Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. SOCIAL WORK IN CANADA An Introduction Third Edition - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

International Social Work Practice What is International Social Work? International Social Work Practice Models The Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Ensuring Sustainable Development The Human Development Report What Do International Social Workers Do? The Internet and International Social Work Participatory Action Research Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

What is International Social Work? Possible Meanings: Comparative social welfare Work within international organizations, particularly in underdeveloped regions Day-to-day work social workers do in a country other than their own Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

What is International Social Work? The North-South Divide: Poverty levels in countries of the global south are high Difficult for social workers to effect major change at local levels Social work activists increasingly focusing on two guiding principles: promotion and protection of human rights, and ensuring sustainable development Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

International Social Work Practice Models Social Welfare Model New World Order Model Social Development Model Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

International Social Work Practice Models Social Welfare Model More conventional model of international social work Help move countries through the necessary stages of development Satisfaction of basic social and material needs of people Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

International Social Work Practice Models New World Order Model Concerned with bringing about widespread change: Active participation in transformation process World peace and war prevention Alleviation of human suffering in the world Creation of effective systems of social protection and social service provision Increased social and political justice Protection and enhancement of the natural environment Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

International Social Work Practice Models Social Development Model Somewhere between the Social Welfare Model and the New World Order Model Addresses immediate causes of human degradation, powerlessness, and social inequality Guides collective action towards the elimination of all forms of oppression, injustice, and violence Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

International Social Work Practice Models Respect for Cultural Diversity Cultural competence emphasizes understanding the cultural frame of reference of the client Avoid stereotypes based on a limited knowledge of another culture Cultural competence is increasingly necessary skill set in our work, home, and community lives Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Individuals possess certain inalienable political and civil rights: Part of our human heritage Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948 Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Three Types of Human Rights: Negative rights Positive rights Collective rights Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Negative Rights: Protection of basic rights such as freedom from torture, false imprisonment, or summary execution. Positive Rights: Employment rights, housing and health care rights, as well as the right to social security. Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Collective Rights: Such things as self-determination, economic and social development, healthy environment, communication, cultural heritage, and sustainability. Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Promotion and Protection of Human Rights International Policy on Human Rights The International Policy on Human Rights has been adopted by the International Federation of Social Work (IFSW) Responsibility to advance the cause of human rights throughout the world Not only to respect human rights, but to oppose and eliminate all violations of human rights Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Ensuring Sustainable Development “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (World Commission 1987, 43) Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Ensuring Sustainable Development Sustainable Social Progress A central organizing principle for international social workers with three basic premises: Equity and justice for all Long-term view Structural understanding of the society Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

The Human Development Report Independent report released each year by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Goes beyond income alone and assesses the level of people’s long-term well-being Emphasizes that the goals of development are choices and freedoms Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

The Human Development Report There are four composite indices for human development: Human Development Index Gender-related Development Index Gender Empowerment Measure Human Poverty Index Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

The Human Development Report The Human Development Index Powerful starting point for understanding human development Focuses on three basic dimensions of development: Long and healthy life (life expectancy) Knowledge (literacy rate) Decent standard of living (GDP per capita) Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

What Do International Social Workers Do? International social workers perform a wide range of activities in a variety of national, international, and overseas organizations. These organizations include: International intergovernmental organizations Non-governmental organizations Churches and other humanitarian organizations Community organizations Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

What Do International Social Workers Do? International Intergovernmental Organizations The United Nations (UN) is best known, with twelve specialized agencies (UN Development Programme, UNICEF, World Health Organization) Social workers participate as analysts and direct practitioners Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

What Do International Social Workers Do? Non-Governmental Organizations International organizations, not directly related to government Work on issues related to political or philosophical stance Frequently work in peace building and conflict resolution Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

What Do International Social Workers Do? Churches and Other Organizations Extensive overseas humanitarian programs Large international grant foundations employ social workers as consultants, field representatives, and directors for programs Canadian government also maintains offices in many countries Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

What Do International Social Workers Do? International Community Work Problem solving and planning effective social services Bringing about major social change between nations, within nations, and between groups of people Working to achieve fullest participation of community members in transforming various aspects of their lives Empowering - “sense in people that they have the ability and right to influence their environment” (Lee, B. 1999, 43) Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

What Do International Social Workers Do? Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Canada’s lead agency for development assistance Established in 1968 to administer Canada’s official development assistance (ODA) program Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

What Do International Social Workers Do? CIDA’s priorities are: poverty reduction democratic governance private sector development health basic education equality between women and men environmental sustainability Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

The Internet and International Social Work Connects people and communities for the promotion of social justice and peace Being used for electronic advocacy, human rights protection, and community building Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

The Internet and International Social Work Electronic Advocacy Using communication and information technologies to disseminate information and mobilize support to influence decision-making processes or policy change Connect with people who would have been unreachable in the pre-Internet era Familiarity with online communication is becoming part of the skill set of international social workers Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

The Internet and International Social Work The Digital Divide Important social justice issue in its own right Unequal access to information technology becomes especially important in the context of international social work Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Participatory Action Research Useful set of techniques to bring about social change Combines three types of activity: investigation, education, and action PAR is ideally carried out by local people for local people Often the process is continuous Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Websites New Internationalist www.newint.org United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) www.undp.org Heritage Canada Human Rights Program www.pch.gc.ca/ddp-hrd Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Questions for Discussion Why is it important for social workers to understand their own cultural contexts before working with others with diverse cultural backgrounds? Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Questions for Discussion Describe the role of faith-based organizations in international humanitarian work. What are the benefits of faith-based organizations’ involvement in this arena? What are some challenges? Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Questions for Discussion Which areas/populations in Canada might be categorized more as belonging in the “global south” than in the “global north”? Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Questions for Discussion What are some of the benefits of using a PAR approach to community work? What are some challenges, particularly for social workers coming from Canada? Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Questions for Discussion Give an example of electronic advocacy in action. How was technology used? Do you think its use affected the outcome in the situation? Chapter 16: International Social Work Practice Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.