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Sowk 155 Unit One

The social worker plays many roles depending on the needs of the client. Some key roles include counselor, broker, advocate, educator, case manager and organizer. The social worker uses various skills such as communication, problem solving, and resource linkage to fulfill these roles and help clients meet their needs.

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Abigail Osei tutu
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145 views15 pages

Sowk 155 Unit One

The social worker plays many roles depending on the needs of the client. Some key roles include counselor, broker, advocate, educator, case manager and organizer. The social worker uses various skills such as communication, problem solving, and resource linkage to fulfill these roles and help clients meet their needs.

Uploaded by

Abigail Osei tutu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The faceted sense of belongingness iconizes the only

channel of hope.
Knowledge is power,be impacted.

ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE,DIAL......
0544490602
0504677891

OSEI OWUSU BISMARK


(CITIZEN KOFI)
DEFINING SOCIAL WORK
The following definition was approved by the IFSW General Meeting and the IASSW General
Assembly  in July 2014:
Global Definition of the Social Work Profession
“Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change
and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of
social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to
social work.  Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and
indigenous knowledge, social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and
enhance wellbeing.”
Social work is a profession devoted to helping people function as well as they can within their social
environments and to changing their environments to make that possible (Sheafor & Horejsi, 2006).

BASED ON THE DEFINITIONS ABOVE, DEVELOP YOUR OWN DEFINITION THAT


CAPTURES THE KEY WORDS AND PHRASES, A DEFINITION THAT WILL BE EASY FOR
YOU TO REMEMBER
NATURE OF SOCIAL WORK
 Social work is a profession aimed at helping people to function well within their environment
and to changing their environments to make that possible. It is directed at improving human
and social conditions, reducing social problems, enhancing the competence of individuals,
removing barriers in society and promoting social justice.

 It is concerned with the wellbeing of the individual, groups and communities


 The profession helps people to achieve life goals and to create a just society
 Social workers believe in the inherent capacity of all persons and goodness of all persons
 Social workers’ belief in the individual translates into a non-judgemental attitude towards every
individual
 Social Workers maintain respect for diversity and the culture of their clients
NATURE OF SOCIAL WORK
 The profession draws knowledge from different fields and disciplines to help and empower clients
(ECLECTIC NATURE OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE).
 Sociology
 Psychology
 Biology
 Law

 The profession works hand in hand with other professionals in order to help their clients
 Professionals in the Judicial Justice System
 Professionals in the Health System
 Professionals in Education
PURPOSE OF SOCIAL WORK
 The purpose of Social Work is to enhance a mutually beneficial relationship between individuals
and society in order to improve the quality of life for all.

 Thus with this purpose, Social Workers strengthen individual capacities and skills so that
individuals can perform effectively and take advantage of opportunities in the environment. At
the same time, Social Workers enhance the effectiveness of structures in society that provide
resources and opportunities, and remove social barriers so that individuals can achieve their
goals in life.

 The purpose could therefore be argued to have two key sections:


a) Improving individual skills, knowledge and capacities so that the individual can function
effectively in the environment.
b) Removing barriers in the social structure and in the social delivery system that serves as
obstacles to individual achievement.
GOALS OF SOCIAL WORK
 The goals translate the general purposes into more specific directions for action. The
purpose drives and influences the goal. Goals are often more concrete and specific
steps which together reflects the general purpose of social work explained above.

The goals of social work are to:


 1. Enhance people’s capacities to resolve problems, cope and function
effectively
 This can be done by teaching clients new skills ( for instance anger management
skills, parenting skills, alternative methods of disciplining children without the
use of a cane, social skills among others).

 2. Link clients with needed resources


 Help clients locate needed resources
 Advocate policies and services to provide resources
GOALS OF SOCIAL WORK
 3. Improve the social service delivery network
Adequate and efficient system for service delivery
A system that is well integrated, with different professionals collaborating in
providing effective services for people
Use Planned advocacy centred on clients

 4. Promoting Social justice through the development of Social Policy


Analyse policies and programs and their effects on particular groups
Recommend to eliminate negative policies
Research and suggest the development of new policies
STRENGTHS AND NEEDS
The emerging narrative reveals that social work is concerned about the needs of
people and the strengths of people serve as the energy for this venture.

 Human needs- The impetus, driving force for social work makes the social
work practice necessary
 Human strengths- The source of energy for the profession, the building blocks
for developing solutions.

Social workers draw on the strengths and resources of the environment to meet the
needs of people. When the resources available to individuals match their need, they
experience improved social functioning and a sense of belongingness.
Alternatively, when there is a mismatch, individuals experience problems in living.
SOME NEEDS
 1. Physical Needs
 Food, Shelter, Clothing, Health needs
 2. Intellectual Needs
 3. Security Needs
 4. The Need for love and Belongingness (intimacy and satisfying relationships)
 5. Esteem Needs- (feeling of competence and a sense of personal worth)
Most of our work revolve around these needs and helping people fulfil these.
ROLES
 COUSELLOR- one of the most frequently used roles in social work. The counsellor
helps people deal with feelings, cope with stress and change life situations. Focuses on
improving social functioning by modifying behaviours, relationship patterns and
physical needs. Skills required of a counsellor include:

 Good communication skills


 Tolerance
 Being Observant
 Skills of engagement
 Ability to empower clients
ROLES
 BROKER- This role involves linking clients to needed resources. This role does not
require assertiveness but mostly referral is used. For instance linking a new mother to
an organisation that will provide immunization and health care to the baby. Some of the
skills required of a broker include:

 Good negotiation skills


 Communication skills
 Human relation skills
ROLES continued
 ADVOCATE- An advocate is someone who fights for the rights of clients or fights to
obtain needed resources. Be the voice of a group of clients, etc. Skills of an advocate
includes:
 Good public speaking skills
 Assertive skills
 Organizing skills
 Communication skills
ROLES continued
 EDUCATOR- As an educator, the Social Worker teach people to learn new skills (how
to communicate effectively, how to budget and how to discipline children lovingly),
give information, knowledge, etc. Skills of an educator includes:
 Tolerance
 Public speaking
 Good inter-personal
ROLES continued
 CASE MANAGER – This role includes planning, locating and securing services and
resources for people who are unable to do this because of ill health. Skills required of a
case manager:
 Managerial skills (planner, executer)
 Record keeping skills
ROLES continued
 Organiser – Brings people, groups or social agencies together to fight for a cause or to
work together to achieve a goal. An organiser should have the following skills:
 Conflict resolution skills
 Good communication skills
 Persuasive skills

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