Social work practice:Advocacy model

and Empowerment model

Deepti k k MSW

Social Work Practice

Contents

Introduction to Social Work Practice

Models of Social Work Practice

Advocacy Model in Social Work Practice

Empowerment Model in Social Work Practice

Introduction to Social Work Practice

The application of social work values,and techniques to one or more of the following ends: helping people obtain tangible services; providing counseling with individuals,families,and groups.,

The practice of social work require knowledge of human behavior and behaviour;of social, economical and cultural institutions; and of the interaction of all these factor.

Introduction to Social Work Practice

Social work theories are general explanations that are supported by evidence obtained through the scientific method. A theory may explain human behavior.

Social work practice models describe how social workers can implement theories. Practice models provide social workers with a blueprint of how to help others based on the underlying social work theory.

Advocacy

Advocacy simply means actively supporting a cause, and trying to get others to support it as well.

Advocacy is speaking up, drawing attention to an important issue and directing decision makers towards a solution.

Purpose of Advocacy

The purpose of advocacy as defined by UNFPA is to promote or reinforce a change in policy, programme or legislation.

Rather than providing support directly to clients or users of services, advocacy aims at winning support from others, i.e. creating a supportive environment.

Advocacy in Social work The term comes from the Latin word advocatus, which means the function of an advocate. It is to give evidence by supporting verbally or making arguments for a cause.

For social workers the advocacy role takes on some of the qualities that might be used by a lawyer, described as preparing the way for a service user, arranging a deal with another agency or profession or organizing resources for a service user.

Advocacy Definition Social work advocacy works to

‘effect changes in policies, practices and laws that affect all people in a specific class or group’. (Litzelfelner and Petro, 1997)

Advocacy is ‘a political act with consequences for both individuals and the community as a whole, challenging inequality, opposing racism, preventing abuse, or even introducing someone to a new opportunity or social setting – all constituting steps towards a more civil and just society’. (Henderson and Pochin, 2001)

Issues in Advocacy

Enhancing Gender Equity, Equality and Empowerment of All.

Promoting Reproductive Health and Rights.

Population and Development Linkages.

Mobilizing and Monitoring Resources.

Advocacy Model

The concept of advocacy captures significant variation in the ways in which participating social workers worked for social justice. It is the closest thing to embodying social justice at a practice level in clinical social work.

Advocacy Model Three types of advocacy ., instrumental advocacy, educational

advocacy, and practical advocacy. Instrumental advocacy concerns

particular actions taken by the study participants on behalf of clients. Educational advocacy involves heightening awareness of social justice issues, rights, and opportunities, Practical advocacy involves working with clients directly to access resources, such as in accompanying them to appeals or even filling out documentation that is posing a barrier to the access of resources.

Major areas of Advocacy

Leadership development Networking Political Lobbying Promoting legislative change Briefing media Counteracting opposition

Empowerment Model

"Empowerment is viewed as a process: the mechanism by which people, organizations, and communities gain mastery over their lives." -Rapp port's (1984)

“Empowerment is a construct that links individual strength and competencies . natural helping system and proactive behavior to social policy and social change” -Rapp port's (1981)

Empowerment Model The individual is not blamed for his or her

problems but is responsible for generating a solution.

The process of empowerment is a process which enables one to gain power, authority and influence over themselves, institutions or society.

In short, empowerment is the process that allows one to gain the knowledge, skill-sets and attitude needed to cope with the changing world and the circumstances in which one lives.

Empowerment Model

Power = capacity of individuals or groups to act on their own behalf and control their destiny. implies a definition of self as having power and capacity to bring about change

Process more than product eg,show how to fish than give them a fish

Expands the personal to the interpersonal and then to the political

Empowerment in social work

Having decision-making power of one's own

Having access to information and resources to make proper decisions

Having a range of options from which you can make choices.

Ability to exercise assertiveness in collective decision making

Having positive thinking on the ability to make change

Ability to learn skills for improving one's personal or group power.

Theoretical components empowerment model Systems and ecological approaches Human relations participatory

management Contingency theory Conflict theory Feminist theory Transformative model Power dependency theory Political economy theory Total quality management

Empowerment Model The empowerment model arose from the

feminist movements of the 1970s, which framed sexual and domestic violence within a social, cultural and historical framework of inequality between the sexes. This feminist model frames the violence by men in intimate relationships as a result of power differentials that serve to keep the woman subordinate. This model is based on the belief that everything possible should be done to restore power to victims through validation, community and celebration of their strengths.

Empowerment Model The empowerment model seeks to

return a sense of personal self- worth, to listen to the victim and to allow them to make their own choices, and to support the victim’s process as they move forward and take control their own life. Other interventions may consider the victim disordered, as if s/he were tarnished or sick.

Reference From Wikipedia, the free

encyclopedia Effective advocacy in social work,.

Jane Dalrymple and Jane Boylan 2013

Empowerment theory ,research and application,.Doughlas D Perkins