Social work is the professional activity of helping
individual, groups, or communities enhance or restore their capacity for social
functioning and creating societal conditions favourable to this goal. Social
Work practice consists of the professional application of social work values,
principles, and techniques to one or more of the following ends: helping people
obtain tangible service; counseling and psychotherapy with individuals,
families, and groups; helping communities or groups provide or improve processes. The practice of social work
requires knowledge of human development and behaviour; of social economic, and
cultural institutions; and of the interactions of all these factors.
OBJECTIVE
Social work is concerned and involved with the
interactions between people and the institutions of society that affect the
ability of people to accomplish life tasks, realize aspirations and values, and
alleviate distress. There interactions between people and social purposes of
social work may be identified:
FUNCTION
Social work is a professional for those with a strong
desire to help improve people’s lives. Social workers assist people by helping
them cope with issues in their everyday lives, deal with their relationship,
and solve personal and family problems. Some social workers help clients who
face a disability or a life-threatening disease or a social problem, such as
inadequate housing, unemployment, or substance abuse. Social workers also
assist families that have serious domestic conflicts, sometimes involving child
or spousal abuse. Some workers conduct research, advocate for improved
services, engage in systems design or are involved in planning or policy
development. Many social workers specialize in serving a particular population
or working in a specific setting.
Child, family, and school social services and
assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and
their families and to maximize the well-being of families and the academic
functioning of children. They may assist single parents, arrange adoptions, or
helping find foster homes for neglected, abandoned, or abused children. Some
specialize in services for senior citizens. These social workers may run
support groups for the children of aging parents; advise elderly people or
family members about housing, transportation, long-term care, and other
services; and coordinate and monitor these services. Through employee
assistance programs, social workers may help people cope with job-related
pressures or with personal problems that affect the quality of their work.
ORIGIN OF SOCIAL WORK
Since the first social work class
was offered in the summer of 1898 at Columbia University, social workers have
led the way developing private and charitable organizations to serve people in
need. Social workers continue to address the needs of society and bring our
nation’s social problem’s attention.
Today, Americans enjoy many
privileges because early social workers saw miseries and injustices and took
action, inspiring others along the way. Many of the benefits we take for
granted came about because social weeks-working with families and
institutions-spoke out against abuse and neglect.
·
The civil rights
of all people regardless of gender, race, faith, or sexual orientation are
protected.
·
Workers enjoy
unemployment insurance, disability pay, worker’s compensation and social
security.
·
People with
mental illness and developmental disabilities are now afforded humane
treatment.
·
Medicaid and
Medicare give poor, disabled and elderly people access to health care.
·
Society seeks to
prevent child abuse and neglect.
·
Treatment for
mental illness and substance abuse is gradually losing its stigma