any form; Evaluate NPOs compliance against Legislative /Programme Specific and Generic Norms and Standards; Monitoring of the implementation of the Service Delivery Improvement Plan where progress is unsatisfactory; Rapid response following complaint/enquiries about NPOs, or a concern raised; Ensure compliance with registration requirements of NPO’s (regulatory frameworks); Continuous Professional Development.  Keep up to date with new developments in the social work and social welfare fields; Perform all the administrative functions required of the job.

Competencies    

• Knowledge of the following: Supervision Framework for Social Workers; Human behaviour and social systems and skills to intervene at the points where people interact with their environments in order to promote social well-being; Social work theory and interventions; Information and Knowledge Management; Protocol and professional ethics; Relevant legislation, policies and prescripts (norms and standards); Social dynamics, work values and principles; Developing and empowering others;

Skills needed:

• Challenge structural sources of poverty, inequality, oppression, discrimination and exclusion; Written and verbal communication;Report-writing; Self-management; Motivation; Good Planning and organising; Problem solving and analytical; Computer literacy; Presentation and facilitation; Client orientation and customer focus; Ability and competence to assist, develop, advocate for, and empower individuals, families, groups, organisations and communities to enhance their social functioning and their problem-solving capabilities; Ability to promote, restore, maintain, advocate for and enhance the functioning of individuals, families, groups, communities and organisations by enabling them to accomplish tasks, prevent and alleviate distress and use resources effectively.