Modern Day Social Worker Research Paper

As a social work facilitator, it is important to include a wide range of skills and strategies when facilitating a group. Emphasize on effective communication skills including using summarizing and active listening skills are important. Summarizing would include paraphrasing to what a member was saying and clarifying to make sure a social work facilitator understands (Pickett Institute Curriculum, 2002). Active listening helps let the members know that the facilitator is listening through making eye contact which shows that the facilitator cares about member’s thoughts and feelings (Pickett Institute Curriculum, 2002). Other important skills to help be an effective facilitator is problem solving and appropriate decision making to help strengthen

Applying Theory to Generalist Social Work Practice states that theories are a set of ideas that explain a phenomenon and typically formulated when there is no empirical evidence and observed through senses to draw a conclusion (Langer & Lietz, 2015). Langer & Lietz quote Gilgun (2005), "Over the past two decades, the field of social work has become increasingly concerned that professional decision making is not just grounded in theory but also supported by empirical evidence" (Langer & Lietz, 2015, p. 13). Furthermore, theory and evidence based practice research inform our professional knowledge base. Theory is the guide to treatment approach and is the essential knowledge for practice. Theoretical knowledge guides the clinician in a deeper

For this paper, I have decided to research two social work theories and how those theories apply to residents in long term care facilities. The primary focus will be those residents who are alert, oriented, and showing minimal symptoms of dementia.

Social work is a professional and academic discipline that works to improve the quality of life and enhance the wellbeing of individuals, families, couples, groups, and communities. Heather Holland is a Social Worker at Uniontown Hospital who has over 12 years’ experience in the field. She explains that a typical day on the job is far from easy. “Days in this career are crazy, busy, and mostly, undetermined” Holland explains of her days on the job. Social work is a very important job. Social workers work with clients who are vulnerable and in need of serious help. It is so extremely important that social workers are properly trained and are always giving their best in their work because client’s lives often depend on it. Social workers are

According to NASW standards, advanced clinical practice competency in depression care for social workers requires that clinicians demonstrate knowledge and skill in assessing and managing symptoms, communicating with patients and families, and providing evidence-based interventions (NASW Standards for Clinical Social Work in Social Work Practice, 2005; NASW Standards for Social Work Practice in Health Care Settings, 2005).

The National Association of Social Workers conducted two research trips to Cuba in 2011, the first team focused on health and child welfare system and the second team focused on social services for older adults. Both groups were introduced to Cuban society and their achievements and challenges as a country, and social work in Cuba. Cuba has many great achievements, for example it “devotes almost a quarter of its gross domestic product to education and health care – nearly twice as the percentage of the United States” (Herman, Zlotnik, & Collins, 2011). While this is amazing and much needed, Cuba also has its challenges as a country. The economy in Cuba continues to weaken, due to the trade embargo with the United States but also with the fall of it’s former ally the Soviet Union. Therefore there is a shortage in housing, food, medicine, medical supplies and equipment, and other basic supplies (Herman, Zlotnik, & Collins, 2011). This becomes an issue with social workers in Cuba because The Cuban Ministry of Public Health is the largest employer of social workers, training them in health care (Herman, Zlotnik, & Collins, 2011). If there is a shortage amongst the health care system with medicine and medical supplies, how are the social workers taking care of their people. Another challenge that faces social workers in Cuba, one of the first groups who migrated out of Cuba was those who worked agricultural sectors. Therefore food rationing has been

This organization does not provide any information about evaluation studies or empirical research that shows their program design is effective

Born May 18, 1915, Elman Rodgers Service is an American anthropologist theorist who created the typology now used to categorize Bands, Tribes, Chiefdoms, and States as societies. Elman Services’ classifications displays the social evolution of societies and are now the four levels of political organization. Service created seven characteristics in part with his four classifications of societies. Three of his characteristics are social structure, political system, and subsistence strategy.

Anderson, L. E., Weston, E. A., Doueck, H. J., Krause, D. J. (2002). The child-centered social worker and the sexually abused child: Pathway to healing. Social Work Journal, 47, (4), 368-378. This article focuses on providing treatment and assistance through the judicial process from child-centered social workers to minimize the potential opportunity for system induced trauma.

Social work practice and advocacy has expanded from a community effort to an international undertaking. With a global perspective the need to make change happen is contingent on the work completed. Advocacy as a social work principle is intended to be action against a societal injustice and technology has provided the ability to do so. As a social work professional in child welfare there are many needs that have to be advocated for to including funding and reform of system misalignments in order to change towards a more empowering intervention. In circumstances such as this, technological advocacy can play a critical role in rectifying the social injustices. By understanding the evolution of social work advocacy, current practice, and prospective

According to the National Association of Social Workers (2016), “social workers help people overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges: poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, physical illness, divorce, loss, unemployment, educational problems, disability, and mental illness. They help prevent crises and counsel individuals, families, and communities to cope more effectively with the stresses of everyday life”. Through the lens of a professional, these are critical qualities and experiences that assist social workers in understanding people and the community, which they live in. In addition, it is very significant for social workers to identify and familiarize themselves with the neighborhood’s history, culture, customs, and issues and most importantly, the people. By being conversant with the background information, it will help social workers communicate more effectively while in the process of building and establishing relationships with the people in the community.

Social workers observe first-hand the struggle the clients who lack the resources for maintaining the basic needs for themselves and their families face. As a future social worker, one would need to advocate for clients to receive access to social work services. Social workers will need to get the resources, work with other agencies whose responsibilities are to serve the needs of the population are ways to advocate for the rights of individuals. There are many of ways to advance, for communities and society as a whole social worker would need to advocate in another way. Through group advocacy and community organizing. As one people would come together and make up a plan of activities that address the social problems, improve services and enhance

Supervision in social work is defined by Barker (1999) as an administrative and educational process used extensively in social agencies to help social workers further develop and refine their skills, enhance staff morale, and provide quality assurance for the clients. The short term objective of supervision is to provide workers with the work structure and agency resources which help to increase workers knowledge and skills to do their jobs effectively and professionally. The long term objective of supervision is to provide clients the most efficient service possible, consistent with agency policies and procedures.

My placement is at Gateway Youth in Elmont. Gateway is a prevention program specializing in working with youth between the ages of 5-17 who are in conflict with their family, in need of academic or emotional support, or who are involved in the juvenile court system. Services provided include case management, crisis intervention, and advocacy with the schools, court, and community. As a social work intern, I am placed at Gotham Ave Elementary School working with third graders. At this school, Gateway Youth provides an after-school program for students that need supervision with their homework and inclusion in activities before their parents can pick them up.

A helping profession is one that nurtures the growth of or addresses the problems of a person's physical, psychological, intellectual, emotional or spiritual well-being.