CHAPTER TENCONTEMPORARY TRENDS IMPACTING COMMUNITY PRACTICE

The Practice of Generalist Social Work (2nd ed.)

Key Ideas

Social workers face many challenges and opportunities in community practice.

Several major trends exist that impact community practice.

© 2011 Taylor & Francis

Trend: Devolution of Control over Programs

There is a trend toward decentralization of control of many federally funded programs.

States increasingly rely on nonprofit and for-profit organizations for service delivery.

Communities play an increasingly important role in providing services.

© 2011 Taylor & Francis

Trend: Multicultural Composition of Society

The foreign-born population is growing.

Social workers must advocate for minority groups.

Social workers must bring attention to the community issues that impact minority populations.

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Trend: Inequality in Social, Racial, and Ethnic Relations

Social workers play a central role in advocating for responsive communities for all citizens.

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Trend: Widening Venues for Community Practice

Social workers have increased opportunities to work with different types of communities.

Opportunities include communities organized around identity, geography, and faith.

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Trend: Integration of Community Practice into Other Modes of Practice Elements of community practice are

often viewed as part of work on individual, family, and group levels.

Many services utilize community-based service models.

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Trend: Demographic Participation and Civic Engagement

There is a noted decline of social capital that facilitates collective action.

Social workers must energize and mobilize diverse groups to be engaged in their communities.

© 2011 Taylor & Francis