Within the context of social work, social action is a method of professional practice implying an organized effort to either change or improve social and economic institutions through the mobilization and organization of the community. Compared to other methods of social work, social action underlines the essential changes in social institutions. It covers social, religious, and political reforms, as well as aims to establish social justice and civil liberty. Delivering food and personal hygiene products to vulnerable members of the community, including the elderly, was the social action in which I have recently participated.
The main issue that the social action pursued was concerned with ensuring the well-being of vulnerable individuals in the community. By engaging non-profit organizations as well as local businesses, the social action managed to gather enough products to cover all vulnerable individuals.
The target population included individuals without housing, single mothers, as well as the elderly without family support. The critical demand that the social action facilitated targeted the local government, which should have provided the necessary resources for living without engaging the community or local businesses. The activists called for the overview of the situation with the lacking resources to ensure that vulnerable individuals are offered the support they needed.
The main benefit of social action was getting the community closer. The owners of local businesses offered products that were vital to vulnerable people. Other activists who delivered the food and other products got to know each other, which eventually created a strong system of support. The action should serve as an example for communities, especially at these uncertain times with the global pandemic. By knowing each other’s needs and supporting one another, it is possible to overcome anything.
Establishing relevant theoretical perspectives to define the appropriate interventions in the social work field effectively is crucial. Analyzing the case study of Gillian Hayes, the two chosen approaches are task-centered, working alongside motivational interviewing. Both methods can provide relevant insights into the potential issues and solutions according to the client’s needs. However, the limitations and additional challenges in implementation must be determined to form the overall pattern of the situation.
The first chosen theoretical perspective is the task-centered approach, implemented to create collaborative interactions with Gillian to resolve her concerns. Task-centered social work is a method of assisting clients in achieving their objectives and resolving pressing issues. Interpersonal conflict, social unhappiness, relationships in formal groups, trouble performing roles, issues with social transition, excessive emotional trauma, and insufficient resources may arise (Hosseini-Asl et al., 2020). The client’s desire to address the issue on their own or in partnership with the social worker must be expressed to detect difficulties. The approach’s fundamental steps are as follows: identifying the problems as viewed by the client, exploring the issue in depth, choosing the condition that is causing the client the most anxiety as the objective for assistance, defining a purpose that eliminates or diminishes the trouble, and evaluating the final result. Evaluation investigates if the person has attained the intended outcome and whether the issue has been fixed or lessened. Client relationships place a strong emphasis on a compassionate but team effort.
Client and practitioner agree and acknowledge the target issues to be addressed, as well as the project’s objectives and time frame. The practitioner’s duties include planning sessions for group problem-solving work and occasionally performing duties on the client’s behalf. Such collaboration must include the principle of planned brevity and interventions scheme and patterns. Consequently, the process must be realized through the emphasizing core values of the approach. They include partnership and client engagement, which demand the client define issues from their point of view and set personally meaningful objectives (Hosseini-Asl et al., 2020). Inequalities in authority, responsibilities, or roles must be made clear to forge a meaningful partnership. The customer, who is the best expert on their concerns, should also characterize the issue from their perspective. Finally, the social worker must recognize and make clear this power difference while attempting to collaborate with the client to achieve their objectives.
This approach is specifically critical regarding Gillian’s situation due to her fear of loneliness and family relationships, alongside problems with communication in her environment. The collaboration, however, is crucial because Gillian expressed struggles with being viewed as helpless and alone. Hence, she should be encouraged to establish her perspective and goal while feeling support from the social worker. The case study’s data shows that she has already established a friendly attitude towards care workers Bernice. Nevertheless, while working through the communication issue, it is essential to mention Gillian’s prejudice against people of different nationalities and her critical attitude toward her daughter’s personal life. Finally, the task-centered method can effectively manage the issue of dependence and helplessness. The planning must be simple and include activities forming Gillian’s positive self-image to reduce anxiety about her age-related difficulties. The language of tasks and communication between the worker and Gillian must be simple without professional jargon so that the client feels comfortable and not as a medical patient.
However, the potential limitation of the approach may occur due to Gillian’s perception of the situation. While she forms critical assumptions about other professionals of care, she can reject help from a worker who does not meet her personal views. Other issues may appear during the stage of identifying and resolving obstacles. The data shows that Gillian was embarrassed to use the commode, and her anxiety can be challenging to address all relevant concerns that provoke stress in the client’s life.
There are still several strengths of the approach regarding the case study. The main advantage is a generic strategy in the idea that it has the potential to solve a number of issues and challenges. It is simple to apply in various settings and in combination with other theories and methodologies. As an illustration, a social worker might start by using motivational interviewing with Gillian, who is hesitant to change, and then switch to task-centered social work when she is ready to take steps to address the identified issue. It is something that will be covered in more detail. The method is empowering since it involves a relationship between the social worker and the client. In this procedure, the social worker and client are equally involved, accountable, and able to gain feedback on their collaboration (Ray et al., 2018). The strategy has consistently been the topic of investigation, and it has been determined to be an efficient way to work that is also affordable. Although clients describe the problem and the solution, the approach integrates elements of dynamic social systems. Thus, Gillian is not positioned as the center of intervention or to be the cause of the issue; such an approach reduces her anxiety level.
Another theoretical perspective that can benefit Gillian’s case is the application of motivational interviewing (MI) as a supporting method to a task-centered approach. A technique in social work known as motivational interviewing increases a person’s motivation and dedication to changing their behavior by assisting them in resolving their uncertainty about the changes. It encourages a collaborative relationship between medical professionals and their patients, allowing them to show compassion, get to know one another, understand their perspectives, and support them in making changes. Older adults can benefit most from MI because they frequently have numerous medical conditions and demand treatment plans.
When a patient is having trouble making the required changes or is undecided about the changes needed, it is suitable considering employing MI as a supporting practice. The acronym PACE, which stands for partnership, acceptance, compassion, and evocation, represents the guiding principles of MI (Frost et al., 2018). The method includes working with the client as equals while balancing the authority roles in the process. It is similar to the task-centered approach and the client’s image in that theoretical framework. However, while in the task-centered intervention, the social worker remains the authority with apparent power, MI empowers clients as experts on their behaviors and feelings. Such an approach allows them to express their concerns and fears more freely.
Another principle is centered around the acceptance of the patient without judgment. At the same time, the professional should avoid confrontation during the interviewing process. Finally, compassion presents the crucial element of the MI process, during which the worker must be empathetic and advocate for the patient. According to a MI perspective, rejection of care happens when the client feels their freedom or autonomy is being violated or when they disagree with the clinician’s assessment of the issue or proposed remedy (Frost et al., 2018). These encounters frequently have their roots in the client’s resistance to change.
Basic motivational interviewing techniques include various aspects that can be implemented in Gillian’s case study. The theoretical approach should be included as a stage before the task-centered method to develop the necessary relationship with Gillian and address some issues. The first component of the intervention should include open-ended questions that do not include a direct yes-or-no response and encourage explanation, understanding, and change dialogue. It can help Gillian to begin the communication of her fears and core issues, such as her relationships with her daughter. The reflection practice should support it, including holding a mirror or repeating the client’s comments. It aims to convey empathy by showing that Gillian’s point of view is understood, highlighting inconsistencies, and reinforcing change discussion to show the potential outcomes of changes. One of the results may be improved relationships with the daughter and a better understanding of society.
On the other hand, affirmations can effectively address the fear of being helpless and other age-related concerns. Summarizing is the last interviewing intervention to conclude what happened in a conversation or the counseling session. Consequently, it conveys understanding, shows interest, and draws attention to crucial aspects of the topic that must be worked through in the following cooperation process. Based on this interview, further task-centered interventions must be planned and adjusted according to the discovered peculiarities of Gillian’s character.
The approach may be challenging due to Gillian’s attitude regarding family relationships. Her strong political and social disagreement with her daughter can be harder to resolve. The issue is highly dependent on Gillian’s readiness to make changes and change her perspective and worldview, which can be complicated for older adults. However, the interviewing process can support the development of friendly relationships between Gillian and the social worker, encouraging her to share her concerns. It may present an opportunity to start the intervention process only through the willingness of the client to work for the results. At the same time, while Gillian expressed her concerns to her daughter about the inability to manage her life, MI can show the advantage of establishing a clear path for Gillian. Such an approach can benefit her by resolving the fear of inability to plan further steps for her.
Concerning the latter issues with Gillian’s fears and troubles, it is essential to address the anti-oppressive practice, which should focus on aging-relating concerns. It must be implemented alongside empowering strategies to enhance the client’s confidence. One of the core principles is the empowerment of service users, which works to establish systems for empowerment amongst individuals and within institutions. Understanding how social forces affect service users’ lives and being able to dissect experiences at the individual scale requires the process of externalizing structural oppression (Allan, 2020). By examining the structures and institutions that affect and influence people’s capacity for social movement, economic prosperity, and educational attainment, this method enables people to see the natural character of their situations.
As a result, Gillian has to be as involved in decision-making that affects her life as feasible. This can be accomplished by consciously delegating authority and committing to transparency so that the service user has all the facts and is aware of the situation so they can act in their own best interests. By working against hierarchical systems to establish a supportive atmosphere where the service user may obtain the tools and knowledge, they need to collaborate with a caseworker, working in partnership seeks to equalize uneven power relationships.
A fundamental human right, the ability to make decisions about one’s life, is one that well-intentioned professionals in the interest of safety frequently violate. Inabilities that make it harder to get out and interact with others add to the social isolation that might develop organically as we age. Critical social workers work to fully comprehend the various forms of oppression that service users experience. Personal, cultural, and structural forces shape individual issues and access to solutions. Things can get more challenging as one ages, but instead of stopping activity immediately, explore the possibilities and look for changes. For Gillian, it can be a shift and support of her interests, particularly gardening. Instead of having flowers outside, she can care for flowers inside the room and arrange them independently.
Furthermore, the professional balance of workers is highly linked to having no or minimal stress symptoms, making it a suitable environment for well-being development. To increase chances of having a life balance and, consequently, more significant mental health, changes should be made to several organizational and social work environment elements according to the client’s needs. Primarily it concerns the accessibility of the various spaces around Gillian’s home since she has difficulties walking the steps daily. Her life management and organization cause her additional stress and anxiety because she cannot perform the same tasks she did before. Hence, the priority must be an organization of a comfortable atmosphere for Gillian where she will not feel helpless. However, the service must be provided concerning the personal privacy policy and acknowledgment of human rights for Gillian to determine whether implementing interventions is appropriate.
To successfully implement the mentioned tactics, it is essential to have several skills to establish a connection with Gillian. The ability for clear communication and attentive listening is crucial. Social workers are responsible for speaking up for their clients; to do so, they must be aware of their needs. This entails speaking appropriately and successfully with customers regardless of their background, age, nationality, literacy skill level, or disability, in addition to being aware of body language and other nonverbal indicators (Allan, 2020). Since Gillian has strong political and social views, it is essential to show her understanding because if she feels disconnected on such a level, further interaction will be ineffective. Moreover, critical thinking skills are required to establish the connections between Gillian’s concerns, fears, and potential causes that can be resolved through interventions. Social workers can make knowledgeable judgments and create the best plans to serve clients by thinking critically and without prejudice. It concerns her feeling alienated in the neighborhood and her relationships with her daughter.
Therefore, two theoretical perspectives on the case study of Gillian Hayes include a task-centered approach and motivational interviewing. The proposed methods should be used together to provide the most effective intervention to the client to propose solutions for her fear of loneliness and age-related concerns of helplessness. An essential role in the process is establishing a connection with the social worker due to the personal views of Gillian, which requires developed skills of active listening and communication alongside critical thinking.
Reference List
Allan, J. (2020). Theorising new developments in critical social work. In Critical social work. pp. 30-44. Routledge.
Hosseini-Asl, E., McCann, B., Wu, C., Yavuz, S. & Socher, R. (2020). A simple language model for task-oriented dialogue. Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems, 33.
Ray, M. G., Bernard, M., & Phillips, J. (2018). Critical issues in social work with older people. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Social work (SW) requires substantial theoretical competence from professionals in the field. Shelley Rempel’s Advocacy in Practice is a valuable source of knowledge for specialists who frequently communicate with people. The book concentrates on using anti-oppressive theory and practice (AOTP) in advocacy within the SW context, as the author views anti-oppressive advocacy as an obligation of all experts in human service (Shelley, 2017). Although the text covers many matters, such as general history and personal stories, a piece of reading material chosen for the current review is Chapter 7. The selected portion of Rempel’s work is titled “Challenges, Trends, and Going Forward” and can be found on pages 151-169. My career is in the SW domain, and I am a supervisor in family services. Therefore, the choice of the reading was motivated by a desire to explore insights for my practice’s future course. In addition, I hoped to learn more about potential changes in advocacy because of its significance in providing service to distinct communities. Chapter 7 of Advocacy in Practice is a useful resource for SW specialists because to offers information on prospective trends for experts working with people.
Summary and Overview
Chapter 7 of the book covers the potential shifts in AOTP, which SW professionals may find useful. The author proposes three courses for the future: the effects of environmental degradation, the advantages and drawbacks of utilizing modern technology, and service users becoming more politicized and knowledgeable (Rempel, 2017). For instance, concerning the latter trend, the writer explains how individuals who need help strive to overcome oppression by finding information to educate themselves on being politically active (Rempel, 2017). Furthermore, the chapter depicts several traits necessary for specialists working with people (Rempel, 2017). For example, one such quality is pragmatism, which refers to the ability to balance options while estimating resources (Rempel, 2017). Consequently, the notable strengths of the reading are that the author thoroughly discusses conceivable changes that service practitioners should consider and presents many illustrative instances. Nonetheless, the only weaknesses of the text are a couple of misspellings and a lack of details on how specialists may improve their skills in advocacy (Rempel, 2017). Chapter 7 presents a satisfactory explanation of the future course of professions that provide assistance to and protect people.
Insights
The reviewed portion of Advocacy in Practice can modify how service practitioners view their jobs. The insights obtained are that resistance to a specialist’s advice is a way of coping with life difficulties and that courage is regarded among the traits needed by professionals who interact with people (Rempel, 2017). I used to believe that opposition to expert guidance may be due to prior negative experiences, but I have not thought of it as a coping mechanism. I have never considered the importance of courage for specialists who advocate for others in front of authorities (Rempel, 2017). Moreover, I found it interesting that the author uses Paulo Freire’s writings to explain the nature of relationships in the context of providing human service (Rempel, 2017). What both challenged and resonated with me was the realization that modern technology has drawbacks for underprivileged individuals (Rempel, 2017). Although I have worked with families who could not afford new gadgets, and we have identified ways to communicate effectively, I did not think of the troubles they may have faced. Therefore, the examined reading was quite insightful for my perception of work.
Furthermore, Chapter 7 answered my questions regarding the future of advocacy for specialists who guide people, and the reading raised some new queries. In particular, I learned about the potential trends regarding the impact of the changing environment, advanced technology, and the knowledge of service users (Rempel, 2017). Nonetheless, as the reviewed portion of the book also discusses skills required for practitioners, questions arose about how I can develop such skills as courage and pragmatism (Rempel, 2017). I have only now considered the role of the former quality and need to reflect more on whether I am fearless enough when families I work with seek protection from someone in power. Accordingly, since the book does not elaborate on ways to enhance one’s courage, I plan to do further research. In addition, the reading suggests that pragmatic advocates think “within the possible” (Rempel, 2017, p. 161). However, I tend to have rather high hopes for most of my cases, so I may need to learn to stop embellishing my expectations. Overall, Chapter 7 answered my initial questions, but I am now looking for ways to advance my skills.
Personal Reflection
While reading Chapter 7, I made several connections to my professional and educational backgrounds. First, I was reminded of the significance of critical thinking and reflexivity, which are the qualities covered in previous classes I had taken (Rempel, 2017). For instance, despite pondering on o my “client-worker interactions,” I often lack time to carefully assess my relations with others (Rempel, 2017, p. 162). Second, both in my work and discussions with colleagues, we have witnessed the trend of service users becoming more knowledgeable (Rempel, 2017). For example, many persons come to meetings with some theoretical background on different matters and intentions to take a specific approach to resolve a problem. However, I have noticed that such individuals rely on information from the Internet and are frequently misinformed, which is a potential drawback mentioned in the inspected chapter (Rempel, 2017). Third, in my SW practice, I often interact with families affected by the trend of environmental degradation, and the reading helped me understand better the complexity of the issue (Rempel, 2017). The reviewed text offered several informative connections to my prior experiences.
Chapter 7 provides lessons that can be integrated into practice within the SW context. First, as mentioned above, I plan to do additional research on enhancing my courage and pragmatism. Second, I intend to spend a little time but on a daily basis to be deliberately reflexive to continuously analyze my work and personal position (Rempel, 2017). For instance, the book’s author suggests looking for opportunities for social change (Rempel, 2017). Consequently, I hope to arrange a period in my schedule to purposely determine factors that can modify problems typically encountered by families in my practice (Rempel, 2017). Third, I will write a list of sources of information on different topics that my service users may consult if they strive to become more knowledgeable on specific or controversial matters. Such an inventory may prevent people from being misguided by unreliable Internet resources on subjects that individuals may wish to learn more about outside our sessions. I will incorporate what I have discovered into my practice by specifying ways to advance my skills, spending time to be intentionally reflexive, and assisting service users in locating trustworthy information to educate themselves further.
Suggestions and Recommendations
Upon reviewing Chapter 7 of Advocacy in Practice, it appears that the text is valuable for professionals who interact with different communities. The reading can be recommended to students and practitioners in advocating for others, including experts in SW, to enhance their comprehension of how challenges faced by diverse individuals are developing (Rempel, 2017). For example, the chapter can offer information for specialists who are only starting to consider the effects of the changing environment on vulnerable populations or are surprised or skeptical of service users’ knowledge (Rempel, 2017). The inspected part of the book can be practical for professionals who wish to enhance their interactions with people due to discussing helpful skills to be better at advocating and building deeper relationships (Rempel, 2017). The only suggestion that can be made for the author or the publisher is to examine the text for minor spelling mistakes, like “more knowledgeable and politicized than everY before” (Rempel, 2017, p. 156). Overall, the assessed reading can be recommended for students and experts who work with persons from diverse communities.
Conclusion
To summarize, Chapter 7 of Advocacy in Practice presents useful information for specialists in SW considering potential trends in the field of assisting people. Although the book concentrates on advocacy and AOTP in general, human service providers, including SW experts, can gain many insights regarding interactions with service users. Despite some minor insufficiencies, the author thoroughly explains the future of the occupation of protecting individuals who are becoming more knowledgeable but are likely to be affected by environmental and technological changes.
Reference
Rempel, S. (2017). Advocacy in practice: Creating a culture of social change in the human services. Oxford University Press.
Working with Indigenous populations is a humbling but challenging experience that requires dedication and understanding of challenges that such people face on a regular basis. Studying how to work effectively with Indigenous people allows future social service providers to get closer to the root of the problem. For some, the true problem that limits the quality and scope of social services to Aboriginal people and other minorities is white privilege. For others, it is the lack of communication between representatives of minorities and the general population that expands the gap in service provision. This paper will aim to answer two key questions:
How has the study on effective work with Indigenous people changed the understanding of the future social worker’s role?
To what extent has the study equipped the future social worker with relevant information and skills?
Brief Historical Legacy of Aboriginal Populations
As a background to answering the main research questions, it is imperative to give a brief introduction to the historical value of Aboriginal populations because they are the subjects of social workers’ services. Being the first societies to populate Australia, Indigenous people have been subjected to serious injustices and persistent colonization, violence, and exploitation, which are impossible to disregard. The negative attitude toward Indigenous populations was supported by the established ideas and practices of the British colonial system that did not place any value on the role of Indigenous Australians (Ballyn 2011, p. 17). In the worst cases, colonizers in power did not even acknowledge the Indigenous Australians as humans for justifying their acts of cruelty and dismission.
Unfortunately, the colonial attitudes of the past led to the establishment of policies, systems, and institutions that continue having an adverse effect on Indigenous populations in modern times (Czyzewski 2011, p. 2). While some may suggest that the past does not have any effect on the way Indigenous Australians live today, the reality is that the population is still struggling with the lack of opportunities such as inadequate education, the lack of health care coverage, poor nutrition, and so on. It is also important to note that the direct effect of colonialism can be seen in policies to control the population, some of them were as extreme as the extinction of the Beothuk or the introduction of contagious diseases to make Indigenous people vulnerable to the environment and thus less capable of resisting their oppressors.
The usefulness of Training to Prepare for Work with Indigenous Populations
Being Ethical and Understanding
Social work practice with Indigenous communities is a complex process since professionals are supposed to engage with people that have significantly disadvantaged (Bennett, Zubrzycki & Bacon 2011, p. 20). Social workers that have gained experience working with disadvantaged populations can prioritize their relationships with clients through reciprocity, “the integration and valuing of Aboriginal and Western worldviews, and the application of micro-skills such as deep listening and stillness” (Bennett, Zubrycki & Bacon 2011, p. 20). This suggests that the development of new frameworks and approaches was needed to support the work of social workers. Researchers have proposed population-based approaches for enhancing the quality of services provided to specific groups of people (Booth & Nelson 2013, p. 114). Such frameworks showed to be especially relevant for guiding the work of occupational therapists that work with First Australians through narrative reflection and collaboration between non- and Indigenous people (Booth & Nelson 2013, p. 114). Despite the fact that the purpose of the proposed frameworks is clear, social workers are still challenged by recognizing good practice and ethics that can be useful for guiding the preparation for their future profession.
Good practice guidelines have been differentiated into four distinct aspects: “respect, relevance, reciprocity, and responsibility” (Markiewicz, 2012, p. 22). Thus, appropriate training of social workers implies the respect for Indigenous communities’ culture, history, and worldview, the establishment of relevance through the negotiation of methodologies and approaches, the development of interpersonal and communication skills for achieving responsibility, and the consideration of benefits to achieving reciprocity (Markiewicz 2012, p. 24). All of the mentioned aspects are associated with the ethical practice, which is intended to bury the tensions that existed between the members of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous population (McPhail-Bell et al. 2015, p. 195). In the context of health promotion as a component of social work, overcoming tensions is imperative for relieving the impact of stigmatization that First Australians experience (McPhail-Bell et al. 2015, p. 195). Given the persistence of inequalities, the social work with Indigenous Australians needs to be focused on getting a deep understanding of their experiences, and the quality of life.
Facilitating Engagement and Empowerment
“Due to the high prevalence of chronic diseases,” issues associated with mental health, and the lack of overall support, facilitating engagement through building strong relationships has been identified as imperative (Davy et al. 2016, p. 2). Over the course of social work with Indigenous populations, intervention models targeted at facilitating engagement have been extensively promoted (Robinson, Mares & Arney 2016, p. 116). An example of this is the Let’s Start program, which is a therapeutically-oriented intervention targeted at Aboriginal parents and their children (Robinson, Mares & Arney 2016, p. 116). During the intervention, parents were encouraged to implement an exploratory assessment of their functioning by interacting with their children. Similar interventions can be implemented with social workers and their Indigenous clients for building stronger relationships and facilitating engagement, thus improving the quality and the coverage of services the parties provide and receive.
The lack of empowerment in the Indigenous Australian community contributes to social exclusion and growing health disparities (Tsey et al. 2014, p. 6). As found by Tsey et al. (2014), analyzing and documenting strategies of empowerment over the course of social work practice can help workers understand how they can enhance relations with their clients as well as act as advocates in the process of personal capacity building (p. 6). Overall, both engagement and empowerment are essential components of social work with Aboriginal populations, and through acquiring relevant knowledge during their training, professionals can act as facilitators.
Extent of Knowledge
When answering the question of to what extent have the studies of social work equipped one for the future profession, it is essential to consider the fact that Indigenous populations have an entirely different worldview: “it’s a different world out there” (Durey, Lin & Thompson 2013, p. 722). In order to be aware of issues and considerations necessary for working with First Australians, culturally safe models of care are necessary to establish due to their ability to cater to the specific needs of the population and introduce necessary recommendations on how to improve social care (Smith et al. 2011, p. 1650). Key themes that reinforce the knowledge of successful social work include the expanding responsibilities of caregivers, perspectives of different health conditions, culturally and community-appropriate care, problems that affect remote communities, as well as education and training (Smith et al. 2011, p. 1650). Studies of social work have been used for addressing the mentioned themes since the lack of knowledge about them prevents professionals from the successful administration of care to Indigenous clients.
It is imperative to mention that in the context of healthcare work, Western models of training have shown to be ineffective when Indigenous populations are involved (McConnochie et al. 2011, p. 204). Because of the lack of cultural awareness and the understanding of key issues, it is common for many social workers to figure out their own methods of approaching clients on a trial-and-error basis (McConnochie et al. 2011, p. 204). However, appropriate training can enhance the systematic cultural competence of social workers for improving the effectiveness of relevant interventions in terms of targeting the needs of Indigenous clients.
From the perspective of “public health and social work,” a pressing need for implementing programs that will have a “positive impact on the overall well-being of Indigenous populations has been identified” (Day & Francisco 2013, p. 350). Appropriate training can give a wide extent of knowledge on the introduction of appropriate practices targeted at caring for Aboriginal populations. Additionally, training can allow workers to draw from such concepts as grief, healing, and loss for providing an understanding of the high levels of “social disadvantage that have an impact on service utilization and outcomes” (Day & Francisco 2013, p. 350). Nevertheless, only training is not enough since professionals need to have a broader framework that will guide the operations of social workers.
As a future social worker that will be expected to interact with Indigenous clients closely, I am sure that frameworks and models taught during the preparation course will become essential components of my practice. Since the work will not be limited to only one specific demographic, it is imperative to also understand how Indigenous clients of different ages should be approached. For example, when working with Indigenous youth-at-risk, social service providers are expected to consider a range of factors in which the target population usually engages (Ware 2013, p. 1).
Such factors include poor-quality housing, inadequate relationships with families, alcohol and drug abuse, poor health outcomes, and many others (Ware 2013, p. 1). When working with older Indigenous clients, social service providers should also consider the cultural and social dynamics related to the mistreatment of this population group (Crawford, Fielding & Turner 2011, p. 21). Another example relates to the target demographic of Indigenous mothers-to-be. In this context, social workers are expected to pay attention to mental health problems that women from disadvantaged communities face during their preparation for labor (Geia, West & Power 2013, p. 70). Therefore, the extent of existing knowledge is expected to expand through training, giving social workers opportunities to identify persistent issues related to their target clientele.
It is imperative to mention that the training to become a future social work professional placed importance on both the physical and psychological health outcomes of Indigenous populations. Researchers that developed frameworks for successful care for Aboriginal Australians suggested that the integration of health promotion tools would be the most appropriate approach to addressing health issues of the target population (McCalman et al. 2014, p. 2). For instance, Foley (2010) studied the practices of Aboriginal women’s nutrition promotion in order to identify relevant issues to be addressed in social work (p. 268). It was found that Aboriginal women faced such problems as the inability to afford healthy and high-quality food, the lack of cooking ideas, disparities in accessing nutrition information, and so on (Foley 2010, p. 268).
Hunter (2008) studied child maltreatment in remote Aboriginal communities for developing interventions to respond to the issue as soon as possible and prevent such horrible events such as child sexual abuse from deteriorating the population’s well-being (p. 372). Therefore, the topic of social work with Indigenous populations is not limited to a specific problem because the community suffers from a variety of wellness issues. While Aboriginal populations may struggle with mental health problems associated with poor treatment or discrimination, they also have lower physical health outcomes because of disparities in access or the lack of professionals’ cultural knowledge and competence.
Concluding Remarks
Social workers that serve the disadvantaged population of Indigenous Australians need to have a broad spectrum of knowledge to guide them through the profession. For me, as a future social worker, the training gave not only a background for practice but also offered valuable insights into the issues that Indigenous populations experience on a daily basis. One is expected to recognize their own privileges in order to establish trusting relationships with clients that lack resources. Overall, the course should be considered a step toward becoming a professional in the sphere of social practice targeted at serving Indigenous populations.
Reference List
Ballyn, S 2011, ‘The British invasion of Australia’, in M Renes (ed), Lives in migration. Rupture and continuity, Centre d’Estudis Australians, Barcelona, pp. 16-29.
Bennett, B, Zubrzycki, J & Bacon, V 2011, ‘What do we know? The experiences of social workers working alongside Aboriginal people’, Australian Social Work, vol. 64, no. 1, pp. 20-37.
Booth, J & Nelson, A 2013, ‘Sharing stories: Using narratives to illustrate the role of critical reflection in practice with First Australians’, Occupational Therapy International, vol. 20, pp. 114-123.
Crawford, F, Fielding, A & Turner, N 2011, Gabbarli lives in a shoe: Working towards wellbeing for older Aboriginal people, Curtin University, Perth.
Czyzewski, K 2011, ‘Colonialism as a broader social determinant of health’, The International Indigenous Policy Journal, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 1-14.
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Day, A & Francisco, A 2013, ‘Social and emotional wellbeing in Indigenous Australians: identifying promising interventions’, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 350-355.
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Foley, W 2010, ‘Family food work: lessons learned from urban Aboriginal women about nutrition promotion’, Australian Journal of Primary Health, vol. 16, pp. 268-274.
Geia, L, West, R & Power, T 2013, ‘Addressing perinatal mental health issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents and their families: working towards better maternity outcomes’, Contemporary Nurse, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 70-72.
Hunter, S 2008, ‘Child maltreatment in remote Aboriginal communities and the Northern territory emergency response: a complex issue’, Australian Social Work, vol. 61, no. 4, pp. 372-388.
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Social work is a professional area of practice which applies knowledge, skills, research techniques and social theory to improve the lives of individuals, communities and groups.
Social work is considered as a helping profession because it is majorly concerned with the plight of people who are in difficult situations with an aim of helping them overcome those difficulties.
Social workers work in diverse fields both in the private and public sectors such as in rehabilitation centers, child welfare institutions, humanitarian organizations, borstal institutions and homes of the elderly among others (Hare, 2004).
Social workers go through the formal education system with a special bias in the social, biological and behavioral sciences.
During training, they are exposed to field practicum in which they get an opportunity to work with various organizations where they merge theory with practice (Healy, 2008).
Just like other professions such as law or medicine, social work is guided by values, ethics and codes of conduct. Some of the values include competence, integrity, professionalism, social justice and value for human dignity.
Some of the core principles include confidentiality, controlled emotional involvement and client self determination among others. Some of the skills include self awareness, observation and critical thinking (Healy, 2007).
In this paper, I will explore social work practice by looking at oppression of women by men. I will also look into the knowledge, values and skills which are associated with culturally sensitive practice with diverse populations.
Eventually I will engage in a self-awareness exercise by self-administering a value-based assessment and cultural competency inventory; and finally engage in a thoughtful analysis and discussion of my strengths and weaknesses as they pertain to my cultural competency and how I plan to improve on the weaknesses.
Gender and oppression of women
Gender refers to the roles associated with a particular sex, either male or female. Males and females are born with physical and biological differences. Some physical differences include height, appearance, weight and physical strength.
Biological differences may include sexual reproduction organs and hormonal processes. These differences between males and females have been misused to oppress women in several aspects of life like in education, career, power, leadership, employment and management (Connel, 2009).
In the field of management for example, women have been oppressed by men through various ways. For example, the issues of masculinity and femininity have played a role in gendering the field of management (Crosby, Stockdale, & Ropp, 2007).
Many organizations are guided by the principles of masculinity which do not have respect for women. In these organizations, the authority of women managers is not respected as the authority of men managers.
This leads to a situation whereby the leadership or management by a woman may not be as effective as that of a man because the employees in those organizations do not recognize women as a source of authority and therefore, any guidelines, instructions or regulations given by a woman manager may not be taken seriously by the employees (Hartl, 2003).
In many organizations, women do light jobs such as secretarial work or marketing. The central roles are dominated by men who are responsible for planning, policy making and moving the organizations towards the realization of their mission and vision (Rivas, 2013).
Many professional women or the “working mothers” are faced with role multiplicity. At home, they are supposed to be good mothers and wives. They are supposed to ensure that the children are well fed, are healthy and clean (Gregory, 2003).
They are also supposed to take good care of their husbands. At the work place, they are supposed to produce good results either as managers or as normal employees. This makes them fall short of what is expected of them at the work place.
The men on the other hand have very few roles to play at home which leaves them with a lot of time to concentrate on their roles in the work place. Due to this, they are able to meet the set targets or expectations of the organizations (Mason, 2002).
For the women, reproduction is part of labor which they are not compensated for yet if they do not reproduce children, there would be no human resources to work in the organizations.
Women have also been oppressed through promotions in organizations. Some women have to engage in sex with male directors so as to get promoted to the positions of managers.
In the work place, women may be sexually or physically abused by their bosses due to the fact that they are perceived as being inferior and not able to resist the harassment or abuse (Coin & Budapest, 2010).
In some communities especially in the African continent, girls are denied the opportunity to gain education with the belief that women’s role in the society is to give birth to as many children as possible and also entertain the men with sex.
In Kenya for example, the enrollment rates for girls in some communities like the Turkana is less than 10%, meaning that in every 100 girls of school going age, only 10 go to school.
The others are betrothed to elderly men as wives after undergoing female genital cut. This has made women lack leadership, political and technological skills (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, 2011).
In the developing countries mostly in Africa and Asia, poverty is very rampant. The economies are poorly managed and therefore there are few job opportunities. Many people depend on rain fed agriculture which is not sustainable due to lack of rainfall.
In these countries, most men flee their homes to search for jobs and leave their wives at home with young children. These women are not able to take care of the welfare of the children and they strain a lot to ensure that the children are fed, clothed and schooled.
Some women are forced to engage in prostitution as a source of income for their families. The women in these countries suffer silently because there are very few women in positions of power and leadership who can advocate for their rights.
Women have also been oppressed through being denied the opportunity to inherit property. In the developing countries especially in Africa, women are not supposed to inherit any property from their parents.
Among the Turkana of Kenya for example, if a wife does not give birth to a male child, the husband marries another wife who will give birth to a male child. It is this male child who will inherit all the properties of the parents when they die or when they grow old.
The reasoning behind this is that women are not supposed to own any property but are instead supposed to be owned as property by men.
Since 1974, some improvement has been realized in increasing the number of women in management positions. In the UK for example, the percentage of women who held management positions in 1974 was only 2%. In 2008, the percentage rose to 34.5% (Meulders, 2010).
In other parts of the world, women are almost at par with men in various aspects such as leadership, education and technical know how.
This is not however to say that oppression of women does not exist but what it means is that many people are slowly realizing that women are just like men and what men can do, women can also do it provided that the playing field is leveled.
Effects of women oppression
One of the effects of women oppression in the work place is that it leads to role conflict which eventually leads to stress.
Role conflict refers to a form of disagreement among the roles held by one individual; that is, roles which correspond to various statuses of the same individual. Role conflict pulls an individual in different directions at the same time. It may be short lived or long lived.
A good example to illustrate role conflict is by a working mother. As explained earlier, the mother is expected to deliver good results at the work place and also be a good wife at home through taking care of the children, husband and doing other domestic chores.
At the family level, women are oppressed through various ways such as wife battering, marital rape, female genital cut, being denied opportunity to gain education and inherit property, men running away from home among others.
Domestic violence is the most common form of women oppression at the family level especially in the developing countries. Domestic violence has traumatizing effects on women. Such women need advocacy, empowerment and counseling for them to heal.
There is also need for social workers to agitate for policy change to enable women get education and inherit property. Social workers should also educate the communities to avoid cultural practices which have been used to oppress women.
Social work knowledge
Social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations need to have social work knowledge in specific areas. One of the areas of social work knowledge is the knowledge of human behavior.
Having knowledge of human behavior helps the social workers understand the cultures, values and norms of specific communities.
This in turn helps the social workers package their intervention in such a manner that it does not conflict with the cultural practices, beliefs and norms of the particular communities.
Such knowledge also helps the social workers to understand the cultural prejudices in various communities. This understanding of the cultural prejudices enables the social workers to help the people differentiate the facts and fictions in regard to certain prejudices.
For example, in a community which believes that women are not allowed to go to school, the social workers can help the people understand that women in other parts of the world are allowed to attain eduction and challenge them to change that kind of perception.
Another social work knowledge which is useful for social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations is the knowledge of social justice. Social workers need to have an understanding of social justice so as to help people in communities who suffer social injustice.
The social workers should also educate the people about the concept and show them the importance of embracing social justice.
Social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations also need social work knowledge about the code of conduct for social workers and the ethics which govern the profession of social work.
This knowledge can help the social workers avoid unprofessional conduct which might conflict with certain values, norms and practices of particular groups.
Social workers working with such populations also need an understanding of human rights.
For example, they need to understand the various international laws, treaties and conventions which stipulate various human rights for different categories of people such as employees, children and women among others.
This understanding can help the social workers educate the populations for them to know when their rights are violated and what they are supposed to do. However, the social workers must do it in a professional manner so that they are not accused of incitement.
Social work values
One of the values for social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse communities is the value of service to humanity.
This value is very important for the social workers because it enables them to serve the populations irrespective of their cultural, religious, economic and historical orientations.
Social workers without this value may have difficult time and in some cases, they may find it almost impossible to work with some cultural groups.
The value of service to humanity also enables the social workers to appreciate and empathize with the populations without necessarily sympathizing with them.
Another value which is important for social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations is the value of human dignity. Social workers must understand that they have an obligation of respecting the clients and their cultural practices.
They have to put aside their personal biases against a certain group for them to help the clients. Some times social workers may consider some practices as weird.
However, with the value of human dignity, they are able to acknowledge the fact that clients have a right of self determination. When they understand this, they are able to assist the clients without any obstacles.
Social workers also need to have the value of competence and integrity. They need to apply their knowledge, skills and techniques in a professional manner when dealing with clients.
The essence of this is that competence and integrity enable the social workers to avoid any questionable behavior or practice. It also enhances the trust and confidence of the clients in the social workers.
This also enables the clients to open up to the social workers and give as much information as possible. With the information and cooperation from the clients, the social workers are able to solve the problems affecting the clients or refer those which they cannot handle.
This enhances the acceptance of the social workers by the communities (Morreau & Benson, 2012).
Social work skills
One important skill which social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations should have is the skill of observation. Observation has to do with going beyond what people say and focusing on their body language and reaction to some social situations.
The skill also has to do with doing more listening than talking. This is because the social workers are supposed to treat the clients as the best teachers of their own problems.
If the social workers do more listening and observing than talking, they are able to gather as much information as possible which is very crucial for the interventions.
Another skill for dealing with culturally sensitive and diverse populations is the skill of critical thinking. This has to do with how social workers interpret the information they gather from clients either through interviewing, listening, observing or reading.
The social workers should apply critical thinking in order to interpret the information correctly. Lack of critical thinking may lead to wrong diagnosis, treatment and intervention. The social workers should therefore understand the information correctly without any personal biases
Another skill which is important when working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations is the skill of self awareness. Social workers need to understand how their background, perceptions, biases, motivations and prejudices may affect their relationship with clients.
If social workers have low levels of self awareness, chances of acting improperly are increased. It is therefore very important that the social workers put aside any subjective reasoning and replace it with objectivity for them to be able to effectively assist the clients.
The skill of self awareness also helps the social workers to identify transference in clients. Transference is a situation in which clients associate their fate with the social workers.
For example, a female client whose husband is violent may easily confuse a male social worker for her husband; she may do this through making statements such as ‘you men are really bad’.
In such a situation, the social worker is supposed to counter the transference by helping the client understand that his role is to help her out of the problem and not to take the blame of others (Tsui, 2010).
Social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations also need to have excellent verbal communication skills. This is because communication is the only way that the social workers can use to understand the clients and for the clients to understand the social workers.
They must be able to understand how to communicate with different groups at different times. For example, the way a social worker is supposed to talk to an elderly refugee woman is not the same way he or she can talk to a young child who is a school drop out.
Verbal communication is an important asset for social workers working with culturally sensitive and diverse populations because it enables them to effectively advocate for the clients especially those who are oppressed or marginalized.
The skill can enable social workers to influence policy change or development for the improvement of people’s welfare. Apart from verbal communication, social workers need to have the skill of documentation.
Proper documentation enables social workers to keep track of every aspect of their interventions and this becomes an asset for them when they want to influence the development or change of a certain social policy.
Cultural competency inventory
My total score for the value based assessment and cultural competency inventory is 75. What this means is that I am headed in the right direction as far as embracing cultural diversity is concerned.
I would have wished to score 80 and above but this is not the case, probably because I am yet to cover some topics in therapeutic approaches and the relationship between myself as a therapist and clients.
My strengths and weaknesses in cultural competency
Based on my value based assessment and cultural competency, there are the areas which I scored poorly and others which I scored well. Those which I scored well are my areas of strength while those which I scored poorly are my areas of weakness.
One of my strengths in cultural competency is that I like meeting new people especially those who are different from me in terms of race, gender and culture. Being a Russian lady for instance, I like associating myself with African or Asian men.
I also love and embrace the culture of non whites such as the African Americans and Asian Americans. Another area of strength is the fact that I understand that I am independent and do appreciate the views of other people even if those views are in contrary to my own views.
I am able to control my personal biases when interpreting the actions of those who are different from me. I also appreciate various communication methods used by various groups of people.
Similarly, I am able to understand that other people may stereotype against me and therefore I am able to work against those stereotypes in order to interact with such people in a harmonious manner.
I am also good in sorting out my values to know which one to compromise in order to communicate with others without losing my integrity as a social worker. I am also able to seek clarifications from people in regards to what they are saying so as to get the correct meaning of what they say.
I like and accept others they way they are and avoid any remarks which may hurt certain groups in the community such as women, the people of color or those who are less fortunate in the society.
One of my main weaknesses is that I do more talking than listening. This is because sometimes I listen as I talk. This is not good because I may not be able to capture what the other person is saying. I may also not be in a position to observe the body language of others which is also part of listening.
Sometimes I also use my cultural jargon or slag when talking to people from other cultural backgrounds. This is a weakness because others may mistaken my language jargon as lack of respect for them.
I am also weak in judging people based on the fluency of their languages. This is a weakness because it amounts to biases which may lead to wrong interpretation of messages by those who are from other cultural backgrounds.
Sometimes I use some ethnic jokes when referring to some groups of people who are from different ethnic backgrounds but I get offended when others use the same language on me. This is a weakness because some ethnic jokes may hurt or provoke some people.
I plan to improve my areas of weakness by doing further reading on the area of human behavior. I also plan to gain more knowledge in interpersonal skills and how to gain and apply them in various cultural settings.
Also in my plan is to learn how to appreciate others and how to avoid judgmental attitudes towards particular populations. I also need to check on my listening skills by learning the art of doing more listening than talking.
This is because doing so would boost by ability to get as much information as possible from others and especially from clients.
My conceptual framework for practice
My future conceptual framework as a social worker is the strength based perspective of social work practice. This perspective has to do with using people’s strengths as a basis of therapy.
The perspective aims to capitalize on the strengths of clients (individuals and groups) to form a strong foundation for therapy.
It is based on the belief that despite the fact that people have problems, there is something which they are good at or they have some useful information, history or practices which can be used to overcome the problems which they are faced with.
It is also based on the belief that empowering people with information is useful for successful therapy (Rapp, 2007).
Implications of the perspective to practice
One of the implications of the strengths based perspective to practice is that it has reversed roles between the therapists and the clients. What this means is that the therapists must restrain their expertise and make the clients be the experts in solving their problems.
The therapists are supposed to play the role of empowering the people to become experts in addressing the problems which face them.
In other words, the therapists’ role is to create a sustainable intervention such that the clients are able to handle their problems even without the assistance of the therapists.
Social workers using this perspective must therefore refrain from using stigmatizing language, having negative perceptions and labeling when dealing with clients.
This is because such negative language or perceptions interferes with the ability of the social workers to effectively capacity build and empower the clients (Rapp, 2007).
When capacity building and empowering clients, social workers must be realistic; that is, they must ensure that the clients actually have those strengths which can be used as a starting point for a sustainable intervention.
They must also consider the magnitude of the problem affecting the clients and evaluate the clients’ ability to effectively handle the problem when empowered (Rapp, 2007).
Oppressed women usually suffer from stigma and feelings of inadequacy. They also undergo through emotional, psychological and social distress due to oppression.
As a social worker working with oppressed women, I will apply the strengths based perspective to empower such women with information so as to resist oppression by men. For instance, I will educate them about their rights to education, employment and fair treatment.
I will also highlight their areas of strength when dealing with men. For example, the fact that women are very good in negotiations, have patience and do not easily lose their temper can be used by a woman who is a victim of domestic violence to talk to the husband to avoid such violence.
I will also empower the oppressed women with information, skills and tactics of resisting male oppression both at the family setting and at the work place.
For example, I will inform them of the relevant agencies where they can report any form of oppression without the fear of victimization. Through this perspective, I will go a long way in fighting the vice of women oppression.
References
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Crosby, F.J, Stockdale, M.S. & Ropp, S.A. (2007). Sex Discrimination in the Workplace: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
Gregory, R.F. (2003). Women and workplace discrimination: overcoming barriers to gender equality. New York: Rutgers University Press.
Hare, I. (2004). Defining Social Work for the 21st Century: The International Federation of Social Workers’ Revised Definition of Social Work. International Social Work, 47: 407-424.
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Healy, L.M. (2008). Exploring the history of social work as a human rights profession. International Social Work ,51: 735-748.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. (2011). Population and Housing Census. Web.
Mason,L. (2002). The Working Mother’s Guide to Life: Strategies, Secrets, and Solutions. New York: Three Rivers Press.
Meulders, D. (2010). Meta-Analysis of Gender and Science Research. Web.
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Rivas, F.S. (2013). Burnout, workplace support, job satisfaction and life satisfaction among social workers in Spain: A structural equation model International Social Work, 56: 228-246.
Tsui , M. (2010). From resilience to resistance: A reconstruction of the strengths perspective in social work practice. International Social Work, 53: 233-245.
The client in question is Antwone “Fish” Fisher, a young man whose life was chronicled in his autobiography “Finding Fish” and later replicated in a movie by Denzel Washington (Antwone Fischer (2002), n.d.). The client is a young black male, an orphan who was mentally and physically abused in childhood and has to face the temper problems resulting from the abuse. He serves as a petty officer in the U.S. Navy and has to visit a psychiatrist.
He sees relationships as his main problem. He has never been able to reconcile with his past, and links it to the fact that people never stay by his side for long. He feels that everyone abandons him sooner or later, starting with his family and finishing with the doctor. He does not know what to attribute it to, and suffers because of it.
Identifying information
Black male, heterosexual, no children. In a relationship with a fellow officer Cheryl.
Presenting Problems
Antwone has a history of physical aggression towards people. He is unable to control his temper and manage his anger. His issues interfere with his active functioning as an officer and a member of the society. On one occasion, he assaulted a superior officer, was demoted in his duty and detained on the ship for extra 45 days. Apart from that, Antwone has no home of his own, although his income is steady, and his health is covered by naval insurance.
Functioning
Antwone is experiencing an Intimacy vs. Isolation crisis common for late adolescents in the process of developing their identity (Boyle, Hull, Mather, Smith, & Farley, 2009).
Psychosocial and emotional functioning
He looks appealing, well-groomed and disciplined. His speech is eloquent, and he has a fluent knowledge of two languages.
Sexuality and emotional engagement
Antwone never married, but he is in a relationship with his fellow officer Cheryl. He says their relationship is steady and sexually active. His girlfriend is aware of his issues and supports him. The childhood sexual abuse trauma makes him self-conscious, and he reports anxiety when close to someone. He is afraid they will eventually abandon him.
Personal and family history
Born in a prison and separated from his mother, Antwone was fostered by Reverend Tate’s family. He suffered verbal and sexual abuse, was kicked out from home, and developed poor social skills. He has been homeless for some time, and witnessed a murder of a friend.
Professional help
Dr. Davenport acts as a mentor and a professional to make Antwone speak out his concerns. He crosses several boundaries to make him open up. He does not press on him and some issues remain unsettled, which calls for extra psychotherapy sessions. In the course of the treatment, the doctor develops a fatherly affection towards the client and has a chance to resolve some of his own issues.
Needs assessment
The basic needs for Antwone include food and shelter. There was an unfulfilled safety need when he was living in the streets: he needed someone to accommodate him. However, his needs for love, self-esteem, and self-actualization were met at varying times. He is valued by Cheryl and the doctor, he stood his ground with the Tate family, and eventually found his family.
Strengths and weaknesses
Antwone’s strong points are his demeanor and how he presents himself socially. He is polite and respectful, capable of controlling himself unless provoked. He is able to analyze his past (e.g., he realizes that Mrs. Tate’s abuse awoke self-hatred in him that he took out on other people). His main challenges are his low self-esteem, sexuality and identity insecurities, and false self. As a result, he resists disclosing his experience and psychosocial needs at first.
Discrimination issues
The community Antwone lives in is that of racial discrimination. The white people oppress the black, but the people of color also have a system of discrimination by the shade of skin color. He was often judged by his skin, which made him self-conscious. Particularly, the Tate family often pointed out his relative darkness and praised his foster brother’s half-white complexion over his own.
Recommendations
Basing on relational cultural approach, one of the basic factors of psychological growth would be mutual empathy when people gravitate towards relationships at some point in life (Boyle et al., 2009). Mutuality facilitates maturity and the ability to cope with the oppression, marginalization, and personal issues such as Antwone’s anger mismanagement and isolation. The main recommendation, therefore, would be to maintain the contact with the doctor as a friend and continue his relationship with his family and Cheryl. These people act as the factors of empowerment, which is the constituent of psychological maturity.
Conclusion
Fisher’s story is that of abandonment, anger, and remarkable recuperative power that his psyche has. He was strong enough to withstand the pressure and coped with his issues remarkably well. Anger mismanagement is the normal response that only has to be corrected in part to facilitate his growth as a member of the community he lives in. In Antwone’s situation, relationships and friendship are the keys to make him a healthier personality.
Boyle, S. W., Hull, Jr., G. H., Mather, J. H., Smith, L. L., & Farley, O. W. (2009). Direct Practice in Social Work Practice. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Evaluation is an integral process in a social work system. It ensures that social work initiatives achieve their intended effects (Cree et al., 2019). Social workers’ assessments are an important way to keep improving what they do to make their services more useful. Evaluation is a key way to improve social work programs and strengthen the communities that these services help. In addition, it can help me learn more about Sandra and her family’s needs to enable them to make more targeted care plans. For example, as a social worker, I would be able to know the effectiveness of interventions used in Sandra Malone’s case. The practice aids everyone, from the client to the social worker who runs the programs (Cree et al., 2019). Therefore, the evaluation uses the skills of quantitative and qualitative techniques to make sure that Sandra receives appropriate interventions.
Moreover, evaluation is for a client’s well-being and a social worker’s competence. It enables Sandra and me to focus more on achieving the set goals (Cree et al., 2019). Through evaluation, an individual can determine how objectives are being reached and when they are not being attained. As a social worker, it is essential to be strategic when finding out how well the client’s intervention plans are working. A psychosocial evaluation considers a client’s mental, physical, and emotional health as a whole. Additionally, it needs information from the patient, which informs a social worker how a client sees their health and ability to live in the community (Cree et al., 2019). Evaluation is important because it offers crucial information informing a client’s care plan and the required changes.
The Measures Selected for The Case and Rationale
As a social worker, I would adopt the bio-psycho-social-spiritual model to measure the degree of care. It is an approach that takes into account how the physical, mental, social, and spiritual parts of a person’s care and well-being affect each other (Kaimal, 2019). For example, the family is seen as beings in relationships, and the problem is seen as something that can disrupt biological relationships and affect all other facets of their relationships. This approach to client care focuses on how the patient’s body and mind interact and how the patient interacts with their physical environment, family, friends, and community members. The model is used in clinical settings, especially when caring for people with life-threatening ailments near the end of their lives.
Additionally, I would use performance measures to determine the effectiveness of the program. It would assist me as a social worker in monitoring and controlling practices. Firstly, I would assess whether Jean is completing his assignment. If he does not, I will apply other interventions to help with the situation. Secondly, I would check whether there are positive changes in Patrick’s physical, social, and emotional development. In addition, data management would play an integral role in measuring performance (Teater, 2019). Data would be collected, analyzed, and insights used to make an informed decision about helping the family. In addition, it would be utilized to refine goals, targets, and standards. As a result, a social worker’s performance measure is an integral process.
The Issues of Meaningfulness, Practicality, and Credibility
I would consider if the interventions and plans used were meaningful to Sandra and the family. My goal would be to offer the family exceptional client-centered services. In addition, the approaches used should be able to help solve the issues experienced by adults and children. For practicality, I would use aspects that promote my engagement with adults and children. For example, I would employ practical tools such as a family map, observation, and goal cards during the interventions to address the issue of practicality. Finally, based on credibility, I would support the operations with evidence when dealing with issues affecting the family. Therefore, programs would be significant to the family, adopt practical tools, and use evidence-based interventions.
When To Measure and Reason
The timing of the measure is integral in the process because it determines the outcome. Based on this, the measurements would come after my interventions have been employed to address the issues of the family. This shows that it would follow the implementation phase of the program (Cree et al., 2019). Furthermore, it is done to determine the effectiveness of the practices applied. For example, an intervention to make Jean would be efficient if he could complete the homework. Measuring the programs after implementation would allow for adjustment to fit the client’s progress. I would measure the performance of the intervention after rolling out the interventions.
The Issues of Efficiency and Effectiveness
There are different issues of efficiency and effectiveness in the social work system. One of the issues is the improper organization of social work activities (Cree et al., 2019). This occurs when a social worker fails to consider developing aspects such as trust with the family before continuing with the program. Another issue is the limited possibilities for a social worker to use rationally available resources (Cree et al., 2019). To achieve the best outcome, it is important to use effective tools. This means that it is not enough to identify the tools, and it is crucial to use resources related to the challenges experienced by the family. Therefore, the effectiveness of a social work system is adversely influenced by not having an appropriate plan and using the wrong interventions.
In social work, particularly in the social services field, the question of how to operate in a way that is both efficient and effective comes up frequently. For example, the tangible resources’ function is frequently restricted to a certain degree (Cree et al., 2019). Similarly, the social worker makes it their mission to guarantee that their client receives the highest possible level of care in every respect. However, there would be moments when another customer may have a more urgent issue, and this may cause the anticipated timeline to become unbalanced. As a result, I would ensure that the interventions are focused on achieving the established outcomes to increase client satisfaction.
The Impediments to Look For
In the case study of a family, the impediment that I would consider is the primary cause of the issues in the family. When things are discussed in family sessions, one of the triggers could be traumatic experiences from the past. In addition, it is essential to maintain a high level of vigilance when interacting with the client and to show consideration for any responses that may result from interactions. Secondly, legislation on privacy would make it illegal for social workers from different agencies to collaborate without first obtaining the client’s permission. Without the prior approval of the other partner, the partners would have access to any information that another person provided. Therefore, some of the barriers to be encountered are the existence of past traumas and data protection policies.
I would have to deal with the client’s right to autonomy. As social workers, it is crucial to allow clients to do whatever it takes to help themselves succeed. However, the problem occurs when the client does not choose the right path to success, which often leads to destruction. For instance, it would be good for a substance-dependent client to go for rehabilitation to address the problem. Unfortunately, this may not happen if a client decides to continue with substance use. In some cases, the client does not commit themselves to the intervention, affecting the program’s efficiency. Therefore, I would utilize my knowledge and skills to make sure that the client effectively uses the principle of autonomy.
The Tools Used in The Process
The evaluation tools to be used are genograms and client surveys. In social work, the purpose of using assessment tools is to give me a full picture of the client and their situation and find a solution. A genogram would be used to get information, understand how relationships work and people behave, help clients understand themselves, do assessments, and show a social worker how to help (Mlotshwa & Mthembu, 2021). For example, with a genogram, I would be able to understand the dynamics of Sandra’s family. A client survey would be used to collect information from the client before and after the implementation phase. This would allow me to determine the intervention’s effectiveness and make changes where necessary.
Mlotshwa, T., & Mthembu, M. (2021). The use and value of a child assessment tool (CAT) in social work child assessments. Social Work, 57(4), 443-454. Web.
Teater, B. (2019). An introduction to applying social work theories and methods (3rd ed.) McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Clients in the social sector exhibit different behaviors due to histories of trauma they experience at different stages in their lives. Therefore, social work professionals are expected to offer maximum support to clients suffering from trauma. They are supposed to be keen while exploring clients’ histories of mental health and behavioral concerns. Further, these professionals are expected to converse with patients about causative agents for their trauma and the resultant behaviors they exhibit. Some of the behaviors are attributed to injustices and acts of violence they have faced in their past. However, some situations pose challenges for social workers, unlike the vast community. It becomes barely easy for social workers to handle individuals with a history of trauma from abuse. Thus, these experiences have gradually become a question of public interest that develop emotional tolls on social workers. This paper will illustrate a critical self-reflection that will identify my potential for bias, vicarious trauma risks, and self-care plans.
Biases, Triggers, and Countertransference
Biases are an area in the social work profession that is complex to manage. Codes of ethics in social work are mandated to investigate bias between clients and workers. Bias can arise due to differences in personal values. Clients’ different personal values become a drawback for service delivery by social workers (Schnyder et al., 2016). Therefore, it is usually difficult for me to consult with other professionals because codes of ethics call for client confidentiality to make decisions that comply with the law. Triggers and countertransference are problems I face in practice when dealing with clients with trauma histories. Countertransference occurs when the client under treatment triggers problems of defiance to services. Thus, I feel the defiance like the client’s parent would have felt.
Vicarious Trauma and Burnout
Employees and practitioners in the social sector are less immune to their trauma. Individuals’ history of trauma is significant to be stimulated by traumas they undergo in their work practice. For instance, many social workers with histories of sexual assault tend to experience vicarious trauma when they are presented with clients who need counseling on sexual assault (van der Feltz-Cornelis et al., 2019). Often, social workers experience vicarious trauma and burnout through experiencing nightmares that result from the client’s history. These professionals also tend to have increased trauma symptoms like anxiety and flashbacks. They are often unwilling to support clients since they feel overwhelmed, exhausted, or burned out (Pearlman & McKay, 2008). Social workers tend to find difficulties in getting interested in their work. As a result, they end up developing anger issues with their clients. Therefore, social workers experiencing vicarious trauma and burnout are likely to make invalid assumptions about clients’ behavior because they project their desires and histories to the client.
I might be more vulnerable to vicarious trauma and burnout due to my childhood history of abuse by classmates. Many clients who come for counseling have a similar history of abuses that triggered what I faced as a child. Listening and giving counseling to these clients affect my productivity level at work. I easily get angry and bored giving counseling to clients at the moment when I recall trauma during my childhood. Thus, my vulnerability is developed due to constant nightmares in my social work practice.
Plan for Self Care
Burnout is a common challenge that professionals face in social work provision. However, this problem is subject to human measure and control. Preventing burnout among social workers enhances their emotional and physical health (Pearlman & McKay, 2008). Thus, numerous ways can prevent burnout. These preventive ways include eating well, personal organization, staying social, and leading an active life (Pearlman & McKay, 2008). Staying social ensures that social workers who experience burnout find someone they can share their experience to relieve emotional pent-ups. Staying active among social workers prevents burnout by giving them time to do workouts and exercises. Regular exercise is significant to stabilize moods after being exhausted and reduce anxiety. Further, it will help to prevent nightmares by creating a restful sleep for social workers with busy schedules.
Individuals who experience burnout due to their experience in the social work profession should maintain a healthy diet. Eating well is significant in preventing burnout among social workers as it recommends for nutritious diet (Pearlman & McKay, 2008). A healthy diet increases energy and eliminates anxiety and fatigue experienced by social workers. The organization is key in reducing stress for any social worker. Having an organized task load helps to eliminate the aspect of stress levels for social workers who have busy workspaces. Thus, adherence to these preventive ways helps to reduce burnout among social work professionals.
Conclusion
In general, social workers encounter clients who share their personal trauma history in their field of practice. The mental health of social workers becomes at risk as they listen to clients’ traumatic and vicarious histories. For this reason, social workers face hard times handling clients with similar trauma histories. Most social workers get confined to ethical codes of conduct, resulting in client-worker problems. For instance, countertransference triggers tend to transfer the client’s defiance to the therapist. Further, social workers experience vicarious trauma and burnout in different ways that affect their emotional health. Professionals in the social work provision and students have nightmares after listening to their clients’ histories. They also feel tired and exhausted at work. Thus, many professionals in social work would likely make inappropriate assumptions that dismiss the reasons behind clients’ behavior. Fortunately, social workers have a haven because preventive ways have been formulated to prevent burnout. For instance, social workers can prevent burnout by eating well, enhancing personal organization, staying social, and leading an active life.
References
Pearlman, L., & McKay, L (2008). Understanding and addressing vicarious trauma. Headington Institute.
Schnyder, U., Bryant, R. A., Ehlers, A., Foa, E. B., Hasan, A., Mwiti, G., Kristensen, C. H., Neuner, F., Oe, M., Yule, W. (2016). Culture-sensitive psychotraumatology. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 7, 31179.
van der Feltz-Cornelis, C. M., Potters, E. C., van Dam, A., Koorndijk, R. P. M., Elfeddali, I., & van Eck van der Sluijs, J. F. (2019). Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) in outpatients with anxiety and depressive disorders and their association with psychiatric and somatic comorbidity and revictimization. Cross-sectional observational study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 246, 458-464.
Under different circumstances, family social workers use various roles to facilitate change and improvement within families. These roles have their own functionality and are only appropriate when the situation demands. Seven roles are identified in social work practice – empathic supporter, consultant, enabler, mobilizer, mediator, and advocate (Collins, Jordan, & Coleman, 2013). This paper describes each of the functions and provides examples of when it is appropriate to use the role.
Roles
As an empathic supporter, a family social worker should concentrate on the family strengths and use them to help overcome the challenges (Collins et al., 2013). For instance, in a family where every family member continuously has conflicting opinions but has an ability to compromise, the social worker should concentrate on the latter instead of trying to eliminate opposing views. Empathic supporters utilize the available strengths to build a facilitative environment.
In the teacher’s role, social workers should identify what specific skills should the family learn to overcome the challenges. Problems may occur because of varying reasons, but most of them can be solved by family members communicating effectively (Collins et al., 2013). Instead of trying to identify the exact causes of problems, the family social worker may encourage the family to learn the skills that comprise effective communication.
Consultants provide assistance in problems that do not arise recurrently. For instance, if a family is challenged by the necessity to pay for a child’s tuition, the professional may advise possible solutions, including loan types or scholarship programs. Families may ask for feedback on matters like parenting, and the workers provide expert commentary. It is among the most recurring roles because the majority of families tend to ask for advice.
The enabler role is appropriate in situations when the social worker deals with a family that does not know about available community resources or government programs. For instance, if a family is having issues with finding a suitable school for their children because they have just moved to the city, the professional has to provide all the necessary information that will help the family to solve its problem.
As a mobilizer, social workers coordinate the activities of community groups and other resources to achieve a specific goal. For example, if there is a high risk of new HIV cases in the community, and families fear that their children might be impacted, social workers may organize community events and educational sessions to raise awareness and provide individual support. The professionals may also work with schools and government agencies to accomplish the objectives.
The mediator role is appropriate in cases when the family members are having issues not with each other but with external parties. Children may have problems at school, the family may have challenging relationships with neighbors, or it may have conflicts with an entire community (Garbarino, 2017). In these circumstances, social workers may act as intermediaries, facilitating secure communication and critical reasoning while discouraging prejudice and misogyny.
As advocates, family social workers represent the interests of families and each of their members. They contact government representatives or members of various institutions to indicate that a specific policy violates the interests of particular families. For instance, if the government decides to move the local public school to a different location, and build a separate building at its current place, many families may have to travel a lot further to school. Officials need to know the opinions of the public, and family workers may become the representatives of ordinary families.
Conclusion
Because family social workers perform a high number of functions, roles provide means for grouping them into related areas. In contemporary social work practice, seven roles are used to implement intervention strategies and provide families with the necessary assistance. Social workers should use specific roles only when there is an appropriate situation. This paper briefly discussed each of the roles and provided some examples to demonstrate their applications.
References
Collins, D., Jordan, C., & Coleman, H. (2013). An introduction to family social work (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Garbarino, J. (2017). Children and families in the social environment: Modern applications of social work. Oxon, UK: Routledge.
Social workers need to have the profound theoretical and practical knowledge to help people. Their knowledge flows from an understanding of the full range of complexities and resources of the bio-psycho-socio-spiritual environment. Despite conflicting paradigms between traditional problem-based assessments and strengths-based approaches, it seems that it is the second approach that helps people do better in the long run (Graybeal, 2001). The problem-oriented social work paradigm stresses the client’s negative aspects: disorders, vices, control, obligations, and misbehaviors (Kreiviniene & Rimkus). The ROPES social work model, which focuses on the individual’s strengths, applies to investigate social isolation causes. The usage of this model can positively affect clients who are in crisis and express suicidal thoughts.
Social workers are in dire need of creating tools to identify strengths in the individual. The ROPES social work model is such a tool (Graybeal, 2001); now, the model is in development; its author is Graybeal Clay. The main components of this model are Resources, Opportunities, Possibilities, Exceptions, and Solutions. Among the resources that must be considered when identifying a problem, the following should be named: family, social environment, community. Guiding questions will also help the disoriented or stuck practitioner navigate. By asking alternative questions, understanding arises not only for the social service provider but also for the client (Graybeal, 2001). Perhaps the client will see hope in their situation or look at the problem with a fresh perspective, contributing to the more successful construction of solutions to problems.
Social isolation is the objective absence of social relations or the scarcity of social contacts. Long-term illness, disabilities, transportation challenges, or unemployment can all contribute to social isolation. Being in such a state is fraught with the fact that people will begin to abuse alcohol and cigarettes; several studies have proved that this behavior’s cause is a lonely lifestyle (Novotney, 2019). Results from 2015 studies have shown a strong association between social isolation and the risk of early mortality (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015). Social workers often have to work with clients who are in a state of isolation from others. Their job involves choosing an appropriate service for a client and assessing the possible results of these services (Kisthardt, 2013). The detrimental effect of isolation on the client’s health obliges social workers to seek practical solutions to this problem that ensure positive results.
The ROPES social work model assumes a more attentive attitude to the questions asked and the responses received from the client than is required by traditional assessment. In the context of working with people subject to a state of social isolation, this will mean a complete consideration of all the client’s circumstances. Consequently, the summation of data on the client’s current resources and potential capabilities will be provided. However, the intuitive understanding of the context of practice, which is required in the work of a social worker, is only achieved as the social worker gains professional experience (Healy, 2014). Therefore, it cannot be assumed that only one use of the proposed model can positively improve the client’s mental state.
A rapid and short-term emergency reaction to mental, emotional, physical, and behavioral distress is a crisis intervention. Crisis interventions help restore a person’s biopsychosocial functioning and reduce the risk of long-term injury. Using the ROPES social work model can be helpful because it enables one to track the presence of suicidal tendencies in a client and establish their cause. However, it still takes some time to complete an analysis of the client’s condition; therefore, preference should be given to assessment models that require less time to make a “diagnosis.”
The ROPES social work model has a severe potential for application in the practice of social workers. Its use allows one to move away from the previously dominant concepts of analyzing the client’s state in favor of this more effective one. Its benefits were explored both in a situation when a client finds himself in social isolation and crisis interventions. However, more research is required to be confident about the effectiveness of the model.
References
Graybeal, C. (2001). Strengths-based social work assessment: Transforming the dominant paradigm. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 82, 233-242. Web.
Healy, K. (2014). Social work theories in context: Creating frameworks for practice. Palgrave Macmillan.
Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review. Perspectives on psychological science: A journal of the Association for Psychological Science, 10(2), 227–237. Web.
Kisthardt, W. E. (2013). Integrating the core competencies in strengths-based, person-centered practice. In D. Saleebey (ed.). The strengths perspective social work practice. New Jersey: Pearson, 23–78.
Kreiviniene, B., & Rimkus, V. (2016). Positive social work approach: The shift from “work” towards “social”. Tiltai, 73. Web.
Novotney A. (2019). The risks of social isolation. Monitor on Psychology, 50(5), 32. Web.