Probation Officer
Make sure offenders stick to the rules of their probation.
As a Family Support Worker, you have the opportunity to affect the lives of those most in need of your services. If you’re a natural Caregiver and Educator, a job as a Family Support Worker is a great opportunity to use those skills.
Your clients vary depending on what field you work in, but they might include a wide range of people, from the elderly to those still in the womb. Pregnant teenagers, new parents, families going through rough times, and grandparents in nursing homes all rely on Family Support Workers for help in finding the aid they need.
Whether it’s a wife trying to escape an abusive relationship, a scared first-time mom, or an elderly man who needs a ride to the Doctor each week, you’re there to provide care. You hook them up with phone numbers for transportation services, medical care, job placement, housing, and counseling. Or you might drive them yourself, provide meal deliveries, or just be there to listen and offer positive support. You might also spend a few weeks educating and helping new parents deal with the stress of providing care for an infant.
You might work at a counseling office, or offer your services at a group home, senior center, or adult-care facility. Regardless of where you are, this job is its own reward when you see families set goals, formulate plans for the future, learn from you, and set out on their own.
Flexible: You're open to change and think variety is the spice of life.
Helpful: You always keep an eye out for what other people need.
Team Player: You're able to listen, communicate, and work with tons of different people.
Nationally: $26,000 – $68,000
Main education level: Master's
source: US Dept of Labor