Are you studying a Sociology, Black Studies or Youth Work and Communities degree and want to know what type of job you could consider applying for upon graduating? Here are some of the many roles you could work in after you graduate.
Youth or social worker
Youth workers work in local communities supporting and generating youth and also life-long learning projects. You may work with local schools, arts foundations or universities as part of their widening participation programmes.
It can be a very fulfilling job, as the positive impact you’re having on the community can be tangibly felt, especially working with young people specifically, helping them at a critical point of their development towards adulthood.
Social workers are there to help look after the wellbeing of people in their care, working with the community as a whole, rather than focusing on young people. It is a very varied role, which combines aspects of all three social sciences disciplines. Social workers are an important part of modern society, running critical frontline services that thousands of people rely on. To qualify as a social worker, you will need to undertake further study to gain professional registration, such as our MSc Social Work.
Local government
Interested in overseeing outreach projects on a larger scale? Jobs in local government give you access to such opportunities, where your knowledge of sociology can help in several ways. For example, a role in local government might require you to understand and assess the nature of social issues and analyse sociological data. Or it might be that you need to use the communication skills you have developed, or your knowledge of the factors that provoke division or foster harmony in communities.
Your background could even open the door into local politics – a deep understanding of the inner workings of society would be a great asset to anyone looking to have an impact on the way local authorities and services are run.
Charity
Outside of governmental work, one of the best ways to help those in need is to seek out charity work. Combining sociological knowledge with a genuine desire to help people can lead to a very successful career, with a mountain of good karma on the side!
Plus, charity work is a global concern, so this is a sector that could allow you to see the world. UNICEF alone work in 190 countries, helping to protect children from poverty, disease, and war. Who knows where it could take you!
Social Sciences at BCU
Interested in Social Sciences? Take a look at our courses and apply for the right course for you!
Family support officer
The challenging and varied role of a family support worker is ideal for anyone hoping to make a positive impact on the lives of children, young people, and families.
As a family support worker, you'll offer practical help and emotional support to families experiencing short or long-term difficulties. You'll typically be employed by local authorities' social services departments or charitable organisations.
The focus of your role is to provide support to service users, empowering them to address various challenges, reducing problems and risks and, in some cases, helping to make sure that children can remain with their family.
You might help parents and children with a range of social and personal issues or specialise in a particular area such as domestic abuse, bereavement, or homelessness.
Social researcher
Social researchers design, manage and undertake research projects to investigate social issues such as employment, unemployment, gender, health, education, and social policy, and then report their findings. A social researcher will use a variety of methods to gather their information; this can include questionnaires, focus groups and interviews. Their survey's findings can be used to change social policies or to test the effectiveness of existing policies.