SocW 200 Social Work Practice: An Introduction

Instructors for Spring 2008:

• Mary Lou Balassone*

Course Description

Social Welfare 200 provides an introduction to the profession of social work and the social welfare system within which it operates. The course is intended for (1) students considering social welfare as a major and (2) students wanting a better understanding of the many roles social workers play in society.

The purpose of the course is to acquaint students with the nature of social work practice and is designed to impart basic information about social welfare concepts, social work's heritage, social work education and social work practice. The course will explore a variety of social work practice settings and social work roles as well as the social welfare policies that influence social work practice. In this class we will examine a number of social problems and the various solutions to these that social workers advocate. Throughout the course, the ethics and values underlying the profession of social work will be highlighted. Social work's commitment to cultural diversity and social justice will be emphasized. The primary obligation of social workers is the enhancement of individual, family, group, organization, and community well being. Social workers meet this obligation by applying a combination of knowledge, values, and skills in a variety of settings, and with a variety of client populations. This course will introduce you to the range of knowledge, values, and skills used by social workers and will emphasize some unique aspects of social work profession: (1) emphasis on the strengths, talents, and resources of individuals and communities (as opposed to their deficits, pathologies, and weaknesses); (2) commitment to the empowerment of individuals, groups and communities to make their own choices and control their own lives; (3) respect for difference, whether that difference is racial, ethnic, class-based, age-based, disability-based, or based upon sexual orientation; and (4) obligation to work for a more socially and economically just, humane society.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to :

1. Define and describe social work¾what it is, what it does, and with whom.
2. Identify and describe the philosophical and historical roots of social work and the social welfare system.
3. Identify and understand social work's response to a variety of social problems and its commitment to social justice.
4. Identify the various social welfare fields and settings for social work practice and be familiar with the knowledge, skills and values that influence practice in those settings.
5. Describe levels of social work intervention (e.g. individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities).
6. Articulate the significance of ethics and values in professional social work practice.
7. Describe social work concerns related to: sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and classism; and the need for sensitivity to cultural diversity and social justice.
8. Differentiate social work from other helping professions (e.g. psychology, applied sociology, etc.) and understand how professional social work differs from volunteer helping.
9. Describe a variety of career options available to social workers.

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