Diversity Perspectives

Lesson 1 Application

write a reaction paper about the different perspectives of development. It is more fun if
you will cite examples.

The Strength- Based Perspective. It centers on the client’s abilities, talents and resources. A strength
based approach can be used in any intervention in any setting with any client group by social or
health care members. The care act puts a strength-based approach at the center of any intervention,
placing the individual and highlighting ‘what is strong’ rather than ‘what is wrong’; identifying the
resources someone has within themselves as well as who and what support they have around them.
This ensures that all their strengths and talents are identified and considered in all interventions not
just their needs and personal outcomes such as what is important for them or what they would like
to achieve. As individuals, all people are different from one another and as individuals we have
different and multiple skills, knowledge, talents, character traits and relationships. Social worker
practicing from this approach must consider all of those rather than labels like dementia, disability
or old. When we look beyond these labels, amazing potential is revealed. Through utilizing this
approach, the strengths and assets of the client will be identified and to be put in use in order to
stabilize his own social functioning. Take this as an example, Teo is a 70 year old man. He was
labeled as old and no use at all. But when a social worker had a communication with him, the
practitioner found out that he was a retired teacher and has a wide knowledge on politics and
environmental concerns. He speaks confidently and loves interacting with people, learning and
teaching. The social worker concentrates on those strengths in assisting him with his problems and
goals. Now, the children in his neighborhood gather around 6 pm in his house to hear from him
about histories and entertaining literature like myths and riddles. And sometimes, the children
voluntarily clean his house and play outside, which made Teo not to feel alone and still do his
mission even at his age. Spirituality Perspectives. Spirituality is defined as the beliefs and practices
that develop based on personal values like love, perseverance, resiliency justice; and ideology of the
meaning and purpose of life. It is from within and is beyond one’s own understanding. For instance,
Leo is having a hard time to catch his lessons in module since he is working at the same time as he
is the breadwinner of the family. His time goes to his work more than to his school works. When he
knew that some of his classmates are already passing their outputs, he immediately feels loads of
pressures and thinking twice if he would continue his studies. After moments of deep thinking and
sharing his situation to his mother, he made personal meaning out of situation: he would continue
his studies by learning and answering the modules since this mode of learning enables him to do his
responsibilities at the same time. In a result, he exerts much effort in doing his schoolworks over
time for the future of their family. He realized that being connected to others is important since his
mother told him the possible effects of dropping out from school and he made his love on his family
as a motivation to face any problems. Feminist Perspective Social Work Practice complements
strength based social work and it requires the practitioner to be open to other ways of knowing and
understanding. This perspective puts emphasis on developing and protecting the values and rights
of women in the society. It promotes that women should have freedom and opportunities equal to
men. It has been reported that violence against children and women had increased especially during
lockdowns. Some women suffered emotional, physical and psychological abuse inside their homes
it might because of financial stress and long time staying at home. Social workers are at the
forefront in preventing domestic violence and treating victims of violence. For instance, social
workers provide counselling and support through shelter programs and court advocacy. Person-
Centered Development Perspective. People’s participation are their voluntary involvement in self-
determined change. Person centered development is an approach puts emphasis on people’s
participation towards sustainable development through changes in social, political and
environmental values and practices. It incorporates justice, sustainability and participation and it is
the only way to achieve sustainable communities since people are the only ones who is responsible
and will benefit from it. Climate change is one of the global issues that is affecting every part of the
world. It is said to be the cause of strong disasters like super typhoons. As a response to this big
problem, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals was launched in 2015 which aims all
countries to address the global challenges we face including climate change. SDG’s are to protect
our planet and ensures that people all over the world will experience peace and sustainability by
2030. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, each of us must do good to our environment.

Lesson 1 Assessment

1. Choose your preferred perspective and write an essay about it in connection to our
society (Philippine setting) and social work.

Person- Centered Development Perspective Person-centered development perspective aims the

people to improve communities’ self-reliance, social justice and participatory decision making. It
strives the citizens to do something towards a sustainable society by transforming first our
institutions, technology, values and behavior. Last year during ECQ, the news contained many
grieves of Filipino citizens such as they would die from starving than virus. The pandemic resulted
extreme financial stress especially to the poor families and that most of them blame the government
and the president. Instead of blaming others on our sufferings why not we point and ask ourselves
why are experiencing this and that. We, Filipinos must change and improve our mindset that we
must rely on ourselves instead of others and we must anticipate unpleasant happenings like scarcity
and so we make actions to address it when it happens like saving and not wasting resources, and
set financial savings. Good thing there are people who made community pantries that enabled the
needy families to have goods to eat. Another situation I have observed around me especially in the
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program it was originally made in the other countries and was adapted
in our country since the lives of their people has developed and our country expects that
development would also happen in our society. The government and DSWD provides conditional
cash grants to the eligible families but sadly, the negative behaviors of the filipinos prevail. Some of
the 4ps members spent cash grants on luxurious and unnecessary things like down payment for a
motorcycle and mother’s hair rebonding, in a result, the children whose the original beneficiaries will
receive the least or nothing. The cash grants of the deviant members have been held or “blocked”
after multiple times of warning because of various deviant acts against the program’s rules and
regulations. Just recently, they received the cash grants that once held but still, some of them still
don’t make their own garden and capture other person’s garden to comply requirements; and don’t
participate in the call of the school like PTA meetings. See, this social reality implies that the
problem and hindrance of development is the mindset and behaviors of the citizens. The rules of the
program are not that difficult but why on earth some of its members chooses to violate it. And the
goals of the program see a sustainable development but some of the members’ mindset are limited.
The DSWD, the highest social work employer of social work, strives hard to develop and shape
society. They develop the programs’ rules to regulate deviant behaviors like the requirement Rice
receipt as a proof of goods purchases. The mindset and behaviors of the citizens must be improved
first and it leads the way to uplift social issues and development . And so, despite of diversity, all
Filipinos will be united in achieving a sustainable society through a person centered development.
The perspective requires people’s participation and to make sure having a person centered
development, citizens must be checked what matters to them, what situation are they in and their
priorities, what would success look like and what obstacles getting in the way, then create steps or
goals and evaluate it. We can consider society uses a person centered development perspective
when the people in the society are united, have the values of self-reliance and self-discipline, and
participates in decision and action making towards social development.

Approaches to Development

Lesson 2 - Application

Write a narrative summary on your learnings in this lesson (minimum of 300 words).

From this lesson, I learned the characteristics of the two approaches to development--the basic
needs approach and the human rights-based approach. The basic needs approach to development
is one which gives priority to meeting the basic needs of people especially those who are
experiencing absolute poverty in developing countries. It aims to eradicate poverty and the people to
rise beyond the poverty line. Absolute poverty as defined by the Copenhagen Declaration as ‘a
condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking
water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information’. This approach is a
consumption-oriented and suggests that eliminating poverty is too easy by meeting the basic human
needs as Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in order to survive namely: physiological needs,
safety needs, belongingness and love needs, self esteem needs and self-actualization. Moreover,
basic needs approach to development focuses on providing particular resources for particular
groups identified as deficient from these resources. Development programs focuses on allowing the
society to meet basic needs and rise above the poverty line, and not helping the society to carry its
own weight in the future. An example of development program in this approach is the Sustainable
Livelihood Program of DSWD. The said program is a capability-building program for poor, vulnerable
and marginalized households and communities to help improve their socio-economic conditions
through accessing and acquiring necessary assets to engage in and maintain thriving livelihoods. It
enables the eligible members in this program to meet their basic needs and it focuses on what is
provided rather than on income. The Human rights-based approach implies equal rights and dignity
of all human persons. It focuses on those who are most marginalized, excluded or discriminated
against such as the indigenous people, PWD’s and socially disadvantaged women. It requires
analysis of gender norms, different forms of discrimination and power imbalances to ensure that
interventions reach the most marginalized segments of the population. The people are the major
actors of their own development rather than passive receiver of services that’s why they have to be
informed about their rights through informing, educating and empowering them. The approach
seeks to reinforce the capacity of duty bearers usually the governments to respect, protect and fulfill
every right of all people.

Lesson 2 Assessment
1. In your opinion, what would be the best approach that would be applicable to our
country?

In my opinion, human rights based approach is best applicable to our country since it puts authority
into the rights of the individuals and guides policymakers on how to integrate human rights
principles into social policies. Human rights are integral to dignity for all person’s fairness and equal
treatment for all persons, peace for all, progress for individuals and societies, and sustainability of
our efforts and planet whereas, basic needs approach provides only those who are qualified to
certain criteria and label persons worthy and unworthy of assistance that may lead to
marginalization. A right that is not respected leads to a violation. Right based approach emphasizes
realizing rights through informing (symposiums),educating and empowerment. This approach
empowers all people especially to the less privileged and marginalized groups like for example the
women sexually and physically abused. When the women in especially difficult circumstances knew
and realized their rights, they could stand for it and come to authorities and agencies that provides
services and with policies that would respect and protect them as well as their rights. A rights based
approach monitors both the process and outcome of social work and policy efforts. It relates human
rights principles including equality, freedom, participation, non discrimination, transparency,
accountability and justice. And seeks to measure the transformative change between the right
holders and duty bearers .Whereas needs may be met or satisfied, rights are realized, respected and
fulfilled. Human rights are indivisible and interdependent and unlike needs that can be ranked all
human rights are of equal importance. The rights based approach aims to directly overcome
marginalization by more equitable sharing of resources and power. We need to develop policy
recommendations that resolve social issues through the realization of the human rights principles.