Valerie Persaud (right) interviews HIV counselor, author Petra Mangum.

When National Association of Social Workers member Valerie Persaud, MSW, tells people about her profession she often gets the same response.

“Every time I tell somebody I’m a social worker they assume I work in the Division of Youth and Family Services or that I’m a case worker,” said Persaud, who lives in Essex County, NJ.

Instead of getting upset, Persaud decided to do something to give the public a look at the wide range of things social workers actually do. She launched “Inside Social Work,” a public access television program that airs on Cablevision and Comcast in New Jersey and YouTube on the Internet.

Persaud also does a live, call-in radio program on Blogtalkradio.com/Deltatron every Sunday at 8 p.m.

Persaud, a senior pastor, conducts the programs in conjunction with J.R. Media Ministries, the media outreach arm of the Jehovah Rapha International Church and Ministries. She has already taped more than 15 half hour television episodes, enough to air weekly into the summer.

“Inside Social Work” now airs in three New Jersey towns. Persaud hopes it will be shown in 15 to 20 New Jersey counties by the end of February.

The program covers many of the issues social workers help clients grapple with, including living with disabilities, moving from welfare to work, getting a job after leaving prison, sexual assault, HIV/AIDS, breast cancer awareness and spirituality and recovery.

Coming up with episode ideas, booking guests and taping programs is a lot of hard work, she admits. But Persaud says it is worth it.

 ”Well, I love what I do,” Persaud said. “I want people to know about it. It seems like (social workers) are in the closet.”

To learn more about the many kinds of services social workers provide, visit the NASW’s “Help Starts Here” Web pages by clicking here. You can also follow Persaud on her “Inside Social Work/The TV Show” Facebook page and Blog Talk Radio Web site. To go to her Facebook page, click here and to hear her radio program click here. Persaud also has a Web page, www.valeriepersaud.com.

But New Jersey social worker Dr. Virginia “Ginny” Klein did more than kvetch. Ginny, PhD, LCSW, ACSW, launched her own local cable access program to promote our profession.

“Through the Looking Glass” airs on Comcast Cable’s Channel 280 in Somerset, N.J., on Fridays at 10 p.m. and Saturdays at 3 p.m. Ginny uses her program to enact sessions with “clients.”

The clients are portrayed by other social workers. There are no scripts and scenes are totally improvised, she said.

“Through the Looking Glass” first aired in 1990 and recently taped its 407^th episode. It covers many problems social workers help their clients overcome, including marital issues, anxiety, and conflicts with friends and family.

“I’ve got just about everything that will cause dysfunction in a person’s life,” she said of the show’s topics.

Ginny got started in the television business back in the late 1980s. She was at relaxing at home with her son Earl when he said, “People just look at television and are not listening to their teenagers.”

That comment got Klein thinking and prompted her to launch her first local cable access program that addressed teen issues such as alcohol, drugs, dating and divorce. That program was nominated for a 1988 CableACE Award. Klein taped 76 episodes of the teen program before the cable company cancelled it.

Besides her television program Klein sees clients in real life and trains social workers in the United States and Switzerland.

She says “Through the Looking Glass” serves dual roles. It educates the public about the life-improving services social workers provide. And social workers who watch the show gain tips on how to do their jobs better.

“I think the show is wide reaching,” she said. “I’m very pleased.”

By Greg Wright, NASW

EXTRA: To watch Ginny’s 400th episode click here. The video was provided courtesy of Caz Bielen of Premiere Media. And to learn more about Ginny visit her Web site by clicking here.