Category: Social Work

Introduction

One of the primary tasks of a social worker lies in assessing. It not solely allows to be aware of the atmosphere in the family but also enables gathering essential information on each particular client. The data to collect may, notably, be related to the clients unique circumstances, social functioning, feelings, and behaviors. (Scarnato, 2019) Analyzing the above helps to identify the clients strong points and resources possible to use in resolving the problems as well as understand where the latter actually originate from.

Assessment may presuppose utilizing a considerable variety of tools and techniques, but it is essential to remember that the client remains the main source of information to rely upon. Therefore, it is most reasonable to opt for the tools that enable gathering information on both the current situation and the past life occasions it may root at. One of the most efficient techniques of that kind is the so-called bio-psycho-social-spiritual model, which may sometimes also include a cultural component (Scarnato, 2019). It considers the clients medical history, mental status, social functioning, and spiritual beliefs. Those parameters, in turn, comprise numerous factors that regard both the client themselves and their family. Such an approach allows for a more complex investigation of the current circumstances, hence a more appropriate solution.

Biological and Developmental Milestones in the Children

The biological and psychological components of the model are actually possible to unite into one, as they are both related to health. Applying the technique to Sandra Malones children would probably reveal no physical abnormalities but several developmental and/or psychical ones. Thus, her elder son Sean may be emotionally disturbed, which is apparent from his aggression and inability to learn (Logsdon, 2020). Alternatively or additionally, he may have some genetic psychical condition, as non-motivated aggressive behavior may mark a range of disorders up to schizophrenia (Stöppler, 2020). As there is no information on the mental health of his father, a psychiatric examination is critical.

The youngest daughter, Caitlin, may be experiencing a disturbance as well since toddlers of her age normally sleep through the night. If one does not, this is possibly a sign of so-called separation anxiety, which occurs when a toddler lacks parental attention (Ben-Joseph). The mental well-being of Sandras daughter Molly is also doubtful because her systematically slow reaction to instructions is a frequent marker of developmental delays (SSM Health). Therefore, three of four Sandra Malones children doubtlessly need medical supervision.

However, the kids behavior is not necessarily unhealthy because their brother Patrick, Sandras second child, who lives with her aunt, does not exhibit any abnormalities. He is happy enough with a person who is, most probably, friendly towards him, while the other children lack emotional support and a sense of security. Thus, Sean lives in isolation in a correctional institution and has behaved aggressively since he stopped meeting his father. Molly and Caitlin, who live with Sandra and see her drinking as well as being humiliated by Travis, behave disharmoniously.

Taking the above into account, it is possible to assume that the origin of the problems the three children are experiencing is social. There may be some inborn abnormalities as well, however, considering the lifestyle Sandra leads and the lack of data on the fathers medical histories. For this reason, a psychological consultation is critical for all three. It would identify whether the kids are suffering from certain mental conditions and/or cognitive impairments or simply not living in an appropriate atmosphere, hence excessively nervous.

The Familys Home Environment (HBSE)

This variable comprises social and spiritual components; optionally, a cultural one as well. Social factors include personal and family relationships [&] history of abuse [&] educational background [&] and the general social functioning (Scarnato, 2019). All of Sandras children have insufficient contact with their parents as well as siblings. Thus, Patrick and Molly are unaware of who their biological fathers are, while Sean apparently is on bad terms with his. Furthermore, the two elder sons do not even live with their mother, which aggravates their isolation, hence worsening their psychological state. By contrast, it would hardly be better if the boys lived with Sandra, as they would observe her quarrels with Travis, which could harm their psyche as well. It is also worth mentioning that all of the family members would lack private space since the accommodation Sandra is currently living in is not adjusted to house four kids adequately.

In order to improve the home environment, it would be reasonable to tell Patrick and Molly, who have begun to wonder why they look different from their relatives, about their fathers. Even a generalized story without extra details would be helpful for self-identification and, consequently, factor into the psychological and emotional stability of the children. Also, it is critical to explain to Sean and Patrick why they cannot live with their mother and siblings at the current stage so that they do not consider themselves abandoned and unnecessary.

Ideally, all of the siblings should meet each other and socialize on a regular basis, which would form stronger bonds among them. The children need to realize that, although they have different fathers and are not living under the same roof, they are a family. Considering Seans inclination to aggressive behavior, meetings should occur in the presence of a social worker and a psychologist. Sandras parents could also join the meetings since Sean is doubtlessly attached to them after being raised by them for a while. As for the other siblings, they need closer contact with loving people in order to feel family support on a continuous basis, which also means they need to see their grandparents regularly. However, those meetings should not involve leaving the kinds with Joseph and Siobhan for a long time because they report becoming physically unable to manage negative behaviors.

It would also be reasonable on Sandras part to stop inviting Travis to her place while Molly and Caitlin are at home until he masters self-control. He apparently needs psychological assistance, which would require both time and financial resources but is essential in case she would like to stay with him. In fact, if Sandra and Travis are planning to raise the children together, they need a consultation and supervision of a family psychologist, which is also time-and-money-consuming.

Sandras Spiritual Perspective

The spiritual aspect of human life is one based on faith as well as related practices, resources, and activities. Sandra has not been reported to participate in any, but I would identify her as a believing Christian or, possibly, a daughter of those. This is assumable from the fact that she gave birth to all four children, notwithstanding the financial distress, instead of opting for an abortion. Furthermore, she did not even complete her studies, as her first pregnancy happened when she was sixteen, but she decided not to terminate it. A perspective of that kind is, actually, not quite appropriate under the given circumstances because Sandra is unable to meet the needs of all her children.

Conclusion

To summarize, three of four of Sandras kids need psychological consultation and, possibly, psychiatric supervision, as in two of them, psychical abnormalities are highly probable. Her current boyfriend, Travis, should talk to a specialist as well in order to learn how to manage his emotions and how to behave in a family. Ideally, the couple has to consult a family psychologist because both are facing difficulties on their way to harmonious family life, although they find it desirable.

In addition, all four siblings need regular interaction so that they are more closely connected to each other and, consequently, feel more support, which they apparently lack. They also need closer contact with their grandparents, who are ready to share their love; therefore, Sandra could arrange meetings of that kind on a regular basis. However, they should only happen under the supervision of psychologists and social workers to avoid improper behaviors. Such measures may improve the home environment of the family by making it friendlier and more stable.

References

Ben-Joseph, E. P. (n.d.) Sleep and your 1- to 2-year-old. Kids Health. Web.

Developmental delay. (n.d.) SSM Health. Web.

Logsdon, A. (2020). Symptoms of emotionally disturbed students. VeryWellFamily. Web.

Scarnato, J. M. (2019). The components of a biopsychosocial-spiritual-cultural assessment. MSW Careers. Web.

Stöppler, M. C. (2020). Aggression: symptoms & signs. MedicineNet. Web.

Social workers in psychiatric facilities have several important responsibilities, including completing patient intake and evaluation procedures. The client will first have a meeting with the social worker who has been assigned to them, during which an intake process is done. This will involve gathering general identifying information regarding medical coverage, prior medical history, and specifics about current issues. The social worker documents the current reason for the client receiving treatment for their behavioral health issues.

Preparing Strategies for Behavioral Health Treatment

After completing the clients intake and evaluation procedures, the social worker develops a treatment plan for the clients behavioral health. Such a health treatment plan considers the recommended course of action for treating the clients current problem and any additional issues discovered during the initial evaluation. The social worker may consult other medical professionals when formulating a treatment plan (Fraher et al., 2018). These professionals include experienced psychologists or psychiatrists who work within their psychiatric facility. The social workers may enquire about patients who have suicidal thoughts or delusions or other symptoms that necessitate medication and other intensive medical interventions.

Crisis Intervention

Intervening during times of crisis is a major role of social workers in meeting the behavioral needs of patients in the community setting. During this intervention, the social worker may provide telephone crisis coverage, offer community recommendations to a client who needs emergency health services and assist clients who need immediate mental health problem treatment. In such a crisis, the social workers goals are to evaluate if the patient can benefit and recover to normal functions or if they may need additional treatment or assistance. For example, a social worker may assess that a severely depressed client must be admitted to a healthcare unit for further psychological treatment and monitoring.

Provision of Treatment for Behavioral Health

The variety of therapeutic approaches that clients might choose from is determined by the social workers assessment of the clients unique mental health concerns. Social workers can conduct therapy for various concerns, including substance misuse and mental health problems, supportive, group, family, and cognitive behavior therapy (Hussein, 2018). The social workers coordinate the treatment plans for their patients with the assistance of other medical professionals. With the patients explicit permission and consent, the social workers can discuss with other psychologists how far along the patient is in their course of therapy.

Counseling and Educating Clients

Social workers should inform clients and their families of their diagnosis in behavioral health, the prescribed course of treatment, and when the client will be discharged from the facility. Social workers frequently interact with families to assist them in better comprehending the illnesses of their loved ones and learning how to cope with them. In some cases, the social workers may offer family counseling to patients and their families at once or to individual members of the patients family when needed.

Roles that Should Meet the Needs of Underserved Population

To better assist the underserved population, the functions of social workers could be expanded to include behavioral therapy, educational opportunities, and counseling sessions. Suppose social workers are allowed to provide a wider variety of behavioral treatment options. In that case, most people who struggle with mental health issues will benefit from improved care. To ensure that most families are taught how to deal with and manage their loved ones experiencing mental health issues, there should be an increased emphasis on family education and counseling.

Possible New Roles in Behavioral Health by Social Workers: Alleviation of Poverty

Most of the population suffers from mental health problems due to poverty. It is time for social workers to take on a new role in the fight against the scourge of poverty. As a result of this additional function, social workers can devise programs that mitigate the adverse consequences of poverty on behavioral health. A social worker in this role will be able to establish and implement programs that improve healthcare coverage and ensure that the expense of mental health treatment does not impede individuals from succeeding in their endeavors.

Advocacy

The public has a right to health care services of higher quality and more affordable, and social workers are responsible for advocating for this right. If social workers take on this responsibility, they can advocate for the health requirements of the most vulnerable members of society. Social workers in their practice on mental health may advocate on various fronts, such as locally, at the state or national level.

Case Management

It is possible for social workers to drastically increase their ability to support their patients in receiving the appropriate medical care by taking on a case management position inside and adopting a setting. People who are coping with issues such as chronic mental illness, marital discord, or other types of behavioral health sickness can benefit from case management since it is aimed to assist them in figuring out where they can get the best available medical care for their condition.

Most Influential Roles of Social Workers in Behavioral Health

Due to work done by the social workers, fewer people may be recorded to suffer from mental health problems resulting from the inability to cope with stressful conditions. Social workers try to maintain and improve their clients mental health by educating them about potential risks and issuing clear warnings when necessary (Farkas & Romaniuk, 2020). As part of their job in behavioral health, social workers educate patients and the general public about the importance of good emotional self-care, stress management, and strong interpersonal interactions.

Treatment

Social workers must assist clients who are experiencing challenges with their mental health. Social workers therapeutic efforts focus on individuals with serious mental health issues. Difficulties in the patients relationship with the therapist could be addressed during treatment. The social worker is involved in risk management and family counseling and helps clients analyze their stress levels. Other treatment options provided by the social worker include psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Rehabilitation

Social workers are greatly significant in the reduction of the burden of mental illness. The social workers provide the clients with retraining and rehabilitation services to the best of their efforts. Clients with severe mental health problems benefit from group and individual therapy to help them improve their coping skills.

Instances When Social Work May Be Less Effective

Social work has successfully dealt with many issues, including domestic violence, abuse of drugs and alcohol, inequality, and mental health problems. However, there have been various impediments, and social work has been less effective in achieving its goals of assuring the mental health development of the youth and lowering the incidence of family violence.

Fostering Mental and Emotional Health for the Youth.

Social work has not been as successful as assisting all teenagers and youths in behavioral development. Around one in ten young people struggle with significant mental health conditions (Kostova et al., 2018). The percentage of young adults in the United States who suffer from major depressive disorder has been high and was 13.01% percent in 2020 (Sherman et al., 2020). The treatment that is provided to the majority of children who struggle with behavioral issues is not sufficient.

Prevention of Family Violence against Women

It has also been demonstrated that social work has a diminished impact on reducing domestic violence. Every ten minutes, the wives of almost 20 different Americans violently attack their husbands, and it is estimated that domestic violence affects 10 million people annually in the United States (Caridade et al., 2020). These findings indicate that interventions in family-based social work to avoid domestic violence have been unsuccessful.

How Policies Affect the Roles of Social Workers

As a result of programs such as managed health care, social workers have greatly increased the amount of time spent on mental health issues. Due to the managed health care program, social workers were allowed to extend the scope of their practice areas. Social workers can give private health care in a setting that is not associated with medicine. They can advocate for and provide aftercare to their clients who are chronically mentally ill and destitute. As a direct effect of the policy governing managed health care, the proportion of the market occupied by social workers specializing in behavioral health has risen significantly. The technique, in particular, was essential in social workers rise to the position of preeminent professionals in the United States, which is the countrys primary provider of mental health care services. The social work profession has established itself as one of a kind. Social workers behavioral health services are subject to state legislation and managed health care policy.

References

Caridade, S. M. M., Saavedra, R., Ribeiro, R., Oliveira, A. C., Santos, M., Almeida, I. S., & Soeiro, C. (2021). Remote support to victims of violence against women and domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Journal of Adult Protection. Web.

Farkas, K. J., & Romaniuk, J. R. (2020). Social work, ethics and vulnerable groups in the time of coronavirus and Covid-19. Society Register, 4(2), 67-82. Web.

Fraher, E. P., Richman, E. L., de Saxe Zerden, L., & Lombardi, B. (2018). Social work student and practitioner roles in integrated care settings. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 54(6), S281-S289. Web.

Hussein, S. (2018). Work engagement, burnout and personal accomplishments among social workers: A comparison between those working in children and adults services in England. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 45(6), 911-923. Web.

Kostova, Z., Levin, L., Lorberg, B., & Ziedonis, D. (2019). Mindfulness-based interventions for adolescents with mental health conditions: A systematic review of the research literature. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 28(10), 2633-2649. Web.

Sherman, A. C., Williams, M. L., Amick, B. C., Hudson, T. J., & Messias, E. L. (2020). Mental health outcomes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: Prevalence and risk factors in a southern US state. Psychiatry Research, 293, 113476. Web.

According to Professor HL Fung said that social welfare and social work have been undergone a paradigm shift throughout these years. These changes are including:

The traits of new society

There is a special trait which is calculative rationality in new society. Everything in new society is counted by its profit. Although there are public choices, they are controlled by profit organizations. Due to human’s greedy, there will be anti-welfarism and anti-statism in new society. Governments should generate market systems for public services for example welfare services. However governments are becoming more macroeconomic and controlling their society. Macroeconomic Regulation and Control refers to the use of direct government intervention by the central government of the People’s Republic of China to cool down the overheated economy. Consequently, Labor outsourcings happen in public services meanwhile the service standards turn higher. This is a large limit for social welfare and social work to develop.

The social welfare in new society

In new society, definitions of social welfare are refreshed. There are two definitions on social welfare. They are a state of well-being and relationship between public and personal. For the former, labor power was a stable economic value in past society but it is replaced by technology and knowledge power. It means social basic stratum will lose its income protection. For latter, some countries’ governments shift their policy from risk sharing to personal saving and investing. It means government has few responsibilities to its people. Owing to global economic slowdown and casino capitalism, social protect is becoming a doubt today. In social services, there were universality and comprehensiveness, but now there are selectivity and targeted. When social services are launched by residual model, the social cohesion will be interpreted by economy. New society emphasizes civic right but not patriarchy. There is a hypothesis that believes government and people have a coexistence system. The government, which is generated by civic people, has its duty to manage people. Unfortunately, the economic and greedy reasons break the balances, for instance lowering the quality of generation and freezing the laboring market. Meanwhile, the social welfare changes from non-conditional love to tough love for all citizens. Governments prefer setting harsh minimum requires of social services to avoid abusing.

The social work in new society

When society’s structures change, characters of social work also change. In the past, technical knowledge is elementary for social workers. Practical knowledge is more important than technical knowledge. However, top to bottom flow is not professional for social working. In new society, social workers are demanded to obey orders from their supervisors. Moreover, social workers are limited by utilitarianism and market competition to provide best and fittest services to needy. Therefore, it is not only increasing work loading to social workers but also exploiting rights of social services for people in need. Additional, there is a belief for social workers to advocate new policies against unfair situations in society. Ironically, social workers need to obtain bureaucratic credibility but not street-corner credibility. Consequently, social workers become policies workers. Besides, social workers are expected to show their flexible specialization and strategic alliance for integrated social services nowadays. All in all, social workers are confused and depressed by the changes which are mentioned above. When the beliefs of social work are becoming doubtful, there is a question for all the workers: Is there a future for the ‘professional project’ of social work?

Challenges to social work in the new society

At the beginning of a new century social work hesitates at the crossroads to accept its marginalized and demoralized condition, or to look for a new future and sense of duty (Mark, 2001). As Professor HL Fung’s mention, there are some changes of social work recently. The obvious change is professionalization of social work. It includes challenge against social work’s value and orientation. There are some implications of the changes toward the professionalization of social work in Hong Kong.

Challenges against social work’s value

It is common to know that one of social work’s values is empowerment. Social workers must empower people in need to fight against unfair situations and protect for the welfare what they must have. However, professionalization of social worker makes clients feel disempowered. Clients may become independent because of the high status and professional image of social workers. The uneven status between clients and social workers is unacceptable by social work’s beliefs.

It is found that some social workers prefer working for the government than clients. Since “market” and “contract” programs became main streams in Hong Kong, the relationship between government and social workers is changing from “welfare cooperators” to “business partners”. Social workers are ordered to be policy promoters and welfare keepers for the government to achieve a residual mode.

Challenges against social work’s orientation

Nowadays, globalization affects the whole world including Hong Kong. Many professional occupations are becoming more unstable due to risks of unemployment. The social work services involve with economy and resource. Thus, social workers have to face a realistic problem “It is a difficult question—professionalize its value in the market? Or be replaced by other relevant careers and laymen?”

While professionalization of social work is continuing, the government is setting more limits and interferes toward social work’s structures. It is very awkward that a professional institution loses its own autonomy. There are many performance indicators for the government to access whether a social worker or social service organization services are good or not. Therefore social work services are controlled and also monitored especially when the practical workers advocate for the people who are against the government.

Conclusion

As Professor HL Fung said, the new society in Hong Kong is about programmed society and Marketization. The programmed society emphasizes efficiency and regulation of social welfare but not street-corner credibility. The marketization makes social workers and clients (especially disadvantaged group) have conflicts in benefits. The government wants clients to proof their laboring value for exchanging welfare supports.

Meanwhile, professionalization of social work generates lots of doubts about disempowerment and modeled role. It is concerned that if social workers will betray their belief and value or not. Additional, the new society expects flexible specialization towards social workers. It is doubtless that social workers are facing more difficulties and challenges in its professionalization in new society.

However, if every social worker determines core values and attitudes to service and advocate for disadvantaged clients, disempowerment and corruption will be avoided. It cannot be depended and completed by programmed assessments but appropriate value development during social work’s courses such as social welfare and policy course.

Finally, the multicultural society needs a new openness and greater sensitivity to other value orientations as well as a broader knowledge foundation by its professional workers than is required in a less diverse society (Bente, 2014). It is believed that there is a risk but also a great opportunity for social workers to develop as well as improve themselves.

Reference

1. Mark Lymbery, Social Work at the Crossroads, The British Journal of Social Work, Volume 31, Issue 3, 1 June 2001, Pages 369–384
2. Bø, Bente Puntervold (2014). Social work in a multicultural society: New challenges and needs for competence. International Social Work, 58(4), 562–574. doi: 10.1177/0020872814550114

ASPIRE was primarily developed to manage the provision of services in public hospitals and other community-based health services that are under social work. In the ASPIRE model, some groups are involved in the implementation of the services in public hospitals and other social work services. ASPIRE model ensures that there is effective implementation and a good performance review of the activity being undertaken. Some of the key areas the model prioritizes include; clinical areas for evaluation, performance analysis data, articulation of goals in an upfront manner, measures mapping, identification of performance measures, and a comprehensive report of the findings. ASPIRE model also ensures the following; it helps examine the impediments to the evaluation of performance and recommendation of the strategies that will help achieve the goal of the particular social work activity being undertaken, in this case, the resettlement of convicts.

The ASPIRE model has discovered that local social work practices are guided by widely approved tools and principles. Performance evaluation under the model can be challenging due to lack of enough time, lack of a standardized framework to help carry out the evaluation, and lack of understanding of the process by the personnel. The model, therefore, recommends proper training for a standard framework of evaluation and also how to conduct a good evaluation to help the personnel undertaking the specific social work activity for instance resettlement of convicts.

The ASPIRE model helps share the most important elements of performance evaluation; it also identifies the difficulties facing the process. The model covers the following areas: an area for evaluation; this involves the team of professionals involved in the process of identifying and prioritizing the sections for performance evaluation. Secondly, the evaluation team is tasked with setting goals guided by the identified clinical area, these goals are up for performance evaluation. Thirdly, the team will set specific performance indicators; these are the performance measures that will guide the whole process. Also, the team will is charged with forming specific information sources that will map the performance measures to the information sources. Also, the team is tasked with comprehensively analyzing the results and giving a report of the same to the stakeholders. Lastly, the team must comprehensively evaluate the performance evaluation system. All these are the most important guidelines that are followed in the ASPIRE model.

During my work as a volunteer resettlement officer for ex-convicts, my daily job included the following; I was responsible for escorting ex-covert to attend their appointments with the council for accommodation, hospitals, or rehabilitation centers. I was also tasked with fostering good relationships with clients and other professionals, for instance, housing officers through strong communication skills. Also, I was tasked with assessing convicts in custody by going to them and inquiring about their needs for follow-up. I diligently kept and updated records of inmates in the database system. Also, I was tasked with creating good relationships with the ex-convicts by supporting them to be integrated back into the community; I was able to do this by; booking appointments for them at job centers, and rehabilitation centers and doing follow-up for the same.

It should be noted that in the above tasks that I exercised during my time, the ASPIRE model was a key guideline for my daily undertakings. I had to set goals to be achieved by the end of a specific period; I was also keen on the areas of information that will be beneficial for my role. Also, I had to set my areas of evaluation and performance indicators that enabled me to report results at the end of the whole process. All these guidelines were a result of my reference to the ASPIRE model and were instrumental in the achievement of my goals.

In my opinion as a volunteer resettlement officer, the quality of service offered to the ex-convicts was above average. The services were not perfect and it did not satisfy the needs of all the ex-convicts but I should admit it was above average meaning most of the ex-convicts were attended to well. Their needs were satisfied and their resettlement was as smooth as possible. They were given the best of what the available resources could afford.

The resettlement services for the ex-convicts had strengths that included; enough resources in terms of reading literature that the ex-convicts needed to read for their mental needs. Also, the resettlement service was well supported by the enforcement officers who worked hand in hand with the social workers including me. An additional strength of the resettlement was the proper communication between the social workers and the ex-convicts, the good relationship between the two enables a seamless flow of events and activities. Also, the resettlement had a manageable number of ex-convicts that were being taken care of, the number was manageable in a way that there was no strain on the available resources an issue that help achieve the goals set at the end of the rehabilitation of each ex-convict.

The resettlement exercise, on the other hand, had the following weaknesses; first, there was a lack of willingness from the members of the community when it came to taking back the ex-convicts. The members of the community had trust issues with the ex-convicts which made the work of the resettlement officers difficult in some cases. Secondly, some ex-convicts were not ready to go back to the community, they were still feeling guilty about the crimes they had been convicted of and were still very sorry for themselves to the extent they felt like they do not deserve to be taken back by the community. The ex-convicts under this category made it difficult for the resettlement officers to take them back to the community. Also, another weakness involved situations where some ex-convicts needed extensive mental care which needed psychiatric specialists and in some cases psychotherapists, this was a challenge in some cases when the specialists were not readily available or were available at a high cost, it made it difficult to rehabilitate the ex-convicts in this category. Lastly there as also some ex-convicts who were dishonest about their progress in rehabilitation, they were not following the guidelines that were supposed to help them recover from what was troubling them. They found a way of beating the system and pretending that everything was going well while in essence, they were not willing and genuine to be rehabilitated.

The first BASW principle that is important in the resettlement of ex-convicts is the principle that states that; there must be systems that maintain confidentiality and keep records safe and accurate. This principle is very important while dealing with ex-convicts because, without confidentiality and good record-keeping, it will be difficult to achieve the intended purpose of rehabilitation in the end. When information is mishandled and ends up in the wrong hands it can be fatal for the ex-convicts and even the social worker.

The second BASW principle that applies to the resettlement of ex-convicts states that; there should be good professional indemnity and public liability insurance coverage and more insurance to protect the services user. The principle is very applicable in the resettlement of ex-convicts because they are a very sensitive population to deal with, many issues can come up that might affect or endanger the officers who work with the ex-convicts and therefore this principle comes into remedies the outcome.

The third BASW principle that is applicable for the resettlement of ex-convicts states that; professional advice would be sought after in areas that lie outside the expertise of the social work personnel and keep updating these areas such as; keeping accounts, tax, and legal affairs. This is applicable in the resettlement of ex-convicts because of the nature of the crimes they were convicted of and the possible outcomes of the whole rehabilitation process which is not certain to the social work personnel.

Among the three BASW principles stated in the number above, the first principle should be easy thoroughly adhered to. The principle states that; there must be systems that maintain confidentiality and keep records safe and accurate. The reason I chose this as the most important principle of the three is that record-keeping and confidentiality are key to having successful rehabilitation processes. Through record-keeping, it will be possible to get feedback and gauge the progress of the rehabilitation. This will guide the whole process to be a success.

The specific potential tension between any of the professional values you just highlighted is the issue of confidentiality, some people are not confidential with sensitive information and this could give rise to conflict because of my values. Some of my values include; honesty, fairness, confidentiality, and law-abiding. This means if any player in the rehabilitation process breaks the BASW principle on confidentiality then we are likely to have problems because it goes against my values.

In cases where the issue of confidentiality in the previous number comes up, it can be solved by making the ground rules clear that every party involved in the rehabilitation process must follow the BASW principles without fail. Anyone who will violate any BASW principle will face the consequences as per the law.

In the process of rehabilitating ex-convicts, one of the main areas of intervention involves; counseling the ex-convicts and making them believe they can be better people.

According to …The impact of counseling ex-convicts goes a long way to ensuring that they are reintegrated back into the community and are welcomed by the community. In research carried out by the University of London, it was discovered that more than 60% of convicts who were rehabilitated went back to the community to live normal lives. The ex-convicts in this category attributed counseling to have played a big role in their rehabilitation. Most of the ex-convicts reported that they were able to convince themselves that they can still be productive members of society because of the counseling. A huge number of ex-convicts reported that they were paranoid about going back to the community since they thought that they will not be welcomed by their loved ones.

The research concluded that proper counseling helps ex-convicts change their ways and is one of the most effective ways of rehabilitating ex-convicts. Counseling is also extended to the family members and the community at large so that they help the ex-convict blend back into the community and also realize that the ex-convict has a right to be taken back as long as they have served their term.

An essential factor in leading a fulfilling life is the consideration of both risks and management of risks. It is vital to identify a person’s human rights to be able to make their own choices in life. However, this right is based on the theory that a person can understand and evaluate the risks and consequences of choices made. It may be difficult when working with service user groups where ‘mental capacity’ may be a concern, For example, people with learning disabilities, people with autism, or elderly people. Where there is a concern about the mental capacity of a service user, a social worker is expected to carry out a full assessment of the capacity of the user. For example, their level of understanding, absorbing, and weighing information in decision-making (The Open University, 2020h). The principles and legal framework as outlined in The Mental Capacity Act (2005) must be followed in any decision-making and in ensuring that the service user’s opinion is considered and they are treated with respect while offering the same level of service available to everyone else.

Taking into consideration that social work involves working alongside some of the most deprived and vulnerable members of society, living in poverty is often an underlying factor of a person experiencing mental health difficulties, with research showing that the demographic of people in poverty has shifted with the rise in unemployment for under 25’s almost doubling since 2008 or those in lower paid or part-time jobs increasing across Scotland (Aldridge et al., 2013). There is also a clear link between unemployment and mental health difficulties or poverty and mental ‘ill’ health (Mental Health Foundation, 2016). Support and resources to aid a person in finding employment or a course to study may improve their mental health and situation but social workers should be aware that having employment doesn’t necessarily mean that a person will be financially stable.

One of the contexts a social worker should consider supporting informed decision-making is poverty. A person’s cultural background is a vital part of their identity that needs to be considered when working to support informed decision-making, with a social worker needing to be aware of any possible stereotyping that may influence their practice (The Open University, 2020i). Establishing a support service that provides a service to Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) families of people with disabilities is identified to be a difficult process. It is known that social workers can individually adapt their approach to support culturally sensitive decision-making, however, it may prove difficult to support black and minority ethnic groups if social work departments do not make sure culturally appropriate information and resources are available, Dominelli (2009) cited in (The Open University, 2020j). An example of this sort of resource would be having multi-lingual information and accessible aids available for people who speak limited English to express their needs and wishes when being supported to make informed decisions.

An essential factor in leading a fulfilling life is the consideration of both risks and management of risks. It is vital to identify a person’s human rights to be able to make their own choices in life. However, this right is based on the theory that a person can understand and evaluate the risks and consequences of choices made. It may be difficult when working with service user groups where ‘mental capacity’ may be a concern, For example, people with learning disabilities, people with autism, or elderly people. Where there is a concern about the mental capacity of a service user, a social worker is expected to carry out a full assessment of the capacity of the user. For example, their level of understanding, absorbing, and weighing information in decision-making (The Open University, 2020h). The principles and legal framework as outlined in The Mental Capacity Act (2005) must be followed in any decision-making and in ensuring that the service user’s opinion is considered and they are treated with respect while offering the same level of service available to everyone else.

Taking into consideration that social work involves working alongside some of the most deprived and vulnerable members of society, living in poverty is often an underlying factor of a person experiencing mental health difficulties, with research showing that the demographic of people in poverty has shifted with the rise in unemployment for under 25’s almost doubling since 2008 or those in lower paid or part-time jobs increasing across Scotland (Aldridge et al., 2013). There is also a clear link between unemployment and mental health difficulties or poverty and mental ‘ill’ health (Mental Health Foundation, 2016). Support and resources to aid a person in finding employment or a course to study may improve their mental health and situation but social workers should be aware that having employment doesn’t necessarily mean that a person will be financially stable.

One of the contexts a social worker should consider supporting informed decision-making is poverty. A person’s cultural background is a vital part of their identity that needs to be considered when working to support informed decision-making, with a social worker needing to be aware of any possible stereotyping that may influence their practice (The Open University, 2020i). Establishing a support service that provides a service to Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) families of people with disabilities is identified to be a difficult process. It is known that social workers can individually adapt their approach to support culturally sensitive decision-making, however, it may prove difficult to support black and minority ethnic groups if social work departments do not make sure culturally appropriate information and resources are available, Dominelli (2009) cited in (The Open University, 2020j). An example of this sort of resource would be having multi-lingual information and accessible aids available for people who speak limited English to express their needs and wishes when being supported to make informed decisions.

People coexist in different environments based on the theory of the general system and the ecology. The environment is meant for survival of all living things when all conditions are met.

However, the scarcity of resources forces living things to adapt to environmental and ecological changes in order to survive. For economic success of a given population, there is need for government support through provision of basic necessities as discussed in this paper.

Ecological perspective is based on two main biological ideas, the general system theory and ecology. The science of ecology is concerned with the environment in which human beings and other organisms live. The environment is fit for human survival if all the necessities needed are adequate and available.

General system theory deals with variables existing between people and the environment in which they live in which enhance wholeness. Human beings and the environment are perceived as two interrelated phenomena according to ecological model.

The environment provides human beings with resources, which they depend on. On the other hand, human beings have to take good care of the environment by avoiding destruction of resources which they depend on. The two therefore depend on each other (Manuela, 2012).

According to Berrios, Marak and Morgenstern (2011), ecosystem model is universal in social work. The model is widely accepted for it helps people to understand deeply the relationship between the environment and human beings. The principle was adopted because social workers deal mainly with making the environment in which human beings live a better place.

The model is very important in social work whose aim is to determine the relationship between the environment and human beings. Care should be taken to ensure that both the environment and people receive equal attention. Putting more weight in one party bring about negative effects. For instance, children may drop out of schools because of interacting with bad company.

If the teachers in school and the parents at home do not closely monitor the movement of such children, then such children will continue influencing others. Parents should be role models to their children failure to which they grow up being irresponsible.

The origin of Mexican Americans is Mexico a country in Latin America. Statistics collected in July 2009 in the United States of America showed that the population of Mexican Americans makes up about 10% of the total population. The population includes the Latinos and Hispanics in the U.S. The group has a complex cultural system with some of their values being a reflection of the Mexican history.

Mexicans adore their original lifestyle and culture such that they continue practicing it even when living outside their country. Mexican Americans find it easy to interact with their neighboring communities because they share most of the cultural values and practices.

Their culture is mainly a mixture from America and Mexico but they entirely take in what is accepted in their home country. Even though their population is low, it is growing at a fast rate (Black, 2011).

In a state like California, 20% of the total numbers of people trace their origin from Mexico. The fact that the population of Mexican Americans is small compared to other groups implies that the chances of being discriminated against by bigger groups are high. As far as the economy and distribution of resources in the country is concerned, they are among the disadvantaged groups.

On average, their income in the household is below that of non-Hispanic whites by 40%. This clearly shows that the welfare of minority groups in the country is ignored.

Most of the resources are channeled to larger groups in favor of smaller ones. Examination of the living condition of Mexican Americans makes us understand their position in the modern and future American societies. This can clearly be seen from examination of wages and jobs set apart for this group (Manuela, 2012).

In America, wages of whites, blacks and Mexican Americans are determined by the level of education and the working duration. Mexican Americans are further divided into three groups namely immigrants from Mexico, Children born in America by Mexican immigrants, descendants, and grandchildren of immigrants from Mexico.

Education services are limited to Mexican population a factor which contributes to the high levels of illiteracy rate among the population. The result of lack of proper education is the cause of low earnings realized within the group. Mexican Americans born in America are better placed than the rest in educational matters.

An estimated percentage of 28% among the Mexican families complete high school education in comparison to 84% black youths and 87% from the white’s origin. Enrollment in schools is also a challenge in the group. The population of Mexican American enrolled in schools for the whites is very low.

These are schools, which are well equipped with educational facilities, but they are too expensive to be afforded by Mexican Americans limiting the chances of their children from joining such schools. Inequality in accessing resources based on race and ethnicity should be eliminated in America (Census bureau, 2010).

Interaction between Mexican Americans and other communities has had a lot of influence in their culture. As a result of intermarriage with members from other communities, cultural values have been passed from one community to another. They have also absorbed cultural values from other communities especially from Native Americans and Spanish (Thompson et al., 2010).

Migration from one place to another enhances interaction of people from various places with diverse cultural views. Influence is not only on culture but also on religion. They have taken on religious aspects of other societies and also lost some to other communities.

Religion is a major aspect in their life. Roman Catholic, Jehovah Witness and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the common denominations among Mexican Americans with large numbers of followers. Mexican American families are strongly bound together.

Responsibility of taking and caring for the extended family is upon each individual. They work hard and cooperate with each other to better their ways of life (Manuela, 2012).

Dancing and music are essential components of their culture. Mexican Americans dance and sing during special occasions. Songs like mariachis and corridos are passed from one generation to another orally. Living away from home is not a reason to forget carrying out festivals and dances.

Salsa and tap dance are the common dances in the community, which in the modern world have gained popularity in many other countries (Diaz, Saenz & Kwan, 2011).

Discrimination among Mexican Americans is a form of oppression because they are denied their basic rights. The community does not receive adequate and reliable health facilities. The hospitals within their reach do not have qualified personnel to handle medical complications a factor, which leaves some of the patients dying whose complications, should have been handled.

Accessing the hospital is a problem for them since they have to travel for long before accessing cheap hospitals that they can afford. The mortality rate among young children and pregnant mothers is high (US Census Bureau, 2010). Pregnant mothers are not taken good care of during their expectant period which may lead to complications during delivery putting either the mother or child at risk of death.

During the early stages of child’s development, consistent medical care is required for the health of the child. Lack of immunization against diseases put children at risk of death or conducting dangerous diseases (De Anda, 2011).

According to ecosystem model, environment and people are interdependent. In order to live well, the environment in which people live in should be favorable. If the environment does not favor survival, economic development within the region and community is likely to be deterred.

As far as Mexican Americans are concerned, the ecosystem model does not apply to them. This is because they live in an unfriendly environment in which they are discriminated against by the larger communities. The model requires that Whites and Blacks in America should grant minority groups equal rights (Black, 2011).

As a social worker, I will advise them to have equal access to natural resources in the country by schooling in the same institutions with qualified teachers, freedom in accessing medical facilities, and equal opportunities in employment centers. Qualification rather than race and tribe should be the main determinant in securing jobs. People should be paid according to the duration of work and qualification.

Allowing Mexican Americans to access educational facilities will improve their standards of living. Larger groups should be made to understand that minority groups are not lesser in any way. If given the chance, they will excel in all fields (Berrios, Marak & Morgenstern, 2011).

In conclusion, the environments in which people live in very much determine how they live and their relationship with other people surrounding them. It is upon the government to ensure that their citizens are provided with all necessities. This will enhance the economic development of the country by increasing the rate of population. Creation of employment opportunities in the country will boost the economy as people will earn a living (Auerswald, 1968).

References

Auerswald, E. (1968). Interdisciplinary versus ecological approach, Family Process, 7,202-215. Web.

Berrios, R., Marak, A. & Morgenstern, S. (2011). Explaining hydrocarbon nationalization in Latin America: Economics and political ideology. Review of International Political Economy, 18, 327-330. Web.

Black, R. (2011). The challenges of interpreting fragmented landscapes in a regional context: a case study of the Victorian Box-Ironbark forests, Australia. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 19(2), 357-358. Web.

De Anda, R. (2011). Underemployment among Mexican-origin women. Social Science Journal, 48, 36-44. Web.

Diaz, P., Saenz, D. & Kwan, V. (2011). Economic dynamics and changes in attitudes toward undocumented Mexican immigrants in Arizona. Analyses of Social Issues & Public Policy, 11, 146-155. Web.

Manuela, A. (2012). U.S. border enforcement and the net flow of Mexican illegal migration. Economic Development & Cultural Change Journal, 60,214-229. Web.

Thompson, J. et al. (2010). Mediated modeling: Using collaborative processes to integrate scientist and stakeholder knowledge about greenhouse gas emissions in an urban ecosystem. Journal of Society & Natural Resources, 23,355-356. Web.

US Census Bureau. (2010). Equal employment opportunity: Hispanic heritage month. Web.

Introduction

Organizations employ a vast range of social workers. These social workers are engaged in myriads of work within any organization. This work indeed varies from working in a large organization charged with production of goods to organizations that are predominantly engaged in designing and production of services aimed at satisfying communal and even individual needs.

Human service organizations employ an immense number of social workers. As a way of example, psychiatrists and psychologists entangle some of the social workers who work much more independently that social workers generally do. Given the complexities of social work service within an organization, many theories have been proposed to explain the nature and the relevance of social workers within an organization.

Some of such theories are feminism and human services, as discussed by Jones and May (1992, p. 56), amongst others. This paper works from a human service organization perspective to compare and contrast feminism and human service theories.

Background

Following the emergence of the second movement for liberation of women, scholars have challenged many of the traditional understanding of women’s experiences. This has prompted the emergence of a new scholarship body deploying concepts of feminism.

With respect to social work theories, feminism is deployed to refer to “a mode of analysis involving certain ways of thinking and of acting, which are designed to eliminate the oppression of women in the society to achieve women’s liberation” (Hannan, Carroll & Polos 2003, p.310).

Feminism theory provides strongly founded grounds for studying the various experiences of women with social human services organizations, especially based on the premise that social, economic and political structures shape the experiences of women.

According to Tong (1989), in social work context, “feminist thought assumes that women’s interests and perspectives are valid in and of themselves, are not inferiors or secondary to those of men’s, nor should they be defined only in relation to or as a derivation from men’s experiences” (30).

Indeed, this concern forms the criticisms of traditional psychological, philosophical, and historical scholarship. The absence of such assumptions is the building block of the feministic approaches employed in human services organizations.

Human services theoretical perspective has at its heart the perception that social work is all about helping people irrespective of the differences either in gender terms or in any other way of classification of organizations’ working population. As Reskin and Hartmann (1986) note, human service theory perceives “social work as being all about social change at an individual as well as a community’s level” (p.102).

In this context, human services theory mostly focuses on the resolution of people’s challenges within an organization amid the complexities that exist within human services organizations. In fact, this theory appreciates this nature of complexities.

Thus, it sees the solutions to such complexities as being rested on the platforms of inculcating the spirit of creativity and fostering knowledge development among social workers (Jones & May 1992, p.47).

Ideally, human services theory seeks to provide responses to various interrogatives such as the relevance of seeking to know why people suffer, people’s responsibilities in resolution of social work problems showing how mechanisms of providing knowledge about human challenges may be availed.

Similarities

Both human services and feminism theories are all advanced with the main objective of providing ways of explaining people’s behaviors, the way they view and even think about particular situations within the social work environment. Essentially then, the two perspectives provide the lens through which social workers acquire guidance.

From a different dimension, the two theories are similar since their practicability is rested on a variety of quite similar frameworks, which actually influence the two perspectives. An example of these frameworks is ecosystem perspective. According to Hannan, Carroll and Polos, the ecosystem perspective “focuses on the interplay between the person and his or her environment” (2003, p.312).

Paramount to note is that, whether from a feministic theory perspective or human services perspective, it is widely agreeable that people within human services organizations deserve to understand the functioning of various individuals. However, in an endeavor to understand people better, it is crucial that one understands the environmental context within which the person lives (Jones & May 1992, p.52).

Mohr (1998) “argues that “Individuals exist within families, families exist within communities and neighborhoods, and neighborhoods exist in a political, economic, and cultural environment” (p.355). In both theoretical perspectives, it is arguable that an individual’s environment contributes widely into shaping individual and group beliefs, choices and behaviors.

Apparently, social work, as a discipline, pays an immense focus in attempting to understand people’s problems. These problems arguably stem right from the environment in which an individual comes, something that both human services and feminism theories indebt to address.

Both theoretical perspectives deploy the concepts of human strengths in their premises. In the words of Berkun, “strengths perspective is built on the assumption that every individual, family, group and community has strengths. Focusing on these, strengths lead to growth and overcoming difficulties” (1984, p. 22).

Directly congruent with this line of thought, both theoretical perspectives perceive clients as being the most plausible determinates of the appropriate helping strategies for employment in the resolution of problems afflicting them.

In both theoretical perspectives, working from the contexts of clients are critical endeavors in contributing to coming up with a helping strategy that is both effective and efficient in resolution of challenges at hand.

Consideration of cultural perspectives is yet another essential similarity between human services and feminism approaches in addressing issues in human services organizations.

Arguably, in an attempt to come into an understating of people’s challenges within an organization, it is crucial for social workers, irrespective of the theoretical perspective they subscribe to, to ensure that they are culturally competent.

This ideally calls for “understanding and approval of cultural distinctions, taking into account the beliefs, values, activities, and customs of distinctive population groups within an organisation” (Hannan, Carroll and Polos 2003, p.314).

As a way of example, social workers working in the health services sector, whether deploying feminism or human services theoretical perspective or not, have at the back of their minds that the manner in which people discuss issues relating to their bodies impacts the way a person reacts.

This acts as a determining factor of whether the person in question accepts or rejects the health services being offered. In this context, both theoretical perspectives recognize the necessity to integrate both acceptable social work principles with the cultural principles of clients in an attempt to make social workers’ work yield substantive fruits.

Differences

Although human services and feminism approaches to social work within an organization have a number of similarities, some differences are also worth noting. While human services theory tends to treat all people working with organizations irrespective of the differences in terms of gender and or sexuality, feminism theory focuses more on women, as opposed to men claiming that women are different in a myriad of ways.

Consequently, it sounds substantial to argue that “Feminist theory examines women in the social world addressing issues of concern to women focusing on these from the perspective, experiences, and viewpoint of women” (Berkun 1984, 20). At the inner core of the feminism theory is holding the position that women have been disadvantaged for a long time, especially when perceived as lesser sex.

For this purpose, feminism theory in social work pays incredible time to introspect “feminist history, geography, literature, science, and develops ideas and approaches that are useful in a wide variety of these disciplines” (Mohr 1998, p.345). Feminism theory, as opposed to human services theory, is essentially a criticism of the convectional social work theories.

Placing more emphasis on the women’s need developed an alternative knowledge an endevour to strike a commonplace and position as compared to men. Arguably, the position taken by feminism theorists is indeed a questionable one. For instance, how can focusing more on problems related to women help in promoting equality within human services organizations while negating the concerns of men, either partially or in totality?

Apparently, the more the debate upholds the articulation women as essential social group worth of protection against the past historical gender (male) perceiving itself as being more superiors, the more the much-forgotten differences tend to resurface.

Second wave of women’s libration concerns is critical elements of feminism theory, as opposed to human services theory, which treats both genders equally in its premises. As argued before, this movement endeavors to provide an amicable understanding of experiences of women within organizations through promotion of new scholarship.

Sandell (1993) notes, “this expanding interest in women has influenced the social work profession, but not to the extent one might expect in a field dominated by women both as professionals and clients” (p.663). In this end, it is evident that feminism as a practice, ideology, or an ethical commitment has dominated the concerns of social work more as compared to human services theoretical perspectives.

Arguably, this is perhaps because feminism theory, in comparison to human services theory, deploys values that are essentially sympathetic in nature. The end effect is women social workers perceiving themselves as “integral to, and synonymous with, their personal and professional identity” (Sandell 1993, p.665).

From this perspective, it is crucial to note that feminism theory tends to offer an opportunity for people subscribing to it to deviate from deploying the theory to guide their professional practice and rather focus more on applying their personal beliefs coupled with their own values in practice.

Relevance of feminism and human services knowledge to professional social work practice

The knowledge of feminism and human services theories and their applicability in human services organizations is incredible since they aid immensely in fostering social workers’ professionalism and mastery of their areas of specialization.

This knowledge aids them in identification of the eminent points of disagreements between the two theoretical perspectives and hence evaluation of the implication of such difference in the context of the social worker-client relationship. Arguably, this may go far in aiding in integration and appreciation of the perspectives one subscribes to with other people’s ways of thinking in an attempt to create a professional body.

With regard to Thomson (2000), “the existence and use of a theory base or body of formal knowledge are strongly associated with the notion of professionalism and occupational credibility that professionalism status can be seen to bestow” (p.57).

Therefore, theory is essential since it acts as a mechanism of adding value to status coupled with respect of a given profession that often goes into fostering the practice of a given profession- in this case social work. It is important for a social worker who is working in human service organization to understand these perspectives.

The knowledge of human services theory and feminism theory or even any other theory of human services organization may help social workers in many ways. Paramount is that such knowledge is incredible in helping a social worker to understand the purpose and tasks of social work or rather the role that social work plays within the society in which he or she lives.

The theories, additionally, provide magnificent methodologies that guide a social worker on how to go about with his or her roles as a social worker. Substantive understanding of one’s profession coupled with the procedures of conducting the roles associated with the profession acts as a subtle tool for enhancing an individual’s professionalism success.

In the context of social work, this is availed through precise understanding of human services theories. Consequently, by not having this knowledge, it hinders the social worker’s practice in the sense that such a person is largely non-cognizant of the roles akin to his or her profession. Hence, he or she may be incompetent to practice what the profession entails.

Conclusion

Social workers do differing work within the organizations that employ them. This work is varied and ranges from doing social work in a large organization charged with production of goods to the organization that predominantly design and produce services aimed at satisfying communal, societal, and individual needs.

For the social workers to be conversant with their roles and methodologies of executing their tasks, it is significant that they become conversant with theories of social work. Stemming from this argument, the paper has found it plausible to work from a human service organization perspective to compare and contrast feminism perspectives and human service perspective as some of these theories.

References

Berkun, C. 1984, ‘Women and the field experience: Toward a model of nonsexist field-based learning conditions’, Journal of Education for Social Work, vol. 20 no. 3, pp-20-26.

Hannan, T., Carroll, G., & Polos, L. 2003, ‘The organizational niche’, Sociological Theory, vol. 21 no. 4, pp.309–340.

Jones, A. & May, J. 1992, Working In Human Service Organisation: A Critical Introduction, Longman, Cheshire.

Mohr, W. 1998, ‘Measuring meaning structures’, Annual Review of Sociology, vol. 2 no. 3, pp. 345–370.

Reskin, F. & Hartmann, H. 1986, Women’s work, men’s work: Sex segregation on the job, National Academies Press, Washington, DC.

Sandell, K. 1993, ‘Different voices: Articulating Feminist Social Work’, Journal of Social Welfare, vol. 3 no. 2, pp.663-669.

Thomson, N. 2000, Theory and practice in human services, Open University Press, Buckingham, Philadelphia.

Tong, R. 1989, Feminist Thought: A Comprehensive Introduction, Westview Press, Boulder.

Personal and professional connections made during the service-learning experience

­­I attended an event where vulnerable people and families of our local community held a chance to receive meals. It took place at a local venue, and I went there to serve food. The only professional connection I made was the coordinator who supervised our commitment. It is the helpless people, however, which are of greater importance to me. Two people volunteered to share their stories about what led them to their unfortunate situations. One homeless man said that his employer dismissed him because he had to miss several days of work due to mental problems. Later, I met a lady who had three children to feed but no job. She had lost her husband because of an act of gun violence. Listening to these people, I was both shocked and upset. However, I did remember what we were taught in class – the social worker must try to avoid negative emotional states that may arise from learning about the client’s problems (Hepworth et al., 2016). This notion will help me in my future career to mitigate concerns and conduct productive meetings.

Code of ethics of the placement agency and the process for resolving ethical dilemmas

I did not witness any ethical dilemmas, but it was possible to see how the workers approach any issue. They were driven by inclusiveness and respectfulness, and these qualities could be seen in every employee. Many of the visitors asked the non-profit organization whether they provided any housing to people in need. Instead of giving a negative answer because they are currently not sponsoring any such program, they actively tried to help those who were looking for a place to stay. They provided contact information of other organizations that may potentially help. There were also those who were looking for employment opportunities. These people were forwarded to job readiness programs and staffing agencies.

Ethical concerns encountered in the placement

No ethical concerns were observed because the staff was adequately trained and instructed. All visitor inquiries were accurately handled, and if it were not in the organization’s competence to assist the person, they were forwarded to someone that could help. Coordination between the staff members was also excellent, and we were able to seek help from each other if we needed to. It is remarkable to see such an event end with no significant conflicts and problems. All the visitors left the venue as cheerful and positive persons, and we did everything we could to improve their experience.

The strengths or weaknesses of the placement

Prior to this event, I had no understanding of how people in poverty live, how homeless people survive their days, and how the minorities struggle for social justice. It was an opportunity not only for those who came seeking help but also for those who have lived without knowing the harsh truth about reality. This event also has a propagandistic effect on society – more and more people will be willing to help the poor and vulnerable. The government will start paying more attention to the minorities and unprotected parts of the population. It was an excellent experience for me personally because I was able to put some of the things I learned in class to practical use. I also learned what areas I should work on and what skills I have to improve.

Social work skills in the working setting

Besides meeting new people and having good conversations, this social event was a place where I could work on myself as a social worker. The skills I acquired in class could be put to assessment, and points of improvement could be identified. I tried to use these skills as often as possible – from communicating with empathy and focusing properly, to spotting counterproductive communication patterns. It was interesting to observe what effects the application of these skills has on my clients.

The effectiveness of the interaction between a social worker and a client largely depends on empathy. If the problem is already familiar to the social worker, they may pretend to be empathetic, showing understanding and believing that this is what is expected of them. However, this type of support, for the most part, is considered to be ineffective (Thompson, 2016). Bearing this in mind, I attempted to provide genuine empathy to my clients, supporting it by verbal following and psychological contact. These foundational elements of effective communication can be used throughout the whole process of worker-client interactions. They can facilitate data collection, interviewing, and goal setting, for instance. Understanding clients’ problems is also a challenge that should be approached carefully, and it is often hard to do so without assessment skills.

While there are many skills a social worker should possess, I was able to use and assess several of those. In the work setting, it is essential to build a trustful relationship with the client. Knowing how to listen and demonstrate empathy is critical when laying a foundation for productive communication. When speaking with my clients during the event, I maintained focus throughout the whole conversation, listened carefully to what they were saying, and provided authentic feedback.

References

Hepworth, D. H., Rooney, R. H., Rooney, G. D., & Strom-Gottfried, K. (2016). Empowerment series: Direct social work practice: Theory and skills. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Thompson, N. (2016). The professional social worker: Meeting the challenge. London, UK: Palgrave.

Agency Intro

Agency Description/Mission

The agency where the volunteer work was done is the organization under the title Faith and Light, founded by Jean Vanier in France in 1971. Originated as a system of facilities in France, the agency has expanded its operations to other countries. There are several groups on the territory of the United States of America. The attended group is located in El Cajon; it seeks to support vulnerable populations with the help of Christian practice. According to the official website of the organization, the agency’s mission is to “Reveal to each person his/her unique gift and beauty” (“Our mission,” n. d., para. 1). The aim of the group is to provide social support for people with disabilities in order to take them out of isolation.

Target Population

The agency’s target population includes people with disabilities who suffer from social exclusion. The group incorporates individuals of all ages, excluding infants. Overall, children, adults, and older adults with diverse disabilities constitute the group (“Our mission,” n. d.).

Also, the group includes not only the primary clients but also their families who provide care for the disabled. People with physical impairments, those in wheelchairs, cognitive disabilities, Down syndrome, and other issues are included in the group for social work. The volunteers initiate an array of recreational activities for the target population with an aim to facilitate their social inclusion and communication with peers. The activities include regular exercises, dancing, preparing food, eating together, praying together, drawing, coloring, crafting, and others.

Self-Determination

The issue of self-determination is crucial for the agency’s interventions. The people who attend the group have expressed their willingness to join either on their own or with encouragement of family members. Since the concept of self-determination embodies the ability of a client to choose and prioritize his or her activities, have and pursue their individual opinions, and behave according to them (Zastrow, 2015).

Consequently, a social worker cannot force a client to join any activity against the client’s free will. In the agency of volunteer placing, the principle of self-determination is vastly preserved and respected. All clients within the target population attend the group activities voluntarily. For example, when a client was reluctant to join a dancing activity in one of the group sessions, he was allowed to watch without active participation. No pressure or force was applied in order to preserve the principle of self-determination.

Theories and Intervention

Social Work Theory

The activities for volunteer work in the designated group are based on the fundamental social work theories and adhere to its principles. The agency of placement organizes its work with the clients according to the ecological mo0del of human behavior. According to Zastrow (2015), this perspective enables facilitating the “dysfunctional transactions between people and their physical and social environments” (p. 49). Since disabled individuals suffer from social isolation due to their impaired mobility or cognition, it is a challenge for them to participate in social life and become full-fledged members of society.

According to Chau, Yu, and Boxall (2017), disabled people experience different manifestations of social exclusion varying form unemployment and economic difficulties to relational barriers. Social work with such population groups allows for achieving positive results in the inclusion of the disabled into the community. As an example of the utilization of ecological theory in the attended agency, one might highlight the organization of close communication between clients and their family members, as well as with the volunteers and other clients in the group. By adjusting the right environment for the target population, social workers foster the clients’ inclusion integration into society.

Another social work theory that applies to the designated volunteer workgroup in El Cajon is the systems perspective, which is closely related to the ecological model but is more specific. According to this theory, a person is treated from the perspective of his or her interaction with different systems. These systems include family, education, social services, politics, religion, employment, and others (Zastrow, 2015).

For the population of people with disabilities, the issue of belonging to the systems is significantly important since their relationship with the majority of systems is diminished due to their conditions. Consequently, it is vital for such people to feel included in those systems with the help of social workers. Isolation is a harmful psychological condition that might exaggerate the detrimental effects of disabilities of a person’s well-being (Chau et al., 2017).

At the agency of placement, the work with clients is organized in a way that everyone is a part of a bigger community, in which the variety of activities represents different systems. They might include religious, family, social, and educational systems. Therefore, adherence to this theory allows the agency to achieve good results in work with its target population.

Social Work Intervention

The social work interventions within the agency included group work, which corresponds with the ultimate mission of the agency. According to Simcock and Castle (2016), people with disabilities are exposed to difficulties in communication. This issue impacts both the disabled and their family members, who might experience frustration and confusion, managing the needs of those they care about. Therefore, the group interventions for recreational, religious, and recreational purposes engaging people of different ages and with different disabilities ensure active facilitation of the communication between the group members. The effectiveness of such interventions is amplified due to the participation of qualified social workers who guide all the activities and help clients progress in their development.

Effective or Ineffective

The group work under the adherence to the ecological and systems perspectives is highly effective. The agency in El Cajon provides beneficial interventions for people with physical or cognitive disabilities. Since this population is vulnerable due to their continuous isolation for society as one of the shortcomings of their conditions, it is vital to preserving their social interaction with others. The collaborative endeavors of the staff and volunteers engaged in the performance of the agency contribute to the improvement of the psychological environment of the clients.

The ability to be around peers, feel a decent member of a community, and being supported by family members and professionals benefits the clients’ social integration and well-being. The utilization of such important social work tools and ecological model and systems theory allows for well-organized and effective activities to provide the best results.

Reflection

Recommendation for Agency

Despite the overall effectiveness of the group interventions initiated for the target population, there are some drawbacks and areas for improvement. It has been noticed that the majority of activities initiated for the groups are of recreational character. Although it is an important part of social inclusion for people with disabilities, it seems like their particular psychological issues are not directly addressed.

It would be beneficial to initiate group discussions of a more therapeutic-oriented nature, during which the clients could engage in a discussion of their particular concerns. In such a way, the clients will have an opportunity to reach professionals and find their help in advising how to behave. In combination with already existing highly effective interventions, such merely psychological rehabilitation, would contribute to a more successful social integration.

Discussion of Supervision

The organization of the work within the mission of the agency is guided by devoted staff members who lead the volunteers through the process of interaction with the group. The program of the activities is carefully provided to all the staff members and volunteers. Necessary consultations are freely accessible if any need arises. Under such favorable working conditions and with a clear statement of the group’s goals, it is easy to follow the guidelines of the supervisors and achieve the expected results.

Self-Reflection

My volunteer work at Faith and Light was a productive and valuable professional experience. During my time at the agency in El Cajon, I managed to cooperate with other staff members and learn from them. Also, I was able to practice the implementation of the theories of social work, such as the ecological model and systems theory. The real-life application of the theoretical foundations helped me to understand the meaning of social work in general and its importance to the target population who are people with disabilities. I learned that the work with vulnerable populations requires thorough deliberation, acute attention, and a high level of professionalism to cope with the difficulties of such work and help people manage their isolation issues. This opportunity to use my knowledge and acquire new professional experience has contributed significantly to the scope of my skills and will benefit my future work as a social worker.

References

Chau, R. C. M., Yu, S. W. K., & Boxall, K. (2017). Combating social exclusion faced by disabled people in the wage labour market in Hong Kong. Social Policy and Society, 1-36. Web.

Our mission. (n. d.). Web.

Simcock, P., & Castle, R. (2016). Social work and disability. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Zastrow, C. (2015). Introduction to social work and social welfare: Empowering people. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.