Why Social Work Change Takes Longer Than You Think

Vicki Shevlin
5 days ago
1 min read

Before social work, I studied drama and theatre arts. One module — postmodern art — stuck with me for a surprising reason: it showed me how speed changes perception.

When trains were invented, people’s view of the world literally blurred. Artists began painting not just what things were, but how they appeared when seen at speed. That shift — from static to fast-moving perception — has never left us. And now, with social media and AI, it’s everywhere.

On Instagram, you see a messy room transform in seconds. Online, someone’s “overnight success” looks instant. In social work, we have review meetings every six weeks or three months — and somehow expect life-changing transformation in that time. It’s the same warped idea: speed equals progress.

But humans don’t work that way. Families don’t work that way. And new social workers definitely don’t work that way.

Change takes months, sometimes years. Learning takes repetition. And you’re not “behind” if it hasn’t all clicked after three months or even after your ASYE.

Technology can help us — but it can also trick us into thinking we’re too slow. You’re not. You’re human. And humans need time.

I'm talking about it all in this weeks podcast episode.

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