Nature and Philosophy of Social Work

a. Definition
“Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes
social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of
people”
Philosophical base of social work:
SOCIAL WORK PHILOSOPHY base on the belief that man has worth and dignity.

b. Objectives of social work practice

Objectives of social work in the words of Professor “Clark” are
1. To help people, make such use of their own capacities and of environmental resources as well
which result in personal satisfaction and adjustment.
2. To help in the modification of the environment so that people will have few personal and
social problems.
According to “Professor Freid Lander” Social work seeks to assist individuals, group and
community to reach the highest possible degree of social, mental and physical well beings live
Emerging objectives of Social Work
1. Material Security Through economic & political organization that will assure every
individual & every family the means of satisfying basic material needs.
2. Emotional Security Through personal & social adjustment.
3. Social Achievement Through collective effort.
4. Spiritual Power Through philosophical or religious thoughts

c. Basic principles of social work

1. Principles of Acceptance:
Social work accepts the individual as he or she is with all his/her limitations. Social work
believes that acceptance is the crux of all help. Social worker does not condemn or feel hostile
towards a client because his behavior differs from the approved one. The principle of acceptance
implies that social worker must perceive, acknowledge, receive and establish a relationship with
the individual client as he actually is, not as social worker wishes him to be or think he should
be.

2. Principle of Individualization:-
Social work believes in the uniqueness of individual. Each individual is different from that of
every other individual nature. As we know that individual is unique as his thumb print. The
social worker views the problem of each client as specific and helps the client move forward
finding the most satisfactory means for client to deal with particular problem situation.

Principle of Communications:-
Communication is a two way process, most of the problem that give pain are precisely the
problem of communication. When the communication is inadequate or insufficient the problems
occurs either automatically or because of misunderstanding. The social worker should have
enough skills to grasp the communication. The proper communication is crucial in social work
relationship because the background of the client and worker may be different, the mental status
of the client and the worker may vary. Therefore the social worker should make all the efforts to
see that communication between him and client is proper. The client should be made feel
comfortable and at ease to express his thoughts feelings and facts.

Principle of Confidentiality:-
Social work believes that during the professional help between the client and social worker,
client have the right of personal information about themselves in relationship with a social
agency. The principle believes that confidential things of the client must be kept confidential
and other agencies and individual & should be consulted only with the clients consent.
 Principle of Self Determination:-
The principle emphasizes client’s right to self-determination. Every individual client has the
right to decide what is appropriate for him and decides the ways and means to realize it. In other
words, social worker should not force decisions or solutions on the clients because the client has
come to him for help. Therefore, social worker should support and guide the client to develop
insight into his social situations in correct perspective and encourage and involve him to like
decisions that are good and acceptable to him.

Principle of Non-judgmental Attitude:-

Principle of non-judgmental attitude presumes that the social worker should begin the
professional relationship without any bias. He should not form opinion about the client, good or
bad, worthy or unworthy. He has to treat the client as somebody who has come to him for help
and he should be willing to help the client without being influenced by the opinions of other
about the client or his situation. This enables the worker and the client feel free to develop
understanding of each other.

Principle of Controlled Emotional Involvement:-

This principle guides social work professional not to indulge too much personally in the client's
difficult situation or being too objective. Therefore the social worker should maintain a
reasonable emotional distance even while sympathizing with the client social worker should
indicate the understanding of the difficult situations of the client without showing pity or
appearing to be indifference.

d. Professional and voluntary social work

 Voluntary work could be extended to an individual too, but when it addresses the needs
of a community at large, it is referred to as voluntary social work
 Professional work instead implies all that is done for a profit and for admission of skill
and core competency areas
 The professional and voluntary workers are both driven by the incessant urge to
contribute positively to society.
 Both the spheres of influence encompass humanity at large.
 Both forms of social work include doing some sort of work that benefits the society.
 It could be anything from taking care of the elderly in old folks' homes, to work next to
underprivileged school children and their families
 Professional social work is done by those who do it for a living, and usually follow the
same 8-hour work day, or 40 hour work week calendar like other professionals in other
fields of work.
 Professional social workers are required to be trained and qualified for the work they do
surrounded by the community, such as teaching, etc.
 Professional social workers are paid, just approaching regular working people, for the job
they do.
 Voluntary social workers, on the other hand, usually work on an unpaid basis
 They do similar work, and as a whole the work benefits society, but they don't normally
treat the work as a 9 to 5 undertaking.
 They don't get paid for the work they do
 They are also usually not required to be qualified to do the work which they are assigned
 Voluntary social work is an association of people or a single person who is willing to
work for the sake of other populace free of salary.
1. Islam and Social Work
Allah says in the Glorious Qur’an:

” Whoever comes (at Judgement) with a good deed will have better than it, and they, from
the terror of that day, will be safe.” (Surah An-Naml, 27:89)

“He that does good shall have ten times as much to his credit ” (Surah Al An’am, 6:160)
 “Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good see it!” (Surah Al-Zilzal, 99:7)

Allah repeatedly instructs as in the Glorious Qur’an to behave kindly, to give charity, to
serve the poor, the orphans, and the needy. While the Qur’an condemns hoarders and
misers, it also prohibits ill-treating and threatening the poor and the needy
1. Islamic concept of social welfare and professional social work.
When professionals administer social services with the support of the community at large it
would help all of us to fulfill our social responsibility as believers
1. Duty — as a believer
2. True righteousness
3. Love of Allah
The Prophet Mohammad said, One Hadith states that Abu Hurairah related: The Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) said
“Whosoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the
grieves on the Day of Judgment. Whosoever alleviates [the] lot of a destitute person, Allah will
alleviate his lot in this world and the next. Whosoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah
will conceal his faults in this world and the next. Allah will aid a servant (of His) so long as the
servant aids his brother”
2. Worth and dignity of individual.
Islam is a religion that aims to ascertain, uplift and sustain the honor and dignity of man. In
Islam, man is God's vicegerent on earth. Every terrestrial component has been created for the
purpose of accommodating and facilitating the fulfillment of man's noble mission of
vicegerency.
 Islamic teachings on humanity and human welfare have been codified in its central
religious book known as the Quran, which the Muslims believe was revealed by God for
the mankind.
 The inherent dignity of man is the foundation of human rights and human rights
instruments have emphasized that all human rights are derived from the inherent dignity
of the human person.
 All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with
reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

3. Rights and responsibilities of individuals in Islamic Society.

• The individual members of society should work together
• Embraces all the needs of the society and its members
• Extends to humanity
• Mutual responsibility
• Parents’ Rights
• Rights towards children
• Justice and Tolerance
4. Social relationship in Islam i.e. Family, Neighborhood, Mosque.
The Neighbor:
The right of the neighbor is close [in importance] to the right of kin. A Muslim and a non-
Muslim neighbor are equal in this right because the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) established
the right of the non-Muslim neighbor
The Family:
 The most serious type of severing the ties is causing distress to the parents whom
Almighty Allah has enjoined kindness and compassion.
 Among the qualities of a good wife is refraining from harassing, hurting, and irritating
her husband. Among the qualities of a good husband is refraining from harassing,
hurting, and irritating his wife.

. Methods of Social Work

PRIMARY METHODS
I. Social Casework
SOCIAL CASE WORK (Working with Individual child and adult)
Social Case Work is one of the basic methods of professional social work which is concerned to help and
assist individuals, in finding solutions to their problems.
a) Definition and description of social case work
Social Work has been defined by:-
M. Richmond in 1917 defined social casework “the art of bringing about better adjustment in social
relationships of individual, i.e. men, women and children”.
Social casework is a method of helping people solve problems. It is individualized, scientific, and
artistic. It helps individuals with personal as well as external and environmental matters. It is a method
of helping through a relationship that taps personal and other resources for coping with problems.

b) Elements/Components of social case work (person, problem, place, professional person and
process)
The components, which develop a social casework situation, are:
1.---------Person-------------- under stress
2.---------Problem------------situation effecting
3.---------Place---------------agency with resources
4.---------Professional-------skilled man with knowledge and practice
5.---------Process-------------an effort and a way towards solution
person
Any individual is not a person in social casework practice. The person is a man, women, child or
anyone with social-psychological and economical problems who finds or needs some help and
assistance in his social living. This person is known as a client. When a person fail or cannot cope with
his problems through his own effort and seeks social workers help is consider as a client.

Problem
Problem is a situation which arises from man’s surrounding obstacle and has attacked the adequacy
of his efforts to work effectively. According to Hussain & Alauddin –

“Problem in social casework means a stressful situation which has threatened or disturbed the
normal functioning of the client”

Problem of person can be social, psychological, physical, economical etc. Such problems of the client
originate from following sources
1. Economic dislocation.
2. Social dislocation.
3. Economic male adjustment.
4. Social male adjustment.
5. Inter-personal conflict.
6. Intra-familiar conflict.
7. Personality disturbance.

Place
Place refers to the agency through which the professional caseworker helps the client in his social
functioning.

Professional representative:
Professional representative means social caseworker. A caseworker should be skillful in establishing
relationship with the clients and find out the clients problem and solution.

“By social case worker is meant a professional person employed by a social agency who possess
knowledge, skills & techniques of social casework”

Process:
Process means a series of action. But in the social casework practice, process refers to a series of
action which are taken with a view to helping the clients and to solve the problems. In problem solving
process, there are five phases
1. Psycho-social study
2. Diagnosis
3. Treatment plan
4. Evaluation
5. Follow-up

c) Principles of social case work

The generic principles are classified into seven. These are-

Principle of acceptance:
Acceptance means consent to receive. Under this principle- a caseworker must be accept an individual
as a person of worth & dignity not treat as a problem person and always accept one’s positive &
negative feelings. When the client meets with the caseworker for the first time, he feels fear & anxieties
about the new person. For this reason, the caseworker should accept client friendly. So that he can
share his all problems. This mutual acceptance is called rapport. In the flow chart this rapport is-
Worker→Acceptance→Client

Principle of communication:
Communication means exchange of information. But in social casework practice, it is the exchange of
views & ideas, feelings & thoughts regarding the problems between client & social worker. By the
communication, a caseworker can realize & explain the client’s present situation.

Principle of participation:
Participation means to take part. In social casework practice, the caseworker & the client build up a
rapport for the solution of client’s problem. But this rapport depends on the active participation of the
client.

The primary goal of problem solving process also can possible through the active participation of the
client. It increases client’s self-determination, capacity of decision making regarding the different
elements of the stressful situation.

Principle of self-determination:

The principle of self-determination provides the right of freedom of the client in making his choice &
decision in the problem solving process with the help of case worker.

Principle of confidentiality:
Confidentiality means law of keeping secret. In social case work practice, confidentiality is-
→the preservation of secret information concerning the client.
→the basic right of the client.
→the ethical obligation of the client.
→ Necessary for effective casework practice.

Principle of individualization:
Individualization means analyze an individual not from a single aspect but from various aspects.
According to W.A.Friedlander-

“Individualization is the recognition & understanding of each client’s unique qualities & the
differential use of principles & methods in assisting each towards a better adjustment”

Under this principle, a caseworker-

 → Free from bias & prejudice.
→ keep knowledge of human behavior.
→ keep ability to listen & observe.
→ keep ability to move at the clients pace.
→ keep ability to enter the feelings of the client.
Essentials of individualization are-
→ Preparation of interview.
→ Privacy of interview.
→ encouraging the client.
→ Language & Flexibility.

Principle of self-awareness:
The principle of self-awareness requires that the caseworker should be aware of his own self, his
strength & weakness. It is important
→ to know oneself

→ To assess one’s strength & weakness.

→ To understand the feelings of others.

d) Phases/steps in social case work

Stages and phases of Case work
1. Intake phase
2. Study phase
3. Assessment phase
4. Treatment phase
5. Evaluation and monitoring phase
6. Follow up and termination phase

e) Fields of application of social case work practice

1. Working with individuals.
2. Working with Family.
3. Hospitals.
4. Schools.
5. Residential Institutions.
6. Organizations working with Victims of disasters.
7. Organizations working with Women.

f) Role of Professional worker in case work practice

“Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put into the action that we
do.” —Mother Teresa
Broker
The social worker is involved in the process of making referrals to link a family or person to needed
resources. Social work professionals do not simply provide information. They also follow up to be sure
the needed resources are attained. This requires knowing resources, eligibility requirements, fees and
the location of services.
Advocate
In this role, social workers fight for the rights of others and work to obtain needed resources by
convincing others of the legitimate needs and rights of members of society. Social workers are
particularly concerned for those who are vulnerable or are unable to speak up for themselves.
Advocacy can occur on the local, county, state or national level. Some social workers are involved in
international human rights and advocacy for those in need.
Case Manager
Case managers are involved in locating services and assisting their clients to access those services.
Case management is especially important for complex situations and for those who are homeless or
elderly, have chronic physical or mental health issues, are disabled, victims of domestic or other violent
crimes, or are vulnerable children.
Educator
Social Workers are often involved in teaching people about resources and how to develop particular
skills such as budgeting, the caring discipline of children, effective communication, the meaning of a
medical diagnosis, and the prevention of violence.
Facilitator
In this role, social workers are involved in gathering groups of people together for a variety of purposes
including community development, self-advocacy, political organization, and policy change. Social
workers are involved as group therapists and task group leaders.
Organizer
Social Workers are involved in many levels of community organization and action including economic
development, union organization, and research and policy specialists.
Manager
Social Workers, because of their expertise in a wide variety of applications, are well suited to work as
managers and supervisors in almost any setting. As managers, they are better able to influence policy
change and/or development, and to advocate, on a larger scale, for all underprivileged people.

ii. Social Group work

Social group work is a method of social work that helps persons to enhance their social functioning
through purposeful group experiences and to cope more effectively with their personal, group or
community problems.
Social group work, is a primary modality of social work in bringing about positive change, it is defined
as an educational process emphasizing the development and social adjustment of an individual through
voluntary association and use of this association as a means of furthering socially desirable end.
a) Definition and description of social group
A social group is defined as:
“When two or more individuals come together and influence one another, they may be called a social
group”
“Social group is a group of two or more persons who are in state of interaction with one another”.
b) Types of social groups (primary and secondary, formal
and informal groups)
Primary Group
The concept of Primary Group is given by C.H Cooley. Primary groups have following characteristics:
There is face-to-face interaction among its members.
. There are frequent interactions among its members.
. The relations among the members are too personal, intimate and intense.
. There is a sense of ‘we-feeling’ in the members.
. The members possess similar background attributes such as language, interests, culture, religion etc.
. There is physical proximity among the members.
. These groups are smaller in size.
Examples: Family, Neighborhood, Local brotherhood, Close friends and peers.
Primary groups have a great importance. For instance, the family provides food, shelter and care to a
kid. An individual learns his culture and develops a healthy personality within his primary groups to
become a productive citizen of the society.
Secondary Group
The concept of Secondary Group is given by Maciver. Secondary groups have following
characteristics:
. The group is formed by relations secondary to the primary group.
. There is comparatively less face-to-face interaction.
. There is comparatively less frequent interaction.
. The relations among the members are impersonal and secondary. These relations are relatively less
personal, less intimate and less intense.
. The members have specific aims or interest to achieve.
.There is less physical proximity among the members.
. These groups are larger in size.
Examples: A shopkeeper-customer relation, A doctor-patient relation, An advocate-client relation, A
teacher- student relation, A candidate-voter relation.

There are two types of social groups on the basis of rules and regulations: Formal and Informal
Group.

Formal Group
It is a group that has well-defined rules and regulation for joining the group, staying in the group and
leaving the group. Those, who fulfill these rules and regulations, can join and engage in the activities of
the group. The membership can be canceled if the member violates the rules. The examples include
organizations, banks, hospitals, educational institutions, official associations and firms and so on.

Informal Group
It is a group which has prescribed rules and regulation for joining the group, staying in the group and
leaving the group. Any person can join the group, participate in it and leave it whenever he wants. For
example, a group of students sitting in playground and gossiping with one another. Any other classmate
can come and join it. Other examples include: People gathered to see a Joker in a public place, informal
clubs and associations.

c) Stages of group development

Orientation (Forming Stage)
The first stage of group development is the forming stage. This stage presents a time where the group is
just starting to come together and is described with anxiety and uncertainty.
At this stage, group members are learning what to do, how the group is going to operate, what is
expected, and what is acceptable.
Power Struggle (Storming Stage)
The second stage of group development is the storming stage. The storming stage is where dispute and
competition are at its greatest because now group members have an understanding of the work and a
general feel of belongingness towards the group as well as the group members.
This is the stage where the dominating group members emerge, while the less confrontational members
stay in their comfort zone.
Cooperation and Integration (Norming Stage)
In this stage, the group becomes fun and enjoyable. Group interaction are lot more easier, more
cooperative, and productive, with weighed give and take, open communication, bonding, and mutual
respect.
If there is a dispute or disruption, it’s comparatively easy to be resolved and the group gets back on
track.
Synergy (Performing Stage)
Once a group is clear about its needs, it can move forward to the third stage of group development, the
norming stage. This is the time where the group becomes really united.
At this stage, the morale is high as group members actively acknowledge the talents, skills and
experience that each member brings to the group.
Closure (Adjourning Stage)
This stage of a group can be confusing and is usually reached when the task is successfully completed.
At this stage, the project is coming to an end and the team members are moving off in different
directions.

d) Definition of social group work and its philosophy

Social group work as the name suggests, is working as a group and it is one among the six approaches
in social work. Social group work is carried out in the presence of a group worker whose primary role
is to be a facilitator or an enabler who is usually a counselor or a psychotherapist. His main objective is
to help individuals in a therapeutic group to achieve their goals and individual development through
cooperative learning. Social groups are often voluntary in nature and one big advantage of social group
work is the enhanced outcome of the activity
e) Objectives of social group work
Social group work has many objectives to help the individuals of the groups and community. The
following are some of them
 to teach the individuals to live and work together and to participate in the activities of a group for
their intellectual, emotional and psychological solve problems of adjustment by developing personality
of individuals through group process.
 To give opportunity to those who have potentialities of leadership.
 To make the best use of leisure time of the people.
 To learn the division of Labor and specialization of roles.
 Group therapy helps patients who are in need of physical, mental and emotional adjustment.
 To prepare the people for social change.
 To transmit knowledge, experience and skill to one another.
 To encourage the individual as member of the group to express their feelings, ideas and desires.
 To reduce isolation.
 To create group feelings and sense of belongings in the members of the group.
 To establish social relationship among them.
f) Components of social group work (group, agency, and
group worker)

g) Principles of social group work

Douglus &Tom has mentioned 14 Principles of Social Group Work
1. Recognition and subsequent action in relation to the unique difference of each individual
2. Recognition and subsequent action in relation to the wide variety of groups as groups
3. Genuine acceptance of each individual with his unique strengths and weaknesses
4. Establishment of a purposeful relationship between group worker and group member
5. Encouragement and enabling of help and co-operative relationships between members
6. Appropriate modification of group process
7. Encouragement of each member to participate according to the stage of his capacity and
enabling him to become more capable
8. Enabling members to involve themselves in the process of problem solving
9. Enabling group members to experience increasingly satisfactory forms of working through
conflicts
10. Provision of opportunities for new and differing experience in relationship and
accomplishments
11. Judicious use of limitations related to the diagnostic assessment of each individual and
the total situation
12. Purposeful and differential use of program according to diagnostic evaluation of
individual members, group purpose and appropriate goals

h) Fields of application of group work practice

FAMILY SERVICES
Social workers provide support services for families to enhance family functioning. Examples of
services include counseling, family therapy, and family life education

CHILDREN SERVICES
Child welfare workers practice in family-based services that address children, youth and families. A
social worker in this field may counsel children and youth who have problems or have difficulty
adjusting socially. She/he may work to protect or intervene on their behalf when they are abused or
neglected. Child welfare may advise foster care in cases where parents cannot or will not protect and/or
provide for their children. Social Workers will then work with the courts to find adoptive homes for
children.

PUBLIC WELFARE
Social work in public welfare entails administration, implementation, monitoring, and program
evaluation of the public welfare system. Social workers provide information on how to apply for public
assistance and other benefits, review eligibility requirements, and arrange for services. They also train
and supervise staff while setting and evaluating standards and criteria for service delivery.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
There are numerous opportunities for social workers in community development programs and projects
that are designed to provide community, professional and volunteer services. This is an area of
employment that is expanding as greater responsibility for human services programs that are assumed
by cities, towns, communities, neighborhoods, and local organizations. Social workers participate in
establishing and operating such services as homeless shelters, youth activities, free lunch programs,
and services for homebound elderly and persons with disabilities

INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL WORK

International Social Work involves direct services in child welfare, family planning, health and mental
health, international adoptions, human rights advocacy, and refugee programs through relief and
international organizations. Social workers also assist governments in developing delivery systems and
training programs. They provide technical assistance and are involved in research
projects. International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Red Cross, the
United Nations, and numerous non-government organizations employ social workers

ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

Administration and management are areas in which social workers utilize their training. Social workers
help formulate policy, evaluate and design programs, develop budgets, direct personnel, determine
resource allocation, develop public relations plans and set goals.

PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS

Social workers are hired by public interest groups to help develop policy. This work entails analyzing
legislation, drafting position papers, testifying at hearings, working with the media, and lobbying
elected and appointed officials. In this capacity, they usually write grants or conduct demonstration
work.

I) Role of professional worker in-group work practice

Social work with groups has played an important role in transforming the way we think about clients
and about the helping process

iii. Community Development

Social work and community development have always been uneasy bedfellows. On one hand,
community development is seen as one of the tools used by social workers working in community
settings, and it is recognized as a skilled practice within social work education. On the other hand,
community development is a discipline in its own right with its own values, theory and practice history,
and/or it is associated with other disciplines that are wide-ranging in scope, from citizen scientists to
health settings, Sociology and Geography to name a few.
a) Definition and description of community
 Community social workers help communities function. Some work directly with individuals,
conducting needs assessments and making referrals to resources in the community. Others
assess needs on a larger scale. They may plan and administer programs.

• Working with the community requires the generalist practitioner to be able to assess
community functioning and design specific intervention techniques.
• The two major arenas for community organization practice are community organizations
and the community itself.
main areas:
• Health
• Welfare
• Recreation

b) Definition of community organization and development

Definition

Community organizing and development is a process by which a community empowers itself by

working to identify its needs and to resolve its problems in a collective manner. This process develops
the confidence and capability of community members to organize themselves. The processes involved
in CBCRM are best facilitated through effective community organizing work.

Purpose
To enable communities become more aware of their situation and their environment and to realize
their collective abilities and responsibility to manage themselves and their environment in a sustainable
manner.

To provide opportunity for participation of men and women in decisions and actions that will affect
their lives, thus developing a sense of ownership and collective responsibility for such decisions and
actions.
 To strengthen community capacity to access internal and external funds to support viable and
sustainable socio- economic projects.

To enable a community to link and form alliances for advocacy and technology sharing.

To build and sustain permanent organizational structures for resource management.

c) Objectives of Community Development

The community development program has for its objectives economic development, social change and
democratic growth. These three objectives are to be promoted jointly and in such a manner that they
support one another. the objective behind the community development program is to develop the
resources of the people and to assist each community in planning and carrying out the integrated
production. Like this, the major objectives of this project are:

1. To change the outlook of all community people.

2. To improve existing community crafts and industries and organizing new ones, providing
minimum essential health services and improving health practices.
3. Providing required educational facilities for children and adults as well as recreational facilities.
4. Improving housing and family living conditions of community.
5. To develop a responsive community leadership, organization and institutions.
6. To develop community people so that they become self-reliant and responsible citizens.
7. To help people that they can increase their income and quality of life.
8. Organizing or arranging trainings for voluntary local leaders like members of advisory
committees etc.

d) Phases/steps in community development (study of monitoring and evaluation)

The following are the seven stages in the development of a community.
1. Orientation
2. In/out
3. Up/down
4. Conflict
5. Cohesion
6. Faith Sharing
7. Near/Far
8. Termination
First Stage—Orientation
The orientation stage is the initial stage in the life of every community. When a group is formed to
begin a course or a new team is appointed to continue a ministry, the members enter the orientation
stage of the group’s life. When a community adds a new member or loses a current member, it
becomes, in fact, a new community
The most successful way is to clarify the goals of the group, expectations from the group and the norms
guiding the group life. The clearer the goals, mutual expectations and norms of life in the group, the
more comfortable will be the members in the group.
Second Stage—In/Out: Acceptance
As the group settles, there is a sense of belonging that bonds the members . Some members easily feel
part of the group when they are familiar with the place or significant people in the group. some may
feel not yet integrated into the group and may experience a sense of alienation.
It is important to listen to the frustrations of those who experience a sense of alienation and help them
to find a place “in” the group.

Third Stage—Up/Down: Competition

In the third stage the predominant need is for esteem, both self-esteem and the esteem of others. It is a
stage of competition and striving to prove one’s worth and importance in the group. Unconsciously
people tend to value the importance of others based on their qualities and performance.
Leaders should refrain from comparing the members or their performances.
 Fourth Stage—Conflict
Regardless of all the positive steps taken by the community, the group will still experience conflict.
Conflict is an inevitable stage in the life of every community, and religious communities are no ex-
ception. Conflict naturally arises out of the manifold differences of attitudes, values, needs,
expectations, perceptions, traditions, cultures, personality styles present among the individual members
who constitute the group.
In order to build effective, life-giving communities there must be a willingness to grow through
conflict. This choice demands a concrete act of the will, since the natural inclination is to avoid it. After
the conflict, substantial energy will be directed toward fostering the process of forgiveness.
Fifth Stage—Cohesion
A community achieves the spirit of unity, peace, and cohesion only after it has engaged in conflict.
Avoidance of conflict prevents genuine growth of the community. It is the very struggle with conflict
that creates the condition where the community begins to sense togetherness and cohesion.
The stage of cohesion is a very productive time in the life of the community. The climate of trust
allows community members to engage in common endeavors with generosity and to take greater risks
with each other.
Sixth Stage—Faith-Sharing
Faith-sharing demands a climate of trust. The members have to believe they can trust others with the
most personal, intimate, and sacred part of themselves, their faith life and experiences.
Two things are necessary for the successful movement through this stage: sufficient trust to allow
people to risk the sharing of their faith journey and the leaders’ willingness to model for the group by
sharing their own faith story.
Seventh Stage—Near/Far
Every community ultimately must deal with the question, “How close and intimate do I really want to
become with these people?” The near/far stage is the stage when the community struggles with the
issue of intimacy. Given the fact that many people enter communities to achieve intimacy, it may be a
disappointment to find that intimacy in community is not achieved until many previous stages have
been successfully navigated.
There may be members who, while desiring a high level of intimacy in community, experience
constant frustration.
Eighth Stage—Termination
While conflict is typically the most difficult stage, termination is the second most difficult.
Termination, as we will be using the term, covers a wide range of experiences that are associated with
endings, e.g., separation, transition, loss, and actual termination

e) Principles of community development

 Promote active and representative citizen participation so that community members can
meaningfully influence decisions that affect their situation.

 Engage community members in problem diagnosis so that those affected may adequately
understand the causes of their situation.

 Help community members understand the economic, social, political, environmental, and
psychological impact associated with alternative solutions to the problem.

 Assist community members in designing and implementing a plan to solve agreed upon
problems by emphasizing shared leadership and active citizen participation.

 Seek alternatives to any effort that is likely to adversely affect the disadvantaged segments of a
community.

 Actively work to increase leadership capacity, skills, confidence, and aspirations in the
community development process.

 Step 1:Identify Problem

Both formal and informal methods may be used to identify community issues, capacities and
needs.
  Step 2: Identify Stakeholders

Engage the community/organizational stakeholders. Involve citizens who are experiencing the
problem/issue.

 Step 3: Identify Strategies

Engage community in discussion of issues, and identify possible alternatives to address concerns
research alternatives

 Step 4: Identify Resources

Select appropriate strategy. Identify local in-kind and cash resources to link with other resources
to implement a specific program strategy with the community.

 Step 5: Implement

In cooperation with the community implement the strategy with an emphasis on shared
leadership and collaboration.

 Step 6: Evaluate

Through formative and summative evaluations assess the program impacts on the target
audience and others to determine if the stated goals and objectives are met.

f) Role of professional worker in community

A role might be defined as a work function which encapsulates a particular approach or set of tasks
which others can reasonably expect the worker to perform. The community worker has a variety of
roles, which can be broadly categorised into five main functions: organiser, advocate, challenger,
developer and supporter. These can be arranged on a continuum from directive intervention to an
active, but nondirective approach. The role which the worker plays on any occasion depends on a
range of factors in the situation, but most importantly on how she can help other people to get things
done.
ORGANISER
In the initial stages of helping a group to set up, the community worker might adopt the rather
directive role of organiser, taking on responsibility for getting things started by arranging meetings,
sending out publicity, organising positive action measures, such as childcare and interpreting
arrangements.
Often community workers will do much of the "behind the scenes" organisation for a group, following
up contacts, undertaking administrative tasks, such as book-keeping, servicing meetings, producing a
newsletter or generally ensuring that the group members maintain contact with one another.
ADVOCATE
This should be a rare role for community workers, whose aim is usually to enable people to speak for
themselves and develop a collective voice in negotiating situations. Sometimes, however, there are
constraints or pressures which justify the worker speaking on behalf of others to argue for a position
based on a degree of consultation and consensus. Circumstances which might support this option might
be lack of time in the decision-making process before the people affected by a decision have had time
to gain the confidence and skills to articulate their own views in what might be an intimidating forum.
Or there might be access issues, which cannot be overcome with the time and resources currently
available. This may particularly affect work with disabled people or people whose first language is not
English.
The worker should be careful in the role of advocate that they do not go beyond their mandate to
represent the views of others.

CHALLENGER
One of the chief purposes of community work is to change things, particularly to question and combat
current inequalities in the distribution of power and resources. The worker therefore sometimes has a
role to play in challenging prejudices, practices or policies which have the affect of discriminating
against some sections of society.
People often hold attitudes and assumptions about themselves and others which perpetuate
disadvantage and oppression. These might be expressed through language which is offensive or
through hostile or patronising behaviour. The community worker should challenge these (and enable
others to do so for themselves) in a variety of ways, including humour, private discussion, open debate,
policy proposals and modelling anti-oppressive practices. In adopting this
Role, the worker must also be prepared to deal with any conflicts, resentment or feelings of
disempowerment that result and to recognise that the role of challenger can be both uncomfortable and
controversial.

DEVELOPER

However, the community worker should usually be trying to move their professional relationship with
users to be more that of developer. The key aspect to this role is that the worker is enabling the people
she is working with to acquire new capabilities and to enhance their existing skills, knowledge and
understanding.
This process might be through encouraging people to share these with others in the group, learning
through role play or observation or through more formal training opportunities. Often this involves
working closely alongside individual members of a group on a particular task, giving practical advice,
support and feedback so that they eventually feel confident to perform the task on their own. Informal
discussions or workshops also provide opportunities for people to share and develop their knowledge
by reflecting on their own experience and gaining information on specific areas on public life (such as
the workings of local government).
SUPPORTER
This role involves more interpersonal methods of working, such as counselling, advising, building self-
esteem and generally encouraging people to work through difficult situations. It might include talking
through an idea or a problem with an individual or group, listening to someone's grievances, staying in
touch with a member of a group who is experiencing difficulties in their life and not able to attend
regularly, being a friendly and accessible point of contact between people in the community and your
employing organisation or simply ensuring that people can make use of facilities and resources that
they need in their work (such as use of a telephone, photocopier or meeting space.)
When in the role of supporter, contact between the worker and community users will normally be on
the initiative and terms of the user. As such the worker will not have specific goals other than to
provide emotional and practical support for the user in their chosen course of action.
SECONDARY METHODS
I) Social Research
Society is an organized group of persons associated together with shared objective, norms and values
pertain to the society. People have social life and social process. Research is systematic and organized
effort to investigate a specific problem that needs a solution. It contributes to the general body of
knowledge. It also corrects human knowledge
a) Definition and description of social research
Social research now can be defined as the systematic and objective analysis and recording of controlled
observations that may lead to the development of generalization, principles or theories resulting in
prediction and possibly ultimate control of events in society. It attempts to answer or solve social
problems
Objectives of social research
1. To facilitate the understanding of human behavior.
2. To acquire knowledge about social phenomena, events, issue, problems etc.
3. To identify functional relationship existing in the social phenomena.
4. To find out the natural laws that regulates or directs social phenomena.
5. To standardize the society concept, e.g. culture, struggle, generation gap, social distance etc.
6. To formulate solution to social problems.
7. To maintain social organization, remove social tension, misconception, etc.
8. To develop social revival plan
b) Phases/steps in social research
Phases of social research (S.R.)
Phases of social research consist of a series of steps necessary to efficiently carry out research on any
social phenomena. These actions are closely related. They can be overlapped.
1. Sensing or realizing problem: -
The first step in SR process is observing the situation and sensing problem. New problems keep
on emerging in the social environment. One should sense these development origins in the
environment. At this stage, one may not know exactly what is happening but one can definitely
sense that things are not going smoothly as they should be.
2. Problem identification:
Once one become aware of what is happening in the environment, he/she would then focus on
the problem. The researcher singles out the problem for the study, i.e. what exactly are the
problems in the situation. It is thus, problem-defining stage. Without a focused definition of
problem, data tends to be irrelevant, expensive and confusing. Research problem should be
specific.
3. Theoretical framework:
Once the problem is identified, the researcher carefully studies the earlier studies, if any which
are similar to the study in hand. It helps to integrate information locally so that reason for the
problem can be conceptualized. This helps to develop theoretical framework. This step
essentially involves a review of related literature. It familiarizes the researcher with what is
already known and what is still unknown and untested.
4. Hypothesis formulation:
After developing theoretical framework, the researcher develops hypothesis. It is drawn from the
theoretical framework. A hypothesis is a tentative answer to question. It is an educated guess. It
is generally based upon prior research. It is subjected to the process of verification or
disconfirmation. Hypothesis is conjectured relationship between two or more variables
expressed in the form of testable statements.
5. Research design:
It is the plan, structure and strategy for conducting research. It describes the general framework
for
collecting, analyzing and evaluating data. It helps to obtain answer to research questions and to
control variance. It enables the researcher to answer research questions to validity, objectively,
accurately and economically as possible. Design should be carefully worked out to yield
dependable and valid answer to the research questions.
6. Collection of data:
At this stage, the researcher has to collect data as expected. Data can be obtained from primary
source or secondary source. Questionnaire, interview, observation are major instruments to
 collect data. This step is also called fieldwork because researcher has to visit field for
administering the research instruments to collect data.
7. Data analysis:
It is statistical analysis that has been collected, edited, coded and tabulated. In other words, data
analysis means the categorizing, ordering, manipulating and summarizing of data to obtain
answer to research’s question. Its purpose is to reduce data to intelligible and interpretable form
so that elations of research problem can be studied and tested. Different statistical techniques are
used at this stage.
8. Interpretation and generalization:
Interpretation takes the result of data analysis, makes inference pertinent to the research relation
studied and draws conclusion about the relations. Generalization is the act of giving general
form to these conclusions.
9. Report preparation:
Finally the researcher has to prepare the report of his/her research. Its objective is to tell readers
the problems investigated, the method used to solve problems, result of the investigation and the
conclusion from the result.
c) Tools of data collection (questionnaire, interviewing schedule, Interview guide and
observation)
Data collection is an important step in social research. It is also known as field work. It involves
administrating the research tools to gather data. It connects link to the reality of the work for the
researchers. Data collection consists of taking ordered information from reality and transferring to
some recording systems so that social behavior can be understood and predicted.
1. Survey
A survey is a data collection method based on the study of a given population. It is a systematic
gathering of information from the people for the purpose of understanding or predicting some
aspect of their behavior. The survey method gathers data from a relatively large number of cases
at a particular time. It is not concerned with character of individuals. It is concerned with
generalized statistics that results when data are abstract from a number of individual cases. It is
essentially cross sectional. National population census is an example of survey. Survey data are
expressed in numbers or percentages.
2. Interview
It is a technique of primary data collection. It is an oral method in which one person asks
another person questions designed to obtain answer pertinent to the research problem. It is most
commonly used direct method in the study of human behavior. The interview is a face to face
interpersonal role situation in which one person asks another person being interviewed. The
respondent question designed to obtain answer pertinent to the purpose of the research problem.
The interview may be regarded as a systematic method by which one person enters more or less
imaginatively with the inner life of another who is generally a comparative stranger to him. The
purpose of interview is to find out what’s in or on someone else’s mind
3. Questionnaire
A questionnaire is a format list of questions designed to gather respondent from respondent on a
given topic. It is a formalized schedule for data collection. It is used when fractional information
is designed. When opinion rather than facts are desired, opinionnaire or attitude scale is used.
Questionnaire is a term used for almost any kind of instrument that has questions or items to
which individuals respond. A questionnaire is a list of questions to number of persons for them
to answer. It secures standardized results that can be tabulated created statistically.
Type of questionnaire
Open or open-ended question:
It calls for free response in the respondent’s own words. It requires the respondents to provide
their own answer to the question. No alternative answer is given.
Close or close-ended question:
It is also called restricted questionnaire. It offers the respondent choice among two or more
alternatives. Answer to each question is predetermined and included in the question form. The
respondents mark yes or no or write a short response or check an item form the list of suggest
response.
Observation
It is a method of gathering primary data physically or mechanically recording events or aspect of the
phenomenon under investigation. It involves recording of the respondents’ behavior. It is the process of
 recognizing noting people, objects
and occurrence of events rather than asking for information. It can supplement the information
collected through questionnaire and interview. Observation is the process of recognizing and recording
behavior of people, objects and events. Observation is systematic and deliberate study through eye, of
spontaneous
occurrence at the time they occur. Example: instead of asking consumer what brand they buy or what
television program they watch, the researcher arrange to observe what product are brought and what
program they watch.
Characteristics of good observations
 Observation should be carefully planned, systematic and perceptive. Observers should know
what they are looking for and what is irrelevant in a situation.
 It should focus on wholeness of what is observed. Observers should not only be alert to
significant details, they should also know that the whole is often greater than the sum of its
parts.
 It should be objective and bias-free. Observers should strive to eliminate their influence what
see and report.
 It should separate the facts from the interpretation of facts. Observers observe the facts and
make their interpretation at a later time.
 It should be checked and verified whenever possible by repetition or by comparison with those
of other competent observers.
 It should be carefully and expertly recorded. Observers use appropriate instruments to
systematize, qualify and preserve the result of their observations.
 Observations are collected in such a way that they are valid and reliable.

ii) Social Action, Policy and Administration

a) Definition and description of social welfare administration
Friedlander: “Social Welfare is the organized system of social services and institutions, designed to aid
individuals and groups to attain satisfying standard of life and health, and personal and social
relationships that permit them to develop their full capacities and to promote their well-being in
harmony with the needs of their families and the community.”
1. Social welfare policy is those statutes and policies that are directed to create positive change and
well-being at a broad social and community level.
2. A social welfare policy is a policy that can improve personal welfare. An example might be a
government benefits program.
Social Welfare Administrators can expect to work on any of the following tasks:
 Develop budgets
 Create community outreach programs
 Assess community/organizational social issues
 Educate the public on social issues and available programs
 Research the needs of various populations
 Evaluate the effectiveness of current programs
 Develop social work policies and regulations
 Identify areas lacking in support
 Manage community outreach initiatives
 Inspect agency operations and facilities to ensure standards are met
 Determine policies and define scope of service
 Establish and maintain relationships with other agencies to meet community need
 Write grants and manage fundraisers

b) Importance of social welfare administration in social work

Importance of social welfare administration in social work Social work profession involves
enhancing the social functioning of individuals and groups for which various methods are employed.
Case work, group work and community organization are considered as core methods. In addition social
welfare administration, social research and social action have developed subsequently as separate
methods which are found to be very effective in performing the social work role.
1. Social casework
2. Social group work
3. Community welfare organization
4. Social administration
5. Social work research
6. National development
7. Social casework
8. Community development/organization
Functions of welfare administration
1. Determining the purpose, goals, Aims of the Organization.
2. Establishing the structure of Organization.
3. During the work, selecting and developing the enable and adequate staff.
4. Working with committees.
5. Evaluating the whole outcome in relation to established purpose.
6. Providing financial administration.

iii) Social Action

In sociology, social action, also known as Weberian social action, refers to an act which takes into
account the actions and reactions of individuals.
According to Max Weber, "an Action is 'social' if the acting individual takes account of the behavior
of others and is thereby oriented in its course"

a) Definition and description of social action

Definitions of Social Action

According to Talcott Parsons a social action is a process in the actor-situation system which has
motivational significance to the individual actor or in the case of collectivity, its component
individuals.

According to Pareto sociology tries to study the logical and illogical aspects of actions. Every social
action has two aspects one is its reality and other is its form. Reality involves the actual existence of
the thing and the form is the way the phenomenon presents itself to the human mind. The first is called
the objective and the other is called subjective aspects.

Characteristics of social action

1. It has motivational significance
2. It has some aspects
3. It is a process in the actor-situation
4. Social action is not isolated
5. Has a meaningful understanding
So from the above definition we can say that social action refers to an act which takes into account the
actions and reactions of individuals

Types of Social Action

According to Max Weber social action like other social forms of action may be classified in the following
four types
1. Rational Action: In terms of rational orientation to a system of discrete individual ends
that is through expectations as to the behavior of objects in the external situation and of other
human individuals making use of these expectations as conditions or means for the successful
attainment of the actor’s own rationally chosen ends.
2. Evaluative Actions: In terms of rational orientation to an absolute value; involving a
conscious belief in the absolute value of some ethical, aesthetic, religious or other form of
behavior entirely for its own sake and independently of any prospects of external success.
3. Emotional Actions: In terms of effectual orientation especially emotional determined by
the specific affects and state of feeling of the actors.
4. Traditional Actions: Traditionally oriented through the habituation of long practice.

b) Importance of social action in social welfare

Examples of Social Action in Sociology
1. When the passengers collectively push the bus to get it started it is called social action.
2. A big log needs a number of persons for its removal from one place to another. The persons
applying force collectively perform it.
3. The people build a dam around a village to save it from floods.
4. A leader of a village gets the people motivated towards building a mosque. The people collect
contribution and the mosque is built.
5. The farmers help one another in farming.
6. You help a needy student in his studies.
7. You help the patients.
8. Canvassing during elections and .casting vote
9. A teacher teaching his students in class
10. Delivering speech, raising slogans, leading a procession and holding out banners.

OBJECTIVE OF SOCIAL ACTION

1. The objective of social action is the proper shaping and development of
2. socio-cultural environment in which a richer and fuller life may be
3. Possible for all the citizens. Mishra (1992) has identified following goals
4. of social action:
5. 1) Prevention of needs;
6. 2) Solution of mass problems;
7. 3) Improvement in mass conditions;
8. 4) Influencing institutions, policies and practices;
9. 5) Introduction of new mechanisms or programs;
10. 6) Redistribution of power and resources (human, Decision-making ;)
11. 8) Effect on thought and action structure; and
12. 9) Improvement in health, education and welfare.

CONCLUSION

Social action is a secondary method of professional social work. It is used for mobilizing
masses in order to bring about structural changes. In the social system or to prevent negative
changes. Certain social problems like ecological balancing, bonded labor, child labor, women
empowerment, substance abuse, etc., can be tackled through social action.
• The primary objective of social action is to bring about solutions to mass problems, improve
mass conditions and redistribute power and resources (human, material and moral).

4. Fields/Area of Social Work

a) School social work
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.
 A school social worker provides counseling and psycho-social services to children and
adolescents in schools at both micro and macro levels.
 Social workers work as mental health experts, leaders of social and emotional development
within the school community, family-school liaisons, and program development experts.
 They aim to address student issues by working with an ecological, systems approach with
parents, the school, and the community.
 They also work with crisis intervention, group treatment, child neglect and abuse identification
and reporting, integrating services to culturally and economically diverse populations, and
working on education policy issues.
 Most school social workers in the United States hold a Master of Social Work degree and have
specialized training in helping students within the context of local schools.
 Advocating for student services and students’ best interests;
 Providing case management services including, but not limited to, referrals to community
resources, collaboration with other professionals;
 Providing trainings and workshops to teachers, school staff and parents;
 Conducting home visits;
  Identifying and resolving ethical issues;
 Managing and supervising staff;

b) Medical social work
Medical social workers specialize in public health, geriatric, palliative, and inpatient medical or
mental health care. They work in hospitals or other specialized medical settings like nursing
homes, rehabilitative care centers, or related home-care services (i.e. hospice).
Acute Care
Emotional, mental, social and environmental factors may impact on an individuals recovery or
stay in the hospital. Medical Social Workers may become involved in a patients care for a
variety of reasons, including:
 Counseling with individuals that are experiencing difficulty coping with a diagnosis,
prognosis, physical illness, grief issues, etc.
 Supporting individuals and families in the Palliative Care Program Screening individuals
for referrals to Mental Health and Addiction Services
 Working with hospital staff to address psychological or social concerns that may impact
on the patient’s health care needs
 Discharge Planning—assisting in discharges from Acute Care to the community, a Long
Term Care Facility, Personal Care Home, or other care home
 Contact with spiritual care resources with individual consent
 Helping individuals access financial support programs primarily related to health benefits
 Involvement as a patient advocate or representative
 Participation in Case Conferences/ Family Meetings related to patient care
 Suicide risk assessment and support
 Working with suspected cases of abuse or domestic violence (i.e. child abuse, spousal
abuse/domestic violence and elder abuse)
 Long Term Care—Regional
The Medical Social Worker acts as a resident/family advocate while providing support
services to residents and their families. These services may include:
 Pre-admission facility tours
 Assistance with completion of the applications for Respite/Long Term Care
 Admission process
 Counseling—adjustment, crisis,
 resource, and supportive
 Assistance with financial planning and management
 Participation in Case Conferences/ Family Meetings related to resident
 Assistance with completion of an Advance Health Care Directive
 Assistance with obtaining community resources
 Discharge planning and follow-up

c) Community development
Community development has the following elements:
• Active participation against unhealthy social taboos and social isolations
• Development of self-esteem, sympathy, empathy and confidence building
• Creative thinking and practical action
• Social adjustment and mutual support
• Involvement in the theory and practice of community development
• Mobilizing funds to meet emerging needs
• Identification of priority areas by the community.
Components of Community Development
Community development covers a wide range of activities and programs. These differ from one
community to the other, and depend on the priorities, issues, plan, problems and solutions of a
community. The following are the major components of community development:
• Child development programs
• Adolescent development programs
• Youth development programs
• Women development programs
• Welfare of the senior citizens
• Health and family welfare programs
• Family life education
• Agricultural and allied activities
Child development program
Children are the future wealth of any nation and therefore it pays to invest in their development. The
child development program may be viewed as a support service for families with children from birth to
age four. It has also been found that the ability of parents to support and foster the healthy and lifelong
development of their children is enhanced by the provision of early intervention resources.
Adolescent development program
Adolescence is an important period of growth and human development, in terms of physical, mental
and emotional maturity. It is a period when adolescents are expected to acquire adequate capacity,
capability and skills for future life. If adolescents are not well taken care of, they can develop negative
attitudes and behavior that can affect the development of a community. It is therefore, the responsibility
of the community and
CDWs to carry out programs that promote the all-round development of adolescents.
Youth development program
Youth are a priceless gift to any society. Being a productive age group, they can contribute a lot in the
process of community development. Investing in youth development in a holistic and comprehensive
manner will pave the way for sustainable community development.
Women development program
Women are the silent but effective contributors of community development. Their contributions in
domestic and non-domestic fields are of great importance in community development. It is the
responsibility of a
community to nourish, care and promote the total development of women, including their reproductive
health.
Welfare of senior citizens
Ageing is a natural phenomenon and a part of our life cycle. The expertise and experience of senior
citizens should be utilized for community development initiatives. Protection and social security of the
aged population should be the responsibility of the community. Reorganization, acceptance, caring and
rearing are part and parcel of community development.
Health and family welfare program
The health and family welfare program is an important activity under the community development
program. It includes the physical, mental and social well- being of individuals. Reproductive and child
health activities are also important components of a community development programe.
Family life education
Family life education is another important area which needs much attention in the present context of
our social system. The traditional Indian family system is very strong and has laid the foundation for
our cultural and family life. Family life education teaches individuals, their duties and responsibilities
in the family. It also covers the role of the family in community development and societal
empowerment.
Agricultural and allied activities
Agricultural and allied activities provide healthy food for the community. As part of community
development activities, a community should produce most of its essential food items. It should address
nutritional deficiency by enhancing agricultural production in the community. The community should
also promote the use of organic and eco- friendly agricultural initiatives in order to achieve sustainable
agricultural production. In addition, there should be development of agro-based industries and
initiatives to protect the fertility of land, such as, the use of organic manure. The community should
also maintain the essential vegetables and
meats log.
Co-operative Service Society
The health co-operative service societies are the backbone of community development. The co-
operative sector touches all fields of community development. The community development worker
can acquire the
capacity and capability to run and manage co-operative service societies in different fields. This would
help community development through group intervention. Another aim of the co-operative sector is
resource mobilization and the proper utilization of resources for community development.
Education
Education is an important tool for community development. There are three main types of education:
formal, non formal and informal. Formal education is a classroom-based activity provided by trained
teachers and guided by a structured curriculum leading to certification.

d) Child welfare
services and institutions concerned with the physical, social, and psychological well-being of children,
particularly children suffering from the effects of poverty or lacking normal parental care and
supervision
 Advocacy: Child welfare social workers are expected to seek and push for resources that can
help improve services for children, youths, and their families. This may include everything from
connecting kids directly with community programs to supporting policy reform.
 Cultural competence: Professionals in child welfare often interact with kids and families from
backgrounds much different from their own. This is especially notable when working with
minority children who face their own particular challenges in youth. That’s why the NASW
highlights the need for reflection, self-awareness, and cultural learning so child welfare social
workers can offer the most effective assistance.
 Family engagement: Child welfare can’t take place in a vacuum, as engaging with the family to
identify root issues and recommend corrective actions is among the most important factors to the
job. Welfare workers also have an obligation to investigate or record negative or negligent
family environments.
 Working at the macro level with child services and social workers
 Focusing on the future of child welfare in different communities
 Being a leader within the social welfare system as it serves and pertains to children
 Developing an understanding of human behavior, culture and beliefs
 Being committed to the ethics and values of social work
 Maintaining a deep knowledge of social policy and how to best deliver social services to
children and families.

e) Youth welfare
The primary role of social workers in the youth welfare system is the protection of children from harm.
Through prevention and intervention services, they protect children who are either at risk for or have
been abused or neglected, children with mental health or medical needs and those children who are
without parents or family. They also support at risk families in an effort to provide safe and stable
homes for their children.

Social workers are responsible for the overall coordination of services that these children and families
may need. They are the point person for the development of and monitoring compliance with the child
or family’s case plan. Depending on the agency, the social worker may act as the case manager and
actively arrange for needed services. Once interventions and services are in place, the social worker
will monitor progress and compliance with the plan.

An additional aspect of protection and support for children and their families is that of advocacy. In the
youth welfare system, social workers are the primary advocates for children and their families. Part of
advocacy involves seeking out supports and resources for them. Advocacy also includes teaching
children and especially their families how to find, access and use community resources so that they can
become self-sufficient and begin to advocate for themselves
f) Women welfare
Women welfare Is a social welfare program which seeks to promote the welfare of women by giving
special attention to the prevention, eradication in any form, as well as the promotion of skills of
employment and self – actualization.
g) Welfare of the Physically disabled
h) Welfare of the mental retarded
I) Welfare of the socially dis-advantaged
j) Welfare of the Juvenile Delinquents and Adult Criminals
5. Role of Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies in Socio-Economic Development
 Voluntary organization plays a vital role in bringing out socio–economic development in urban
as
well as in rural areas
 Voluntary organization is being increasingly used as development agencies by policy makers
because they provide more accountable, effective and equitable services in many areas than
public or private agencies.
 Voluntary organization are independent, non-profitable, democratic, and secular which work for
the welfare of the society and enriching the lives of citizens and progress of nation.
 They perform their duties in emergency situations like droughts and floods etc. at massive scale.
 The main functions of the voluntary organization is to identifying the needs of individuals,
groups , communities , and initiate programs and projects to meet them on their own or with the
grant- in -aid of the government.

a) Definition and description of social welfare agency

Various Role and Functions of NGOs
Voluntary action stimulated and promoted by voluntary agencies engaged in development play a
significant role at the grass roots level in the Indian social milieu; the success of rural
development depends
upon the active participation of the people through Self Help Organizations. The various roles of
NGOs are
described below for better understanding.

a. Catalyze Rural Population h. Mobilize of Resources

b. Build Models and Experiment i. Promote Rural Leadership
c. Supplement Government Efforts j. Represent the Rural People
d. Organizing Rural Poor k. Act as Innovators
e. Educate the Rural People l. Ensure People’s Participation
f. Provide Training m. Promote Appropriate Technology
g. Disseminate Information n. Activate the Rural Delivery System

b) Types of social welfare agencies (government, semi-government,

voluntary/NGOs)
c) Role of the voluntary social welfare agencies, socio-economic
development