VALUES OF SOCIAL WORK LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this lesson, you are expected to: 1. identify the Principles of Social Work; 2. explain the Values of Social Work; and 3. express personal how social work intervenes in a society crisis. VOCABULARY LIST PRINCIPLES a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning. SOCIAL JUSTICE is "neither communism, nor despotism, nor atomism, nor anarchy," but the humanization of laws and the equalization of social and economic forces by the State so that justice in its rational and objectively secular conception may at least be approximated. Social justice means the promotion of the welfare of all the people, the adoption by the Government of measures calculated to insure economic stability of all the competent elements of society, through the maintenance of a proper economic and social equilibrium in the interrelations of the members of the community, constitutionally, through the adoption of measures legally justifiable, or extra- constitutionally, through the exercise of powers underlying the existence of all governments on the time-honored principle of salus populi est suprema lex. Social justice, therefore, must be founded on the recognition of the necessity of interdependence among divers and diverse units of a society and of the protection that should be equally and evenly extended to all groups as a combined force in our social and economic life, consistent with the fundamental and paramount objective of the state of promoting the health, comfort, and quiet of all persons, and of bringing about "the greatest good to the greatest number." (Calalang vs Wiiliams, G.R. No. 47800. December 2, 1940) UNANIMITY the quality or state of being unanimous Any professional activity is guided by set of values. The body of knowledge of social work has certain core values, evolved over a period of professional practice, that are common to all social work practice situations, irrespective of the methods. (http://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/17109/1 /Unit-2.pdf) CORE VALUES OF SOCIAL WORK DEFINITION OF VALUES Values are fundamental norms and preferred behavior patterns, shared by members of a society or a subgroup which aim at integrating and channeling the organized activities of the members. A value specifies whether to follow or not to follow a particular behavior. (http://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/17109/1/Unit- 2.pdf) Mendoza (2002) cited that the Council on Social Work Education identified and described six (6) values that are shared by the social work profession. THESE VALUES ARE OUTLINED BELOW: 1. Right to Self-Fulfillment- Each person has the right to self- fulfillment which is derived from his/her inherent capacity and thrust toward the goal; 2. Responsibility to Common Good- Each person has the responsibility as a member of the society to seek ways of fulfillment that contribute to common good; 3. Responsibility of the Society- The society has the responsibility to facilitate selffulfillment of the individual and the right to enrichment through the contribution of its individual members. 4. Right to Satisfy Basic Needs- Each person requires for the harmonious development of his powers socially provided and socially safeguarded opportunities for satisfying his/her basic needs in the physical, psychological, economic, cultural, aesthetic, and spiritual realms. 5. Social Organizations required to facilitate individual’s effort at self- realization – The notion that individual and society has the responsibility to provide appropriate social resources, it is the right of the individual to promote change in social resources that do not serve his/her need-meeting efforts. 6. Self-realization and contribution to society- To permit both self-realization and contribution to society by the individual, social organization must make available socially-provided devices for need- satisfaction as wide in range, variety, and quality as the general welfare allows. These values according to the Curriculum Study sponsored by the Council on Social Work Education as cited by Mendoza (2002) comprise a minimum commitment from the social worker and the following concepts are implied in these values: 1. Concept of human potentials and capacities- This is premised on the belief that a person is inherently endowed with potentials and capacities. 2. Concept of social responsibility- an individual has the obligation to contribute to the common good and society. 3. Concept of equal opportunities- This is premised on the ideal of social justice, two elements of which are fairness and equality. .4. Concept of social provision- This is based on the premise that there will always be everywhere with unmet needs or problems which are beyond their own capacity to solve. The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) stated that the mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These values include: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence (Morales and Sheafor, 1983). These core values are reflected in the IFSW Code of Ethics’ Preamble: “Social work originates from humanitarian ideals and democratic philosophy and has universal application to meet human needs arising from personal-societal interactions and to develop human potential. Professional social workers are dedicated to service for the welfare and self-realization of human beings; to the development of resources to meet individual, group, national and international needs and aspirations; and to the achievement of social justice (IFSW as cited by Morales and Sheafor, 1983) Social Work values focus on three general areas: values about people, values about social work in relation to society and values that inform professional behavior (Dubois & Miley, 1999) (http://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/17109/1/Uni t-2.pdf) The First Value is the conviction in the Inherent Worth, Integrity and Dignity of the Individual (Friedlander, 1977). When a person fails to perform of follow what is expected of him to do in a prescribed manner, the person is considered not worthy and not desirable person by the people in a society. The person’s dignity is denied and viewed as person with no integrity and inhumanely treated by the society. People are not interested about why the person has not been constituting a good performance on his social responsibilities in a suitable and acceptable way. This value reminds the social worker that every client that comes (with a problem) to him is not to be considered as a person having no value and no virtue because he is in a disadvantageous situation. For a social worker the client is as worthy as any other person and the client is in that situation because of many other factors acting upon him. The conviction in the dignity, worth and the integrity of any individual, enables the social worker to deal with any type of client with a positive frame of mind (http://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/12345678 9/17109/1/Unit-2.pdf). The Second Value is Belief in Democratic Functioning. It relies on the democratic process while dealing with the client system. This alludes that promptness and firmness in deciding is through unanimity and nothing is forcibly imposed on the client. The worker, the client and others, are all actively participating in the process of decision making. Similarly, and at the same, the right of the client in having a preference for the solution is given the highest attainable point. The Third Value is the Firm Belief in Equal Opportunity for All, Limited only by the Individual’s Capacities (Friedlander, 1977). This value conveys an impression the need for social justice. Social work put forth a determined effort against social injustices giving out to the disadvantaged and defenseless members of society. Regardless of caste, religion, race, economic status and intelligence. Each person must have equal access to the resources of our society. The Fourth Value is Social Worker’s Social Responsibility towards Himself, his family and his society (Friedlander, 1977). This value admonishes the social worker not to neglect himself, his family and the society in which he is living while in the performance of duty and obligation and professional duties. If he unsuccessfully performs his obligation and commitment towards himself and his family, then he himself or his family may fail to carry out their social functioning and may become omission of performance and failures needing social work intervention. The Fifth Value is to Transmit Knowledge and Skills to Others (Sheafor & Morales, 1989). This value provides instruction to the social worker to give the information that he has, that would enable the client to take care of himself, in case the client faces connate challenges and problems in the future. This is to guarantee that the client becomes independent on the social worker throughout his life. Withal, it also proposes that sharing of information, talent and skills among co-professionals goes a long way and is hard act to follow in nurturing the capability of the professional practice. The Sixth Value is Separating Personal Feelings from Professional Relationships (Sheafor & Morales, 1989). This value reminds the social worker that he should not allow personal feelings to intrude in a professional relationship, as this may make him over concerned or develop a biased prejudiced view about the client and his problem situation (http://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/17109/1/U nit-2.pdf). The social worker may have endured the same experiences and been in a resembling social circumstances in his personal life. Further, it is possible that the social worker might relate these situations to the present client and may lose his objectivity needed for social work intervention. As a result, he must be vigilant about any of his personal feelings are affecting thereby evoking strong emotional response in his professional relationship. The Seventh Value assumes High Standards of Personal and Professional Conduct (Sheafor & Morales, 1989). It accentuates that the conduct of the social worker should be commendable and exemplary at both personal and professional levels. As a professional, he should follow the Code of Ethics for Social Work Practitioners. The achievement of any profession depends on the virtuousness and character of the professionals actively engaged in a specified career or way of life. In social work practice situations, clients come with a number of fears, indecision, skepticism and distrust about everything around them. They have to profess a number of confidential and emotional information and ardent emotional information and hope a lot of trust from the social worker. Revealing the confidential information callously or making fun of the client’s precarious situation and plight or degradingly looking down upon client does great damage and harm. Albeit his personal behavior outside practice hours should not only be satisfactory to people but should also boost him respectability and worthy of respect. The social worker is estimable member of society and he should not gratify in any conduct or attitude which is considered wrong or rejected by society. Consequently, it is significant that a social worker be a person of high integrity, morale and of high ethical conduct. PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL WORK Social Work is based on respect for the inherent worth and dignity of all people and it is cultivated by altruistic and democratic principles. Friedlander (1958) and Biestek (1957) as cited by Mendoza (2002) indicated seven principles adhered by social workers including the following: Social Work is based on respect for the inherent worth and dignity of all people and it is cultivated by altruistic and democratic principles. Friedlander (1958) and Biestek (1957) as cited by Mendoza (2002) indicated seven principles adhered by social workers including the following: 1. Acceptance - Respecting clients under different circumstances - Understanding the meaning and causes of client’s behavior. - Manifests warmth, interest and concern about the client and her/his situation. - Recognizing the individual or people’s strengths and potentials, weaknesses, and limitations. Sometimes, the personal experiences of the worker may come in the way of accepting the client. For example, a worker who was abused by his alcoholic father during his/her childhood may find it difficult to accept an alcoholic client who has come for help in restoring his/her family relationships. In this case, the social worker should not be influenced by his childhood experience of being abused by his alcoholic father whom he hated and rejected or show hostility or indifference towards the client. Mutual acceptance is the beginning of the process of establishing a strong professional relationship towards working out a solution to the client’s social dysfunctioning (http://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/17109/ 1/Unit-2.pdf). 2. Client’s participation in problem-solving - Client is expected to participate in the process. - Gathers information in defining the nature of the problem - Participates in planning ways in resolving such problems - Identifying resources to solve - Act through the help of different available resources. 3. Self-Determination - The idea behind this principle is that the clients-individuals, groups, or communities) who are in need have the right to determine their needs and how they should be met. Every individual has the right to assess what is good for him and decide that ways and means to realize it. It emphasizes that the social worker should not impose decisions or solutions on the client simply because the client has come to him for help. No doubt, the client has come to social worker because he could not solve the problem by himself. The social worker should support and guide the client to develop insights into his social situation in the correct perspective and encourage and involve him to take decisions that are good and acceptable to him. In this way, the client is helped not only to realize his potentialities but also to fell independent and like a person with worth and dignity. (http://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/17109/1 /Unit-2.pdf) 4. Individualization - Recognizing and understanding the client’s own unique characteristics and using different principles and methods for each client. - No two clients are exactly alike - Social interventions differ for each client considering their unique qualities and situations. 5. Confidentiality - Client should be accorded with appropriate projection, within the limits of the law, with no any harm that might result from the information given to the social worker - The client should be assured that what he or she divulges will be kept in confidence. - Moreover, confidentiality entails privacy. 6. Worker self-awareness - Social worker is conscious about her/his role in making use of her/his professional relationship with the client in a way that will enhance the client’s development rather than his/her own. - The social worker consciously examines her/his feelings, judgments, biases and responses whether these are professionally motivated. 7. Client-worker relationship - The purpose of client-worker relationship is to help the client in some area of his/her social functioning in which, at the present he or she is experiencing some difficulty, and where the worker is in the position to offer help. The principle reminds the social worker that while dealing with the client it is to be kept in mind that the worker is not dealing with an inanimate object or inferior being. (http://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/17109/1/Unit- 2.pdf) Each individual responds and reacts to the same stimuli in a different manner and gets into or get out of different challenges, problem and trouble situations in different ways. Thank You! I hope you can get useful knowledge from this presentation. Good luck!