Introduction to Social Work Profession and Its PhilosophicalPhilosophical-Base

Imran Ahmad Sajid

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Social Work, University of Peshawar.
Email: imranahmad131@gmail.com
18 Feb 2011

 Social Work is an enabling profession, which empowers people to change the way of their lives. Social Work is a Professional Activity that aims to assist people in overcoming serious difficulties in their lives by offering care, protection and counseling. (C. Henry and Philpot.[e.d.1994])

Answer these Questions?

1. Do you imagine any society without human sufferings? 2. Do you imagine any society where all members are young and there is no old-age problem? 3. All members are healthy and wealthy? 4. All members have their needs satisfied? 5. A society where there is no stratification? 6. A society where there is no discrimination and prejudice? 7. A society where there is no poverty? 8. Where every body is rich? 3 9. Where everybody is educated?

Definitely

NO
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Because, Human Societies are not Perfect

Social Problems emerge in human societies which require humane solution. & Human Needs arise that must be satisfied.

Now Answer these Questions?

1. Are you offended when you see poor picking their food from garbage? 2. When you see poor fighting over a bag of floor or rice? 3. When you see illness and disease go untreated because health care is not affordable and efficient? 4. When you see children addicted to drugs? 5. When children beg in the streets, chowks and parks? 6. When the deserving candidates do not get job? 6

1. Are you willing to confront realities of social problems and human needs? 2. Are you concerned with the plight of the many who experience hardships of poverty and the tears of hunger and pain? 3. Do you want to be involved in shaping a society that strives to ensure a high quality of life and social justice for all social members?

If YES, then

WELCOME TO
THE PROFESSION OF SOCIAL WORK

 Social Work Profession is charged with fulfilling the Social Welfares mandate of promoting well-being and quality of life. Thus, Social work encompasses professional activities directed towards improving human and social conditions and alleviating human distress and social problems.

IFSW and IFSSW 2000

Social Work Profession promotes social change, problem-solving in human relationships, the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilizing theories of human behaviour and social system. Social work intervenes at the point where people interact with their environment. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.

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PhilosophicalPhilosophical-Base of Social Work

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Social Work is said to be a Helping profession, BUT? Why do we help people? Why do we social workers care for people? Why do we rehabilitate drug addicts, alcoholic addicts? Why do we work for poverty alleviation? Why we promote social policy and social change? Why do we empower people? Why do we work for peoples well-being? 12

 Why do we strengthen peoples social functioning? Why do we enhance social environment? What makes us do all what we do as a social worker? What are our fundamental beliefs and principles which guides our behaviour and makes us do what we do?
Answering these question will lead you to your philosophical base of social work. Because,

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Philosophy is,
1. the beliefs and principles underlying any department of knowledge [Oxford Dictionary]. 2. Philosophy is the study of truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct [Quartz Hill School of Theology]. 3. A belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school [Princeton University WordNet].
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 Thus it is clear that the concept of philosophy is grounded in the understanding that
there are truths( ) and principles ( )of our existence and that these truths are accepted by us as well as others.

We can have a set of truths and principles that guide us in how we conduct ourselves and define what we expect from others.

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PhilosophicalPhilosophical-Base of Social Work

Social Work as a discipline focuses on theoretical and philosophical positions such as Social Justice, Equality, and Empowerment. These can be described as Philosophies of Social Work. BUT, Are these really philosophies of social work or theories and concepts that guide the field, actions, and behaviours?

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Lets Investigate My Philosophy of Social Work

My philosophy of social work is grounded upon the concepts of [and I work toward] Social Justice, Empowerment, and Equal Access to all societal members. BUT, to do so I need to employ effective knowledge, techniques, and strategies.

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1. Social Justice
Rawls Theory of Justice The concept of Veil of Ignorance From under the VOI, a person would choose two (2) central principles; 1.All people are entitled to basic rights; & 2.It is unjust to maintain inequalities between people.
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 All social primary goods are to be distributed equally unless an unequal distribution is to the advantage of everyone (Rawl: A Theory of Justice). . If I found inequality leading to further disadvantage of some members of the society, this is where I feel I must begin my work.

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 I ask my self, what would be the socially just approach to meeting the needs of people worst-off among us? How do I create equality? How do I foster understanding and acceptance?
But having a sense of what social justice is and how to promote it still fails to provide those in need of a mechanism to facilitate power within and among them. There needs to be a process whereby action can be taken.

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2. Empowerment
[Empowerment is] the process of increasing personal, interpersonal, or political power so that individuals, families, and communities can take action to improve their situations (Gutierrez, 1994). To empower means;
To give somebody greater sense of confidence and self-esteem [Encarta]. And to Authorise somebody [Oxford].
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Askheim says,
Although empowerment is a main objective for social welfare policy and practice, it is also a complicated mix of granting power to service consumers and at the same time, retaining power as service providers providers.

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To understand empowerment, Note that

To empower is to Relinquish Power. Social Workers are criticized for being both,
1. Social Advocates and 2. Social Controllers Controllers.

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As Advocates
We focus on Power Issues and Argue that social problems are largely borne out of inequitable distributions of authority. We see the lack of power as the culprit of oppression.

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As Controllers
We focus on deviance and seek to maintain harmony between groups in society, thereby enforcing power we maintain.

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The Issue of Power

It seems the issue of power is embedded in both the Society and the Social Work Profession. How do we relinquish power when we recognize that sometimes, service consumers are unable to manage power granted to them?

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 The clients right to self-determination has to be balanced against securing them against risks and dangers and their right to have an optimal quality of life. So, Social Workers must recognize that they hold power and sometimes it must be retainedgranting full power to consumers is neither reasonable nor possible.

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 There is conflict between

how to retain power and how much to empower?

To empower, I must identify my own level of power and how to apply it? Over-empowerment is also a possibility (which can lead to disempowerment of others).

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3. Michel Foucaults Parrhesia

Parrhesia means, Fearlessness, or boldness of speech. The concept of Parrhesia focuses on the question of, Who among us has the right, duty, and courage to speak the truth?

Fundamentally, we all do. But, many do not concretely recognize this as their right.

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 Social Workers are bound by the duty to speak out for people not empowered to speak for themselves. If you do not have the right to free speech, you are unable to exercise any kind of power. Without Parrhesia, you can not oppose power structure.

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 How can social work be effective if people cannot exercise their right to free speech? Therefore, it is we, the social workers, who have a responsibility to educate people who are oppressed in the action of parrhesia. Without parrhesia, the concept of justice, equality, and empowerment remains just those conceptsand lack concrete application in the real world.
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 So, Education is our tool to achieve this goal of moving positive forces of justice and equality forward.

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 From this position, Social Work is viewed as EDUCATION, and education becomes power. We do not tell a client what to do. We inform, empower and educate.

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BUT EMPOWERING IS HARD WORK

Although the intention is good, but the process of empowerment often fails due to being long-term process.

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Conclusion
John Rawls Veil of Ignorance protects us from bias and against making decisions about others we would not otherwise want to be made about ourselves. Askheims Empowerment provides an understanding about how and when to Grant and Retain power. Michel Foucaults Parrhesia provides a practical guide as to how to empower and promote social justice.
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 My principles are social justice, equality and empowerment. And to translate these principles into reality, I use Parrhesia as a tool of practice.

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