Social worker for the blind retires after 38 years

The retirement of David R. Neideigh, who spent 38 years in service of handicapped and visually impaired elderly clients, highlights a rich career in social work, the Reading Eagle reports.

Since 1976, Neideigh has headed the Berks County Association for the Blind. Currently, the center serves nearly 700 clients. It offers support groups, a talking books program and a workshop in which handicapped residents volunteer for local hospitals, according to the news outlet.

Neideigh first volunteered for the association during his senior year of college. He later accepted a job offer to become the workshop's supervisor. Speaking to the Reading Eagle, he said, "I was applying for jobs in my field and wasn't really getting anywhere because they wanted experience. So I thought this was a way to get experience, never expecting to stay here."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), volunteering is an excellent way to gauge interest in social work. Many students who are pursuing a master’s in social work may have had their interest in the field sparked when they first volunteered.

The BLS adds that social workers are expected to create positive, sustained relationships with clients. Extensive experience working with the needy, and an advanced degree, can open the door to supervisory roles in this field.  

POSTED BY: ec_admin - January 13th, 2011 at 03:27pm ( 0 )