z
Introduction to Social Work, 3e
Chapter 1: The Social Work
Profession
2
The Social Work Profession:
z Purpose and Goals
Social work is categorized as a profession.
What makes it a professional career?
What does social work look like to you?
How would you describe it to someone
else?
Author, Title and Edition. © 20XX SAGE Publishing.
3
Thez Social Work Profession: Purpose and
Goals
Purpose: assist and advocate for change.
Graduate from accredited programs.
Usually certified or licensed by their state.
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
Some jobs do not require credential.
Requirements vary by state.
4
National Association of Social
z Workers (NASW)
NASW developed the formal definition of social
work’s & its purpose.
Founded in 1955, the National Association of
Social Workers (NASW) is the largest
membership organization of professional social
Author, Title and Edition. © 20XX SAGE Publishing.
workers in the world.
NASW works to enhance the professional growth
and development of its members, to create and
maintain professional standards, and to advance
sound social policies.
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Social work is: the professional activity of helping
individuals, groups or communities enhance or restore
their capacity for social functioning and creating societal
conditions favorable to this goal.
Undergraduate level socials workers are called
Generalist Practitioners. (See page 6)
Author, Title and Edition. © 20XX SAGE Publishing.
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z
The Social Work Profession:
Purpose and Goals
Secure basic human needs, rights,
and values:
Basic Needs: food, water, and
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
shelter.
Services/interventions: emotional,
economic, and social support.
Help in communities
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Social Work
z VS Social Welfare
A nation’s system of programs, benefits,
and services that help people meet those
social, economic, educational, and health
needs that are fundamental to the
maintenance of society”
What people get from society (in terms
Author, Title and Edition. © 20XX SAGE Publishing.
of programs, benefits, and services)
How well their needs (including social,
economic, educational, and health) are
being met.
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The Social Work Profession: Purpose and Goals
TABLE 1.1 Professional Social Workers’ Goals
Professional Goal
Social Workers’ Roles
Goal 1 To enhance Facilitators, who “meet people where they are” and
(Practice) people’s coping, assess clients’ environments
problem-solving,
and Coaches, counselors, educators, trainers, and
culturally competent solution-focused guides
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
developmental
Capacities
Goal 2 To link people with Brokers, who help build relationships between clients
(Practice) systems that provide and service systems
opportunities
resources, and Social media collaborators, who help clients
services connect with their environment
continue
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The Socialz Work Profession: Purpose and Goals (Cont.)
continue
Goal 3 To promote the Advocates for cases and causes, who consider
(Practice) effectiveness and socioeconomic, political, and other contexts and
humane operation who focus on the available resources for serving
of systems that people
provide people Administrative supervisors, who oversee staff and
with resources and ensure that services are delivered efficiently and
services effectively
Consultants, who guide community organizations
and agencies by identifying strategies to expand
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
and enhance services
Coordinators and liaisons, who enhance
communication and coordination among social and
human service resources to improve service delivery
and who link an agency or program to other
agencies and organizations
Program developers and evaluators, who design
and evaluate programs or technologies to meet
social needs
continue
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The zSocial Work Profession: Purpose and Goals
(Cont.)
continue
Goal 4 To develop and Activists or advocates, who concentrate on the statutes,
(Practice) improve social laws, and
Goal 5 policy broader social policies that underlie the funding and
(Education) provision of
resources
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
To promote Policy practice analysts, developers, and planners
human
and community Activists, who use education, research, and service
well-being delivery to
alleviate oppression, poverty, and other social and
economic
Injustices
Source: Adapted from Zastrow (2017, 2014, pp. 50–51) from primary sites. Goals 1–4 from NASW (1982, p. 17); Goal 5
from CSWE (2016).
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z
Small Group Discussion
A person’s life experience and
circumstances can influence how other
people and situations are perceived.
How well do you know yourself and
empathize with others who do not have
Author, Title and Edition. © 20XX SAGE Publishing.
your privileges?
How aware are you of how others
perceive you and how you come across
to others?
12
z
Social Work and Human Diversity
(1 of 3)
Common Concepts in SW:
Culture: includes customs, habits, ideology.
Norms: informal or formal rules of behavior.
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
Life stages: each life stage has its own
challenges.
Socioeconomic status: includes income level,
education, location.
13
z
Social Work and Human Diversity
(2 of 3)
The bases for prejudices and
discrimination include the following
categories of difference:
Class
Gender and Sexual Orientation
Author, Title and Edition. © 20XX SAGE Publishing.
Race
Ethnicity
Age
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z Social Work and Human Diversity
(3 of 3)
Class: the system of ordering a society in which people
are divided into sets based on perceived social or
economic status
Gender (socially learned expectations, identities and
behaviors associated with a certain sex) and sexual
orientation (how you identify your attraction to others).
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
Race (describes physical traits; biological) and ethnicity
(cultural identification; learned).
Historically, the idea of race has been used to divide
members of society and it’s often based on superficial
physical attributes.
Age
Intersections of diversity
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z
Informing Practice (1 of 3)
Theory and Practice
Requires knowledge of various
topics.
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
Committed to evidence-based
practice.
Knowledge base is constantly
evolving.
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Informing Practice (2 of 3)
z
Social Work Values
Service.
Social justice.
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
Dignity and worth.
Importance of human
relationships.
Integrity.
Competence.
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z
Informing Practice (3 of 3)
Social Work Values
The NASW Code of Ethics.
Conscious and mindful use of self.
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
Professionalism.
Professional identity and self awareness.
Advocacy.
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z
Social Work Education (1 of 3)
Major Social Work Competencies from
the Educational Policy & Accreditation
Standards (EPAS)
Council on SW Education (CSWE)
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
accredits programs.
CSWE has identified 10
competencies (page 18)
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Social Work Education (2 of 3)
z
Associates Degree
Social Service Technicians (paraprofessionals)
Baccalaureate Social Workers (BSWs)
Usually 400 hours of field experience
Master’s Social Workers (MSWs)
Usually a 2yr program
Author, Title and Edition. © 20XX SAGE Publishing.
More specialized work
Doctorates in Social Work
Teach college
Conduct research
Administration
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z
Social Work Education (3 of 3)
Field education:
Required to obtain a degree.
Provides opportunity to practice skills.
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
Certificates and certifications
(minors in education):
Rules and types vary by state.
LCSWs exist nationwide.
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z
Social Work Practice (1 of 3)
Social work roles and settings:
Act as professional activists.
Levels of practice:
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
Micro: individual or couple.
Mezzo/Meso: family, group,
organization.
Macro: community or society.
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Social Work Practice (2 of 3)
z
TABLE 1.3 Levels of Practice
Subject of
Level Intervention Examples
Micro Individual Counseling a traumatized woman who has been raped
or couple or a couple who are debating divorce
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
Mezzo/meso Family, Facilitating a cancer support group or delivering a
group, or presentation on the needs of military families
organization
Macro Community Working for a political campaign or advocating for
or society legislative changes
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Social Work Practice (3 of 3)
z
Social Work as a Career
Opportunity (page 27)
Median salary: $50,470 in 2020.
Wide variety in income.
Cox, Introduction to Social Work, 3e. © 2022 SAGE Publishing.
Expected growth rate higher than
other occupations.
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