Description
A social worker may involve a community’s citizens to promote change by energizing and mobilizing groups to be engaged in the change process. When citizens are involved in community change, they have the opportunity to advocate for greater inclusion and social justice by bringing awareness to community issues that impact these diverse populations.
Theory, as in other forms of practice, informs community practice by providing concepts and language to better understand the systems involved. Using theories, interventions can be planned that utilize the strengths of a community as well as offer a basis of understanding of change and relationships in community dynamics. Community interventions can be planned that consider power, change, and politics and how these influence the local community. The Discussion this week challenges you to think critically and apply theoretical concepts to practice at the macro level of social work.
LEARNING RESOURCES
Required Readings
Netting, F. E., Kettner, P. M., McMurtry, S. L., & Thomas, M. L. (2017). Social work macro practice (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Chapter 3, “Engaging With Diverse Populations” (pp. 59–86)
Chapter 5, “Understanding Communities” (pp. 116–152)
To prepare:
Review this week’s Learning Resources on theory in macro social work practice and its impact on the populations that are being served.
Choose a theory from Chapter 5.
Post the following:
Identify a disenfranchised population with whom you work or with whom you would like to work.
Apply the theory you chose from Chapter 5 to working with the disenfranchised population you identified.
