THE SOCIAL WORK

PROFESSION
 SOCIAL WORK
• IS THE PROFESSION WHICH IS CONCERNED WITH MAN’S
ADJUSTMENT TO HIS ENVIRONMENT; A PERSON (OR
GROUPS) IN RELATION TO A PERSON’S (OR THEIR) SOCIAL
SITUATION. THIS IS REFERRED TO AS A PERSON’S “SOCIAL
FUNCTIONING” WHICH RESULTS FROM THE PERFORMANCE
OF HIS VARIOUS SOCIAL ROLES IN SOCIETY.
 SOCIAL WORKER

• A PERSON WHO IS TRAINED TO HELP PEOPLE WHO

ARE AT A MENTAL, PHYSICAL, ECONOMIC, OR
SOCIAL DISADVANTAGE
 SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

• SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE CONSISTS OF THE PROFESSIONAL

APPLICATION OF SOCIAL WORK VALUES, PRINCIPLES, AND
TECHNIQUES TO ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING ENDS: HELPING
PEOPLE OBTAIN TANGIBLE SERVICES; COUNSELING AND
PSYCHOTHERAPY WITH INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND GROUPS;
HELPING COMMUNITIES OR GROUPS PROVIDE OR IMPROVE SOCIAL
AND HEALTH SERVICES; AND PARTICIPATING IN LEGISLATIVE
PROCESSES.
 SOCIAL WELFARE

• COVERS PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING THAT MEN DO FOR THE GOOD OF SOCIETY.

• GERTRUDE WILSON “CHARACTERIZES SOCIAL WELFARE AS AN ORGANIZED
CONCERN OF ALL PEOPLE FOR ALL PEOPLE.”
• WALTER FRIEDLANDER “ THE ORGANIZED SYSTEM OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND
INSTITUTIONS, DESIGNED TO AID INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS TO ATTAIN
SATISFYING STANDARDS OF LIFE AND HEALTH.”
• ELIZABETH WICKENDEN
SOCIAL SERVICES
• THE PRACTICE OF SOCIAL WORK REQUIRES
KNOWLEDGE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
AND BEHAVIOR; OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS; AND OF THE
INTERACTION OF ALL THESE FACTORS.
 GENERIC TERMS

• CLIENT
• WORKER
• HELP
 SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

• SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IS A COMPREHENSIVE CONCEPT

WHICH IMPLIES MAJOR STRUCTURAL CHANGES POLITICAL,
ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND ITS GOAL IS TO CREATE A NEW
SOCIETY IN PLACE OF THE PRESENT WHERE LIVING
CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE ARE IMPROVED SO THAT THEY DO
NOT SUFFER FROM HUNGER AND THEY ARE NOT DENIED THE
BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE.
• “SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CONSISTS LARGELY OF
EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE SOCIAL SITUATION IN
REGARD TO SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING,
HEALTH AND NUTRITION, EDUCATION AND TRAINING,
EMPLOYMENT AND WORKING CONDITIONS, SOCIAL
SECURITY, SOCIAL STABILITY AND SOCIAL WELFARE”.
• ASSWI (ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK IN
INDIA)-“SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IS A PROCESS OF
SYSTEMATIC CHANGE (VALUES, ATTITUDES,
INSTITUTIONS AND PRACTICES) PURPOSEFULLY INITIATED
THROUGH THE INSTRUMENTS OF SOCIAL POLICY AND
PLANNING FOR ENHANCEMENT OF THE LEVELS OF LIVING
AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE MASS OF PEOPLE
ESPECIALLY THE WEAKER SECTIONS IN AN ECO FRIENDLY,
SOCIALLY JUST AND PARTICIPATOR ENVIRONMENT”.