Florida Social Workers Go International

Written by Sam Medley

In 2024, the BBC reported that more people than ever are avoiding the news — 39% compared to 29% in 2017. Many say hearing about world affairs makes them feel powerless, that the 24-hour news cycle is a drain on their mental health.

But instead of tuning out, others are tuning in and, more importantly, rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty.

From January to August 2024, almost 7 million out of 8.5 million Ukrainians who needed humanitarian aid received it — a miraculous accomplishment in a region where few places are truly safe.

And in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, gang violence has disrupted food shipments from foreign aid organizations. But in an ingenious move, international workers and locals focused their efforts on bolstering local farms, circumventing supply chain issues and getting food to those on the verge of starvation.

However, those two crises are only the tip of the iceberg. But no matter where people are threatened by war, natural disaster, poverty, or persecution, international social workers are at the forefront. And if you’re thinking about a career in international social work yourself, Florida is a great place to get started.

What Can Florida Social Workers Do on the International Scene?

Florida social workers with an international career focus travel the world to help communities build the social support structures so many of us take for granted. Whether a community needs short-term aid or long-term support, international social workers are there to help.

International social workers:

Help local leaders set up schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, and other community resources.
Run food drives, immunization programs, and other initiatives in areas that lack basic resources.
Counsel victims of human trafficking, war, and other traumatic events.
Put the international spotlight on gender inequality, child labor, political violence, LGBTQ+ rights, and other systemic issues.
Train local support personnel to help their own communities, maintain resources, and create new social service programs.
Share their experiences with the public, news agencies, international organizations, and legislators in their own countries so they can all play a part in relief efforts.
Facilitate international adoptions and family reunifications.

Social workers from Florida can take part in any of these efforts in any number of places. However, because of its location, the state is a launching pad for more than space missions. It’s a launching pad for humanitarian efforts all around Central America and the Caribbean.

In Naples, you’ll find Hope for Haiti HQ, a nonprofit that brings healthcare, education, clean water systems, and more to a country besieged by natural disasters and political unrest. And since 1983, Miami-based Salvadoran American Humanitarian Foundation has provided similar support to the people of El Salvador. A big part of their mission is partnering with local organizations on everything from bolstering the country’s STEM workforce to serving diabetics with little-to-no access to proper care.

How Florida Social Workers Can Get into International Social Work with a Specialized MSW

No matter where you feel called to serve, international social workers generally need two things: a Master of Social Work (MSW) and some stateside experience. Fortunately, Florida is a great place to find both. While your journey to a career in global advocacy might look a bit different, here’s a five-step game plan to get you started.

Step 1: Earn a BSW (and consider a minor or focus in international social work)

Your first step in joining the international social work community is earning a bachelor’s degree. While you can prepare for your career with many types of degrees (social justice, women’s studies, etc.), Earning a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is the natural way to prepare for a career in social work and front-load the curriculum you need to eventually become licensed in Florida.

Any CSWE-accredited BSW program will teach career focused skills in counseling techniques, case management, and crisis intervention. It’s all designed to prepare social workers for the modern world of social services delivery, but with enough historical context for students to come away understanding the roots of poverty and injustice in America.

But choosing a BSW with a minor or focus in international social work adds in a course sequence that offers a decidedly global perspective on these issues and the work taking place to support people around the world through international relief organizations.

Adding in a few electives can steer your education even further in that direction, so you might consider classes in:

If you’ve already earned a bachelor’s degree but it’s not in a field that translates to international social work, you can still get into the field. In fact, you can get an MSW with no prior social work education or experience. However, if you earn a BSW, you’ll be qualified for Advanced Standing admissions in an MSW program later on, which could reduce your completion time by a full year.

Step 2: Earn a Master of Social Work

In preparing to become an international social worker, you can focus your education around becoming a frontline professional providing direct support and counseling with a clinical track or prepare for program management and policy administration with a generalist track.

Florida is home to MSW programs designed to get you started on either path. You aren’t limited exclusively to the CSWE-accredited degree programs offered through social work schools based in Florida. You’ll find that both local schools of social work and those available from other parts of the country are available to you when you explore the wide world of online MSW programs.

Clinical MSW Programs for Frontline Positions

In one way or another, mental and emotional health play a big part in relief initiatives of all kinds — and that’s exactly what Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) specialize in. In Florida, the US, and across the world, LCSWs are the only type of social worker who can diagnose mental health disorders and provide advanced psychotherapeutic treatment.

Clinical MSW programs train future LCSWs to carry out these duties, but they also prepare them to:

Coordinate with other professionals and agencies.
Assess individual and community-wide needs.
Train and supervise other behavioral health professionals.
Conduct social research.
Help communities establish social support networks.
Run clinical programs that combine behavioral health services with other resources.

Whether a region is affected by a natural disaster, war, poverty, or years of oppression, the services clinically-trained social workers provide are crucial.

If this is the path for you, you’re in luck. Clinical social work tracks are an option at nearly every CSWE-accredited MSW in Florida.

The Barry University MSW program focuses specifically on helping people process trauma, a fitting option if you’re interested in disaster relief or working in regions affected by war. At Florida International University, you can pair your clinical MSW with a Master of Public Health. This might be especially helpful if you want to help countries battle malaria, HIV, and other public health crises.

Macro and Advanced Generalist Programs for Administration and Policy

International aid requires endless amounts of coordination. There are funds to manage, communities to assess, visas and permits to keep up with, and international awareness campaigns to lead. And for people to be able to access relief programs, agency administrators must foster cooperation between their own teams and local leaders.

While that may sound like a lot to learn, macro social work degree programs can prepare you to serve at this level.

Macro social work is a specialty that focuses on empowering entire communities and overseeing social service programs. Through a macro-level MSW program, you’ll learn how to:

Evaluate existing social service programs.
Design new programs that meet a community’s holistic needs (medical, mental, social, spiritual, etc.).
Work with other agencies and government organizations to enact policies that champion human rights, environmental reform, and other social issues.
Manage your organization’s resources.
Oversee diverse teams of professionals.
Navigate the complex legal structure social service agencies operate in.

Florida State University offers a Social Work Leadership program that can be combined with a Master’s in Business Administration or Public Administration — a great combo if you plan to handle the logistics of international service programs. They also offer a clinical degree option and have a robust study abroad program open to both BSW and MSW students.

If you want to use your administrative skills to champion human rights, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University’s macro program offers classes on topics like the dynamics of oppression and empowerment in addition to courses on social service administration.

Step 3 (For Clinical Social Workers): Earn Your Clinical Social Work License

In Florida itself, the licensing process for social workers is relatively straightforward. In most cases, you only need a license to become an LCSW and practice clinical social work.

Macro-level, non-clinical social workers don’t engage in the kind of work that requires them to be granted state legal authority through licensure. Still, the Certified Master Social Worker (CMSW) credential is always an option for those with the kind of generalist expertise that comes after years of experience and is worth considering as you advance in your career.

To become an LCSW in Florida, you’ll have to earn an MSW in clinical practice, complete two years of supervised work experience after graduation, and pass a national licensing exam.

But if you plan on working outside the country, do you really need to take those steps?

The short answer is yes, but only if clinical practice is your goal. Because international social workers typically need stateside experience before working abroad, licensure is a must.

But on top of that, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) says many nonprofits and non-government organizations that provide humanitarian aid form agreements with foreign governments. In many cases, these agreements say that as long as workers are licensed in the US, they’re generally exempt from meeting a foreign country’s licensing laws. However, it’s important to get more specific information from your host country’s government and your employer.

Professional Certifications for International Social Workers

Whether you’re a clinical or macro social worker, another thing to consider as you begin your journey is earning professional certifications. While not legally required, professional certifications can help you stand out to employers and carve out a niche for yourself on the international stage.

Here’s a few nationally- and internationally-recognized organizations that offer professional certifications.

Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB) has partners in 130 countries, UK-based CFAB works with governments and agencies everywhere to protect children and reunite families. With very accessible requirements making it open to nearly any professional social worker, their International Social Work Certificate program includes classes on international adoption, gender-based violence, and family-based issues.

And, of course, you have the elective Certified Master Social Worker (CSMW) certification through the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling. Designed specifically for administrators and community-focused professionals, CMSW certification can be a huge help when looking for roles with nonprofits.

Step 4: Look for Stateside Job Opportunities

You might be able to find an international social work job without much experience, but it certainly helps to have a proven track record. Realistically, you can gain experience by working for just about any kind of social service agency as a clinical social worker or an administrator.

However, in Florida, you’re in the unique position to gain valuable international social work experience without ever leaving the state.

The Department of Children and Families has the largest federally-funded refugee services program in the nation. Every year, the DCF and their network of regional nonprofit partners deliver resettlement services to over 5,000 refugees and people seeking asylum, including unaccompanied minors and victims of human trafficking.

Outside of the government sector, you’ll find a rich tapestry of organizations that help refugees and immigrants in other ways, too — legal advocacy firms, community-based healthcare clinics, adoption agencies, and more.

For example, in the ongoing battle for immigrant rights, there’s perhaps no bigger champion in the state than the Florida Immigration Center. While they help individuals with deportation hearings, educational benefits, and a slew of other issues, they also help immigrant communities build their own support networks and run public education campaigns.

Step 5: Look for Job Opportunities with International Aid Organizations

With an MSW, a license or certification, and some experience under your belt, you’ll be more than ready to dip your toes in international waters. You can start by exploring opportunities through UNICEF, the Peace Corps, the Red Cross, and the World Health Organization. During your studies and before getting full-time employment, you can even look to these organizations for volunteer, fellowship, and internship opportunities.

However, Florida has some even more unique opportunities for international social workers just starting out.

Headquartered in Tallahassee, the International Rescue Committee is active in dozens of countries running programs focused on education, health, economic stability, and policy reform. Their full-time staff includes social service professionals of every stripe. And while All Hearts and Hands is headquartered in Massachusetts, they coordinate natural disaster relief efforts in Florida, Hawaii, Mexico, Nepal, and the Philippines meaning you have the chance to serve your own community and people around the world.