Social Works
Published this year (in Dutch):
"Introduction Social Work from international perspective"
Willem Blok: "Inleiding social work vanuit internationaal perspectief", HBuitgevers, Baarn, 2009. 128 blz. ISBN 9789055745944, prijs € 16,00 Aanvragen beoordelingsexemplaar: http://www.hbuitgevers.nl |
The founding of Schools of Social Work around 1900 was the first milestone in the professionalization of poor care and people education, resulting one century later in the qualified social workers of today, mainly operating in and from public financed institutions of care and welfare.
This book is a text book, in which I describe the state-of-the-art of social work, and the latest developments, from an international and societal point of view. In addition I give my view on the social position and functions of social work.
The relevance of an international approach is increasing in a world that becomes smaller and more unified all the time. Besides that: social work is a profession that, as many other professions, is practiced in many countries all over the world.
The waves of globalization also unite social workers. Today, social work is building up an international identity, shared principles and joint standards, and is extending and updating its body of knowledge.
Social work has always been influenced by societal developments, and by its financier: mostly and mainly the national state. Being part of the existing social order and (infra)structure in society, social work fulfills a double function: participation and adaptation, showing its clients two faces: a supporting and a disciplining one.
The seriousness of this dilemma for social workers: serving people and the system at the same time, depends of the democratic character of the society where they work in. It makes a substantial difference, to work in a country with a democratic system, independent justice, freedom of press and respect for Human Rights, or to operate as social worker in a country with a dictatorial regime and limited citizen rights.
The content of the book is as follows:
1. Social work
1.1. Aim and content
1.2. Professional ethic
1.3. Social work education
1.4. Body of knowledge
2. Surviving - Needs, self-realization and social conditions
2.1. Unequal chances
2.2. Needs
2.2.1. Hierarchy of needs
2.2.2. Motivation theories
2.2.3. The 16 basic needs of Reiss
2.3. The ’whole’ human being
2.3.1. Holism
2.3.1. Holistic interactionism
2.4. Conditions of existence: the social environment
2.4.1. Ecological systems theory
2.5. Practice: basics of social work
2.5.1. Genes and education
2.5.2. Social environment: micro, meso, macro
2.5.3. Groups, structures, roles and power
2.5.4. Abilities, attitude and skills
2.5.5. Unfulfilled needs
2.5.6. Problem solving and compensation
3. Development and change
3.1. About developing, changing and improving
3.2. Aspects of change
3.3. Planned change and further
3.4. The social worker as ‘change agent’
3.4.1. Spontaneous and planned change
3.4.2. Problem solving models
3.4.3. Interventions
3.4.4. Methods and strategy
3.4.5. Integrative approach
4. Help and support
4.1. Core tasks
4.2. Roles
4.3. Professional repertoire
5. Position and functions of social work in society
5.1. Social work and social policy
5.1.1. Social quality
5.1.2. Local social policy
5.2. Social work and democracy
5.2.1. Democratic policy development and decision-making
5.2.2. Tasks of social work in the democratic process
5.2.3. Participating and balancing
5.2.4. Theses and conclusions
5.3. Summarizing overview
6. Perspectives
6.1. Development of social work
6.2. Globalization
6.3. Neo-liberal social policy
6.4. Market, management and profession
6.5. Growing critics and international movement
6.6. Think global, act local and behave social
Chapter 1 contains an overview and review of the most important international documents on social work. This chapter functions as a stepping stone for my description and analysis of social work. Basing myself on core documents of the two most important international organizations of social work - the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) – I describe the purpose of social work, the values and standards of it, the approach of social work, the standards for education and the body of knowledge.
These characteristics of social work are described and explained in the chapters 2, 3 and 4. Based on a selection of known, and less known theories and concepts, and on own theoretical work, and practice, I construct a systematic view on the profession. What I describe about surviving, environment, holism, interaction, development, problem solving, change, interventions, methods, strategies and core tasks, fits in the mainstream of contemporary social work.
The last paragraph of chapter 3 contains a contribution to the further development of social work, in the form of elements for an integrative, holistic-interactionistic approach in social work, with the operational concepts of self-regulation (Donkers), self-organization (Magnusson). It must be possible to describe Donkers ’integrative approach’ and Magnusson’s ‘holistic-interactionism’ on operational level, and relate them theoretically with help of Donkers’ wide concept of ‘self steering’
In chapter 5, I make use of political science and public administration, to analyse the position and functions of social work in society. Social work is part of the social infrastructure in society, and is functioning as an important instrument of social policy. But social work is more than that: it is also of vital interest for the democratic functioning of society, by stimulating and supporting active participation of citizens in many fields and on all
levels.
Chapter 6 contains a critical description of the development and future of social work. The ongoing process of globalization, generates new problems, but also offers new chances and possibilities. A growing number of professionals, students, cliënts and patiënts in more and more countries, is confronted with the limitations and consequences of marketization and managerialism in education, health care and social services. More international exchange and cooperation is necessary to empower this movement, to restore the balance between management and workers, and to make use of new chances and possibilities, bringing (back) progress in the quality of social life for the majority of citizens, including the teachers, nurses, doctors, and social workers among them.
This book is based on my experience with practice, research & development, education, and project management in the field of social work and local social policy in The Netherlands, in Poland, and abroad.
This book is one of the ways to transfer my knowledge, practrice and experiences to a younger generation, taking over the institutions and services that are vital for a free, social and democratic society with respect for human rights.
Willem Blok