Direct Practice in Social Work, 2e Scott W. Boyle Grafton H. Hull, Jr. Jannah Hurn Mather Larry Lorenzo Smith O. William Farley University of Utah, College of Social Work This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; Any rental, lease, or lending of the program. © 2009 Allyn & Bacon Power Points by Julie Emmer, University of Central Florida

Direct Practice in Social Work In Chapter 9 we will explore the following: The concept of empowerment How to best incorporate empowerment within the practice of Social Work The concept of strengths-based practice Incorporating strengths perspective in the practice of Social Work Empowerment of specific oppressed groups © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Empowerment “indicates the intent to and the processes of assisting individuals, groups, families, and communities to discover and expend the resources and tools within and around them” (Saleebey,1997) © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Guidelines to empowerment (Simon, 1994) Shape programs in response to the expressed preferences and demonstrated needs of clients and community members Make certain that programs and services are maximally convenient for and accessible to one’s clients and their communities Ask as much dedication to problem solving from one’s client as from oneself Call and build upon strengths of clients and communities Devise and redefine interventions in response to the unique configuration of requests, issues, and needs that a client or client group presents. Resist becoming wedded to a favored interventive method Make leadership development a constant priority of practice and policy development Be patient, since empowerment takes substantial amounts of time and continuity of effort Take ongoing stock of social workers’ own powerlessness and power at work Use local knowledge to contribute to the general good © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Introducing empowerment to clients Eliminate negative labels for our clients Promote our client’s awareness of resources Foster changes in our clients’ mindsets Believe in our clients Reject paternalist views of clients © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Strengths-based practice “Everything you do as a social worker will be predicated, in some way, on helping to discover and embellish, explore and exploit clients’ strengths and resources in the service of assisting them to achieve their goals, realize their dreams, and shed the irons of their own inhibitions and misgivings” (Saleebey,1997) © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Foundations of strengths perspective (Saleebey,1997) 1. Every individual, group, family, and community has strengths 2. Trauma and abuse, illness, and struggle may be injurious, but they may also be sources of challenge and opportunity 3. Assume that you do not know the upper limits of the capacity to grow and change, and take individual, group, and community aspirations seriously 4. We best serve clients by collaborating with them 5. Every environment is full of resources © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Empowering attitudes of the social worker (Manning, 1998) 1.Think of and interact with the person, not the label or diagnosis 2.Respect the person’s right to self- determination 3.Be responsible to the ‘whole person,’ taking quality of life and environmental factors into account 4.Focus on a strengths perspective rather than on a deficit model for assessment and practice 5.Respect the diversity of skills and knowledge that consumers bring to the relationship. Let go of being the ‘expert’ 6.Trust consumers’ internal motivation to learn and direct their lives 7.Respect consumers’ ability and right to contribute—to you, to other consumers, to the agency, and to the community 8.Recognize the individuality of people, respecting each person’s unique qualities, values, and needs © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

What are strengths? 1. What people have learned about themselves, others and their world 2. Personal qualities, traits and virtues that people possess 3. What people know about the world around them 4. The talents that people have 5. Cultural and personal stories and lore 6. Pride 7. The community surrounding the individual. © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Assessment questions What about the problem is solvable now? How will you know when the problem is solved? How will you feel when the problem is solved? What future goals do you have beyond solving this problem? Tell me about the times when this problem was not present. © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Intervention techniques Confrontation Emphasizing motivation and commitment Maintaining focus Checking for ambivalence and resistance Rehearsing Story and narrative building Building and using natural helping networks Complimenting success Ending © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Empowerment of women Addressing: Internalized feelings of inferiority The “double-bind” resulting from conflicting societal expectations Institutional and structural sexism © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Gutiérrez’s (1990) model for empowering women of color: Accept the client’s definition of the problem Identify and build on existing strengths Engage in a power analysis of the client’s situation Teach specific skills Mobilize resources and advocate for clients © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Empowerment of older individuals © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Practice methods be used with older adults: (Chapin,1997) Personalized assessment and planning Assertive outreach to natural community resources and services Emergency crisis planning Ongoing collaboration and care giving adjustments © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Empowerment of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Clients The social worker must: (Barrett and Logan, 2002) Explore and challenge their own homoprejudice Connect lesbian clients with the feminist community Understand and appreciate how difficult it is to accept a homosexual orientation © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Empowerment practice concepts for working with gays and lesbians: (DeLois,1997) Establishing a trusting alliance between the worker and the client within a safe environment. Helping clients become aware of the effects of societal factors in their lives and moving them forward in a coping manner. Working with clients to help establish their advocacy and mobilization skills to fight for their political and legal rights. Making sure that social workers themselves understand the history of oppression of gays and lesbians in the United States Seeking change within organizations to challenge the obstacles for gay and lesbian clients and to provide a non- heterosexist practice. © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Empowerment of People of Color © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Practice principles for working with people of color: (Okazawa-Rey,1998) Expand definitions of problems to incorporate the micro, meso, and macro factors affecting communities of people of color. Use both the client’s cultural and personal backgrounds to empower the client. Analyze and understand the structural inequalities that affect the lives of people of color Work together collectively with clients to take action within their communities. © 2009 Allyn & Bacon

Commonalities in all strength based practice: The importance of the agency and/or program maintaining an empowerment perspective in working with clients Soliciting client involvement in collaborative efforts The building of strengths The focus on client uniqueness The building on clients’ strengths and their communities Awareness of the social worker’s own personal issues of powerlessness and empowerment. © 2009 Allyn & Bacon