Challenges in Developmental Social Work
This approach has much future promise particularly in the context of economic challenges and resource constraints. Since the African continent has problems with lack of resources it is wise that countries adopt this approach and move away from the remedial one which is costly. The developmental approach is highly friendly with social work’s historical values and commitment to achieving social justice and human rights (Midgley & Conley, 2010). However, there are limitations facing the developmental approach in social work.
Attitudes towards the developmental social work approach
According to Gray (2002) social work can respond to the challenge of social development by developing a form of social work
…show more content…
However, Patel & Hochfeld (2012) in their study in South Africa identified significant difficulties with micro-economic development interventions and they discovered that social workers felt ill-equipped and ineffective in these areas. When it comes to economic concepts social workers are blank. Other participants in this study questioned whether economic development was indeed a social work role. They indicated that they are not economists (Patel & Hochfeld, 2012). But being closely associated with the poor and vulnerable in society, social workers are key social partners and change agents in development and should therefore play an important role in the nation-wide effort to reduce inequality and eliminate poverty (Lombard, …show more content…
One of the challenges facing the profession is that its impact on social development is not noticeable to policy makers. However, it is one of the most overworked, underpaid, under-recognised and distressed professions (Rwomire & Raditlhokwa, 1996). It is critical that the profession proves its role and contribution to addressing social development goals, such as the Millennium Development Goals, more directly (Lombard & Wairire, 2010). A critical challenge for social workers to be recognised for their role in social development is to demonstrate competency in implementing developmental social work. The Association for Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA) can play a role in developing and promoting social work in the African region (Lombard & Wairire ,
Click here to unlock this and over one million essays
Show MoreMorales, A., Sheafor, B. W., & Scott, M. E. (2012). Social work: a profession of many faces. (12th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
This paper will explore what the primary mission of social work as a professional means to me. Through self-reflection of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, I will delve into why I chose social work as a career, the type of social worker I want to become, and ponder what challenges and obstacles may impede my chosen path.
Thompson, N (2005) Understanding Social Work: Preparing for Practice, Palgrave, MacMillan (Second Edition) Hampshire (Supplementary Course Reader)
I first became interested in social work when I took a human rights course as a part of my political science major requirements. Throughout the course, I was fascinated and disturbed by the historic oppression of many large groups in society, and I realized my interests lie outside of the political arena; thus, I double-majored in social policy & practice because of my desire to learn more about how to enhance human well-being, fight social injustice, and pursue social change. I soon realized I wanted to pursue graduate social work education in order to gain a more holistic understanding of social problems and human ailments and, in turn, better understand the best ways to fix them. My background in political science and social policy gives me a unique perspective on the field of social work, as I have gained immense knowledge on social issues, the law, and public policy that will be useful in my graduate school and professional endeavors to fight for social
When pursuing a degree in social work, one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences within the degree aspect is the capstone project. The capstone is a multi-integrative assignment that is structure to provide social work students with the opportunity to apply their academic, professional and personal experience in the field through the application of a project. With allowing students to master the knowledge, skills, values, and ethics needed for effective social work practice, the capstone project also provide a development to really contribute in the knowledge of the profession. All social work capstone projects encourage students to unite their work to community issues and problems through learning, observations and internship. This paper examines the values, policy, conceptual framework, group
This class, Social Work Theory & Practice was made to be able to introduce me to social work theories, ideas, and skills needed to work in the social work profession. This class main tool used was a book called A Brief Introduction of Social Work Theory by David Howe which discusses social work theories in a compressive and explainable way. This class is important to my higher learning because it break down the theories that I will need to use during my practice and a...
Parker, J. and Bradley, G. (2003). Social Work Practice: Assessment, Planning, Intervention and Review. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd.
Wilson, K. et. al., 2011. Social Work ' Introduction to Contemporary Practice'. 2nd ed. Essex, England.: Pearson Education Ltd .
Watson, D & West, J 2006, Social work process and practice: approaches, knowledge, and skills, Palgrave Macmillan, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire; New York.
Working with others and improving own learning and performance are highly essential skills in social work. In this essay I will reflect on how well I have developed these two skills and what I need to do to improve them.
I would to begin this paper with an authentic definition of the Social Work field. Social work practices involves facilitating change—in other words, working with others, not doing something to them or for them(Dubois). Most people and social workers would always use the world ‘help’ in some way or form when defining social workers. Which is true but the confusion come in when asked where they work, who they assist and how they differ from other helping professions. Social workers can be sustain abuse therapists, child welfare specialists, and school social workers. We are not limited to just the department of social services. They can work in nursing homes, hospitals, and even in legislation.
The National Association of social workers (2008) defines the unifying primary mission or purpose of social work as “enhancing human well-being and helping meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty.” (Dubois & Miley, 2014).
The social work profession is defined as “a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people (ISFW, ‘Global Definition of Social Work’, 2016).” The definition may be true about the profession but it is more in depth than just that. To me, the profession’s primary focus is to help others through life as much as we can while letting them make their own choices and guiding them. In society, social workers are utilized in many different nonprofit and government roles. They serve the community in many different ways from monitoring parent visits to helping people through mental illnesses. Human beings are so complex and things that happen
The work of a social worker is complex and all encompassing. Social workers work in many capacities seeking justice, liberation, and equality. There work is global, as they work to put policies in place to govern practices. To keep up with societal shifts and generational changes there learning is continuous. As new questions rise so does the need for the continuation of research, not only to answer these questions but to implement into
I obtained my Masters in Social Work (MSW) degree from India in the year 2006. As with most countries around the world, the emergence of social work in India was from charity aiming to eliminate poverty. Gradually it shifted from philanthropy to rights based approach and then to organized social work. Community organization surfaced as the most central method of social work practice along with practice of casework. Although social work is much more structured in nature now, it still operates along the conventional perspective of social work. Social work is not even recognized as a profession in India. An indicator of an occupation being publicly recognized as a profession is exhibited by