Practicing Social Work in Deprived Communities: Competencies, Methods, and Techniques

This book provides a comprehensive understanding of social work practice in deprived communities, covering global perspectives, competencies, education, and empowerment. It emphasizes the importance of social work in addressing inequality and offers insights from various regions and disciplines. It is a valuable resource for social workers, educators, and practitioners working in community development and deprived communities.

Format: Hardback
Length: 265 pages
Publication date: 13 April 2021
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive volume provides a holistic understanding of social work practice in deprived communities by addressing various themes. It explores the global perspective on understanding deprived communities, the development of competencies for social work practice in and with these communities, the role of social work education as a tool for community development, and the empowerment of social workers in deprived communities.

Inequality, a universally recognized challenge, is extensively addressed within the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Agenda program for social work. Consequently, this book makes a timely and significant contribution to the literature.

Deprived communities, which are defined in this book as slums, ghettos, favelas, and low-income, remote, underserved, vulnerable, impoverished, underdeveloped, disadvantaged, or less-favored communities, exist worldwide and are conceptualized under various terms and concepts. For this reason, social work, particularly in deprived areas, is not adequately recognized as a distinct field of practice within community work. As a result, this volume features contributions that:

• Provide a conceptual clarification of numerous terms used to describe deprived communities and conduct a systematic literature review on community processes and their effects on well-being in underdeveloped communities.
• Map different fields of social work involvement in deprived communities with concrete practice examples.
• Highlight the need for support for social work as a profession and emphasize how it can be empowered to enhance its capacities in deprived communities.

Practicing Social Work in Deprived Communities is a valuable resource, as it brings together international authorship and perspectives on social work approaches for deprived communities from India, Sub-Saharan Africa, North and Central Europe, and North America. By examining these diverse perspectives, the book offers a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by social workers in these communities.

The book begins by providing a theoretical framework for understanding deprived communities. It explores the social, economic, and political factors that contribute to their marginalization and examines the impact of these factors on individuals, families, and communities. The authors then discuss the challenges and opportunities that social workers encounter in working with deprived communities, including issues such as poverty, inequality, discrimination, social exclusion, and trauma.

The second part of the book focuses on developing competencies for social work practice in and with deprived communities. The authors discuss the importance of cultural sensitivity, empathy, and social justice in social work practice and provide practical strategies for building relationships with clients and addressing their needs. They also emphasize the importance of collaboration with other professionals and community organizations in achieving sustainable outcomes.

The third part of the book explores the role of social work education as a tool for community development. The authors argue that social work education can play a vital role in empowering individuals and communities to address social and economic challenges. They discuss the importance of integrating social work principles and practices into educational programs and providing training opportunities for social workers to work effectively with deprived communities.

The final part of the book focuses on the empowerment of social workers in deprived communities. The authors discuss the importance of building strong networks and support systems for social workers, providing them with resources and opportunities for professional development, and advocating for policies that promote social justice and equity. They also highlight the importance of recognizing and addressing the emotional and psychological toll that social work can take on social workers and providing them with support and counseling services.

In conclusion, Practicing Social Work in Deprived Communities is a comprehensive and timely contribution to the literature on social work practice in deprived communities. By addressing various themes such as understanding deprived communities globally, developing competencies for social work practice in and with these communities, social work education as a community development tool, and the empowerment of social workers in deprived communities, the book provides a valuable resource for social workers, educators, policymakers, and community organizations. The book's international authorship and perspectives on social work approaches for deprived communities from diverse regions contribute to a broader understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by social workers in these communities.

Weight: 566g
Dimension: 159 x 241 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030659868
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021