Basic concepts of a ‘Social Worker’

Definition
- 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.

CORE MANDATES
- Social work is a practice profession and an academic discipline that recognizes that interconnected
historical, socio-economic, cultural, spatial, political and personal factors serve as opportunities and/or
barriers to human wellbeing and development. Structural barriers contribute to the perpetuation of
inequalities, discrimination, exploitation and oppression. The development of critical consciousness
through reflecting on structural sources of oppression and/or privilege, on the basis of criteria such as
race, class, language, religion, gender, disability, culture and sexual orientation, and developing action
strategies towards addressing structural and personal barriers are central to emancipatory practice
where the goals are the empowerment and liberation of people. In solidarity with those who are
disadvantaged, the profession strives to alleviate poverty, liberate the vulnerable and oppressed, and
promote social inclusion and social cohesion.

PRINCIPLES
- Advocating and upholding human rights and social justice is the motivation and justification for social
work. The social work profession recognizes that human rights need to coexist alongside collective
responsibility. The idea of collective responsibility highlights the reality that individual human rights can
only be realized on a day-to-day basis if people take responsibility for each other and the environment,
and the importance of creating reciprocal relationships within communities. Therefore a major focus of
social work is to advocate for the rights of people at all levels, and to facilitate outcomes where people
take responsibility for each other’s wellbeing, realize and respect the inter-dependence among people
and between people and the environment.

KNOWLEDGE
- Social work is both interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary, and draws on a wide array of scientific
theories and research. ‘Science’ is understood in this context in its most basic meaning as ‘knowledge’.
Social work draws on its own constantly developing theoretical foundation and research, as well as
theories from other human sciences, including but not limited to community development, social
pedagogy, administration, anthropology, ecology, economics, education, management, nursing,
psychiatry, psychology, public health, and sociology. The uniqueness of social work research and
theories is that they are applied and emancipatory. Much of social work research and theory is co-
constructed with service users in an interactive, dialogic process and therefore informed by specific
practice environments.
PRACTICE
- Social work’s legitimacy and mandate lie in its intervention at the points where people interact with
their environment. The environment includes the various social systems that people are embedded in
and the natural, geographic environment, which has a profound influence on the lives of people. The
participatory methodology advocated in social work is reflected in “Engages people and structures to
address life challenges and enhance wellbeing.” As far as possible social work supports working with
rather than for people.

Needs

- Need is an important concept in public health. It is used in the planning and management of health
services including health improvement, resource allocation, and equity. However, need is a multi-
faceted concept with no one universal definition. (In health)

Another definition of needs is. A motivating force that compels action for its satisfaction. Needs range
from basic survival needs (common to all human beings) satisfied by necessities, to cultural, intellectual,
and social needs (varying from place to place and age group to age group) satisfied by necessaries.
Needs are finite but, in contrast, wants (which spring from desires or wishes) are boundless.

Type of need Definition Examples

Need that is defined by experts.

Vaccinations, a decision
Normative needs are not
by a surgeon that a
Normative need absolute and there may be
patient needs an
different standards laid down by
operation
different experts.

Need perceived by an individual.

Felt needs are limited by Having a headache,
Felt need
individual perceptions and feeling knee pain
knowledge of services.

Expressed
Felt needs turned into action. Going to the dentist for a
need(Demanded
Help seeking. toothache
need)

Needs identified by comparing A rural village may

the services received by one identify a need for a well
Comparative need group of individuals with those or a school if the
received by another comparable neighboring village has
group. one
Problems
- A matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and
overcome. Other explanation of problem is a perceived gap between the existing state and a
desired state, or a deviation from a norm, standard, or status quo.
Example:
Poverty is rampant in the Philippines.
We will be having our report next meeting in our major subjects.

Issue
- an important topic or problem for debate or discussion.
For example is the issue in the environmental problems that the country is facing include
pollution, illegal mining and logging, deforestation, dynamite fishing, landslides, coastal erosion,
wildlife extinction, global warming and climate change.
• Air Pollution •Human Rights
• Water Pollution
• Drug Abuse

Provision
- A provision is an account which records a present liability of an entity or the action of providing
or supplying something for use(‘new contracts for the provision of services’) or an amount or
thing supplied or provided.

Example of Provision in the sentence:

The President, of all people, should know how difficult it is to take care of basic things like, say,
prescription drugs for the elderly or shelter from the storm—especially if your government
places a low priority on the efficient provision of public services and a high priority on the care
and feeding of cronies.

Programs and Services

- The activities provided by a nonprofit in carrying out one of its major programs.
Example:
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or "4Ps" (conditional cash transfer) is a human
development program that invests in the health and education of poor families, primarily those
with children aged 0–18.
Kalahi CIDSS – NCDDP
The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services –
National Community-Driven Development Program (Kalahi CIDSS–NCDDP) is the community-
driven development program of the Philippine Government implemented through the
Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Sustainable Livelihood Program

The Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) is a community-based capacity building effort that
seeks to improve the program participants’ socio-economic status through two tracks: Micro-
enterprise Development and Employment Facilitation.

Social Responsibility
- Social responsibility is an ethical framework and suggests that an entity, be it an organization
or individual, has an obligation to act for the benefit of society at large or a duty every individual
has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the ecosystems.
Examples:
•Voluntary Hazard Elimination.
•Community Development.
•Philanthropy.
•Creating Shared Value.
•Social Education and Awareness.

Human Rights
[REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10368]
“AN ACT PROVIDING FOR REPARATION AND RECOGNITION OF VICTIMS OF HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS DURING THE MARCOS REGIME, DOCUMENTATION OF SAID VIOLATIONS,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”
other definition:
Human rights are moral principles or norms that describe certain standards of human
behaviour, and are regularly protected as legal rights in municipal and international law.
Example of Human Rights:
•The right to life
•The right to liberty and freedom
•The right to the pursuit of happiness
•The right to live your life free of discrimination
•The right to control what happens to your own body and to make medical decisions for
yourself
Client
-a person or organization using the services of a lawyer or other professional person or company
or a a person or group that uses the professional advice or services of a lawyer, accountant,
advertising agency, architect, etc.

Social Welfare
- A system provides assistance to needy individuals and families. The types and amount of
welfare available to individuals and families vary depending on the country, state or region.

Social Agencies
- Social services are a range of public services provided by the government, private, and non-
profit organizations. These public services aim to create more effective organizations, build
stronger communities, and promote equality and opportunity.
Example:
•Department of Social Welfare and Development
•Cultural Center of the Philippines
• National Economic and Development Authority
•Department of Education
•Department of Health