"Learning to understand what people are communicating......is a crucial skill within social work" (Trevithick 2000:53) Discuss the importance of effective listening for social work practice.
"Learning to understand what people are communicating......is a crucial skill within social work" (Trevithick 2000:53) Discuss the importance of effective listening for social work practice. Within the constraints of 2,500 words, this essay will define what listening is in respect to social work. It will also describe the possible barriers (both internal and external) to effective listening, presenting the reader with a wider understanding of what listening is, why it is so important to effective social work, and the also identify the possible harm and risks to service users by displaying ineffective listening skills. In an attempt to maintain confidentiality within this essay, the names and identifying details of any service users have been altered. "If you measured the importance of an activity, by the time you spent on it, then - according to numerous research studies- listening would be your most important communication activity." (DeVito 2003:78) There is however, a measured difference between listening and hearing. Even the dictionary is able to differentiate between hearing and listening. Hear: To perceive (sound etc) with the ear. (Oxford:1996:458) Listen: Make an effort to hear something. attentively: hear a person speaking. (Oxford:1996:580) Hearing is an involuntary biological happening, something that occurs when you open your ears, or when you are
Individual Development and Change
Select a developmental or psychological theory/perspective that helps your understanding of people and their circumstances and informs your understanding of social work practice in a multi-cultural society. Summarise the main features of the theory and outline its strengths and weaknesses. Discuss with examples the ways the theory has applications for social work practice. For this assignment I am going to write about Attachment Theory, touching upon age, gender, ethnicity, different factors, culture, religion and multi - cultural society. Theories relating to Erikson, Piaget, Rogers and Ainsworth and developmental and or psychological theory. Adult attachment theory helps Social Workers understand how people feel and act within close relationships, particularly in stressful situations. Attachment is different in adulthood and in childhood because they are bi - directional, meaning that either party will give and receive support. "Attachment theory has its origins in Great Britain, in the period during and shortly after the Second World War. It was developed by John Bowbly. At the heart of attachment theory is the assumption that attachment is a basic human need and that from very early on babies actively participate in the formation of attachment relationships. Attachment relationships can be secure or insecure and a laboratory paradigm, called the Strange Situation,
Evaluate the importance of changes in personal identity to social change.
Evaluate the importance of changes in personal identity to social change. Your discussion should at some point make explicit reference to textual or visual evidence supporting your views and should analyse issues involved in your selection of evidence. Personal identity can be defined as a pattern of attributes that identify an individual to one and to others. Personal making it unique to the individual and apart from anyone else and identity is belonging to a group sharing the same characteristics. Social change is the transformation of cultural and social institutions over time. Social change can happen anywhere, and can vary from place to place it is usually compared to sometime before, even if it was not noticed at the time of the change it was noticed over a period of time. Social change is sometimes intentional, but often unplanned, it often generates controversy and some social changes matter more than others. I will in this essay weigh up evidence for and against the claims that changes in personal identity and social change are linked. Identity is a much more fluid entity now than it was in pervious years, men's and women's identities have changed from post modern times when the traditional image of gender roles were of women being the housewives maintaining sole responsibility for the home and the family and the man who was the worker and bread winner to a
The Call of Service
Malika Graham-Bailey Book Critique: Robert Coles' A Call to Service1 Robert Coles' designed his semi-autobiographical piece, The Call of Service, to reawaken idealism and an interest in doing good in the world. As public managers, I can't express how crucial it is that we remain steadfast and stolid in our spirit of service. However, Coles' book is open and clear about the various reasons why we all volunteer. His discussions problems in communicating with those we try to help are insightful. And, while I was not in complete agreement, he vigorously attacks the issue of real mentorship and who has the right to call themselves mentors. Service is without a doubt, our professional livelihood. Reading this book and discovering why volunteers choose the work they do can only help us to better serve our communities. This book does not tell us how to run an agency or how to do our work. Coles provides descriptions of concrete situations in many different kinds of volunteer activities, reporting carefully and avoiding a lot of unnecessary analysis. He writes about what gets said, how people look, and when volunteer gestures lead or don't lead to success. The first 3/4 of the book recount some of Coles' favorite storied from his life of service; a life spent living amongst, interviewing, studying and writing about community servants, volunteers, and service workers.
Social Exclusion / Social Inclusion
Social Exclusion / Social Inclusion Introduction This essay is about social exclusion in the UK and government policy to include this population and get them back into the work force. Notting Dale Technology Centre (NDTC) is funded to train 'socially excluded' adults and teenagers who have left the education system and are at risk of continuing the cycle of impoverishment. NDTC is working with the employability strands of governments life-long learning policy's. We work under the educational training banner to give skills to meet the challenges of the 21st century i.e. Information Communication Technology (ICT) for the work force. NDTC aims to address the low skills equilibrium by offering training to the people who make up this part of the population. Social Exclusion and the Skills Challenge The Government describes social exclusion as a shorthand term for what can happen when people or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime environments, bad health and family breakdown. Notting Dale Technology Centre (NDTC) is a major Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training provider in the North Kensington and London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham areas. NDTC works very closely with a range of socially excluded people to address skills shortages. David Istance in an article on
Why have struggles over the nature and scope of welfare provision become such endemic features of contemporary societies?
Sociology Essay n° 4: Why have struggles over the nature and scope of welfare provision become such endemic features of contemporary societies? 'many believe that the welfare state has become incompatible with other cherished goals, such as economic development, full employment, and even personal liberties' (Welfare States in Transition, p.1) The crisis of the welfare state cannot be attributed only to economic crisis. Since the mid-seventies, although the levels of growth never became as important as those attained during the post-war period, western economies have grown significantly, and steadily. The conflict lays rather on the problems of equality vs. full-employment. There are three different ways in which the welfare state is generally thought to influence economies: according to the first, which Andersen calls 'market-distortion views', the welfare state stifles the market and erodes incentives to work, save and invest. A second popular interpretation says that the welfare state is unsustainable nowadays because of the problems of birth decline and greater life expectancy, which upset the ratio of contributors and that of dependent people. The third widespread conception sees the welfare state as incompatible with the new global economy, which punishes profligate governments and uncompetitive economies. For Esping-Andersen, despite the fact that neither of
"Community in Australia: What do we want from it: What do we get from it
Community in Australia: What do we want from it? What do we get from it? "Community in Australia: What do we want from it? What do we get from it?" In looking at this statement it is clear to the eye that the term 'community' needs clarification before I explore this topic further. According to the Macquarie Compact Colour Dictionary, the term 'Community' is defined as: "A social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and have a cultural and historical heritage". Some examples of what community is: Faith groups, schools, recreation clubs, pubs non-government organizations, friendship networks, local neighborhoods and interest groups such as sport, culture, spirituality, self-help and e-mail. Through a broad range of texts, personal experiences and interviews from members of my community, I aim to explore such concepts as, what 'community' means to people, their 'ideal visions' and their lived experience of it. I will investigate what people want and don't want from 'community' as well as what community is, and is not, giving to people in Australia. The content of this essay will also include thoughts on what has changed our experience of community in the last 50 years or more and how community in Australia, in this decade, compares to other times and places. Through exploring mine and other peoples views of what community means to
Identify the range of needs that Lisa may require help or support with. Identify the key knowledge, skills, values and personal characteristics that a practitioner would need, in order to provide effective guidance for Lisa.
Case Study (2000 wds) . Identify the range of needs that Lisa may require help or support with. Identify the key knowledge, skills, values and personal characteristics that a practitioner would need, in order to provide effective guidance for Lisa. Lisa has a range of problems that she will require help or support with including; educational, social, behavioural, personal health and family (see following page for Lisa's 'Needs Assessment'). Her problems are already becoming barriers to learning and attainment in education. Other problems related to education or future employment that are highlighted in the case study are to do with a lack of participation, Lisa is late to school often and also has some unauthorised absences. It is suggested that these absences may be due to her involvement with an older group of girls, with whom she has consequently become involved in drugs and crime (mainly shoplifting, which she is on a final warning for). Lateness may be caused by the caring role she has been given by her family, dropping off and picking up her primary aged sisters from school. It seems she has a poor family relationship and does not get on with her stepfather, her real father died two years ago from a drug overdose. She may possibly have lots of emotional issues from this. This could also indicate drug use in her family? Her self-esteem is possibly low and she has
Advanced interventions with individuals, groups and communities.
BA (Hons) Social work with Diploma in Social work Candidate Number: 841264 HHSWD / SWD2 ADVANCED INTERVENTIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES. Title Select two approaches/methods for working with clients/users, which have been discussed on the course. In a comparative discussion provide a justification for which approach would be more effective at empowering the client/user. In this essay I aim to contrast and then compare the methods of both person centred counselling and group work to provide a justification of which approach would be more empowering to a service user. The way I have decided to structure this essay is to describe each approach separately, starting off with an outline of their backgrounds followed by an account of their theories and how they are applied to service users and then justify which approach would be more effective at empowering. The person centred approach, is the approach developed by Carl Rogers, and is sometimes for that reason called Rogerian counselling or therapy. It is an approach that recognises the innate potential of each individual to resolve his or her difficulties. The intention is to support and enable the service user to formulate their own solutions and apply them of their own choice. Most of us are far more creative than we realise, and in the pressure and tension of daily life lose sight of our greatest asset
critical reflection
Critical Reflection on Learning Throughout the 100 days of my Practice Learning Experience I have progressed in my learning by developing on my skills and knowledge. One of the areas where I needed to develop my knowledge and expertise was relationship building and communication skills. I worked on developing these skills through key-working and supporting service users. My case studies evidence this as I worked closely with both service users to support them, by assessing their needs, reviewing risks, policies and procedures that applies to them (National Occupational Standards 3.2.) The Social policy module helped me to understand how the laws and policies were applied to these cases such as the NHS and Community Care Act 1990. Case Study 1 was a unique case for me as although the service user did not have any mental health needs he required help with Alcohol Rehabilitation for which the trust holds the budget. I found this service user to be very difficult to engage with as he did see social workers as people who interfere and was very reserved with his information so gave me limited information regarding his background at the start of the process. He also was presenting challenging behaviour and had a habit of swearing and lacked respect for women. I found him to be challenging overall and I pursued a different method of working with him whereby I made conversation and
