What You Need to Know

Social work, like other applied sciences, may help individuals

cope with anxiety, stress, or depression, but it goes further to
help the client to gain access to other community resources and
support or empowering services that may be state run or
privately operated.

Roles of Social Workers

Generally, the roles of social workers are interwoven with
functions, but DuBois and Miley (2008) have provided elements
that can be distinctively viewed as roles rather than functions.
 Roles For whom For what

Enabler Individuals and families Helping people find

solutions

Broker or Advocates Community Case management

Teachers Community In terms of information
processing

For formal groups and

In aid of organizational
Facilitator organizations development

Convener or
Mediator For organization In aid of creating networks

Trainer Community For professional

development
 Roles For whom For what

Planner Community and Society Facilitating research and

planning
Society In aid of social action

Activist They conduct outreach

Community in aid of community
education
Colleague and a Monitor Within the social work In aid of professional
profession enculturation and
socialization
Catalysts Community For community service
 Functions of Social Workers

CONSULTANCY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

This refers to the professional
activities through which social
workers and their clients plan,
initiate, and pursue actions
toward desired change?
This refers to the act of coordinating,
systematizing, and integrating resources
and services needed to support social
functioning, meeting needs and resolving
problems?
 EDUCATION

This refers to the provision of knowledge and critical information

necessary for empowerment practice that facilitates informed
decision-making, increased abilities, and gain access to
opportunities and resources for a client.
 Competencies of Social Work

These are the personal qualities and necessary skills needed by

the profession to perform their various roles and skills.

• Build and sustain

• Think critically
• Communicate effectively
• Has strong cultural
intercultural competence
• Computer literacy
• Can do social planning
relationships
• Execute empowering
process
• Use of practical methods
• Can perform crisis
intervention
• Sound time management
In addition to these, social workers should have the following capacities
generic to all helping professions.

• Empathic
• Compassionate o Compassion is necessary in working
with people who are socially marginalized or suffer
deprivation.
• They require deeply empathic and non-judgmental social
worker who intends to empower them.
• Listening skills will also occupy a very special role in the
social work toolkit.