LESSON 7

THE DISCIPLINE OF SOCIAL WORK

DEFINITION
CONTEXT AND BASIC CONCEPTS
GOALS AND SCOPE
PRINCIPLES
CORE VALUES
DEFINITION OF SOCIAL WORK
“THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION PROMOTES
SOCIAL CHANGE, PROBLEM SOLVING IN
SOLVING HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS AND THE
EMPOWERMENT AND LIBERATION OF PEOPLE
TO ENHANCE WELL-BEING.
UTILIZING THEORIES OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR
AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS, SOCIAL WORK
INTERVENES AT THE POINTS WHERE PEOPLE
INTERACT WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENTS.
PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO SOCIAL WORK.”
(BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS,
2012)
 IS A PROFESSION THAT FULFILLS THE SOCIAL
WELFARE MANDATE TO PROMOTE WELL-BEING
AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
IT ENCOMPASES ACTIVITIES DIRECTED AT
IMPROVING HUMAN AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS
ALLEVIATING HUMAN DISTRESS AND SOCIAL
PROBLEMS THROUGH ENHANCING PEOPLE’S
COMPETENCE AND FUNCTIONING, ABILITY TO
ACCESS SOCIAL SUPPORTS AND RESOURCES,
CREATING HUMANE AND RESPONSIVE SOCIAL
SERVICES, AND EXPANSION OF THE
STRUCTURES OF SOCIETY THAT PROVIDE
OPPURTUNITIES FOR ALL CITIZENS. (DUBOIS
(doob-
 CONTEXT AND THE BASIC
CONEPTS OF SOCIAL WORK
 BASIC CONCEPTS OF
SOCIAL WORK
THE AIM OF SOCIAL WORK IS TO HELP
INDIVIDUALS FIT BETTER INTO THEIR
ENVIRONMENT SO THAT IT WORKS BETTER
FOR THEM.
AIM OF DISCOVERING THE TO CAUSES OF
POVERTY AMONG INDIVIDUALS, ELIMINATE
THE CAUSES, AND ELIMINATE POVERTY FROM
SOCIETY.
 CONTEXT OF SOCIAL
WORK
A PLACE THAT REQUIRES PROFESSIONALS TO
DIRECT THEIR SERVICE ON THE NEEDS AND
EMPOWERMENT OF PEOPLE WHO
EXPERIENCE SOME FORMS OF VULNERABILITY,
OPPRESSION, AND LIVING IN POVERTY.
GOALS AND SCOPE OF SOCIAL
WORK
 EMPOWER PEOPLE, INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY, TO
UTILIZE THEIR OWN PROBLEM-SOLVING AND COPING
CAPABILITIES MORE EFFECTIVELY.
SUPPORT A PROACTIVE POSITION WITH REGARD TO SOCIAL
AND ECONOMIC POLICY DEVELOPMENT TO PREVENT
PROBLEMS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETY FROM OCCURING.
UPHOLD THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROFESSION IN ALL ASPECTS
OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE.
ESTABLISH LINKAGES BETWEEN PEOPLE AND SOCIAL
RESOURCES TO FURTHER SOCIAL FUNCTIONING AND ENHANCE
THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
DEVELOP COOPERATIVE NETWORKS WITHIN THE
INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES SYSTEM.
FACILITATE THE RESPONSIVENESS OF THE INSTITUTIONAL
RESOURCE SYSTEM TO MEET HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE
NEEDS.
 CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF KNOWLEDGE FOR
SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION THROUGH RESEARCH AND
EVALUATION.
PROMOTE SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUALITY OF ALL PEOPLE
WITH REGARD TO FULL PARTICIPATION IN SOCIETY.
ENCOURAGE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION IN THOSE
INSTITUTIONAL SYSTEMS IN WHICH BOTH PROBLEMS AND
RESOURCES OPPORTUNITIES ARE PRODUCED.
ENHANCE COMUNICATION THROUGH AN APPRECIATION OF
DIVERSITY AND THROUGH ETHNICALLY SENSITIVE, NON-
SEXIST SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE.
EMPLOY EDUCATIONAL STARTEGIES FOR THE PREVENTION
AND RESOLUTION OF PROBLEMS
EMBRACE A WORLD VIEW OF HUMAN ISSUES AND
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS
PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL WORK

RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

SOCIAL JUSTICE
PROFESIONAL INTEGRITY
 RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
UPHOLDING AND PROMOTING HUMAN
DIGNITY AND WELL-BEING
RESPECTING THE RIGHT TO SELF-
DETERMINATION
PROMOTING THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATION
CREATING EACH PERSON AS A WHOLE
IDENTIFYING AND DEVELOPING STRENGHTS
 SOCIAL JUSTICE
CHALLENGING DISCRIMINATION
RECOGNIZING DIVERSITY
DISTRIBUTING RESOURCES
CHALLENGING UNJUST POLICIES AND
PRACTICES
WORKING IN SOLIDARITY
 PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY
UPHOLDING THE VALUES AND REPUTATION
OF THE PROFESSION
BEING TRUSTWORTHY
MAINTAINING PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES
MAKING CONSIDERED PROFESSIONAL
JUDGMENTS
BEING PROFESSIONALLY ACCOUNTABLE
CORE VALUES OF SOCIAL WORK
COMPASSSION
SERVICE
SOCIAL JUSTICE
DIGNITY AND WORTH OF THE PERSON
IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS
INTEGRITY
COMPETENCE
COMPASSION IS THE BASIS FOR SOMEONE TO
GO OUT AND BECOME A VOICE TO THE
VOICELESS AND A FRIEND TO THE PEOPLE
WHO NEEDS IT THE MOST
SERVICE DIRECTS SOCIAL WORKERS TO GO
BEYOND PURELY PERFORMING FOR A PAY AND
ALLOW THEM TO BE GENEROUS WITH THEIR
TIME
SOCIAL JUSTICE IS A BASIS OF THEIR
UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEED TO ENSURE
THAT EVERYONE GET SERVICED
DIGNITY AND WORTH OF THE PERSON AT THE
HEART OF SOCIAL WORK IS THE BELIEF THAT ALL
HUMANS HAVE DIGNITY AND WORTH
REGAREDLESS OF THEIR ACTS AND STATUS IN LILFE
IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS MAKES
COLLABORATION WITH MANY DIFFERENT
PROFESSIONALS AND INDIVIDUALS
INTEGRITY IS NECESSARY IN ALL HUMAN
ENDEAVORS. IN SOCIAL WORK, NOTHING CAN BE
ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INTEGRITY
COMPETENCE IT SEPARATES SOCIAL CAREGIVING
FROM SOCIAL WORK PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
 GROUP ACTIVITY
CHOOSE ONE FROM THE LIST OF CORE
VALUES OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER.
COME UP WITH A SCENARIO AND DEVELOP A
SCRIPT FOR EACH CORE VALUE. ONE
SCENARIO SHOULD SHOW HOW THE CORE
VALUE CAN BE EXHIBITED BY A SOCIAL
WORKER AND THE OTHER SCENARIO
SHOULD SHOW THE LACK OR ABSENCE OF
THAT CORE VALUES.