This week, you are introduced to the helping process and will start to learn about beginning and advanced interviewing skills. The careful application of interviewing skills is a priority for this course and for future work as a social work professional. These skills will serve as important building blocks in preparation for master's-level social work practice.
The week focuses on cultural knowledge. Cultural knowledge is a mixture of cultural information and unique client information. Cultural competence is a key component of social work practice. It helps you better serve your clients and plays a part in building effective relationships. Cultural competence, coupled with solid interviewing skills, enables the social work professional to meet a client's needs effectively.
TO DO LIST:
Discussion: Describe how you would apply phases I, II, and III when working with clients in a chosen style and means of direct social work provision.
The helping process consists of three major phases
•Phase I: Exploration, engagement, assessment, and planning
•Phase II: Implementation and goal attainment
•Phase III: Evaluation and termination
Macro-level practice. Still further removed from face-to-face delivery of services, macro-level social work practice involves the processes of social planning and community organization. On this level, social workers serve as professional change agents who assist community action systems composed of individuals, groups, or organizations in dealing with social problems. For example, social workers may work with citizen groups or with private, public, or governmental organizations. Activities of practitioners at this level include (1) development of and work with community groups and organizations; (2) program planning and development; and (3) implementation, administration, and evaluation of programs