SWRK 1000H Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Food Bank, Structural Level
28 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
SWRK 1000H: Introduction to Social Work Lecture Week 8 – November 8 th
, 2016
Course Textbook Chapter 14: Structural Social Work and Social Change
Structural Social Work…
Individual level theories vs. Structural level theories
I - individuals and their interactions
S - social structures, systems and how they impact the individual
If oppression and discrimination keeps many at a disadvantage, while privileging few, why is it not simply enough to
better distribute wealth and resources? Why not just, for example, increase monies distributed through social welfare
and/or the social safety net?
-This is the approach of structural social work
-Redistribution is simply not enough – need to challenge structures that keep power and privilege in place
How Do You Practice Structural Social Work With Individual Clients?
Understanding how social structures might impact the lives of people we see.
How injustice and oppression create and/or heighten the challenges people face in their daily lives.
Examples:
oSocial and Child Welfare – constantly playing the game of catching up to the dominant group – not
always ‘rainbows and butterflies’
Reduces blaming the client and centering problem-solving on the client’s “lack of ability” to take control over
their own lives
-Not saying they are innocent and have no responsibility, oppression can be generalized
(Critically examines power relations in the worker-client relationship) – every day we create imbalances of
power – continue to create violence
Ways that we can work from an anti-oppressive and/or structuralist approach
challenge oppressive policies and practices in our workplaces [equally]
challenge oppressive comments in our multiple environments
LISTEN
SUPPORT
Draw attention to privilege
Be willing to TAKE DIRECTION
“Social work was – and continues to be – caught up in a contradiction because it served to control clients on one hand
while trying to help them on the other” (page 301)
The Five Goals of Structural Social Work:
1. Acting as allies of clients
2. Bringing people together to effect social change
3. Analyzing the effects of poverty and discrimination to avoid blaming the individual
4. Working to enhance power of clients in the worker-client relationship
5. Promoting and supporting clients’ personal change goals
Order versus Conflict
Order Perspective: Society has similar values, cultures, and ways of thinking, and everyone has a chance to succeed in
life. Some are lucky. Some are not.
Conflict Perspective: Society is made up of opposing views and interests, and those in power have the ability, capacity
and resources to maintain existing relations of power AND to manage the space where Others must struggle and demand
to have their needs met.
*Conflict perspective suggests that the framing of the social problem matters significantly to how it can be addressed
and/or “resolved”.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Swrk 1000h: introduction to social work lecture week 8 november 8. Course textbook chapter 14: structural social work and social change th , 2016. S - social structures, systems and how they impact the individual. This is the approach of structural social work. Redistribution is simply not enough need to challenge structures that keep power and privilege in place. Understanding how social structures might impact the lives of people we see. How injustice and oppression create and/or heighten the challenges people face in their daily lives. Examples: social and child welfare constantly playing the game of catching up to the dominant group not always rainbows and butterflies". Reduces blaming the client and centering problem-solving on the client"s lack of ability to take control over their own lives. Not saying they are innocent and have no responsibility, oppression can be generalized (critically examines power relations in the worker-client relationship) every day we create imbalances of power continue to create violence.
