A profession
that responds to the needs of individuals, groups and community.
The responses
are given from the surroundings and community. Originally social work
was intended to help the individual by helping him to adapt to the surroundings.
Today social work also deals with self-realization.
The starting
point is the subjective perspective of the individual, how he defines
his distress, his needs and his problems. We ask the client how he defines
his personal situation and ask him what change he wants to make. The
social work approach is patronistic, in which the social work has monopoly
on the knowledge and knows what’s best for the client. In the book:
“I never promised you a rose garden” the author tried to understand
the patient’s language.
The social
work uses his professional knowledge, values and skills to assist the
individual.
Principles
of Social Work:
1) Bases of
human dignity. To perceive the person as an individual.
2) We should
try to encourage participation in problem solving.
3) We need
to work on the basis of the individual abilities and strong points.
4) Mutual responsibility
of the client and social worker (confidentiality & self-definition).
If we as a
community are faced with a problem (e.g. lack of food) two solutions
can be presented. One the one hand the community can provide for the
poor by means of contribution and organizing food for the poor. Here
the needy remain weak in unable to help themselves. On the other hand
the poor can organize the buying and distribution of food for themselves,
with the aid of a community social worker. According to this method
the poor are empowered.
Principles
of Community Social Work:
1) Is one of
the methods of social work.
2) Connect
the individual to surroundings. Interaction between the individual and
community.
3) Prevention
vs treatment. (primary prevention- before problem appears; secondary
prevention- ; other prevention)
4) Cooperation
in significant process. Process vs. execution or application. The client
can acquire social skills that will help his adapt and deal with
his problem. Pinkus
& Manheirm: Social work deals with the interaction between
the individual and social surroundings. This interaction influences
the individual abilities help themselves. Goals of social work: to empower
and help individual to solve their own problems. Connect people to institutions.
To ensure that institutions treat people effectively.
Community
Social Work deals with:
Weak populations
with common needs (immigrants; poverty areas; elderly; single-parent
families; retarded; unemployed).
2) System of
services (local and national)
3) Interaction
between individual and community services. Goals of community social
work are that common needs will be tended to.
Goals
of Community Social Work:
Develop leadership;
Cooperation between organizations; promote legislation; pool resources;
develop services; self-help groups. 1/3/04 (lesson
2)
The
Community (common + unity):
Tradition
societies:There is
unity; common values and norms; clear defined social structure; broad
family structures; the community provides work, production and self-realization
within the same community.
The
Modern-Universal-Heterogeneous Community:
There is flexibility and modernity; global village; individuality; belonging
to many communities; nuclear family; isolated family/individuals; mobility;
self-realization; diversity.
The
Future:May be a virtual
reality. There could be a regression to a more traditional society with
traditional values.
There
are two types of communities:
1)
Geographic community:
(Hillary & Warren): A group of people who live in
a geographic area interact with one another. In the modern society we
all live in a defined geographical area and there are a few common aspects
(common school education; shops; cultural activates). The community
will decide on many of these aspects although not everyone will participate.
To the above
definition, Brick adds that in this area there are services and
organizations whose goals are to cater for the community’s needs.
There are difference between cities and neighbourhoods.
2)
Functionalistic community: Groups
that have common aspect but not from same geographical area (e.g. religious
Jews in different synagogues).
Lilman:
People have a common goal or interest which leads them to organize and
unity.
3)
Psycho-cultural community:
Not connected to geographical area but are connected because of perceptions
of life; have sense of belonging; have similar goals, culture and perception
of world.
In the modern
society successful people belong to many communities and therefore have
supportive networks. On the other hand, the weak people remain in the
geographical area and are not part of the global village. Community
social work can often help people in both geographical and dispersed
areas. We can help them to help themselves in their community or we
can broaden the boundary to include common interests or problems (single
mothers unity etc). We need to ask how we can use these methods efficiently
to promote our clients.
The
modern community (transitions and changes):
1) Collective
values to individual values; self-realization; less influence on unity.
2) An ability
to identify with diversity of groups; global identification.
3) Transition
from a central rule to a local municipal rule.
4) Decrease
of social justice. The state is not responsible for decreasing social
disparities. There is a conflict between social-democratic-liberalism
and capitalism-privatisation. Both these approaches are used and applied
by states at different times in history. Market economy will increase
economic prosperity and there will be fewer poor people. The socialistic
state has responsibility to provide universal needs to each one and
equal opportunities.
In
Israel:Laws were passed
and there are no resources to fund these law (e.g. special education).
There is a
disappointment in welfare state and the mechanism is has not foreseen
that disparities were not decreases. The parasite society has emerged
as a result of the welfare state and there is abuse of services. This
is not what the welfare state was intending to be. Universal laws will
no longer be given.
Privacy
and Social Supportive Networks:
Privacy:
Transferring the states responsibility or services to private institutional
bodies. There are many advantages and benefits (no bureaucracy; less
expenses for state). There are many organizations that try to solve
the social problems and take over the responsibility of the state.
The state
has 4 roles: Services; funding the services; presenting the service;
Bituah leumi
is in the hands of the state on all levels. There is privatisation because
the state perceives itself an economic business and therefore needs
to earn. The state will sell the services and therefore will not need
to pay the debts of these inefficient services.
Social networks:
The state encourages this transition. Prof. Katan defines them as organizations
that have interactions between one another. Social networks provide
social support, information, advice, mediation, unlimited support over
time. They know one another. Families strengthen. Some networks do all
the work (gmah for child care equipment).
Disadvantage
of social networks; the state relieves itself of responsibility. The
networks are a form of welfare. They are supportive but one cannot rely
on them economically for an extended period of time. The help needed
by certain populations such as the elderly is growing.
What
roles can we play in the society?
1) To help
the community or individual and to give them access to information of
their services.
2) We can use
the method to unity the weaker and stronger groups; to have experienced
companies teaching the poor; to integrate the communities.
3) To strengthen
the social networks and reinstate social integration that has decreased.
4) We need
to take advantage of what there is and use it to the best of our ability,
instead of just complaining. 15/3/04
(lesson 3)
The
Community as a System:
The system
has parts and each part has a role to fulfil. There are interactions
between the parts – some facilitate functioning, others inhibit it.
The entire system is affected by the individual parts. Each system aspires
to survive and maintain equilibrium.
A system has
a circular activity/ circuit – פעילות מעגלית. Each
system has a קלט (the energy that it needs to survive) – can be
air, water and food in a biological system.
Once the energy
enters the system there is processing of the information. The energy
needs to adapt to the new system. And the receiving system needs to
accommodate the new energy. It is unable to accommodate some types of
energies (wrong petrol for car model). There are the 2 processes (adaptation
and accommodation).
The system
produces an output – part of it is for its own benefit while another
part is for the benefit of other systems. (e.g. we benefit from the
car).
A system has
a משוב – did it make good use of the energy or not. The response
is directed to the system and to the external systems.
Each system
aspires stability. When new energy is inserted into the system the equilibrium
is disturbed but at the same time the system needs this new energy to
continue to maintain itself. Sometimes the new energy can improve the
functioning while other times it can destroy it and interfere with its
functioning or it stagnates.
Each system
has boundaries. Some systems do not have boundaries and there is no
privacy, while other system have rigid boundaries and the system withers.
The boundaries need to be flexible and not to penetrable of too rigid.
Social work
bases on this systems theory. How is this relevant to society?
Each part of
the society is made up of parts and each part has a function. Some parts
contribute to its functioning while others impede it. In a community
system we need to see the mutual interactions between the parts. Each
system aspires to be in equilibrium and to survive. What does a community
need to survive? Can a community accommodate new immigrants and can
the new immigrants adapt to the community. The community aspires for
stability. But it is not a stable system – it wants to change, progress
and advance. Some social systems are advanced by new energies while
are hindered by others. Are the social system goals (physical and moral)
penetrable or not. Are the norms clear? Is the system functional or
not? In a communal system we need to identify strong facets and weak
ones.
How
do we determine whether a community functions or not?
(ייצור,
צריכה) Production, marketing, consumption – the economic market
of community (work places, shops, norms and social control or sanctions,
services, mutual help and mutual interactions. (Boren)
He also
speaks of 4 points:
1) The independence
of the society (to what extent is a family or individual independent).
2) Are the
services (energy and output) provided by the community.
3) Identification
with the community. The more identification the more cooperation and
contribution (e.g. sense of belonging in a family).
4) Communication:
Horizontal (between parts on the same level) and vertical (up to down
process and interaction between the parts in the hierarchy: principal,
heads, teachers, students or grandparents, parents and children).
When
we want to examine a community what do we look for?
We will assess
the human aspects (parts and the psychology connection between them)
and non-human aspects (the physical aspects)
1) Physical
aspects:
Location of
community and geographic and physical description; demographic aspects;
type of housing; physical infrastructure; services in the community.
2) Daily
activities:
Social communal
relations; communication; power structure in the community (democracy
or gangs); crime and violence.
3) Community
profile:
Community image
(who are they); identification of problems in the community; who wants
change.
Four
ways to make observations:
1) Observation:
Observe the Kupat holim services throughout a day (who comes, when,
according to prospect information, all staff present or not). Leadership
we go to חוגים to make observation.
In an observation
there is an aspect of subjectivity. Therefore we need to define before
hand what we want to observe.
2) Survey;
questionnaires (gives other aspect of observation) – what people
think about the service and its functioning. The information collected
from questionnaire may differ to our observation.
3) Interviews:
personal interviews of service providers and of individual consumers
of services.
4) Written
material: advertising, prospects, notices, etc. What is the goal
of what is written?
22/3/04
(lesson 4)
Social
situations and priorities:
When looking
at a community we need to determine the community’s social situations
and then determine the priorities.
A
social situationis
a situation when a social environment or part of a social phenomena
and has significant affect on a group of people or individual. The social
situation is an event that takes place in a given time and is a significant
experience in the life of a group or individual.
A
problematic social situation
is one when there is a disparity between what people think will happen
to them and what exists in practice.
An
undesired situation
is a situation that an individual or group wants to change.
In
a problematic situation
there is a threat and a need for change. From the day we are born there
are always demands on us. Once the threat or demand is identified the
solution or adaptive change can be proposed. Sometimes the demand is
incorrectly identified and non-adaptive solutions are given. The threat
is not necessary negative, rather it refers to any change that we are
faced with in life – this change may be positive too. In either case
the person needs to be adaptive and to readjust and readapt to the new
situation.
(Look at handout
for analysis of types of social situations and solutions)
Once
we have identified the social problems how do we determine the priorities?
(handout)
1) Policy
of the agency providing the change: Some agencies do not tend to
all issues and each agency has its own priorities. What is the agencies
orientation?
2) Severity
of situation: We need to ask what will happen if we do not make
a change.
3) What
are the chances that solutions can be applied: Some solutions are
effective but there chance of succeeding can be small/large. What forces
facilitate or obstruct the solution from being materialised. This is
all dependent of city and major’s decisions - political orientation.
4) Subjective
interest of agent of change: A person chooses what to focus on according
to his conscious and unconscious system of values and beliefs.
We can use
the tool to reach a decision by numbering the priorities. The problem,
which received the highest total score, will be given first priority.
Then we can discuss the general problem in more details (resources). 29/3/04
(lesson 5) Institutional
(מוסדית): Will provide universal services. The state will
be a welfare state, which is obligated to take care of weaker populations.
Partial
(שאירית): The State is not entirely involved. It cannot take
care of all the weaker populations. The state will produce for them
selective services which are characterized by (necessity –נזקקות;
entitlement). Access services result in lack of weaker population’s
motivation to fend for themselves. There is often abuse of the system
in these welfare states.
Selective
vs. Universal
Universal:
human dignity; equal opportunities; have responsibility; have facet
of quality and the state can change; promotion; are a right and not
charity (education is a right).
Disadvantages
of Universal services: abuse services more than state can offer;
interfere with free market; are unrealistic in financial state assistance;
the services provided by universal services are not used by most people
who do not have their basic needs satisfied.
Selective:Advantages:
redistribution of income and recourses; adapts itself to specific populations;
turns directly to the needy; there is no abuse of the services; is resourceful
because it does not provide aid to everybody.
Disadvantages:
services for the poor so they are of poor quality; results in stigma;
has adverse affects on the distant family and environment; tends solely
to weak populations and thus increases the disparities.
In Israel we
will see more selective services and fewer universal services. Goals of
services:
The services
will express the moral values of society and then there will be services
that promote the society or protect certain populations. These services
will function in contrary to free market - contribution will not
be same as need.
Express Moral
values – which will be expressed in declared goal מטרה מוצהרת.
1) There are
services which provide for needs;
2) There are
integrative services (goal is to provide society sense of belonging
– theatre and mantas; 3) Control services – פיקוח – will
help those in need (police; institutions; maintain social order) These services
can be divided into 3:Basic services
that are necessities (e.g. education)
Complementary
services - שרותים משלימים: Complement the basic service
(extra lessons at school; beautiful school grounds).
Mediating
services - שרותים מסייע או מתווחים: Help people
to make use of the service (information prospects, transportation services
etc).
This form of
classification gives us a way to identify and locate problem in services. Services
in practice: Anyone can make use of universities or חוגים but
some chose to have הפליה מתקנת. These are goals which are
not declared. Each organization wants to survive and therefore the organization
may not reveal their latent goals.
Look at
sketch in booklet:
Name of
organization: קופת חולים àבריאות כללית. The name
is very significant to the organization, to the service consumers and
to the environment. The name of the service often reflects its orientation.
The service
consumers – הנהנים: Those who are the potential population;
the needy population.
Those who give
legitimation – נותני לגיטימציה: The law that refers
to these services; other laws; the municipality and state.
Competitive
services: Compete on funding, clients and resources. With more competition
quality of services can either be increased or decreased.
Complementary
services: Some services are not competitive but complementary. Each
service can be competitive or complementary to other services.
Resources
providers: Manpower; volunteers etc.
Source of
funding: Sometimes the clients fund the service; sometimes there
is state funding.
We will
need to examine the quality of the service. How will we do this?
Does the service
exist?
Is it accessible
(location and reception hours)?
Is it effective
and efficient? Some are accessible but not efficient and serve few clients.
In Israel there
are numerous services - why are there so many? Each one specialises
in a certain field. The more money there is the more services are established.
The services need to change according to the needs of the society. Dynamic
develop and change of services in necessary. The service may be stigmatic
and therefore location is crucial.
Why are
there so many services?
There is bureaucracy.
Bureaucracy was introduced to increase efficiency but in fact there
is an overload.
3/5/2004
Definitions:
Planning a community.
1.
2.
3. Sadan:
Planning by co-operating with the community. Mutual planning between
the community worker and community in necessary. Planning is part of
the social situations in which it intervenes and treats. The mere process
is part of treatment. Part of learning how to plan is the treatment
itself. Planning in the community is sometimes not only the means but
also the ultimate goal. If we want to help the community to be independent
planning the finances provides them with tools to plan their own finances
in the future.
4. Rothman:
In community work planning is not only problem solving. Planning has
a process goal that can include teaching interaction in the society,
teaching methods and increases ability in coping with situations in
community. (i.e. it is not only providing food but also teaching them
how to provide the food for themselves.). Questions
to be asked:
Why do we need
to make a change or plan?
What do we
want to change?
How will we
bring about the change? What tools will we use?
What is
the communal situation?
Defining advantages
and disadvantages. What the community has and what it lacks?
What must
be changed in the situation?
There are many
facets. When I meet with a client and define the situation we talk about
what needs to be changed. Sometimes a change must be made in the individual
and sometimes in others. A process of mutual negotiations begins.
Clients come
to us of their own will or through referral. They come because they
believe that something can be changed. The more failures a person experienced
the more sceptical about potential changes. The meeting between the
worker and client is based on the fact that change can be achieved.
At the end of this process a contract is drawn up between the worker
and client. What change
can we bring about? Goals:
We think of
all the alternatives that we can change. We think of all the options
that they clients can execute. We will check the advantages and disadvantages
of each option. Does the client have the strength to make the change?
Can we help him implement the change? YADIM:
It is the translation
of the goals to the to direction of the solution but it is not the solution
itself. Goals cannot be measured but yadim can because they are more
practical translations. Target Population:
Which population
will enjoy the fruits of the intervention and the services?
How will
that change be made?
Here we are
referring to the plan. Planning
the activities:
What resources
are needed and from where will they come.
We need to
have a schedule that the client needs to adhere to. In this way we can
assess the process and whether the plan is being put into practice. Termination:
When a worker finishes the treatment the client needs to continue independently
and to apply what he learned. If no change was achieved then little
was done. One of the aspects of assessment is whether there is consistency
and continuation of the intervention.
Who
is involved in the change?
Lippit:
The agency
of change: He who comes from the helping profession and is part
of an organization which backs hiss policies. He receives an income.
This is not voluntary work. Does this professional serve his organization
or the client?
The cliental
system: The one who requests assistance or is referred.
The target
system: The causes that we want to change to materialise our goal.
A woman wants help to rehabilitate her alcoholic husband. The woman
can be a client or a target. Sometimes the target resists intervention.
How can we influence that the target system will cooperate? We can use
sanctions.
Action/
Execution System- מערכת הפעולה: All the factors that
cooperate to achieve the goal.
10/5/2004
Guest
speakers from Welfare in Ramat Gan:
שילוב
בין השיטות – התעברות פרטנית וקבוצתיתי
וקהילתיתי. הרבה פעמים המטרות הן דומות
וכדאי לשלב ולהפרות בין כל אנשי מקצוע.
קהילה
לנגישה – חירשים, עוורים, נכים, ליקוי למידה,
חולי נפש. מטרה להוביל לנגישות העיר. ניסיון
לחבר את כל הקבוצות האלו.
תוכנית
רדימה – למען ילדים בסיכון. אנשי רווחה,
חינוך ובריאות; הורים; אששי עסקים וכו' עובדים
ביחד למען הילדים.
דו-תוכניות
ופיתוח שירותים - פיתוח שירותים ושיפור
תוכניות ע"י פנייה לקרנות. גיוש משאבים
עבור פיתוח שירותים.
מועדון
דרור – להצים ילדים. עובדים עם משפחות;
שתי מטפלים; שתי הורים; עבודת צוות במטרה
להעצם. יש גם תהליכים מגבילים. כל הורה יש
לא מטפל ופעם השבוע הזוג נפגש עם שני ההורים
לטיפול זוגי.
איך הקימו
את התוכנית/ מועדון?
להקים
מועדון בערב. לדבר עם הזוגות ושלאול אותם
מה הם היו רוצים. ראיונות של מה לעשות עם
הילדים. יש החלפת מידעה. בפעם השנית הם הוזמנו
להצגה. חלק התביישו להגיע כי אולי הם מכירים
זוגות אחרים.
אוכלוסיית
היעד: זוגות צעירים עם ילדים בגיל הרך. 17/4/04
Relating to
the previous lesson - Read article to deepen understanding.
Perusing
clients: When working with welfare populations we need to take a
number of issues into consideration. These people often have experiences
of past failures at attempts to make a change.
The population
in this project may be 2nd or 3rd welfare generation.
They have little hope because they have seen their parents and grandparents
who did not succeed in making a change. When we treat a population who
have little hope and we want to approach them we need to know how to
do it. Pursuing is therefore very significant, but to what extent should
they use this method. The name of the program is “Dror Program”
– this means freedom – why did they choose this name. The original
program is marital counselling although today it has become a communal
program. They need to transfer a feeling that the clients are able to
make a change. They need to encourage this faithless welfare population.
The question
that Eli was asked: After being part of a group he decided that
he wanted individual treatment. What happened to him? He was empowered
and felt that there is hope, he got the feeling that he is significant
and that he has abilities. This gave his strength to want to continue
making a change. The belief of others in him permeated into his mind
and he was ready to cope with his other weaknesses and feel secure about
it. In group work a person is able to test the tools that he acquired
with the group. These groups provide a safe lab in which a person can
try out his new methods of relating to others. Eli was able then to
apply his new acquired behaviour to his work and his marital life. We
need to give the clients a sense of strength that they can continue
on their own. This program gave the feeling that clients are not able
to separate themselves from the program.
Rothmans
article. He speaks of 3 models.
מודל
הפיתוח המקומי
– We have a weak population, that suffers from low self-esteem, difficulties
etc. The process was that the group acquire new norms for itself. Values
of democracy and cooperation. They are self-help groups. They learn
about themselves. Learn healthy ways of communication. The social work
is a catalyser, which urges this process to occur. It teaches them why
they got the state that they are in. He enables them to connect to other
organizations. He enables experiencing new things. Anything that will
empower them.
מודל
של תחנון החברתי
- Intervention in order to solve social problems. Planning service development
and establishing. They are task-oriented. They collect data, plan, execute,
manage and organize. (e.g. A school that wants to strengthen relationship
between parents and school can bring in lecturers and professionals
to join the PTA).
מודל
הפעלה החברתית
– Agency – סינגור. The goal is also a process and also a task.
There can be organization of protests, using legal means to bring about
change. The agent protects and represents the clients. They try to bring
about change in the relations and existing resources. The execution
is expressed by organizing protests and legal actions against the government.
Can a social
work that works as an agent work for the institution? Sometimes סינגור
is better conducted if the worker is outside the institution. He learns
the population’s norms and language. (e.g. the black panthers were
supported by the institution but didn’t protest with them). 24/5/04
שיטוף
+ השתתפות = שותפות
שיתוף
– The client will to share
השתתפות
– The therapist will to share
שותפות
– The partnership or interaction between the two.
Cooperationis very difficult to maintain and
materialise and it is against human nature (for people in general and
more specifically for therapists). This demands experience and is not
to be taken for granted. Cooperation is part of our value system but
is difficult to apply.
How do professionals
define cooperation שיתוף:Katan:
Cooperation is a way of influencing the VIPs about decisions, policy
and subject influencing their life. This can be from elections and individuals.
Shpigel:
Cooperation in community work is a structured interaction between people
and units of reign (social; organization) not only in decision making
but also in planning and execution. There is a law that parents can
determine 25% of the syllabus/curriculum. But in practice this is not
applied. Professionals and client working together – this is called
cooperation.
According to
Rosenfeld’s article we see how important cooperation is. There
need to be boundaries between no freedom to function and too much freedom,
which leads to anarchy.
Social workers
have their own personal interests in becoming social workers. The client
also has his interests and there is cooperation between the two. There
interests are not legitimate when they use of abuse or hurt the client
or when one only advance his own interests. Katan:
The goals of cooperation - שיתוף:
1) Realizing
the civil rights of the individual.
2) Alienation
– a person feels less alienated through cooperation.
3) Cooperation
as education – people learn to cooperate and this strengthens them.
4) A tool through
which clients of welfare regain their self-esteem. We help the person
to help himself.
5) Influential
group and political influences.
6) Recruiting
knowledge and experience – the client may know his situation and his
knowledge and his experience – we need to discover this knowledge
that the client has and to use it to help him. The therapist and client
can work together to get this knowledge elsewhere.
7) Broadening
the basis of legitimating and support of the organization. Organization
becomes more powerful.
8) Controlling
and supervision clients’ behaviour in the organization.
9) Change in
policy and patterns of action of the organization. It can begin will
small issues like visiting hours.
10) Clients
learn that organizations have there own incentives and interests, but
a WIN-WIN situation is legitimate.
An interest
is a language that organizations use and it leads to joining/cooperation.
Once we know the interests and grant it then both parties will be satisfied. The benefits
of cooperation between organizations and clients: Which side does cooperation
serve? Advantages
for clients:
1) Giving expression
to real needs which enables development
2) Improving
the environmental condition.
3) Enables
group pressure and giving power and empower.
4) Transition
from dependence to independence.
5) Personal
development, knowledge and self-esteem Advantages
for organizations:
1) Opportunity
for social connection and business partnership.
2) Contribution
to other co-workers and visa versa.
3) Increasing
power and knowledge.
4) Increasing
identification with organization.
5) Creating
a broad basis for my organization.
6) Aiding to
define a process of change.
7) Leadership
development.
8) Eliminating
group pressures.
9) Increasing
the number of responsible members. Disadvantages
for clients:
1) Loss of
motivation.
2) Lack of
abilities of client and responsibility shifted on the organization.
3) Feeling
that he only receiving and not giving anything.
4) Kfiut tova
from perspective of the organization.
5) Sense of
inferiority; patronism.
6) Loss of
faith that they can make a change by themselves. Disadvantages
for organization:
1) Need to
cooperate with the clients.
2) Involvement
of client in decision – more people more problems.
3) Alien interests
can interfere.
4) Other groups
of interests that need to be taken into consideration.
5) Fear of
criticism and failure.
When interests
are legitimate disadvantages are decreased. 31/5/04
Cooperation
between Organizations:
Is cooperation
between organizations good of not?
In practice
there are power struggles and lack of cooperation between organizations.
What other
phenomenon are there?
There are numerous
organization and services in the same locations.
There are התמהויות
and historical factors that influence the organizations mutuality. There
are places that there are numerous organizations. Sometimes they want
to unite the organization but often they don’t succeed. Often in municipalities
each department is separate.
Multiple
organizations – what are the consequences:
There is confusion
and a client must go from place to place. Each organization and service
gives limited treatment and service and people fall in between the chairs.
There are overlapping services in some instances while in others a person
does not fit criteria for any service.
Each service
strives to survive and each one has its own interests.
Under
what conditions will services cooperate?
1) Functional
factors: One organization complements the other organization’s
services (psychiatrists, doctors, psychologists, rehabilitation). Together
the services are a mechanic wheel that it well oiled. There are symmetric
relations.
2) Power
inter-dependence: Some services draw power from stronger services
by attaching themselves to them. If an organization wants to advance
a new service they can link onto an existing an affective service. The
strong organization increases its prestige because it gives חסות
and harbours these smaller services. The more a service is in demand
the more its prestige and power increases. The relations are not symmetric.
Both conditions need to exist for cooperation to be of interest to both
organization / services. There needs to be a win-win situation for cooperation
to exist.
3) Exchange
theory: It is an economic theory in which both organization need
to gain from the cooperation. This is functional from a resources perspective.
Both organizations have resources and both gain economically from the
partnership.
4) Legal
mandate: One has power and forces cooperation through legal means
or through powerful means. (E.g. committees that are forced to work
together by the government or municipalities). If the cooperation is
forced then there can be little fruition. There also needs to be interest
on the part of the parties. Wies
proposed a model for cooperation to succeed: all four of the above facets
need to exist.
There is a
problem and potential partners are aware of problem; not one can solve
it alone (because of functional reason or because of power inter-dependence).
An exchange agreement needs to take place (human, economic, situational
resources). Cooperation needs to be worthwhile for both parties.
It doesn’t
matter for what reason the cooperation exists. But it needs to be organised
- how will they work together; where will they meet; protocol; where
will resources come from etc.
5 קובעי
לישיבה שלדובנו – The 5 Hats (look at handout). How to
relate to all aspects of discussion.
There is also
talk of interests of each party. Cooperation can cease if these conditions
do not exist. It will be very artificial/ מלאכותי and will not
survive.
Empowerment
in community work:
A process of
transition to a sense of more control over life, destiny, environment
etc. The term includes perception of life, principles of action and
a professional approach. Its goal is to wake and renew the responsibility
and obligation of professionals and the services than employ them to
improve the situation of individual by means of democratic and egalitarian
needs. The main role of the social worker is to empower their clients.
This is directed to weak population who lack self-esteem and control
over their lives. A person who does not feel empowered he is basically
transferring control of his life to organizations, other people, the
environment.
Empowerment
is relevant for everyone and not only for weak populations.
Can anyone
be empowered? Can anyone empower? What methods do we have to empower
people?
Can empowerment
of clients cause a problem for the worker? There may be a conflict between
the empowered client and the worker if the client has issues against
the organization that the practitioner represents. A group that is empowered
is more powerful than an individual who has been empowered because a
group by nature is more powerful. 7/6/04
What is the
difference between empowerment and regular therapy? Do we need to provide
different tools?
In empowerment
there needs to be an internal change and a change in functioning.
Other treatment
may only include external behavioural changes and not internal ones.
In community
work empowerment is felt more intensely that in individual empowerment
treatment.
A person functions
on a number of levels – personal, marital and communal. If functioning
is faulty it usually affects all three level. Frends:
Empowerment has 5 measures:1) Hopelessness
(חוסר אונים): 2) Process:
- Positive
self-perspective
- Sense of
self-control over his life
- Awareness
of his abilities
- Sense of
belonging to a group
- Acquires
knowledge and skills
- Motivation
to act and to apply – change.
3) Empowerment
What
are the implications of empowerment?
Personal
Individual Level: Their belief that they can bring about change;
awareness and knowing rights; critical thinking of themselves.
Interpersonal
Level: Social knowledge; assertiveness; How to connect to other
group and to respect them; to know how to get help; to solve problems;
apply skills and knowledge through resources.
Communal
Level: Political activity; gaining control; establishing communal
organization; contribute to society.
Can
anyone empower?
It will be
difficult to empower a group if the therapist himself does not feel
empowered in his organization. Many organizational workers who want
to make a change start the changes outside the organization. Research
shows that workers who feel empowered in the organization have better
chances of empowering others.
Look at
questionnaire of self-empowerment: Some practitioners may feel empowered
in their organization and this is on account of their clients. 14/6/04
Volunteers
in Organizations:
Volunteers
are perceived to be altruistic people. But these people also have gains
otherwise they wouldn’t do it. The organizations and the volunteers
interest needs to be complementary.
What interests
can there be? We need to know what interests volunteers have because
we can fulfil these interests, especially if we want to continue receiving
services from volunteers. Some organizations have many volunteers who
continue working, while others cannot keep their volunteers for numerous
reasons. Whoever takes on volunteers needs to see the benefits and also
needs to realize that there are no free volunteers. There are
two incentives for volunteers: Altruistic orientations and personal
orientations.
Maslow’s
triangle of hierarchy expressed people’s need for self-realization
and self-respect or honour. Altruistic orientations: Some want
to help others due to their value system and their desire to help the
society as a hole. They feel that everyone has a responsibility for
society. This is connected to belief (social, personal, democratic etc).
Personal
orientation: An opportunity to express personal ability, ego incentives
for self-realization, coping, cooperation with others for other interests.
They want love, and attention and social status or prestige. Many pensioners
volunteer because they want to feel that they are still part of society
and can contribute.
Organizations
need to identify the needs correctly. The organization needs to interview
them to see their needs. The organization needs to respond to these
needs and to give rewards. They provide roles that are opportunities
for significant doing. Each volunteer of bituh leumi gets השתלמות
courses at university. Volunteers may have knowledge and skills that
they can share with others and the organization. They can influence
decision-making in the organization. They get status and הכרה prestige.
The organization can provide feedback and thanks through seminars. Provide
options for social activity such as חוגים, restaurants and trips.
Prestige, sense
of belonging and self-realization – these are the 3 levels of volunteers. Why is it
worthwhile for an organization to use volunteers?
Economic financial
incentives.
Volunteers
are a threat to paid employees.
Historically
in the traditional society volunteering was build in. With modernization
specialization became more dominant and with it 2 processes took place.
There is a reduction of services; and at the same time the need for
many other services has increased. How does
the organization benefit by recruiting volunteers?
More manpower;
Using knowledge and skills of others; Using resources; More popularity
with more volunteers and therefore more services. This organization
is more prestigious for itself and in eyes of society; Exposes organization
to its clients. Use of כח עזר.
Humanistic
attitude to organizations – the organization is more humanistic and
not alienated.
What does
the organization lose by recruiting volunteers?
Demanding time
from organization. Manpower to deal with volunteers. ויתור of organizations
power to others. Giving power to volunteers. Open window to criticism
and pressure to change from volunteers since they have a word. There
work is conditioned. They do not need to persist in their work and don’t
have responsibility to organization like employed workers do. Fear or
employees that volunteers will replace them. Employees may be left with
the dirty work. Fear of how volunteers will represent the organization
and whether they can do damage? Will he be loyal?
What can
we do? There are many benefits and losses. How can benefits be increased?
1) To discuss
and to clarify if the organization wants volunteers and for what purpose.
Why? What? What benefits and losses?
2) Define goals
and to determine whether the goals can be adapted/ applied to volunteers.
For what aspects will it take volunteers? How will it affect the organization
professionally? Are they open to criticism? They need to be aware of
everything. What benefits can be increased.
3) Talk to
absorption system in organization. How will process be executed? Who
will be responsible for volunteers?
4) Process
or classification and recruiting מיון. Recruiting is done through
advertising (media), friends, target certain populations that have influence
on other populations. Classification according to the needs of the organization.
Not everyone fits the profile needed to volunteer in a every organization
or role.
5) The volunteer
is recruited and designated to role. A contract is written by both sides
(hours, benefits etc.)
6) Training
the volunteer.
7) Volunteers
may want to leave. Some get a certificate, an appraisal, honourable
parting. Some organization discharge problematic volunteers. Debonov:
Decision-making: (not for exam). The 5 Hats of decision-making.
He wanted to
know if focused or rational thinking can take place. He wanted to know
whether people can change their styles of thinking. He called these
different hats of thinking. Logic, emotion etc.
This will decrease
hurting others and will bring flexibility to ways of thinking.
White hat:
Rational, knowledge, objective facts, how to get more information.
Red hat:
Emotions and feeling, encourage people to express their emotions without
justifications.
Black hat:
Logical anti-attitude. Presenting the negative pessimistic voice with
justifications. Why do you think it will not succeed?
Yellow hat:
The positive voice, opportunities and optimistic voice.
Green hat:
This is the creative initiative hat that works with brainstorming. There
is no need to justify. No ideas are rejected. This creates new perspectives.
Blue hat:
The hat of control and is usually worn by the social worker. Determines
the goals and leads the discussion and agenda
Course
mark will consist of: J
Attendence-20%
Paper- 30%
Exam- 50% (no
definitions; open questions and analysing 2 case. There will be
a few statements like “anyone can be empowered” and we will have
to relate to them)
Read or Sadan
or Kaminski; Rothberg