Human Services Workers

The National Organization for Human Services offers membership categories for high school and college students. Members receive access to useful articles and webinars, get the chance to participate in youth-led initiatives and leadership training programs, receive one-on-one mentoring sessions with industry experts, have the opportunity to apply for scholarships, and receive access to many other resources.

To get an idea of the requirements of human service, volunteer your time to a local human services agency or institution. Church organizations also involve young people in volunteer work, as do the Red Cross, Scouting America, and the Girl Scouts. Volunteer work can include reading to blind or elderly people and visiting nursing homes and halfway homes. You might get involved in organizing group recreation programs at the YMCA or YWCA or performing light clerical duties in an office. You can also encourage any high school organizations to which you belong to become actively involved in charity work.

Some members of high school organizations also perform social services within their own schools, educating classmates on the dangers of gangs, unsafe sex, and substance abuse. By being actively involved in your community, you can gain experience in human services as well as build up a history of volunteer service that will impress future employers.

Other ways to learn more about this career include participating in information interviews and job-shadowing experiences with human services workers and getting involved in summer exploration programs in social work and social justice. The “Service in the City” Day Camp is one such exploration program. It is offered each summer by The Catholic University of America. Visit https://ncsss.catholic.edu/academics/social-work-pre-college-program for more information.