The Clientele and

Audiences of Social Work

 01 Explore
Social Work as an applied
social science is 02
Social work practice that actually
dedicated to promote the
needs complementation of each other:
well-being and quality of The first focuses on changing the
life for individuals, individual so that the person, family,
families, groups, and group, or community may fit well and
communities. productively within a larger
environment.
The second focuses on transforming
the environment so the individual,
family, community, and group can
thrive well.
03
Social work encompasses several activities
that are directed at individuals, families,
groups, community, and the larger
environment to improve human and social
conditions, alleviating human distress and
social problems.
04
Marginalization, social justice, and universal
human rights and dignity, as a starting point,
readily display several classes of people to
qualify as clientele and audiences of social
work:
The minorities women the poor
The elderly children etc.
 Characteristics of Clientele and
Audiences of Social Work
They are individuals, families, groups, and communities
who experience being left out or having some personal
social problems like losing a job, getting sick especially
becoming terminally ill, all those deserving of social
welfare benefits, and so on.
Other characteristics include being old and retired; being
employed and having concerns in a place of work; being in a
health-care facility, home for elderly, home for street
children, drug rehabilitation center, mental health facility; or
having conditions that warrant one to be in such facilities.
Others such as being a minority, a migrant, a
divorced woman, neglected child, sexually,
physically, or mentally abused child, suffering
discrimination of any kind characterize one as
clientele and audience of social work.
 Needs of Various Types of Clientele
and Audiences of Social Work
The needs are generally that of wanting to be empowered, to be socially
included by ensuring that one receives what is legally due for him/her, and that one
receives the necessary care he/she deserves. Some people need their rights
respected, some need justice, and others need social welfare help to put them on
their feet. Each context of social work discussed in this book reflects a
unique type of clientele and audience. However, commonalities do exist.
The Individual as a Client of Social
Work
We have pointed out that social work can
happen on one, two, three, or four levels.
The individual level generally works on
an individual who has to be assisted to fit
in a larger environment or someone who
has been deprived space by the larger
environment calling for change in the
very environment or simply improving
one's ability to cope with it.
The Group and Organization as Clientele of
Social Work
Groups are people existing with similar or common
identity. Gay men and lesbians , migrants, women, abused
or neglected children, the elderly, pensioners, veterants,
military service men and women, people in conflict with the
law, unemployed, people with substance abuse and addiction
represent groups that social work may focus its
services on. There are also groups such as members of
an organization or place of employment, or pupils and
students in school setup. We classify them as groups
because they form collectivities in terms of the level
of services they have to receive.
The Community as Clientele of Social
Work
A community may constitute the
majority imposing general norms
that seek to marginalize minorities
and those different from them. In
this case, social work may focus on
community transformation to cause
environmental change so as to
make it possible for the minority to
achieve social well-being or social
justice and respect for their rights.
Thank you for
listening!