Caroline Vance, MSW, LCSW. graduated from Ivy Tech Community College in 2013 with a degree in Human Services, then transferred to IUPUI where she received her BSW in 2015. After taking some time off to have her son she graduated with her MSW in 2018. She took her first official job as a social worker in 2015 following graduation and currently works for the Marion County Public Defender Agency.

Technically, Caroline chose social work, but ultimately, she felt like it chose her. Caroline knew she wanted to be in a “helping” field, so she tossed around teaching and nursing, among others, before deciding to take Human Services 101 during her first semester at Ivy Tech. From the moment she began taking that class she just knew social work was it for her.

Caroline uses her social work degree every day in all aspects of her life. Professionally, she interacts with clients and/or provides clinical supervision daily. Personally, she leans into her education when discerning what is behaviorally appropriate for her small children or problem solving around familial difficulties. Within the community, she uses her clinical skills to inform the public and advocate for systemic criminal/legal system reform.

According to Caroline, the biggest benefit of being a social worker is seeing the change. She has worked with hundreds of clients and has seen what listening, believing, and empowering can do. She knows that strengths exist within all of us and has seen some amazing feats of resilience; Caroline continues to feel lucky that her clients allow her to work alongside them.

Many small things have added up to Caroline being the social worker she is today. She is proud of the talks that she has given, the reports that she has written, the testimony she has provided, and the constant fight to reform the criminal/legal, foster care, and child welfare systems that she has worked within.

Caroline says the biggest challenge coming from within the field is our struggle to identify where we fit within the current sociopolitical climate we’re operating in. Historically, social workers have done great work and have also caused great harm. As we move forward in this unprecedented time, we must come together and honor the NASW Code of Ethics – every single person is worthy of dignity and respect – no matter their religion, who they love, their skin color, their place of birth, their criminal history, their bad choices, the number of times they have tried and failed – none of that impacts what we are called to do and we must know better and do better, constantly.

People will tell you that social work is hard, does not pay enough, and is thankless – take that with a grain of salt. Yes, it is hard work, but it is so rewarding. True, we deserve more pay, but there will always be a job for you. Thankless? Hardly. “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.” -RBG