Community%20Practice

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Community Practice

• Community practice to me is everything social
  workers do - but more likely, everything you do
  outside of direct one-on-one practice with a
  client.
• Is is viewing your client as a community - a
  group, a city, a state, a nation, a world.
• It is the calling of all social workers to engage
  in community practice.

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Clinicians and their roles in Community Practice
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1996 NASW Code of Ethics

• Mission of the social work profession is to
  enhance human well-being and help meet the basic
  human needs of all people, with particular
  attention to the needs and empowerment of people
  who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in
  poverty.

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Can you fully meet this mission without viewing
your client within a system?

• If they are oppressed, you must advocate beyond
  them to alleviate oppression.
• If they are vulnerable, you must effect the
  policies, rules and regulations that will assist
  them or that could make them more vulnerable.

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NASW Code of Ethics cont.

• 6. Social Workers Ethical Responsibility to the
  Broader Society
• 6.01 Social Welfare
• 6.02 Public Participation
• 6.04 Social and Political Action

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6.01 Social Welfare

• It is our duty to promote the general welfare of
  society - local and global.
• We MUST advocate and promote social, economic,
  political and cultural values that are compatible
  with social justice.

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6.02 Public Participation

• We must help the general public have a voice in
  social policies and institutions.

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6.04 Social and Political Action

• We should engage in action for all people to have
  equal access to resources, employment, services
  and opportunities to meet their needs
• We must act to expand choice and opportunity for
  all with special attention to vulnerable,
  disadvantaged, oppressed and exploited

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6.04 Social and Political Action cont.

• We must promote and advocate for all parts of the
  world and our systems to demonstrate respect for
  difference and expand cultural knowledge and
  resources
• We should act to prevent and eliminate
  domination, exploitation and discrimination

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How have you been engaged in community practice?