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Social & Human Service Assistant

Social & Community

Assist other social and human service providers in providing client services in a wide variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, or social work, including support for families. May assist clients in identifying and obtaining available benefits and social and community services. May assist social workers with developing, organizing, and conducting programs to prevent and resolve problems relevant to substance abuse, human relationships, rehabilitation, or dependent care.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

General

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Assess clients' cognitive abilities and physical and emotional needs to determine appropriate interventions.
  2. 2Develop and implement behavioral management and care plans for clients.
  3. 3Oversee day-to-day group activities of residents in institution.
  4. 4Keep records or prepare reports for owner or management concerning visits with clients.
  5. 5Visit individuals in homes or attend group meetings to provide information on agency services, requirements, or procedures.
  6. 6Submit reports and review reports or problems with superior.
  7. 7Assist in locating housing for displaced individuals.
  8. 8Interview individuals or family members to compile information on social, educational, criminal, institutional, or drug history.
  9. 9Provide information or refer individuals to public or private agencies or community services for assistance.
  10. 10Consult with supervisor concerning programs for individual families.
  11. 11Advise clients regarding food stamps, child care, food, money management, sanitation, or housekeeping.
  12. 12Demonstrate use and care of equipment for tenant use.
  13. 13Assist in planning food budgets, using charts or sample budgets.
  14. 14Assist clients with preparation of forms, such as tax or rent forms.
  15. 15Explain rules established by owner or management, such as sanitation or maintenance requirements or parking regulations.
  16. 16Observe clients' food selections and recommend alternate economical and nutritional food choices.
  17. 17Observe and discuss meal preparation and suggest alternate methods of food preparation.
  18. 18Transport and accompany clients to shopping areas or to appointments, using automobile.
  19. 19Inform tenants of facilities, such as laundries or playgrounds.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • SSD
  • Advocate
  • Case Aide
  • Home Visitor
  • Service Aide
  • Welfare Aide
  • House Visitor
  • Intake Worker
  • Case Work Aide
  • Child Advocate

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

BiologyDraws directly on Therapy and Counseling — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Sports ScienceDraws directly on Therapy and Counseling — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administrative — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Customer and Personal Service90%
  • Psychology86%
  • Therapy and Counseling79%

    BiologySports Science

  • English Language75%

    English

  • Administrative67%

    Business

  • Sociology and Anthropology65%

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Handling conflict situationsOften
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentEvery day

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Teach parenting techniques to family members.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

29%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: School / Career Counsellor

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

International Pre-U

A-Levels, AUSMAT, IB and more. The flexible premium route, local or overseas.

1–2 years

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Social and Human Service Assistants

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue