SOCW 6101 Week 11 Discussion
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School
Walden University**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
SOCW 6101
Subject
Sociology
Date
Jan 9, 2025
Pages
3
Uploaded by JudgeCrowMaster905
SOCW 6101 Week 11 DiscussionAn essential component of social work is advocacy, which supports and defends the rights and welfare of people who are oppressed, marginalized, or experience prejudice. Some of the main objectives of social work include social justice, inclusion, and equality, all of which are promoted by advocacy.During this term, I have engaged in advocacy by participating in a campaign to raise awareness concerning mental health issues and advocating for enhanced access to mental health services in our community. The advocacy took shape through different events, social media campaigns, and meetings with local leaders purposing to destigmatize mental health conversations and promote the significance of accessible and quality mental health care.There is a sync between the week's resources and the advocacy I participated in. The resources indicate that advocacy entails using knowledge, skills, and influence to promote social change and address social injustices (Hoofer, 2016). The campaign utilized the above principles by educating the community concerning the significance of mental health, pushing for policy changes to improve mental health services, and empowering individuals to speak openly concerning their mental health challenges.Several risks accompany the aspects of advocacy. A critical risk involves the challenge of maintaining professional boundaries with advocacy posing the likelihood of blurring the lines between the roles of a social worker and an activist (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2018). It potentially affects the perception of objectivity and impartiality. Also, advocacy revolves around some
policies that may not align with the values and preferences of all clients, which could create tension within a therapeutic relationship.ReferencesKirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hull, G. H., Jr. (2018). Empowerment Series: Understanding generalist practice (8th ed.). CENGAGE Learning.Hoefer, R. (2016). Social justice and advocacy practice.In Advocacy practice for social justice (3rd ed., pp. 23–42). Oxford University Press.Response 1Explain how social work ethical values relate to advocacy.Hello Melissa.Well said Melissa, Social work ethical values relate to advocacy in several ways and one of them is integrity; Social workers value integrity and behave in a trustworthy manner that is consistent with their values, ethics, and standards. Advocacy is a way of demonstrating integrity by being honest, accountable, and transparent in their actions, and by adhering to ethical principles and codes of conduct.Hello Melissa.Explain how social work ethical values relate to advocacy.Nicely put, Melissa. Advocacy and social work ethical standards are related in a number of ways, including integrity. Integrity is important to social workers, and they act in a reliable way that is compliant with their norms, ethics, and values. Integrity can be shown by advocacy by upholding moral standards and ethical guidelines and by acting with honesty, accountability, and transparency.Describe how you might make decisions about when and where to engage in advocacy based on the risks your colleague identified.I would say that advocating is not only emotionally draining but also mentally and physically demanding when situations are challenging and difficult. Based on the risks you addressed, when making decisions about when to engage in advocacy, it is important to consider the NASW Code of Ethics to ensure that you as the social worker are adhering to the principles that a social worker must uphold at all times.
Response 2Hello Tynisa.Explain how social work ethical values relate to advocacy.Advocacy has been found to be related to social work ethical ideals, and one way this is through the concept of dignity and worth of a person. Social workers appreciate each person's intrinsic dignity, worth, distinctiveness, and uniqueness. Social workers value each individual's dignity by giving clients the freedom to make their own well-informed decisions, letting them express their opinions, and including them in developing solutions that directly impact their lives; advocacy upholds the dignity and worth of every individual.Describe how you might make decisions about when and where to engage in advocacy based on the risks your colleague identified.I enjoyed reading your post; as you stated, advocacy can also come with some risks, and from an organization's perspective, a social worker can be perceived as too aggressive, self-serving, or disloyal. So, different health organizations may have different values, standards, and policies while advocating for clients as some may encourage and others may discourage it. A clear conversation with your line manager is vital to gaining clarity and feedback on the client's situation. If the feedback is positive, the social worker can fully advocate and achieve the set goal(s), but if the manager seems not supportive, this becomes a red flag. It will be best to ascertain the potential consequences and rewards of the social worker's action.