Using social media in school social work<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I work as a school social worker in a comprehensive school and my job is to support students wellbeing, help build a positive school environment and offer easy-to-access support for students who need someone to talk to. My work involves close cooperation with students, parents and school staff. In recent years digital tools and especially social media have become important. They make communication easier, support professional development and give young people support that\u2019s easy to reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Digital tools as part of everyday work<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I use different digital services in my daily work like Wilma, email and video calls such as Teams and Zoom. They make it possible to stay in touch with parents, networks and teachers and they also let me keep records of my work and follow how students are doing at school. Even though these systems are official and often administrative, social media brings a different side to the job. It adds speed, accessibility and a human touch in a way that traditional channels don\u2019t always manage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Digital tools are nowadays natural part of a school social worker\u2019s everyday work. They not only make practical tasks easier but also allow for a more flexible way of working. Remote connections make it possible to arrange meetings when face-to-face contact isn\u2019t possible for example due to illness or long distances. Communication through email and Wilma helps keep the link between home and school going beyond just in-person meetings and supports collaboration in everyday situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Digital tools also make it possible to share things like exercises or videos that support students’ emotional skills or stress management. They offer a chance to strengthen the student\u2019s own initiative and independent work between meetings. On the other hand using digital tools also requires careful thinking especially when it comes to data security and privacy. It\u2019s important to know which tool fits in which situation and how to handle information in a responsible way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using WhatsApp to support contact with students and parents<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WhatsApp is one of the most commonly used ways to communicate among young people and families. Through it I can arrange meetings and be easily reachable for quick everyday matters. Many young people find texting easier than talking face to face and this can be especially helpful when the support they need is related to things like anxiety or nervousness. The app\u2019s speed and simplicity make it an effective tool. Still it\u2019s important to protect privacy and remember not to share any personal information through WhatsApp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Facebook as a tool for support and professional discussion<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’m part of a closed Facebook group for school social workers from all over Finland. In the group people share up-to-date information, ask for advice and offer peer support for everyday work. It\u2019s empowering to see that many other professionals are dealing with similar questions and situations. Through the group I\u2019ve gotten new ideas for things like running student groups and improving forms. This kind of peer network is especially important when you\u2019re working alone as the only social worker in a school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
YouTube as a way to support learning and emotional skills<\/p>\n\n\n\n
YouTube has turned out to be a useful channel for working with emotional skills and well-being. I\u2019ve used videos in mindfulness exercises and as support during conversations about stress, bullying or self-esteem. Videos offer visual and engaging ways to deal with even difficult topics and can also help start conversations. Students often respond positively to videos and using them adds variety to our meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Especially with younger students, videos can help make abstract ideas like empathy easier to understand. It\u2019s also easy to return to the same video later, which supports ongoing learning. I\u2019ve sometimes guided students to watch short exercises at home too, which lets them practice skills at their own pace and gives families tools to support them in daily life. In some cases we\u2019ve searched for videos together that really speak to the student and their experiences, which makes the content feel more personal and meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
YouTube offers a wide range of different kinds of videos, so it\u2019s important to check the reliability and suitability of the content beforehand. It should be educationally sound and ethically appropriate, especially when working with children and young people. When chosen carefully YouTube can be a valuable extra tool that supports student participation and the development of emotional skills in a versatile way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ChatGPT as a tool for planning and content creation<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ChatGPT is a new tool but it has already proven to be really helpful. I use it when planning group sessions or one-on-one meetings. For example, if I\u2019m preparing a session about stress management I can ask for ideas for exercises or get simple explanations about emotions and how the body reacts. Even though I\u2019m always responsible for the final content, ChatGPT works as a great thinking partner and helps me turn ideas into concrete plans. It saves time and lets me focus more on the actual interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LinkedIn as a professional network and source of information<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LinkedIn gives me a way to build a professional profile and connect with others working in social work and education. I follow different organizations and experts there. Through the platform I get up-to-date information about trainings, projects and publications. Even though LinkedIn isn\u2019t directly connected to my work with students, it supports my professional identity and helps me stay updated on changes in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Articles, discussions and experiences shared by other professionals offer perspectives that I can use to improve my own work. The platform also allows me to join conversations and share my own knowledge, which helps me feel part of a wider professional community. This kind of interaction can be inspiring and provide peer support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LinkedIn is also a good tool for putting my skills into words and making them visible. Updating my profile makes me reflect on my expertise and where I want to grow. It supports continuous learning and makes it possible to find new contacts and collaboration opportunities that I might not come across otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even if LinkedIn isn\u2019t used in direct client work, it plays an important role in my professional development and in following current topics. It\u2019s a reminder that a school social worker\u2019s job is part of a broader social and educational context that is always evolving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Benefits and challenges of social media<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using social media brings a lot of opportunities to my work. Through it I can reach students, parents and other professionals quickly. The work feels easier when I have familiar and useful tools. Also professional communities on social media offer support and increase the feeling of belonging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand social media also brings challenges. Data security and privacy are major concerns especially when working with minors. It\u2019s important to keep work and free time separate and make sure using these apps is based on knowledge and careful thought. It\u2019s also important to remember that not all students or families have the same access to digital tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What makes a digital tool successful<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A successful digital tool is easy to use, accessible and truly serves the purpose of the work. It doesn\u2019t replace face-to-face contact but supports it. It\u2019s also important to have clear rules for using it and to make sure the tool is safe. In addition it should be flexible so it can be used in different situations and meet the needs of different user groups. At its best a digital tool makes everyday work easier, increases participation and supports wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Self-reflection<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doing this task made me think about my own digital skills and how I use different apps in my work. I noticed that I already use many social media tools naturally in my daily work but taking a closer look at how I use them was still helpful. I learned new ways to think about digital accessibility and got confirmation that technology can support my work in many ways. In the future I want to develop my skills especially in data security and digital inclusion and encourage other professionals to use digital tools in their everyday work too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Using social media in school social work I work as a school social worker in a comprehensive school and my job is to support students wellbeing, help build a positive school environment and offer easy-to-access support for students who need someone to talk to. My work involves close cooperation with students, parents and school staff. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12762,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-60","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/sonjas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/60","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/sonjas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/sonjas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/sonjas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12762"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/sonjas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/sonjas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/60\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78,"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/sonjas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/60\/revisions\/78"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/sonjas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}