Chapter 6 Preparation for Generalist Practice

Chapter 6:
Social Work Practice
with
Agencies and the Community

Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning, Brooks/Cole Publishing
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Empowering Programs with Resources
that Enhance Social Work Education

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Social Work: A Competency-
Oriented Education

 Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
- Defines Educational Policy and Accreditation
Standards (EPAs)
- Developed 10 “Core Competencies” and 41
Related “Practice Behaviors”
 Every student should master the Practice
Behaviors and Core Competencies before
completing the program

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Resources Aligned to EPAS 2008

 The Textbook –
- “Helping Hands” icons call attention to content that
relates to Practice Behaviors and Competencies

- “Competency Notes” at the end of the chapter
help put the Practice Behaviors and Competencies
in practical context
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Resources Aligned to EPAS 2008 (cont’d)

 The Practice Behaviors Workbook developed
with the text provides assignable exercises that
assist in mastering the Practice Behavior and
Competencies

 Additional on-line resources can be found at:
www.cengage.com/socialwork

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Generalist practice

• Also applies at exosystem and macrosystem levels
• Assistance to individuals and families can often be
more effective if changes are made at community or
societal level rather than on a case-by-case basis
• Sound plans for community change, social welfare
policies, and agency administration must be based
on
empirical research

EP 2.1.8b
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Social work with communities

Communities:
• Can be conceptual rather than geographic
• May be defined as spaces, interactions, and
identifications that people share with others in
place-specific and non-place specific locations

EP 2.1.1a, 2.1.1c

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Social work roles in communities

• broker ● advocate
● enabler ● activist
● negotiator ● educator
● analyst/evaluator ● facilitator
● general manager ● mediator
● initiator/coordinator

EP 2.1.1a, 2.1.1c

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Community practice approaches

• Neighborhood and community organizing
• Organizing functional communities
• Community, social, and economic development
• Program development and community liaison
• Political and social action
• Coalition building
• Social movements

EP 2.1.3b

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Basic definitions

• Community organizing – social work practice
method and field of practice
• Community practitioners – engage in community
planning and development to improve the quality
of life for community members

EP 2.1.3b

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Effective Community Organizer

• Familiar with community customs and traditions,
social networks, and values
• Capable leaders
• Knowledgeable about political systems
• Aware of past organizing strategies
• Skilled in developing critical consciousness and
empowerment

EP 2.1.1c

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Effective Community Organizer (cont’d)

• Skilled in evaluative and participatory research
• Aware of self and personal strengths and
limitations
• Skilled in program planning and development
• Understanding of power
• Curious
• Able to dream and imagine

EP 2.1.1c
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Policy practice

Social welfare policy
Actions that government takes (or chooses not to
take) that have an impact on the quality of the
citizenry

EP 2.1.8a

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Values that impact social welfare policy

● Judeo-Christian charity ● Patriarchy
● Democratic egalitarianism ● Individualism
● Protestant work ethic ● Social Darwinism
● Capitalism ● New Puritanism
● Marriage and nuclear family ● “American ideal”

EP 2.1.8a

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Policy choices

• Who should benefit from the policy?
• What should those who benefit get?
• How should what they get be delivered?
• How will what they get be financed?

EP 2.1.8a

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Models of Policy Analysis

• Institutional model
• Process model
• Group theory model
• Elite theory model
• Rational model
• Incremental model

EP 2.1.8a

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Practitioner’s Role in Social Welfare Policy

• Know impact of policy on clients, social workers,
and agency you work for
• Advocate for policies that assist clients in
improving the quality of their lives

EP 2.1.1a, 2.1.8b

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Administration and delivery of social welfare
services

Agency administrators are charged with bringing
resources, opportunities, and goals together to
accomplish mission of agency, meet needs of clients
the agency serves

EP 2.1.9b

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Operational questions for administrators

• How should the agency be organized?
• What staff should be hired and how should they be
supported?
• What roles can volunteers play and how should
they be recruited and supported?
• Which programs should be offered and how
should they be delivered?

EP 2.1.9b

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Operational questions for administrators

• How should sensitive information be kept?
• How is the administrator accountable to the agency
board, funding sources, and accrediting/licensing
organizations?
• How should funding be secured to enable the
agency to grow and thrive?
• How can agency programs and services be
evaluated?

EP 2.1.9b
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History of social welfare agencies

• Private voluntary sector emerged in 1700’s
• Programs and services expanded with waves of
immigration in 1800’s
• Federal government role limited until the Great
Depression
• Federal role peaked with War on Poverty in 1960’s
and has declined since then

EP 2.1.9a
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Contemporary agency structures

• Private non-profit social agencies
• Faith-based organizations
• Private for-profit social agencies
• Government agencies
• “Hybrids” increasingly common

EP 2.1.9a
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Research Practice

• Role more important in era of accountability
• Profession needs evidence-based practice to
strengthen work with clients
• Types of research
• Understanding of the relationship between
factors is critical since causal connections are
hard to prove

EP 2.1.6a, 2.16b

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Status of macro social work practice

• Social work shares key roles with many other
groups
• Profession needs to play stronger role in macro
practice arena advocating for under-served
populations and client needs

EP2.1.1c

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Professional status

Professional status depends on the presence of two
conditions:
• Recognized body of knowledge capable of being
transmitted to others
• Defined and legitimized area of activity

EP 2.1.1c

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Career opportunities in macro practice

• BSW program focuses on generalist practice,
incorporating macro practice
• Many MSW programs have specializations in
macro practice areas
• Careers exist with activist organizations;
legislators, Congress, and other elected officials;
local, federal and state government agencies

EP 2.1.1c

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Chapter 6 Preparation for Generalist Practice

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Chapter 6 Preparation for Generalist Practice