Teapot

M E L I N D A   V A N   D E R   M E R W E

I am a third year social work student at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. I chose this profession because of the diversity of the field in itself, as not many professions have the opportunity or ability to make a real difference in the lives of the individuals, groups or even communities that they come in contact with every day. I have a passion for people and working with children. For a metaphor that best describes social work, I immediately thought of a tea pot as the most fitting comparison that may perhaps describe all the elements of social work inclusively.

I chose a teapot because …

 … It has a strong and secure exterior which creates a safe environment for the teabag to brew and ferment; this presents an opportunity for the perfect cup of tea to be created. In this ‘social work teapot’ we acknowledge that every person has capacity, which is their own (water in the pot). Each individual also has their own unique personality, dreams and goals – this is represented by the different flavours of tea. Social work as a profession provides people with the necessary resources and creates a safe environment for people to reach their full capacity and be the best versions of themselves. We see their potential – even if they don’t!

What could be better than knowing that you helped create the perfect cup of tea?