Insights re pre-degree social work volunteer work experience in Toronto

[SearchForMeaning]

Hello everyone,

A little bit of background on me before I dive into the topic of this thread itself. I live in Toronto, and have applied to  2-year ("regular track") MSW programs offered in GTA universities. Applying for an MSW is a career change for me (I'm currently in law), and a fairly "stark" one,  in that it's a decision that isn't based on my work experiences per se, but  other personal experiences which give me a strong gut feeling that social work is a field that I will generally find more satisfaction and purpose in (at least for me!) than conventional legal roles. I am going into this field with an open mind, but what has motivated the decision to apply for an MSW in the first place is the prospect of doing clinical social work practice. 

 

I am still working effectively full-time in law (but on a 4-day per week schedule), but while I wait to see if I get accepted into the programs I applied to, I wanted to take up an additional volunteer or part-time work commitment that at least helps give me some sense of what social-work-adjacent work is like, and the different ways I can use an MSW.

This where I turn to you: does anybody have any good experiences or insights to share regarding volunteer or part-time work opportunities (1-2 days a week) they've had in the past, either before or during MSW studies, in Toronto? Specifically: the type of positions you do not need BSW/MSW qualifications for? If there is anything that approaches counselling-type work, all the better. 

 

Simply diving into a volunteer/job search online and applying to whatever random places/positions I can find is a little overwhelming. Even just a good word or two about anyone's previous volunteer/work experiences, and what they gained from it, might help start giving me a better sense of where to look

Thanks in advance for reading and responding!