ROLES, FUNCTIONS, AND COMPETENCIES OF SOCIAL WORK For formal groups and organizations, their role is that of a facilitator—

in aid of organizational development. They are convener or mediator in aid

Social work as a profession has evolved over time but its enduring
of creating networks, and they are trainer for professional development. For
feature as a helping profession is “the dual aims of helping individuals fit
community and society, their role is that of a planner—facilitating research
better into their environments, typically known as micro practice, and
and planning. They are activist in aid of social action, and they conduct
changing the environment so that it works better for individuals, referred to
outreach in aid of community education.
as macro practice” (Segal, Gerdes, & Steiner 2005).
Within the social work profession, their role is that of a colleague and a
This special focus on both people and their environment, a duality as
monitor—in aid of professional enculturation and socialization. They are
well as the interaction between them, orients social work roles, functions
catalysts for community service, and they are researcher-scholars in aid of
and competencies toward helping improve society, helping individuals and
knowledge development and capacity building. Today, the roles of social
families improve their social functioning and making society work better for
workers are grouped into three, which are case management, direct
individuals and groups, and facilitating individuals and groups to function
practice, and advocacy and policy building (Segal, Gerdes, & Steiner 2005).
better within society and their communities.
FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL WORK
Social work, like other applied social sciences, may help individuals
cope with anxiety, stress, or depression but it goes further to help the client These speak of main activities professionally performed by social workers.
gain access to other community resources and support or empowering DuBois and Miley (2008) include among others:
services that may be state run or privately operated. These resources and
Counsel with individuals, facilitate groups, work with families, refine agency
support systems aimed at providing relief or empowering individuals and
procedures, initiate new programs, lobby for legislative changes, organize
groups in distressed situations are as varied as the problems that people
community action, educate the public, conduct needs assessments, and
experience.
evaluate practice and programs at various system levels and targets of
They may range from temporary and special shelters, job trainings, change or social transformation;
employment opportunities, rehabilitation services, mental and health
DuBois and Miley (2008) provide a typology to these by grouping them
services, educational and training services, and so forth that bridge the
into consultancy, resource management, and education. Consultancy refers
individual and the larger community to provide better integration, breaking
to the professional activities through which social workers and their clients
of social barriers, and guarantee justice and fairness.
plan, initiate, and pursue actions toward desired change. Resource
management refers to the act of coordinating, systematizing, and integrating
resources and services needed to support social functioning, meeting needs
ROLES OF SOCIAL WORK
and resolving problems.
These provide direction for professional activities and are best situated
Education refers to the provision of knowledge and critical information
in the context of client system (DuBois & Miley 2008). The roles are
necessary for empowerment practice that facilitates informed decision-
generally interwoven with functions but DuBois and Miley (2008) have
making, increased abilities, and gain access to opportunities and resources
provided elements that can be distinctively viewed as roles rather than
for a client.
functions. For individuals and families, their role is that of an enabler—
helping people find solutions. They are broker or advocates in case
management, and they are teachers in terms of information processing.
COMPETENCIES OF SOCIUAL WORK  in the judicial system, make the system more fair and more
beneficial to both convicted criminals and their victims; and
These cover all necessary skills and personality qualities needed by the
 pursue social change on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed
profession to perform their various roles and skills. Foundationally, social
individuals, eliminating economic inequality and poverty.
work requires the following abilities and skills (DuBois & Miley 2008):
In addition to these, social workers should have the capacities
 Think critically;
generic to all helping professions: empathic, compassionate, observes
 build and sustain relationships;
confidentiality, has a sense of humor, and others that are made more explicit
 execute empowering processes; in the code of ethics for social workers. Compassion is necessary in working
 use practical methods; with people who are socially marginalized or suffer deprivation. They require
 analyze policies; a deeply empathic and non-judgmental social worker who intends to
 communicate effectively; empower them.
 strong cultural and intercultural competence;
 good computer literacy; Listening skills will also occupy a very special role in the social work
 conduct research; toolkit. It allows people, regardless of how they take in that information, to
 do social planning; make sense of and understand what they are saying. Listening skills allow a
 perform crisis intervention; and person to understand what someone is talking about no matter how difficult
 sound time management. the subject or issue may be.

On the other hand, Segal, Gerdes, and Steiner (2005) suggest a host of
functional competencies that social workers should be capable of, such as:

 Handle case management with various clients and population

groups;
 perform direct practice depending on the needs of the client and
the environment in which the social worker operates;
 conduct mediations among parties especially where one party is
socially disadvantaged;
 Make referrals to appropriate agencies and service sectors needed
by the client;
 in gerontological context, perform program planning and
administration in numerous settings;
 in mental health setting, function as case managers, advocates,
administrators, therapists, and to use research as a basis for
problem-solving and choice of intervention in empirically-based
practice;
 In the school system, analyze the transactions between students,
teachers, parents, and the school system;
 Clientele and Audience of Social Works 9.4 the Group and Organization as Clientele of Social Work

9.1 Characteristics of Clientele and Audience of Social Work
All people with various social concerned (in terms of being
marginalized experiencing social injustice, or having their rights violated or
disrespected) share characteristics qualities of the clientele and audiences of
social work, they are individual families, groups, and communities who
experience being left out or having some personal social problem like losing
a job, getting sick especially becoming terminally ill, all those deserving of
social welfare benefits, and so on.
Other characteristics of the clients and audiences of social work
include being old and retired; being employed and having concerns in a
place of work; being in a health –care facility, home for the elderly, home for
street children, drug rehabilitation center, mental health facility; or having
conditions that warrant one to be in such facilities. Others such as being a
minority, a migrant, a divorce woman, neglected child, sexually, physically, or
mentally abused child, suffering discrimination of any kind characterization
of any kind characterized one as clientele and audience of social work.
Groups are people existing with similar or common identity, Gay
men and Lesbians, migrants, women, abused or neglected children, the
elderly, pensioners, veterans, military service men and women, people in
conflict with the law, unemployed people with substance abuse issues and
addiction represent groups that social work may focus its services on. There
are also groups such as members of an organization or place of
employment, or pupils and students in school setup, classify theme as
groups because they form collectivities in terms of the level of services they
have to receive.
9.5 The Community as Clientele of Social Work
The community has the largest share in the clientele and audience of
social work because individuals and families are essentially members of the
community. Everything happens in a community and everyone claims
membership in the community. A community may exist as a marginalized
sector, and in which case, the social work services may gear toward their
emancipation and empowerment.

9.2. Needs of Various Types of Clientele and Audiences of Social Work In some cases, they may constitute the majority imposing general
norms that seek to marginalized minorities and those different from them.
The needs are generally that of wanting to be empowered, to be
In this case, social work may focus on community transformation to cause
socially included by ensuring that one receives what is legally due for
environment change so as to make it possible for the minority to achieve
him/her, and that one receives the necessary care he/she deserves. Some
social well- being or social justice and respect for their rights.
people need their rights respected, some need justice, and others need
social welfare help to put them on their feet. Each context of social work
discussed in this book reflects a unique type of clientele and audience.
However, commonalities exist.

9.3 The Individual as a Client of Social Work

We have pointed out that social work can happen on one, two,
three, or four levels. The individual level generally works on an individual
who has to be assisted to fit in a larger environment or someone who has
been deprived space by the larger environment calling for change in the very
environment or simply improving one’s ability to cope with it.