What
is Social Work?Social work is a profession concerned
with helping individuals, families, groups and communities to enhance their
individual and collective well-being. It aims to help people develop their
skills and their ability to use their own resources and those of the community
to resolve problems. Social work is concerned with individual and personal
problems but also with broader social issues such as poverty, unemployment and
domestic violence.
Human rights and social justice are the philosophical
underpinnings of social work practice. The uniqueness of social work practice is
in the blend of some particular values, knowledge and skills, including the use
of relationship as the basis of all interventions and respect for the client’s
choice and involvement.
In a socio-political-economic context which increasingly
generates insecurity and social tensions, social workers play an important and
essential role.
Courtesy: The Canadian Association of Social Workers
What is the Role of the Social Worker?
The work undertaken by social workers can vary widely between
countries as the aims and values of social workers must reflect
the
cultural and
social
norms
of the society in which they operate, in order to cater
appropriately for the needs of the people they serve.
The main tasks of social workers are casework (linking
clients with agencies and programs that will meet their
psychosocial needs), counselling (psychotherapy), human services
management, social welfare policy analysis, community
organizing, advocacy, teaching (in schools of social work), and
social science research.
Courtesy: Wikipedia
Links
Surfing the
World Wide Web - A great article on using the web in social work
practice.
Australian Association of Social Workers
AASW site provides social work resources, membership and information for those
wanting to move to Australia to work in the social work field.
British Association of Social Workers
The British
Association of Social Workers (BASW) is the largest association representing
social work and social workers in the UK.
Council on Social Work Education
CSWE sets the standard for education leading to becoming a social worker.
NASW
Professional Social Work Practice Areas
Social work practice consists of the professional application of social work
values, principles, and techniques to one or more of the following ends: helping
people obtain tangible services; counseling and psychotherapy with individuals,
families, and groups; helping communities or groups provide or improve social
and health services; and participating in legislative processes. The practice of
social work requires knowledge of human development and behavior; of social and
economic, and cultural institutions; and of the interaction of all these
factors.
National Association of Social Workers
The national social work organization providing information on the social work
profession.
Social Work Research
From NASW current issues and research findings.
Occupational Outlook for
Social Work
From the U.S. Department of Labor, information on the work of social work and
where the profession will be in the future.
Social
Work's Formative Years
"Progress and Reform: A Cyberhistory of Social Work's Formative Years" by
Dan Huff, Professor of Social Work, School of Social WOrk, Boise State
University.
Social Work History
Station
One of my all time favorites. Hop aboard for a trip through the history of
social work. (Complete with train whistle!)
Social Work History from NASW
Since the first social work class was offered in the summer of 1898 at Columbia
University, social workers have led the way developing private and charitable
organizations to serve people in need.
