SWRK 1001H Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Anger Management, Alcoholism, Community Economic Development
28 Jun 2018
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SWRK1001H: Introduction to Social Welfare
Tuesday, February 28th, 2017 – Lecture 7
How Do We Really Achieve Change? Examples at the individual, community and societal levels
At the micro level
oIndividuals: we want to help individuals to meet their basic needs, in order to achieve self-
sufficiency, development, and social functioning. The idea behind change is that if the individual
suffers, then communities suffer, as does society as a whole.
oIs the goal at the individual level to change people’s behaviours?
oTo learn new coping strategies?
oTo change the environment?
Example of food banks: while food banks address hunger in the immediate, why might
they not function as a tool to address the overall health and well-being of individuals in
society, and to meet their basic needs?
However:
Individual change can depend on what a person is seeking help for.
oFor example, if someone comes to see you because of the death of a loved one, what is the
social worker’s role here?
Coping skills
Someone to listen to
What “change” might you and the person you are working with want to achieve?
What if someone comes to see you because they were terminated from their job?
Wrongful termination – need help getting in touch with someone who can help with
that
Engage in employment counselling to help them find another job
Systemic issue – multiple people were laid off
Eligible for employment insurance
How might these scenarios differ in terms of your approach to change?
Although the social casework model emphasizes building on clients’ strengths, and empowering clients
to make change in their own lives, context is very important.
Families:
In the same way, family casework seems to empower families, and build on their strengths. Family
casework can become involved when, for example, there is discord between members over inheritance
distribution, or divorce, or domestic violence, or taking an elderly relative in.
How might your approach to change differ, depending on contexts here?
oDomestic violence vs. discord between members over inheritance – domestic violence [don’t
want individual to go back to spouse so you wouldn’t try and help them to ‘work it out’]
Some families do not seek help voluntarily. For example, in child abuse cases, many families are
mandated by courts and by child protection agencies to meet certain requirements otherwise a child
can be apprehended. Or, in other cases, these requirements must be met before a child can “come
home”.
Groups:
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Examples at the individual, community and societal levels. At the micro level: individuals: we want to help individuals to meet their basic needs, in order to achieve self- sufficiency, development, and social functioning. Wrongful termination need help getting in touch with someone who can help with that. Engage in employment counselling to help them find another job. Systemic issue multiple people were laid off. Although the social casework model emphasizes building on clients" strengths, and empowering clients to make change in their own lives, context is very important. In the same way, family casework seems to empower families, and build on their strengths. Family casework can become involved when, for example, there is discord between members over inheritance distribution, or divorce, or domestic violence, or taking an elderly relative in. For example, in child abuse cases, many families are mandated by courts and by child protection agencies to meet certain requirements otherwise a child can be apprehended.
