Winning strategies are an important part of community organizing. The idea that service users should be from the community that are interested in changing is not a new thing. In fact, an example is mentioned in the book-where Germans and British in 1914 (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 405), sang Silent Night to each other in English and German, taking a break from the fighting in the trenches of WWI A unique way of organizing is to have creative ways of changing, as opposed to the traditional ways of social action and community building and development.
Social action has an emphasis on “internal change through consciousness raising and changing” (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 357). Community building is “engaging a community to improve itself” (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 122). In both types of community organizing, one needs goals, constituents, targets, and tactics. The social worker should be able to draw out the pieces which comprise this type of organizing. Often, the people, the ignored, the marginalized, the unwanted, serve as community guides in leading the community endeavor.
But, a newer tradition has established itself in community organizing-creative links to group consciousness. There are three of these creative means: “innovation, narration, and liberation tradition” (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 410). There are four types of these traditions: “arts and cultural work, popular education, film, video, and radio productions, and public education”
(Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 411). I really appreciate these traditions, especially music and poetry and the life that they play in innovating groups of people to lead the community. Cultural activism in the forms of music, paintings, and poetry is what brings people together in political unity. “Cultural work can transform consciousness, can perform the acts of political education that, combined with community activism , makes social change transformational” (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 412). Feminist theory also uses cultural activism to unite people. With the use of dreams, stories, journals, art, theatre, myths, etc. women can connect with other women and
make their point known and visible. Women also connect with men sometimes, when men show that the “practice of caring about others is not inherently female; both genders exhibit it when encouraged and socialized to do so” (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 413). Both women and cultural activism are used to expose injustices and to create unity and social justice for those marginalized, oppressed peoples, who struggle for fairness and rights.
Another person who greatly influenced the learning process, and practiced it with indigenous peoples and functional illiterates was Paulo Freire. He published two books-one of which is called “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” (Hardcastle and Powers. 2004. p. 414), the other being called “Pedagogy of Hope” (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 414). He was able to immerse himself in the lives of oppressed people, and he engaged people and their worldview in his work with social, “political and critical consciousness” (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 414).
Narration is another way that liberation and empowerment can be used by people of non-dominant influence to face the dominant culture and to write positive narratives for themselves. As people write their own narratives, they will discover a wealth of tales previously untold, which have strength and power. It connects people, making them a united voice in the struggle for freedom.
REFERENCES:
Hardcastle & Powers. (2004). Community practice: Theories and skills for social workers. pp. 391-420. New York: Oxford University Press.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
ADVOCACY
As J.C. Wakefield (1994, p. 3) says at the beginning of this chapter, chapter 13,
from a quote of his: "Economic goods are not the only kind of goods that are subject to considerations of justice; a minimal amount of a wide variety of social and psychological goods is also owed to each member of society as a matter of justice." Advocacy is defined as having "a role in transforming private troubles into public issues or personal problems into social issues. It has a role in challenging inhumane conditions at a micro- or macrolevel" (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 356).
Social action, as opposed to advocacy, has a wider goal. Its distinguishing feature is "its emphasis on internal change through consciousness raising and changing. (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 357). Three progressive forms of change are seen by the blending of advocacy and action. (1) is guaranteeing everyone's human rights;
(2)joining in on the decisions of society and sharing the rewards; (3)transforming our society into a better one, and making it happen. "All three manifestations of change make invisible groups more visible, address social misery and disenfranchisement, link individuals, and presuppose the advocate's optimism or hope" (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 357-358). Transformation is a wealthy word here. "Transformation is proceeded by visions of a different world..." (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 359). Revolution is often a part of transformation. In the case of a child who burnt down a house with a lighter, killing his brother, is often made to feel guilty. But, when the safety features of the lighter are looked at, it can be seen that the lighter was poorly designed with no child-proofing on it. It was to blame for the fire. There are six types of advocacy-ranging from self-advocacy to systems advocacy. Often we, as client's advocates, are in a position to change their lives. In social work, self-advocacy includes helping others to help their own situation, as well as themselves. Social workers use self-determination when working with others. SW's assist others to feel listened to and respected. Group advocacy often exists without a social worker to advocate for them. The more people you have in a group, the more education one will get, and information is the key to advocacy. A social worker working with group advocates has to learn to relate to them as individuals. We must work with them, not for them. To challenge the status quo, one must partake in community advocacy. Five ideas were presented for working with community advocacy. They are: (1) organizing events that reinforce the quality of the community; (2) Reinforce the status quo; (3) an advocate may demand that resources be made public; (4) local government should be responsible to those advocating for change; and (5) citizens who are advocating for change must be treated with justice and dignity.
One of the greatest senators that I have ever heard of was while we were in Minnesota-Senator Paul Wellstone. He worked tirelessly for the people. He would have his "helpers" drive around in an old "hippie bus" to different "people" events. He was for the oppressed, the mentally ill (he advocated for parity a long time before parity was passed), those who were on the low rung of society's ladder. He was against the Iraq War, but his life was cut short, by a still uninvestigated plane crash. The night he died, we were all aware of what had been lost, and what it was that had been taken from us. Senator Paul Wellstone was a prime example of a political advocate. Although not many people from high-up in the political sphere, are anywhere near as influential as Paul Wellstone. Most political advocates are everyday citizens who are working to change the political atmosphere of our country, states, counties, and cities.
Systems change is the final case presented in the types of change. "Institutional change implies widespread and basic alteration despite strong resistance" (Brager. 1967. p. 370). Many people advocate for systems changes, especially for corporate structures (the corporatocracy) and for politically unjust countries where the ruling class has all the money while the people live in extreme poverty.
I thought that it was interesting that our text recommended us to be aware of our supervisors, and to be aware of how they relate to internal (making changes for the client inside an agency) or external (where change occurs outside of one's employee) changes. Those supervisors in authority, such as our field supervisor, can be intimidating. Employees and clients may react to supervisors, or to anyone having the power, with "awe, avoidance, and anger" (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 380).
Advocacy skills are to be kept with the client in mind and in action. If you are representing him/her as a client, it is important to empower them, and to consider their needs, and their self-determination.
References
Brager, G. (1967). Institutional Change: Parameters of the possible. p.. 61 In Hardcastle, D.A. & Powers, P.R. (2004) Community Practice: Theories and skills for social workers. New York: Oxford University Press.
Hardcastle, D.A. & Powers P.R. (2004). Community practice: Theories and skills for social workers. New York: Oxford University Press.
Wakefield, J.C. (1994). Debate with author of “Social work and social control: A reply to Austin.” In Hardcastle, D.A. & Powers, P.R. (2004) Community practice: Theories and skills for social workers. New York: Oxford University Press.
from a quote of his: "Economic goods are not the only kind of goods that are subject to considerations of justice; a minimal amount of a wide variety of social and psychological goods is also owed to each member of society as a matter of justice." Advocacy is defined as having "a role in transforming private troubles into public issues or personal problems into social issues. It has a role in challenging inhumane conditions at a micro- or macrolevel" (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 356).
Social action, as opposed to advocacy, has a wider goal. Its distinguishing feature is "its emphasis on internal change through consciousness raising and changing. (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 357). Three progressive forms of change are seen by the blending of advocacy and action. (1) is guaranteeing everyone's human rights;
(2)joining in on the decisions of society and sharing the rewards; (3)transforming our society into a better one, and making it happen. "All three manifestations of change make invisible groups more visible, address social misery and disenfranchisement, link individuals, and presuppose the advocate's optimism or hope" (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 357-358). Transformation is a wealthy word here. "Transformation is proceeded by visions of a different world..." (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 359). Revolution is often a part of transformation. In the case of a child who burnt down a house with a lighter, killing his brother, is often made to feel guilty. But, when the safety features of the lighter are looked at, it can be seen that the lighter was poorly designed with no child-proofing on it. It was to blame for the fire. There are six types of advocacy-ranging from self-advocacy to systems advocacy. Often we, as client's advocates, are in a position to change their lives. In social work, self-advocacy includes helping others to help their own situation, as well as themselves. Social workers use self-determination when working with others. SW's assist others to feel listened to and respected. Group advocacy often exists without a social worker to advocate for them. The more people you have in a group, the more education one will get, and information is the key to advocacy. A social worker working with group advocates has to learn to relate to them as individuals. We must work with them, not for them. To challenge the status quo, one must partake in community advocacy. Five ideas were presented for working with community advocacy. They are: (1) organizing events that reinforce the quality of the community; (2) Reinforce the status quo; (3) an advocate may demand that resources be made public; (4) local government should be responsible to those advocating for change; and (5) citizens who are advocating for change must be treated with justice and dignity.
One of the greatest senators that I have ever heard of was while we were in Minnesota-Senator Paul Wellstone. He worked tirelessly for the people. He would have his "helpers" drive around in an old "hippie bus" to different "people" events. He was for the oppressed, the mentally ill (he advocated for parity a long time before parity was passed), those who were on the low rung of society's ladder. He was against the Iraq War, but his life was cut short, by a still uninvestigated plane crash. The night he died, we were all aware of what had been lost, and what it was that had been taken from us. Senator Paul Wellstone was a prime example of a political advocate. Although not many people from high-up in the political sphere, are anywhere near as influential as Paul Wellstone. Most political advocates are everyday citizens who are working to change the political atmosphere of our country, states, counties, and cities.
Systems change is the final case presented in the types of change. "Institutional change implies widespread and basic alteration despite strong resistance" (Brager. 1967. p. 370). Many people advocate for systems changes, especially for corporate structures (the corporatocracy) and for politically unjust countries where the ruling class has all the money while the people live in extreme poverty.
I thought that it was interesting that our text recommended us to be aware of our supervisors, and to be aware of how they relate to internal (making changes for the client inside an agency) or external (where change occurs outside of one's employee) changes. Those supervisors in authority, such as our field supervisor, can be intimidating. Employees and clients may react to supervisors, or to anyone having the power, with "awe, avoidance, and anger" (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 380).
Advocacy skills are to be kept with the client in mind and in action. If you are representing him/her as a client, it is important to empower them, and to consider their needs, and their self-determination.
References
Brager, G. (1967). Institutional Change: Parameters of the possible. p.. 61 In Hardcastle, D.A. & Powers, P.R. (2004) Community Practice: Theories and skills for social workers. New York: Oxford University Press.
Hardcastle, D.A. & Powers P.R. (2004). Community practice: Theories and skills for social workers. New York: Oxford University Press.
Wakefield, J.C. (1994). Debate with author of “Social work and social control: A reply to Austin.” In Hardcastle, D.A. & Powers, P.R. (2004) Community practice: Theories and skills for social workers. New York: Oxford University Press.
SOCIAL MARKETING
As defined by Andreasen, social marketing is "the application of marketing technologies developed in the commercial sector to the solution of social problems where the bottom line is behavior change" (Andreasen. 1995. p. 3). This is increasingly being looked at in our ever expanding, chaotic and global world. Although I had originally thought of social marketing with horror, I can now see its point, at least a little bit. The idea of competition does not seem right when you are working to better people's status', and positions in the the "real world," and enable them to function in a not-as-vulnerable environment. As Hardcastle and Powers (2004) say in the book, as adherents to the view of marketing, as "unprofessional and inhumane" (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 323). They assume that those using marketing skills as consumers are ignorant and possessing of low consciousness levels. Educating clients and consumers about the products and services that they need and use is one of the reasons for a market technology. Social marketing has three defining traits: (1) "to benefit target individuals or society, and not the marketer; (2) the means of achieving improved social welfare is through influencing and...bringing about behavior change; and (3) the target audience is the core determinant of marketing strategies and processes" (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 330). The book talks about conservative, political right-wingers, use techniques such as "staging" and "false front interest groups" to sway the public over to their side (Hardcastle & Powers, 2004. p. 332). There are six components to a clever marketing scheme. They are: (1) Probing; (2) Purchasers; (3) Products; (4) Price; (5) Place; and (6) Promotion. (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 333). TMS, or Target Market Segments, have as their most important people "the purchasers, donors or resource suppliers" (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 336).
A belief in the products and services that produce gains, for example my going back for an MSW at this time in my life, has been an interesting experience. My life has changed. I no longer see friends as often as I did, money is tighter, but most of all, my sleep has changed tremendously. I am up all hours of the day and night, trying to get assignments done and read the texts and many papers associated with the texts. This has been a lifestyle price. I also have some psyche price that I am paying. As an older graduate student, I have taken on a role that I love to play-as a student. But, I did not realize the repercussions that I would experience as an older student. Although the class accepts me somewhat, there is a segment of the class that just ignores me. Is it worth the psychic pain that I experience? Yes, I would say so. For I realize that I am not going to school to have experiences that the other students have, but to learn how to serve others-a long-time goal of mine.
References
Andreasen, A.R. (1995). Marketing social change: Changing behavior to promote health, social development, and the environment. In Hardcastle, D.A. & Powers, P.R. (2004) Community practice: Theories and skills for social workers. p. 522. New York: Oxford University Press.
Hardcastle, D.A., & Powers, P.R. (2004) Community practice: Theories and skills for social workers. New York: Oxford University Press.
A belief in the products and services that produce gains, for example my going back for an MSW at this time in my life, has been an interesting experience. My life has changed. I no longer see friends as often as I did, money is tighter, but most of all, my sleep has changed tremendously. I am up all hours of the day and night, trying to get assignments done and read the texts and many papers associated with the texts. This has been a lifestyle price. I also have some psyche price that I am paying. As an older graduate student, I have taken on a role that I love to play-as a student. But, I did not realize the repercussions that I would experience as an older student. Although the class accepts me somewhat, there is a segment of the class that just ignores me. Is it worth the psychic pain that I experience? Yes, I would say so. For I realize that I am not going to school to have experiences that the other students have, but to learn how to serve others-a long-time goal of mine.
References
Andreasen, A.R. (1995). Marketing social change: Changing behavior to promote health, social development, and the environment. In Hardcastle, D.A. & Powers, P.R. (2004) Community practice: Theories and skills for social workers. p. 522. New York: Oxford University Press.
Hardcastle, D.A., & Powers, P.R. (2004) Community practice: Theories and skills for social workers. New York: Oxford University Press.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Robert Van Alstine
A once homeless man was murdered on Wednesday, November 18th. He was part of our program at Street Outreach Services (S.O.S.). He had been living in a transitional living situation with several other men. He was an active member of the program, and regularly attended groups and activities put on by S.O.S. He was a very gentle man, who loved to barbecue for others in the house where he lived, and for the women living next door to him. He had gone out drinking with a friend to Fields Landing Tuesday night. Around 4:30 am, he was heard banging on a door and calling for help. Robert Van Alstine, aged 30, was found by a man answering the door, mortally wounded. They called an ambulance, and took him to a local hospital, where he died around noon, Wednesday afternoon. He had been stabbed to death. The circumstances surrounding his torment and death remain unknown at this time.
I remember Robert as a quiet, lonely man. He had a tattoo over and under his eye-a vertical stripe, and several other tattoos on his person, including an anarchy symbol on his neck. He would be on the sofa, watching television, when we went to pick him up for group. He was always there. I remember once going with Robert and a group of people from S.O.S. to the pier on Woodley Island. He was like a child, exploring the water and the sea life. He was fascinated by the jelly fish in the water. He put his hand in the water, retrieved them, and gently released them back into the water. He did this several times, each time his fascination grew.
Robert did not say very much about himself. He was aware of everything going on around him, but he contributed little to the conversation. His presence will be greatly missed by the clients and staff at S.O.S. and the Hope Center, where he would hang out with his peers. I, personally, was effected by his death. I was at first very angry with him and the murderer. I wrote a poem in my head to the murderer, asking him in not very nice terms, how he could live with himself? Why did Robert go out drinking, when it was forbidden in the house? My anger dissipated and my tears and compassion took over. Why you, Robert? You, the quiet one, the shy one? You who would help anyone with a need. Your time of pain and suffering are over. May you be at peace, Robert, and may the one who took your hard, beautiful life be reprimanded.
This gets into a discussion on prisoners. I am of the belief that prisoners are also victims. I would like it if we could tear the prisons down and start over again. Give everyone a chance. I realize that some prisoners are dangerous, and should be kept locked up for society's sake. But most prisoners are victims of their upbringing. If only we could prevent their eventual fall into this lifestyle, of committing crimes, being imprisoned, let out, and the cycle begins again.
I do not believe in the death penalty. If Robert's murderer were to get the death penalty, I would protest it.
For every man and woman should get another chance at life. Until a man takes his last breath, he should be given the chance to reform himself. This is my belief. The fact that putting a man to death does nothing to bring back the life of another. It is a cruel, barbaric practice. Why is the death count in the United States so high? Retribution is not worth it. When we have restorative justice practiced in the U.S., then we'll have peace.
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