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January
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- Chapter 4 Agency in Policy Turmoil pgs. 123-124
- Research on Welfare Leavers
- Chapter 9 Political Institutions
- Clarification of Values
- The Future of Children Policy Brief Fall 2007
- Families on Welfare
- Applying Policy to Achieve Long Term Goals
- Best Practice Briefs #4
- Economic Security Book (very useful for policy pap...
- The Art of Advocacy: Advocacy Handbook
- Mentoring Advocacy Toolkit
- After-school Policy Brief 2 : A fact sheet on chil...
- Lessons Learned for Protecting and Education Child...
- Oreo Video
- Detention of Haitian Asylum Seekers: Summary Jan 1...
- Understanding Generalist Practice (Chap 14)
- Understanding Generalist Practice (Chap 4)
- The Dynamics of Social Welfare Policy – (Chap 1)
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January
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DeKara Daniel
ReplyDeleteThis chapter discussed the use of macro practice skills while working with a community or organizations. Macro Practice involves focusing on perplexed social issues and global policies. It involves changing the larger environment that can benefit the individuals and families. Social workers intervene in this area to effect social change. Social workers are able assess a community’s needs and what actions need to be taken. The social worker is able to focus on the target population. Most importantly rapport can be established between the worker and the community. Social workers and the community or organizations can work together to influence decision makers about issues. Petitioning can be an effective way to persuade decision makers about particular issues. There are so many issues that can be addressed in larger groups. Growing up in my community, I have realized that there is not much education on health and nutrition. I grew up in a black community and in the grocery stores where I shopped there was not many choices on healthier foods. Now I do most of my grocery shopping in other areas and in the larger food markets. I would often find a wider range of healthy choices of foods there than in my community. Another issue with attaining healthier foods is that many people in my community do not have the transportation to travel to other areas for better foods. With the black community having a higher risk of developing health issues, it is important to understand nutrition, exercise, and eating a healthier diet. Obesity is considered prevalent amongst African American children. Some programs are striving to teach the community more about health and exercise. Farmer markets are open that sale fresh vegetables and fruits in the community. However more has to be done. First Lady Michelle Obama has taken on a project to create a fresh vegetable/fruit garden outside of the White House. The purpose of the garden is to set an example for all families to eat healthier and to get children more involved in growing their own food. The garden also sets an example to low income families who are more tempted to purchase cheaper processed food.
This chapter focuses on community/organizational based social work. There are many social functions of a community. The main social function of a community is production, distribution and consumption of food and services, social support and mutual support. Social workers also use practice evaluation techniques such as task acheivment scaling in order to better assess the needs of a community. This chapter also discusses progrma budgets. These are budgets that look into the financial means of different agencies such as foster care or adoption agencies. When working in a community, we as social workers must act as mediators in order to present the views of organizations to others. Sometimes the techniques of field studying is used to gather ideas and options of those in the community of which we are working with. We do this through interviews and observations.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter discussed social work from a macro level of practice. What is macro level of practice? MACRO level social work is social work practice that impacts society as a whole such as in legislation and on a broader scale whereas MICRO social work practice is that dealing with the individual, families, and groups in direct practice settings and not affecting society as a whole. I think that the macro level of practice is the level of practice that I feel that I will be the most effective in. This chapter discussed budgets that such programs have. These budgets are put into place to ensure that there is money to start or continue programs, and to see how many people can be reached with the finances available. This article was informative in the sense that I was able to gain a wider base of knowledge in reference to the level of practice I plan to work with.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter discusses macro practice skills that are used in the social work profession. It describes the skills that are needed for effective macro practice. These skills include building and maintaining organizations, evaluating results, fund-raising, budgeting, negotiating, mediating, assessing needs, planning, using political skills, working with coalitions, petitioning, working with the media, educating, persuading, confronting, collaborating, and letter writing. These are definitely skills that all social workers need. These skills allow social workers to be effective advocates for change. In macro practice, social workers play many roles and must be competent and willing to be initiators, negotiators, advocates, spokespeople, organizers, mediators, and consultants.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter taught me a lot about macro level practice. There are many skills involved in fighting for change on the community level. All of the strategies and assessments involved in social work practice increase the social workers' chances of successfully providing a needed service or changing an unfair policy. Since I am considering practicing on the macro level, this chapter gave me some insight on the issues that I have to look forward to in this area of social work. This also helps prove the point that social work is definitely a science and an art.
This chapter mainly focuses on the Macro practice of social work. Generally when you think of Macro practice you think of a community and that is what is described in the chapter. While working in the community and in Macro practice there are several issues that may occur. In order to deal with these problems, a social worker can use various tools. These include social action, cause advocacy, and case advocacy. Social action basically includes advocacy for certain issues these issues can range from domestic violence to abortion to health care reform. Social action also includes getting like-minded politicians involved in your specific interests or concerns. With the help of politicians, issues can be seen on a much larger platform. Lastly, social action involves networking with others. With the help of your peers, ideas and resources can be shared.
ReplyDeleteChapter 4 of "Understanding Generalist Practice" is about Macro practice. The title of the Chapter is Macro Practice Skills: Working with Organizations and Communities. Macro Practice in generalist social work involves working on behalf of whole groups or populations of clients. Macro Practice involves questioning and sometimes confronting major social issues and global organizational policies. This chapter also discusses nine major skills important in macro practice. These skills are evaluating results, fund-raising, budgeting, negotiating, mediating, influencing, decision makers, needs assessment, planning, and working with coalitions. Worker Roles in Organizational and Community Change are also included in this chapter; they are initiator, negotiator, advocate, spokesperson, organizer, mediator, and consultant.
ReplyDeleteCitation: Kirst-Ashman, Karen, & Hull, Grafton. (2006).Understanding generalist practice with socialworknow? and infotrac. Wadsworth Pub Co.
Macro Practice Skills: Working with Organizations and Communities
ReplyDeleteThis reading discusses macro practice skills and working with Organizations and Communities. The title of the reading basically explains what macro practice which is working on a community level when providing services. An example of this would be developing a community health center or a child center of surrounding children. This is targeting a population in a given community and providing services that are needed by them. In participating in working with the the children in the Tuskegee area I have been able to work on a macro level and I find this area of work to be very interesting. I also am interested in micro level because I can work with an individual but with either level of practice, it would be interesting to see the progress that can occur. I now have a better understanding what exactly macro practice involves and what I would need to expect if I choose to work on this level of practice.
This generalist social work practice provides a frame work for students to view the world from generalist perspective. A major concern in social work today is students stray way from thinking about helping communities and enabling social change. Instead students are frequently drawn to the psychological drama and intensity of clinical practice. While continuing to enhance content on strength, empowerment, and diversity, a primary new focus involves critical thinking skill. Questions in this chapter are intended to stimulate critical thinking . This chapter is expanded content on critical thinking skills including the examination of what critical thinking involves, its applications to generalist practice, and potential fallacies that may serve as pitfalls to effective critical thinking. Understanding Generalist Practice aims to avoid the pitfall of focusing most of its attention on explaining a complicated theoretical model. Most skills include social work ethics and values provide another major dimension.
ReplyDeleteThis chapter was about macro practice and community organization. Macro practice is when a social worker is works with a neighborhood,families, organizations or groups to accomplish a set goal. An example of macro level social work practice would be a social worker working within a neighborhood to begin a neighborhood watch program.Its about educating or informing a group of people instead of on a individual micro level of social work practice. In many small communities such as Tuskegee, AL, it may be more challenging for the residents to have access to things a bigger city may have such as parks, food markets, utilities, etc. To practice macro level social work, the worker must be knowledgeable about working with a large group and be aware of the 9 techniques. This reading was very enlightening on how much this type of social work is needed. I think many social workers focus on micro level practice maybe because it is more apparent and practiced. Macro level social work is beneficial when trying to reach the masses.
ReplyDeleteUnderstanding Generalist Practice: (Chapter 4).
ReplyDeleteAs clinicians it is important for use to know general information about a broad spectrum. In this chapter discussions of the Macro level of Social Work takes place. Global policy and social issues are discussed in this chapter because they are the target of the Macro level of practice. The Macro level focuses on changing the environment so that individuals and family can better adapt in society. The steps needed to be taken in efforts to fix these issue are up to the Social Worker. The clinician should be the individual to asses the situation and handle it accordingly. By doing this, the clinician can then build a rapport with their client population. A community can serve to be a great basis for a clinician to work with. The community can serve as a social support to the clinician. Social workers also use practice evaluation techniques such as task achievement scaling in order to better assess the needs of a community. Also while working in the community, there generally tends to be program budgets that are in play and need to be maintained. While working in the community, Social Workers must be mediators, advocates, initiator, and brokers (amongst several other things).
Chapter 4
ReplyDeleteUnderstanding Generalist Practice
Macro Practice Skills: Working with Organizations and Communities
This chapter focuses on macro practice work. Macro practice is working on the behalf of whole groups and populations of clients. Macro practice is social work practice designed to improve or modify some aspects of society. This chapter explains the benefits, theories, limitations, budgeting, social reform and the profession. This talks about how social workers spend a lot of their career involved in formal organizations. There are many different theories. The community theory has two primary components: the nature of communities and social work practice within communities. Over time different theories have developed. Practice evaluations are evaluating the effectiveness or results of what individual social workers do. Program budgeting is a big part of macro practice. If the program doesn’t get any money, than the program doesn’t get to provide services for your client.
Kirst ashman, K. (1993). Chapter 4. Grafton H. Hull (Ed.), Understanding Generalist Practice (4).
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ReplyDeleteChapter 4 is entitled Macro Practice Skills: Working with Organizations and Communities discuses macro practice and the various roles played within this group. “Macro practice is social work practice designed to improve or modify some aspect of society. Improvements or changes can be sought in organizational or societal policies and procedures that regulate distribution of resources to clients are either not getting needed resources or when the resources is not provided as effectively as possible.(Ashman, Hull, 2006)”. In practicing within the macro sector one must be and advocate for clients. An advocate is one that speaks for the clients who are not able to speak for themselves , and make sure that they are granted their rights according to law. In practicing social work a practioner must be willing to do more than is required in order to met the needs of their clients. Next we will take a look at theoretical base for organizational and community change. “Organizational theory is concerned with how organizations function , what improves or impairs the ability of an organization to accomplish its mission, and what motivates people to work toward organizational goals.
ReplyDeleteSome approaches to organizational theory have focused on management or leadership style, while others have dealt with such structural issues as organizational hierarchy , planning , staffing patterns , budgeting, policies, and procedures.(Ashman, Hull, 2006)”. It is imperative that social workers are aware and knowledgeable of all theories that apply to practice. This chapter also talks about the different roles including negotiator , and mediator. Negotiating requires a social worker to act on behalf of their clients when they feel that their needs are not being met fairly. For example you may have to discuss with your supervisor why your client needs services that they are denied of , and why they need it that day. This can be a difficult situation when you have to stand up for a client in a professional manner for your client. A mediator is one who meets with two parities in order to mediate a situation to come to mutual solution.” Mediation is becoming a more common approach to solving differences of agreement in many areas(Ashman, Hull, 2006)”. Macro practice also includes other process such as educating, persuading, and confrontation.