Lesson 7: Clientele and Audiences in Social Work

Part I. Learning Module Information

Content clientele and audiences in social work

Standards
use acceptable research protocols, conduct a survey among young adults
Performance
(i.e., ages 18–21) on their social work needs present results and
Standards
recommendation for class discussion
Most Essential 1. describe the clientele of social work
Learning
Competencies 2. distinguish the needs of individuals, groups, organizations and
(MELC) communities
Duration Q1 Week 6

Part II. Learning Explorations

THE CLIENTELE AND AUDIENCES IN SOCIAL WORK

1. Characteristic of Clientele and Audience of Social Work

The type of health information that is most appropriate and ‘impactful’ will be influenced by the
characteristics of your target audience, including their gender, ethnicity, culture, age, disability,
sexuality, lifestyle, communication needs, location, health literacy, socio-economic status, beliefs,
preferences, health condition, and coping strategies. You will need to consider the characteristics of
your audience, such as disability, language spoken and health literacy, and the impact of this on how
it is most effective to communicate with them. Knowing audience members’ attitudes about a topic
will help a speaker determine the best way to reach their goals. Imagine that a presenter is trying to
convince the community to build a park. A speaker would probably be inclined to spend the majority
of the speech giving reasons why a park would benefit the community. Try to do some research to
find out what the audience already knows about the topic. Giving a brief review of important terms
and concepts is almost always appropriate, and can sometimes be done by acknowledging the
heterogeneous audience and the importance of ‘putting everyone on the same page.’ For example,
even if the audience members were familiar with basic genetics, a brief review of key term and
concepts at the beginning of a speech refreshes memories without being patronizing. You need to
have a lot more understanding about their social problems, be good and patient to have a good
communication with them.

2. Needs of Various type of Clientele and Audiences of Social Work

Easy is overrated; the only difficult client is a client who thinks we can make them successful
without their help. But we can’t work in a vacuum. So sometimes finding balance and flow with a
client can take a while because everyone has a different way of working. The ideal client has clear
goals and a picture of how to get there. If clients embrace the characteristic of fairness, agency life
is much easier. It’s quite simple. For example, it’s fair to ask for a change order when the scope of
work has increased significantly due to client needs. If a client embraces a fair mindset, they will be
reasonable and understanding in why they should authorize the change order. The best relationship
a client and a firm can have is a trusting relationship. The client needs to take on a firm that he has
received good references for and has good chemistry with. Once that firm has been hired, give
them your trust. Don’t doubt them. Enable them to do their job in the best way possible and they
will. That’s what you hired them for.
 3.The individual as Client of Social Work

It must have on the transactional relationships between people and their social environments.
They must learn also social work practice methods to restore, maintain and promote social
functioning as it relates to individuals, families, and small groups. Integrates on multiculturalism,
diversity, and social justice issues. You will examine social work values and ethics as well as issues
of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, religion, and ability as
these relate to social work practice. You will learn how to perform various social work roles (i.e.
counselor/clinical social worker, group facilitator, mediator, and advocate), recognizing that these
roles must adhere to social work values and ethics. You will learn the importance of developing
relationships with clients, colleagues, supervisors, other professionals, and other constituencies.
You will learn how to apply skills such as active listening, empathic responding, contracting, and
critical and creative thinking in practice.

4.The group and organization as Client of Social Work

Social workers work with a variety of groups in all settings in which social work is practiced. It is
means that inside of a group of people it needs of commonly identity or similarity with each other.
It’s like a small group that working with service, like group of organization or place of employment,
or pupils and student in school setup. Social work applies social sciences, such as sociology,
psychology, political science, public health, community development, law, and economics, to
engage with client systems, conduct assessments, and develop interventions to solve social and
personal problems; and create social change. Social work practice is often divided into micro-work,
which involves working with individuals or small groups; and macro-work, which involves working
communities, and within social policy, to create change on a larger scale.

5. The community as Client of Social Work

Working with the community requires the generalist practitioner to be able to assess community
functioning and design specific intervention techniques. Community organization has been recognized
for many years as one of the main methods of social work. Community has the largest share because
everyone, what i mean is, individual and families is essentially members of the community. A
community can be powerless sector so that means the social work service can free from control or
power of another and empowerment. A group of individuals or families that share certain values,
services, institutions, interests, or geographical proximity. A functional special unit that meets people’s
sustenance needs, helps form collective identities, and patterned social interaction. Social work may
focus on community transformation to cause environmental change to make it possible and to achieve
social well-being or social justice.

THE SETTINGS, PROCESSES, METHODS, AND TOOLS IN SOCIAL WORK

1. Government setting

The government setting offers the widest space for a variety of social work services. Social work is
present almost everywhere, from social policy formulation and analysis, advocacy, and
implementation to enhance the well-being of societal members, to providing social services through
appropriate government departments and agencies. The government as an employer needs
occupational social workers. As manager of several agencies as well as mental and health institutions
and systems, implementer of social welfare programs, as provider of pensions, and in its capacity as
enforcer and manager of justice and correctional systems and institutions, the government needs
social workers.

2. Private Sector Setting

Social workers may work for private mental health services to help those with mental health issues or
substance abuse problems, to name a few. Social workers in these settings often work with other
healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses, psychiatrists or psychologists, to assist clients with
their mental health needs. Private mental health facilities may be inpatient or outpatient, or offer both
options.
3. Civil Society Setting

The civil society sector sees itself as a champion of the people with regard to ensuring accountability
in government services; hence, social workers in civil society tend to work for advocacies of human
rights and social justice. Their work ensures the delivery to concerned sectors of universal basic
needs that may range from physical needs, intellectual development, emotional development, social
growth, and spiritual growth. Civil society is generally organized by the social sector, representing any
marginalized individuals and groups. There are those who work with and for street children and other
children who are in danger. Some organizations are committed to women or environmental issues.
Some work for migration and migrants. Some work with groups like gays and lesbians, cancer
patients, the elderly, and workers. Each of these areas of civil society concerns provide a unique
setting that may call for distinct social work specializations and general practice.

4. School Setting

School social workers play a critical role in schools and educational settings. Social workers working
within school systems provide services to students to enhance their emotional well-being and improve
their academic performance. School social workers are usually employed by the school district or an
agency that is contracted with the school district to provide services. School social workers are often
called on to help students, families, and teachers address problems such as truancy, social
withdrawal, overaggressive behaviors, rebelliousness, and the effects of special physical, emotional,
or economic problems. School social workers often also address issues such as substance abuse and
sexuality issues in the higher-grade levels. School social workers have a wide range of job functions.
Their title is typically “school social worker.” Qualifications for this position are often decided by the
school district or employing agency and requirements can range from a bachelor’s degree to a clinical
license from the state in which they practice. However, like many social workers, the caseloads of
school social workers are often high. School social workers can be assigned to more than one school,
requiring time to travel between locations. Often the school social worker performs in isolation and
may not have access to consistent supervision. There also may be limited resources to support
service delivery such as a lack of confidential and private space, supplies, and training.

5. Community Setting

A community consists and represents all kinds of social work services. It is the locus of social work
challenges. It is in the community where human rights of individuals and groups are denied or
violated; it is in the community where injustices are made and committed; it is in the community where
marginalization for individuals and groups occur. Racism, sexism, homophobia (fear of lesbians and
gay men), classism, ableism (discrimination of people with disability), ageism (discrimination based on
age), anti-Semitism (oppression of Jews), and islamophobia (fear of followers of Islam) exist in the
community caused generally by the presence of mainstream or dominant groups who tend to enjoy
certain privileges which are built in their lives

THE SOCIAL WORK SERVICES, PROCESSES, AND METHODS

1. Conducting Needs Assessment for Individuals, Groups, Organizations and
Communities

Careful planning is important to social work. Community needs assessment to identifies the strength and
resources available in the community to meet the needs of the children and families. It provides a framework
for developing and identifying services and solutions that support and nurture children and families. Without
it, social workers might be mistaken on their services that they'll give to the people. Before they give their
services, they plan it first through surveys, interviews, community meetings and these information’s are their
basis to make data’s. On those data’s, it will show what are the problems of the community and this
data’s/info’s will help them on what services they'll make for individuals. When there are poor people, the
socialist work focuses on how they'll help them. Social work helps them by training them on hand and basic
works to make their own business.
2. Monitoring and Evaluating School Work Effectivity

After they planned and give the services, they also need to know if the services are effective to
people. It serves to answers question such as "Are activities going according to plan?" and "Is the
work of the project progressing as intended?". Evaluating tends to focus on tracking progress at the
higher-level objectives of the logical framework which are outcomes and impact. It answers the
question "Was the project successful at achieving it's intended outcomes?” Example of this is the
training project for the poor people who can start a new business. If the data showing a poor
attendance, social work will think solutions towards better efficiency and effectiveness.

Part III. Assessment Task

Task 1: Fill Me In!

Directions: In your locality,can you identify the needs and characteristics of the following clientele of social
work. You can search on the internet or ask your parents or relatives to help you get the information you
need.

Clientele Characteristics Needs

Abandoned babies
Homeless elderly
Substance dependent
Sexually abused
Battered women
People with Disability
 Task 2: Fill Me In!

Direction: Provide picture (or you can draw) of the process and methods of social
work services and explain your picture or drawing in the space provided.

Setting Process and Methods (picture and explanation)

1. Government

2. Private Sector

3. Civil Society

4. School

5. Community