Social Work Macro Practice
Three Important Systems: Target System- You as the social worker are trying to change. Whatever system it may be, that is your target. Action System- Those who are going to work to help change your target system. Client System- Whoever benefits from the change happening. The most important System is the client system because if the clients don't benefit from any of it. It will be a waste of their time, and you can potentially be hurting them.
Power: The ability to make others do what you would have them do.
Civic Arena: Where power means getting a community to make the choices and to take the actions that you want.
Six Sources Of Power: 1. Physical Force- Who controls it? 2. Wealth- Buy Results. 3. State Action- Laws and Beauracracy. 4. Social Norms- what people think is okay. 5. Ideas- The ability to change peoples minds. 6. Numbers- lots and lots of people expressing intensity of interest.
Laws of Power: 1. Power is never static- it is either accumulating or deteriorating. 2. Power flows like water- politics is about trying to sway in one direction. Policies are to freeze politics in place. 3. Power Compounds- This won't work without Laws 1 or 2.
What can you do about power? 1. Read power- look to see who control what, how, when, and where. What systems are in place to keep things that way? Who made it so and why? 2. Power Strategies- Taking on opponents head on, indirection, coalitions, charisma. 3. Write Power- Believe you can write your own power, speak up, organize others, practice consensus and conflict.
Emergence: The ideal that big smart things come out of collective tiny stupid things. Ex: Water Vs. Wetness, interactions of individual parts under certain rules/conditions make new things. Atoms- molecules-proteins-cells-organs-individuals-societies.
The Interrelated Nature of Power, Narratives and Strategy: Power is a two way street, humans aren't much more than monkeys and shoes but what makes humans unique is we are able to work with each other effectively and be flexible. Humans have a sense of organization collectiveness and purpose. Work with each other flexibly. Don't use tricks or get comfortable with power only use it when necessary.
Narratives: The stories that we tell ourselves and each other about what is happening. Talking about things that don't actually exist. Social constructs help create our narrative. Freedom is a word of power. Narratives are words of power by which people can be manipulated.
Strategy: If we are going to get a specific aim out we have to have a strategy behind it.
The secret to effective non-violent resistance: Protests don't create change that is not fundamental. There are 198 methods of non-violent action. Delivering symbolic objects is a form of protest. Organizing general strikes that make change. Using Animals as protest. Protests do very little if they aren't part of a larger strategy. Non-violent struggle is rarely systematically studied.
Leadership: The “Three P’s” Passion can be defined as extreme, compelling emotion; intense emotional drive or excitement. It includes great anger, rage, fury, enthusiasm or fondness; and strong love or affection. Passion includes setting specific and attainable goals to address identified problem and working to meet those goals. Another word for pragmatics is practicality. Young’s passion for helping others and his sincerity in improving the lives of all Americans drive his actions to make the world a better place.
Pragmatism being his guide, he was realistic, recognizing that there is no magic solution. He knew simply voicing his opinion was not enough; action had to occur. Realized that change would not just come because he asked for it. He needed to develop specific plans to meet goals, evaluating actions throughout to determine progress and adjust as necessary to respond to unanticipated circumstances
Patience:
Patience includes developing realistic time frames for measuring progress toward goals, recognizing that efforts take more time than expected.
Patience can mean preserving in the face of delay or provocation without becoming annoyed or upset, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties.
Action takes time and changing attitudes takes longer.
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Soft Skills:
There is indication that “soft skills,” or competencies of the head and heart, are also needed to address the complex challenges facing modern organizations. Organizations that seek to align their goals with these skills outperform those that do not. These competencies include:
Authenticity- full awareness of one’s abilities, values and areas of improvement
Humility- Transcending ego to resist the lure of authority
Empathy- The ability to understand the perceptions and emotions of another
Courage and compassion- making purposeful, definite and strategic decisions, while respecting others.
Faith- Living with uncertainty, trusting that all things that happen serve a higher good and that there are lessons to be learned in every pleasure and pain.
Patience- willingness to attend to the needs and growth of all, by deep listening, acknowledging context and circumstance, working to counter destructive efforts.
Love- a love for people simply because they exist, regardless of their identities, actions or associations.
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Mediation:
Mediation is a win-win option as both parties of a dispute are heard, respected, and involved in the problem solving process. Issues in every dispute are different, but the process follows the same basic pattern. Mediation provides a neutral forum in which disputants are encouraged to find a mutually satisfactory resolution to their problems.
Mediation is voluntary and confidential and comprises the following four phrases:
Opening Statement- each participant describes his or her understanding of the conflict.
Building understanding- through dialogue, participants explore each other’s needs and interests to establish understanding and find common ground.
Brainstorming- participants generate possible solutions to the dispute based on mutual understanding.
Agreement- participants agree upon a fair and achievable solution.
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How do we develop leaders?
Step one: recruitment
Step two: move to action
Step three: enter into a relationship with the organization
Step four: move toward leadership
Step five: participate in leadership training
Step six: participate in decision making
Step seven: take responsibility
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Step eight: receive leadership prep
Step nine: assume a leadership role and put training into practice
Step ten: reflect and evaluates
Step eleven: participate in direct action, confronting and challenging people with power.
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Don’t of Leadership:
Violate Trust- don’t share information you are not supposed to share
Don’t be a selfish leader- it is not all about you
Don’t lack focus and don’t flip flop on your priorities- don’t change your values often
Don’t be user unfriendly- don’t be unapproachable
Don’t deal in fantasy- always deal in good science
Don’t lack passion and creativity- this leads to burn out.
Don’t play checkers instead of playing chess- you must have strategy
Don't’ act as if its just about what you say- don’t be a “do as I say” leader
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Getting Stuff Done Wheel:
Listen- everyone provides input
Clarify- ideas are never discarded
Debate- wrestle with the good and bad
Decide
Persuade
Execute the plan
learn
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P- Problems to address
R- Evaluate Reality
E- Establish Goals
P- Identify People of Interest
A- Assess cost/benefit
R- Review Personal and Professional Risk
E- Evaluate potential success
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Hierarchies:
Tall organizations have many layers, have room for growth, many opportunities for pay raises, and give a clear chain of command. Slowness is a problem and a benefit. Lengthy processes give some organizations a black eye.
A flat organization- one direction and sub directors that have teams. They don’t grow in terms of hierarchy. Can react quickly to changing environments.
Top heavy organization- built to support the lives of those in upper management. Middle management has to manage both the front line workers and upper management, the front line workers are the ones making the money.
Anemic Organization- there are roles that aren’t filled, an organization that is unfunded, an organization that is dying or that is new and is always trying to make up for more workers.
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Logic Models:
What we invest: Staff, volunteers, time, money, research base, materials, equipment, technology, partners (priorities)
Outputs (Activities and Participation Priorities)- Conduct workshops, meetings, deliver services, develop products, curriculum, resources, train, provide, counseling, assess, facilitate, partner, work with media.
Outcomes Impact (short term, medium term, long term priorities)- Learning, Awareness, Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills, Opinions, Aspirations, Motivations, Action Behavior, Practice, Decision making, Policies, social action. Conditions, social, economic, civic, environmental.
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Forms of power
Legitimate- someone has a say, a decision control making power because of their position. Power based on where you are.
Reward- Anything you can do that will make someone else's life easier for them.
Coercive- The ability to make someone else’s life worse.
Referent- Having the ear of the person that makes the decision. Custodians can get in and get information. Administrative Assistants- serve vital roles in organizations.
Expert- You know an awful lot about a particular thing and people will come to you for advice. They are able to influence others because of their knowledge.
Power is not limited to those in positions. Power exists in the economy if favors, your assertiveness, and ability to flexibly cooperate with others.
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