SOCIAL WORK Chapter – 2: Social work as Profession Dr. Shyamal Gomes Introduction: “What social work can provide is not freedom from discomfort; rather it can provide change of discomforts”. What is unique about the word ‘SOCIAL WORK”. to solve client’s problems scientifically with their participation.. Different scholars have contribute different opinion about the social work but the simple and clear understandable definition of social work is:

“ Social work is a dynamic activity undertaken by public or private effort in the implementation of social policy, with a view to raise the standard of living and to bring about social, economic, political, cultural, well-being of the individual, family and the group with a society irrespective of its stage of social development” – Sushil chandra (1954)

Therefore the primary objectives of social work are:

To solve psycho – socian problems To fulfill humanitarian needs To solve the adjustmental problems To create self sufficiency To provide socio – legal aid To protect environment in favour of Individual’s growth and

development Principle areas of Social work are:

HEALTH: Primary Health Mental Health Community Service Welfare Vocational rehabilitation

EDUCATION:

Education Child Care Legal Aid Economic & Social

Development

Natural Resource Management

Women Empowerment

Since social work is a process of dynamic activities it based on some important methods that posse different Tools and techniques like:

Tools Techniques

Conscious use of self Constructive use of

relationship Verbal Interaction Programme planning and

its use

Interviews Listening Observing Supporting Educating Counseling Preparing Reinforcing Monitoring Evaluating

These tools and techniques mainly used or apply in different methods of social work and the six important methods are: 1. Social Case Work: Social treatment of a maladjusted individual Involving an attempt to understand his personality, Behavior and social relationships – towards personal adjustments 2. Social Group Work: Is a method and initiative for community development programme. 3. Community Organization: Is a process by which a social worker uses his Insight and skill to help communities – geographical And functional to identify and to work towards a solution of their problems. 4. Social Welfare Administration: Process of transferring the social policy into Social service. 5. Social Action: Group efforts to solve mass social problems. 6. Social Research: Concerned with the functions of identification and evaluation of social problems & needs, the development & evaluation of service delivery systems and client treatment programmes.

Principles of Social Work: The main purpose of Social work is Betterment of individual in a scientific manner, therefore the basic principles of social work are: 1. Principle of Individualism 2. Principle of Meaningful Relationship 3. Self determination 4. Acceptance 5. Communication 6. Social Functioning 7. Tuning Behavior 8. Social Learning 9. Confidentiality The broad functions of social work are:

Curative- medical & health rel. services Corrective & Rehabilitative – Ind. Reform, Family welfare &

Industrial social work services, services for social reform etc. Preventive – Life Insurance, labour welfare, adult edu, prevention

of diseases Developmental – socio economic dev. Activities, recreational

services, urban & rural development

Values of SW: (according to the curriculum study of Council of social work education):

Konopka has enumerated two primary values of SW: • Respect of every person and the right of

each person to the fullest development of his / her potential.

2. Mutual dependence of individuals and responsibility towards each other according to their abilities.

Change Process Growth Self

Help

Common Needs of Man

Imp of Individuals

Right to Equal

Participation Right to protection

Of body and intellect

Freedom

CSWE

Misconception of social work: Many people are not aware about the real meaning of S.W, generally we means the sw are:

Social work as an Alm – giving activity ( a traditional concept of social welfare activity or a religious duty of a man to provide care and protection to the people suffering from various kinds of disasters ) – not social work because the aim of sw to solve client’s problems scientifically with their participation.

‘Shramdan’ as a social work: voluntarily to provide physical help to any individual, group or community is known as shramdan, i.e construction of public road, public sanitation etc. help to flood victims etc. But this is not social work because in such cases /activities labour is given without any remuneration where as in SW activities, workers are paid. They are trained.

Leadership activities are social work: Leaders (and political leaders) are known as social workers but they are not social workers because they are neither trained in social work profession nor use social work methodology in their practice.

Therefore the Present trend of social work is as follows: SW is a professional service, based on scientific knowledge and skills of human relations, which assists individual alone or in groups to obtain social and personal satisfaction (on fulfillment of needs) and independence. Now the questions come:

1. Who is social worker? 2. Why social work as a profession?

1. Who is Social Worker? – Social worker is a person having

communication and motivating Skill, knowledge on social work methodologies and perception & attitude as a social human being. He is basically a change agent, a care giver, a facilitator, an animator a referral agent, a power breaker, a consultant, a resource mobilizer and finally a good manager in any crisis and challenging situation . Therefore, a social worker is a person who is tackling social problems and helping individuals in the contemporary society demand special knowledge and skills in

addition to personal qualities of sympathy, understanding and self sacrifice.

The main attributes or quality of social worker: SKILL

Establishing & maintaining stable and useful relationship

Problem solving attitude System evaluation and planning Counseling and language proficiency

KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge of the availability of the service Knowledge of people their motivation, dynamics

and strength Knowledge of society - its value traditions,

customs, taboos, problems and procedures.

Knowledge of resources – Fiscal, Material & manpower

Social attitudes

Laughing face Easy to Mix with others Honesty Adjustable with all kind of situation Democratic in nature

The role and function of social workers: The role of social worker is mainly to set a process of interaction which sets at the social & psychological levels into motion. And the main function is to build awareness among the needy and make them organize to activate the operations, so that they can be self-reliant and self dependent.

2. Why Social work as a profession? Before understand this we have to very much clear about the word – PROFESSION. There are so many definitions of profession but widely accepted definitions are:

A profession is an occupation which requires a higher

educational qualification – degree, diploma and applications.

A profession is characterized by a specialized body of knowledge and skills, an area of operation, a code of ethics, and a certain degree of organization among the members of the professions (Gore, M.S, 1965).

Generally Medicines, Law, and technology are known as professions but question arise where as social work is also a profession?

Millerson after surveying 21 writers who have written on profession; found the following most frequent concerned traits in a profession: 1. A special knowledge 2. A system of provision of training and occupation, 3. Special ability of the professionals in their area of operation , 4. Professional Organization 5. Adherence to a professional code of conduct, 6. Altruistic service and social recognition

Now what is professionalization? ‘Professionlization’ is basically a socialization process by which an individual drawn into the institutional context of particular occupation. Wilensky proposes the following steps in the process of professionalization in a particular occupation:

Full time activity at the task The establishment of university training The formation of a national professional organization. Redefinition of the core task, so as to give ‘dirty work’ to

subordinates Conflict between the old timers and the new men who seek to

upgrade job; Competition between the new occupation and related ones Political pressure to gain legal protection A code of ethics The jobs of the professional is technical and adheres to a set of

professional norms

What are the traits of social work?

Systematic & scientific knowledge on human behavior and social problems.

Skills , techniques and tools on individual conscientisation , group conscientisation, organization & planning, building and maintaining counter system and administration.

Social work Education - accepted as a separate technical education at college and university level. Students can learn theoretical aspects in the college / university and practiced it in the field of practical organization / agencies – like hospitals, orphan homes, labour welfare centres, slums, community centres etc.

Professional orgnization: there are no. of professional // technical organization (national & international) who are technically guide and support social work as a technical subject/ course. Like AASWs, BASWs, ISSWs, TISS etc.

Social Approval – social work as a profession has been accepted by both Governmental and Non – Governmental organizations employ trained social workers on various posts.

Conclusion: Therefore, it can be easily illustrate that: Like other professions SW has also : - Skill based theoretical and practical knowledge. - Provision of training and occupation. - Graduation or post graduation programme - Purely altruistic (Showing unselfish concern for the welfare of

others) service in nature. - Organization based

As a professional, Social Workers gives respect to each client and believes in his creative power of problem solving. He has full faith in the client’s freedom of expression and self judgment.He always operates on the democratic principles and values. He does not believe in any type of discrimination on the basis of caste, creed and religion etc. Thus, it can be said that social work is a profession because all the essential Characters are found in it. Critics: Even today, people do not accept social work as a profession because of the following drawbacks in social work:

1. Social work is not concerned with a specific work which may be called the field of social work.

2. The behavior and the skills of social workers are not unique and specific.

3. There is no difference in behavior of a trained social worker and an untrained one.

4. The work of helping cannot be called profession because this work can be performed by anyone.

5. Training has not much impact in creating an attitude or motivational attitude of worker for help as it is mainly influenced by family background and psychological make up.

6. Social worker have failed in developing self – image as professionals.

7. Though social work has systematic and scientific knowledge but all this have derived from other sciences. Workers most of the time, feel helplessness in using this knowledge into practice.

8. Professional Organizations are not performing their roles effectively.

9. Government initiative is very low 10. Social approval specially the initiatives from business

professionals are not up to the mark

SOCIAL WORK AS A PROFESSION IN INDIA: India is rich in its culture and civilization and one of the most acceptable social work field in the world, but social work as a profession is of recent origin in India.

The first school of social work was established in 1936 in the name of Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of social work in Mumbai.

Other institutes like Kashi Vidyapeeth – Varanasi, Gujarat Vidyapeeth – Ahmedabad (1947) and Delhi School of Social Work came into existence in 1948 as the first school as a part of the university.

To day the training and education of social work is imparted in all important cities and more than 60 training institutes all over the India making the professionals in social work field.

Now the question come why there is a slow process of professionalization of social work in India? Factors responsible for slow process of social work as profession:

It is unfortunate that the social work as a profession got on the wrong start in India.

The concept of social work / meaning of social work has brought a confusion even in the minds of social workers.

SW is often regarded as a selfless, non remunerative, character building or religious activity. It is a charitable task by wealthy person in the society.

The lack of teaching materials based on Indian case studies is one the major factor in the slow process of profesionalization of social work in India.

There is a lot of difference between theory and practices. The teaching in classroom is based upon principles which have been borrowed. These are not often the principles which imbue (spread or diffused through) social work practice in India.

The area of specialization in social work is still somewhat limited. Little attempts have been made to develop systematic empirical

knowledge relating to typical problems situations and ways of handling them.

This adds another problem to the process of professionalization of social work.

The professional organizations like India Association of Trained social workers, Association of schools of social work, organized for the promotion of standard of social work, are not performing their job satisfactorily.

The functions of these org.s are so limited that even most of the social workers do not know the existence of such organizations.

The last and not the least factor is lack of sincere devotion and dedication on the part of social workers

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