Supporting lives with heart - Jasmine Lim

Jasmine believes that as a Lead Social Worker is not merely a job, but a career that requires heart, kindness and empathy.

Heart of Making a Positive Impact

Her journey into social service was influenced by her innate desire to help others. Since young, Jasmine had an interest in social work and enjoyed volunteering. With her heart set on making a positive impact, Jasmine started her journey in social service with pursuing a major in Social Work at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the National University of Singapore.

A Day in the Life

As a Lead Social Worker at Big Love Child Protection Specialist Centre (CPSC), she takes on various responsibilities to ensure the safety and well-being of her clients. She conducts home visits to assess her clients’ living conditions and safety, provides clinical supervisions, engages in case consultations, and even offers crisis support when necessary. At times, she would also work closely with her senior colleagues to provide support in various cases such as escorting clients to hospitals for medical examinations or police stations. Through her dedicated work, she collaborates closely with children, parents, caregivers, and various agencies within the child protection landscape.

Jasmine appreciates this role as it allows her to learn about managing both her clients and her expectations. She finds joy and fulfilment in supporting her clients through stabilising their family situations and building relationships with them.

Furthermore, she values that her job plays a significant role in society as she contributes to societal stability and nurtures future generations of social workers through supervision and support. It also provides her an opportunity to raise awareness of critical issues such as child safety.

The Heart Behind Social Work

Jasmine is quick to share her observations that success in this field entails more than just having a compassionate heart. It requires marrying evidence-based knowledge and applying it with care and empathy to create lasting change in individuals’ lives.

Jasmine believes that acknowledging and celebrating small wins is essential to motivate and foster growth. As the social service sector constantly evolves, she emphasises the value of continuous learning and upskilling that are valuable in tackling new challenges.

She also notes that it is important for social workers to be kind to themselves. The journey of change in social work is not a job where results can be viewed instantly. It can be gradual with many obstacles, and this is where self-compassion becomes vital. Hence, kindness is an essential quality for new entrants as they have to understand that their effort may not always lead to immediate results but every small action matters. This applies to both in their professional lives and personal growth.

Self-love and Support

As her work is rather intensive, Jasmine places great importance on having a good peer support system among her colleagues. Collaborative discussion and support among team members provide valuable insights and help in managing challenging cases. Supervision and guidance from her superiors are essential resources whenever needed to ensure the best outcomes for their clients.

She also finds unwavering support from her family, particularly her husband, who stands as a pillar of support during her night sessions with her clients. He would proudly share her responsibilities of her role with his friends and family.

With a robust support system is vital, Jasmine shares that she bakes and exercises as she underscores the significance of self-love and burnout prevention. Taking breaks, listening to one's body, and engaging in open conversations with peers, supervisors, and family members are effective measures to preserve one's well-being and allow them to sustain the work they are doing.

A role in Social Work is one of many in roles in social services. To find out more, click read about a career in Social Work.