Social Work & Social Welfare: An Invitation (3rd ed.) Chapter Eleven Social Work Practice with Organizations & Communities & Policy Practice Social Work & Social Welfare: An Invitation (3rd ed.)

Discussion What did you write your advocacy letter about? Do you plan to send it? Why or why not?

Key Ideas Social work at the macro level Models of practice with organizations and communities

Practice with Organizations & Communities Macro level of practice Working toward large-scale change in practice, policy, program, or law that affects people’s lives Macro level of practice Working toward large-scale change in practice, policy, program, or law that affects people’s lives Community-level social work practice, also known as macro practice, promotes changes in practices, policies, and legislation Social workers have worked for change at the organizational, community, national, and societal levels throughout the history of the profession Initiated in response to: Government incentives Significant funding decreases Large-scale social movement to address oppression 14% of social workers practice at the level Social work ethics

Models of Change in Macro Practice

Community Organizing Aimed at improving the quality of life in a specific geographic locale or neighborhood Functional communities are groups that share commonalities such as ethnicity Focus on raising awareness for action Aimed at improving the quality of life in a specific geographic locale or neighborhood Examples Organizing for better housing Organizing for better transportation Functional communities are groups that share commonalities such as ethnicity, values, faith traditions, etc. Focus on identifying and raising awareness regarding need for action or change Students organizing for students Faith community organizing for immigrants & refugees

Community Development Includes social, economic, and sustainable development approaches Focus on interest-based communities to enhance the environment in which they live Includes social, economic, and sustainable development approaches Focus on interest-based communities to enhance the environment in which they live Client system and change agent system are the same population Examples Neighborhood residents concerned about health care access Addressing issues of refugee-owned businesses

Program Development Need(s) may be identified at the micro level of practice Need(s) may be identified at the micro level practice Examples Service expansion Programming for pre-schoolers Social workers may identify a need that is not being filled by existing services Program development can include the expansion of existing services or the creation of new services The role for the social worker may include discovering the need for a service, developing and implementing the service, advocating for the program, and facilitating the program

Social Planning Aimed at policy-level or community-wide change to address a specific need within the community Orchestrated by professionals, outside consultants, and influential decision makers Aimed at policy-level or community-wide change to address a specific need within the community Orchestrated by professionals, outside consultants, and influential decision makers Examples Neighborhood redevelopment International social work education Rural domestic violence services Social planning is an intervention model in which change efforts are aimed at community or policy-level issues Social planning is based on the belief that experts, who have access to empirical data and technical expertise, best orchestrate change The social worker’s role may be as a member of a professional team involved in identifying issues, collecting data, analyzing policy, and planning a program to address needs

Coalition Building Collaborative initiatives that unite groups around a common interest or goal The concept of “strength in numbers” is the basis for coalition development Coalitions are collaborative initiatives that unite such groups as agency professionals, client systems, governmental organizations, educational institutions, and legislative groups around a common interest or goal The social worker may initiate the building of a coalition or participate as a member of a coalition

Social Action Aimed at addressing a social injustice Advocacy on behalf of or with a group that does not have a strong voice within the decision-making process Political and social action change efforts increase political pressure on decision-making processes so that oppressed groups receive equitable services, resources, and power Social action is typically accomplished through lobbying or mobilizing Lobbying involves directing resources toward the passage of legislation or election of favorable political candidates Mobilizing focuses on long-term change efforts Aimed at addressing a social injustice to increase political pressure on decision-making process so that the oppressed groups receive equitable services, resources, and power Advocacy on behalf of or with a group that does not have a strong voice within the decision-making process Organizational, community, governmental and legislative levels Examples Welfare reform Political action

Practice Example: CLOUT

CLOUT Citizens of Louisville Organized and United Together Organization of religious congregations and neighborhood groups working toward community empowerment and social justice Grassroots, direction action, multi-issue organization Major action each year

CLOUT Network Building

CLOUT Process Listening Problem I.D. Research Action

CLOUT Assembly – March 2009

At CLOUT’s 2011 Nehemiah Action Assembly, officials of the Jefferson Co. Public Schools committed to develop a comprehensive plan to deal with the problem of school bullying, to include an improved definition of bullying, required training for all school personnel, an enhanced tracking and reporting system, and evidence-based interventions.

Community Organizing and SW Consider how the following skills and process were used in CLOUT’s efforts.

Skills for Organizational & Community Practice Negotiation Fund-raising Collaboration Organization Advocacy Analysis Administration Program planning Evaluation Supervision Brokering: building collaborations, coalitions, networks, and partnerships Enabling: organizing and coordinating the efforts of individuals and groups committed to a common issue or concern Advocating: articulating the needs of a group to decision makers Mobilizing: Fundraising, establishing programs, evaluating outcomes Mediating: aiding opposing groups in establishing a common ground Administration: overseeing program development, operations, budgets, and personnel

Planned Change Process: Macro Engagement Identify who can contribute to the change effort Skills: active listening, negotiation, empathy, rapport- building Assessment Identify change target and assess if change is needed or possible Consider strengths, attitudes, barriers

Planned Change Process Intervention Planning activities Goal development – prioritizing needs Carry out tasks

Planned Change Process Evaluation Ongoing and complex process Review needs assessment and goals Termination May indicate success or failure of the change effort Stabilization

Exercise Macro practice with the Hmong of Merced

Companion Reading The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond: www.pisab.org Citizens of Louisville Organized and United Together: www.cloutky.org Pyles, L. 2009. Introduction. In Progressive community organizing (pp. 3–15). New York: Routledge. Staples, L. Community Organizing and Planning Skills: http://www.naswma.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1 &subarticlenbr=312