Perhaps you’re interested in a job working directly with people, but you’re not quite sure that the healthcare field is right for you. There are still plenty of options to choose from.
Consider the following people-focused jobs that make a difference in the world:
Social and community service occupations help people cope with and overcome life’s many challenges — from abuse and neglect to poverty and social injustice. For instance, someone who works in the social work industry may provide coping skills and rehabilitation to an individual who is struggling with substance use disorder, racial prejudice, a young mother in need of financial assistance or a hospitalized elderly patient who has suffered from abuse. Social work is a challenging, hybrid field that blends advocacy, social services and mentoring services.
A youth development coordinator, also known as a youth program coordinator, focuses on empowering and uplifting children and adolescents. They develop and implement programs designed to help enrich the lives of youths, such as helping them further their education or their personal development. Youth development coordinators play an instrumental role in helping at-risk children and teens stay out of trouble and on track toward a better life.
Homeless outreach specialists engage with unhoused individuals, often by traveling to shelters and tent cities and by walking around a high-risk area to identify people in need of services. They focus on building trust and relationships with unhoused individuals and connecting them to community resources that can help them get off the streets. Housing, education, employment, healthcare and substance use treatment are all critical priorities for homeless populations everywhere.
This professional is a case manager or social services provider who specializes in working with convicted offenders who have left or are preparing to leave the prison system. Reintegrating into society is exceptionally challenging for offenders, particularly if they have been incarcerated for long periods of time.
Socio-emotional reintegration aside, formerly incarcerated individuals can find it difficult to obtain housing and gainful employment, given their record. These problems may lead to recidivism. Correctional treatment specialists help rehabilitated offenders become productive members of society, connecting them to education, employment and housing resources, with the goal of reducing recidivism rates.
Special education teachers work with students who have a range of learning, cognitive, socioemotional, physical and developmental delays and disorders. They serve as mentors, advocates and teachers, adapting lessons to suit the needs of each student. With the help of a devoted special education teacher, students with exceptionalities can work toward overcoming their challenges and potentially pursue a productive life, both during their school years and after graduation.
