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Chapter 1 An Introduction to Human Services 7
These care providers offer a wide variety of
services. For example, some agencies provide
housing assistance for people with low income.
Some offer fi nancial education and assistance
to single parents. Other agencies provide
counseling to those in grief. Some offer
after-school activities for young teens and
day care for older adults. Still others offer
nutrition advice for young parents or supply
temporary housing for people in transition. For
every identifi ed personal need, there is usually
a provider that can allocate (distribute) the
resources to meet the need.
Human services care providers employ
human services workers to coordinate access to
services, helping to simplify complex problems
people face. People who receive services range
from the very young to the very old. Human
services workers serve those who have few
emotional resources and those who have many.
They serve the underprivileged and sometimes
the very privileged. They serve the unskilled
and the skilled. They serve the dependent
and the independent. They also serve those
who need assistance and those who can help
themselves (Figure 1.2). Sometimes they serve
people struggling with addictions.
Human services workers are ready to offer
a helping hand to people struggling with life’s
countless obstacles. They do their best to help others meet their own
needs. They understand and appreciate the human condition. For those
who enjoy working with people, human services careers can provide
ample opportunity.
Reading Recall
1. What is human services?
2. Name one common goal of human services professionals.
3. List three types of services provided by human services care
providers.
4. What does the term allocate mean?
5. Describe the type of people human services workers serve.
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Figure 1.2 Some human services workers assist
older adults with daily living tasks, transportation, and
simple companionship. Why do you think compassion
for others is an important personal trait for human
services workers?