Community Practice and Social Development in Social Work

487 Pages·2020·5.778 MB·English

by  Sarah Todd, Julie L. Drolet

Social Work
Series Editor: Richard Hugman
Sarah Todd
Julie L. Drolet Editors
Community
Practice and Social
Development in
Social Work
Social Work
SeriesEditor
RichardHugman
SchoolofSocialSciences
UniversityofNewSouthWales
Sydney,NSW,Australia
The MRW in Social Work enables social work practitioners, policy makers, and
academics across the world to access in-depth, authoritative literature and cutting-
edge research into professional practice, ethics, practice-based research methods,
and policy in the field. Grounding practice and policy in systematic theories and
principles,itcoversallspecialtiesinthefieldincludingchildrenandfamilies,older
adults, people with disabilities, mental health, domestic and gendered violence,
interculturalpractice,sexuality,internationalsocialwork,andcommunitydevelop-
ment. Drawing on a strong scientific basis, it offers reviews and analyses of key
socialissues,policyframeworks,andpracticemethods,includingcounseling,case-
work, family therapy, group work, community work, community development,
socialdevelopment,andsocialpolicypractice.
Moreinformationaboutthisseriesathttp://www.springer.com/series/15559
(cid:129)
Sarah Todd Julie L. Drolet
Editors
Community Practice and
Social Development in
Social Work
With7Figuresand2Tables
Editors
SarahTodd JulieL.Drolet
SchoolofSocialWork FacultyofSocialWork
CarletonUniversity UniversityofCalgary
Ottawa,ON,Canada Edmonton,AB,Canada
ISBN978-981-13-6968-1 ISBN978-981-13-6969-8(eBook)
ISBN978-981-13-6970-4(printandelectronicbundle)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6969-8
©SpringerNatureSingaporePteLtd.2020
Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsarereservedbythePublisher,whetherthewholeorpartofthe
materialisconcerned,specificallytherightsoftranslation,reprinting,reuseofillustrations,recitation,
broadcasting,reproductiononmicrofilmsorinanyotherphysicalway,andtransmissionorinformation
storageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilarmethodology
nowknownorhereafterdeveloped
Theuseofgeneraldescriptivenames,registerednames,trademarks,servicemarks,etc.inthispublication
doesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexemptfromtherelevant
protectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse.
Thepublisher,theauthors,andtheeditorsaresafetoassumethattheadviceandinformationinthisbook
arebelievedtobetrueandaccurateatthedateofpublication.Neitherthepublishernortheauthorsorthe
editorsgiveawarranty,expressedorimplied,withrespecttothematerialcontainedhereinorforanyerrors
oromissionsthatmayhavebeenmade.Thepublisherremainsneutralwithregardtojurisdictionalclaims
inpublishedmapsandinstitutionalaffiliations.
ThisSpringerimprintispublishedbytheregisteredcompanySpringerNatureSingaporePteLtd.
The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721,
Singapore
Series Preface
Professionalsocialworknowexistsinover90countries.Fromitsearlyoriginsinthe
laterpartofthenineteenthcentury,ithassoughttodevelopastrongscientificbasis,
groundingpracticeandpolicyinsystematictheoriesandprinciples.Today,associal
work grows in all parts of the world, its body of knowledge about social issues,
practices to address these, and relevant policy frameworks is expanding rapidly.
Consequently,keepingup-to-dateonsuchknowledgeisincreasinglychallengingfor
practitioners,policymakers,andacademicsinthefield.Thisseriesmakesresearch-
based knowledge available for everyone who has an interest in maintaining their
grasp of the discipline by bringing together leading social work scholars, practi-
tioners,andpolicymakerstoexaminecontemporaryevidenceonvariousaspectsof
the field. In this way, it provides an authoritative range of voices from which
everyoneintheprofessionmaygainadeeperunderstandinggroundedinevidence.
As ithasexpanded, socialworkhasdevelopedmany areas ofspecialty, eachof
which now has its own body of knowledge that constitutes a subfield of the
professionasawhole.TheMajorResearch Works inSocial Workseries addresses
theneedforup-to-date,authoritative,extensivereviewsandanalysesofknowledge
inarangeofareasofsocialwork.Editedbysignificantcontributorsineachaspectof
specialty,thesevolumesofferin-depthdiscussionofthespecificpracticesandissues
of policy and the organization of relevant services. By taking this approach, it is
possible to ensure appropriate coverage of the range of specialties and also at the
sametimetoprovidesufficientdepthofanalysisanddiscussionofkeyideas.
Asaprofession,socialworkcanbeunderstoodinanumberofways.First,there
are fields of practice. These include children and families, older adults, mental
health,peoplewithdisabilities,domesticandgenderedviolence,interculturalprac-
tice,sexuality,andinternationalsocialwork.Second,methodsofpracticealsodefine
areas of knowledge in social work. These include counseling, casework and case
management,familytherapy,groupwork,communityworkandcommunitydevel-
opment,socialdevelopment,andsocialpolicypractice.Third,thereareoverarching
issues that contribute to social work knowledge and theory, including professional
ethics, practice-based research methods, and policy studies. These are examples
indicativeoftherange,ratherthanformingadefinitivelist,andpointtothewayin
whichaseriesmayenablebothbreadthanddepthtobeaddressed.Atthesametime
theypointtotheextensivecoveragethatisrelevanttothebroadsocialworkfield.
v
vi SeriesPreface
Although much of the tradition of social work research and analysis came
originallyfromthose countries thatexperiencedearlyindustrialization(the“global
North”),given theworldwide growth ofsocialworktheeditorialapproach for this
seriesalsoaimstobeglobalinitsfocus.Volumeeditorsandcontributorsaredrawn
purposefully from around the world and they in turn are expected to take a world-
wideviewofensuringthatthecurrentevidenceandanalysisispresented.
This series was developed by selecting major themes across fields of practice,
methodsofpractice,andoverarchingissues.Futuretitleswillbeaddedtotheinitial
five areas, community practice, mental health, family and gendered conflict and
violence, children and families, and social work theory and ethics reflecting the
breadth of the social work profession. At the same time, because Springer Major
ResearchWorksare“living”publications,abletobeupdated,thecontinuingdevel-
opmentoftheprofessionwillbereflectedinanalysisanddiscussionthatgrowswith
the field through publication of revised chapters as further evidence and analysis
becomesavailable.
AsEditor-in-Chief,Iacknowledgethecommitmentandinsightsoftheeditorsto
eachspecificvolume.Theirexpertiseandhardworkenablethisseriestopursueits
overall goal. In this volume Sarah Todd and Julie Drolet have brought together
leading researchers, educators, and practitioners in community practice and social
developmenttocreateaninsightfulandchallengingviewofthisdimensionofsocial
work.IalsothankourPublishingEditoratSpringerNature,MokshikaGaur,forher
vision,enthusiasm,andsupport,aswellasothercolleaguesatSpringerNaturewho
haveassistedtheprocessofcreatingthesevolumes.
ProfessorofSocialWork RichardHugmanPh.D.
UniversityofNewSouthWales,Australia
SeriesEditor,SpringerNatureMajorResearch
WorksSocialWorkSeries
Volume Preface
Thisvolume,focusingoncommunitypracticesandsocialdevelopment,ispartofa
much larger Springer’s Major Research Works series on social work. This series
brings together the best in the field of research and evidence-based analysis of the
stateoftheartandscienceinsocialwork.Itprovidesanopportunityforthoseofus
in the discipline to showcase the multiple ways our research has real-world impli-
cations for individuals, families, communities, the design of social policy, and
delivery of social programs. It is intended to provide in-depth discussion on these
implications and how they shape social work practices in localized settings from
aroundtheglobe.
There is no singular social work way of knowing or intervening in the world.
Social work knowledge and action is highly situated, connected by ever-evolving
processesofcaringforthedignityofindividuals,respectinghumanconnections,and
understanding that these elements shape and are shaped by broader policies and
overarchingsocial,political,andeconomicrelations.Thevastandvariedknowledge
and practices that constitute social work are the discipline’s and profession’s
strength, even when they appear as vulnerabilities at a historical moment that
valorizestheeasilycategorizedand contained. The richnessand diversity ofsocial
work’s project to further social, economic, environmental, and political justice is
exactlywhatisrequiredforthecomplexityofthetaskathand.Itisthediscipline’s
ability to draw on interdisciplinary ways of knowing and to rework them for the
context in which people live, which opens up the possibilities for resistance to the
variedstructuresofinequalitythatpersist.
Inthisvolume,ourfocusisoncommunitypracticesandsocialdevelopmentasa
key set of practices within the much broader discipline of social work. They are
practicesthatarecentraltothecoreoftheprofessionitself.Atitscore,socialworkis
committedtopromotingsocialandeconomicequality,strengtheningthedignityand
worthofpeopleandtheirhumanrelationships,andworkingtowardsenvironmental
sustainability. These commitments are foregrounded in social development and
communitypractices.Itistheircomplexity,abalanceofthepersonal,interpersonal,
and the political, that distinguishes social work as a scholarly discipline and a
professional practice. Social development and community practices are central
frameworks and tools through which the core values of social work are
operationalizedintheworld.
vii
viii VolumePreface
As the editors of this volume we bring a passionate belief in the potential of
community-basedinterventionsforsupportinghumanwell-beingalongsidebroader
strugglesforsocialjustice.Withinthiscollection,communityisnotstatic,buttakes
theformmostrelevanttothepeopleandplacesinwhichtheauthorsliveandwork.It
is also a contested space, where relations of indigeneity, gender, sex, culture,
ethnicity, sexuality, race, disability, and age are deeply structural and personal,
experienced through a web of power imbalances. So, the commitment to
community-basedchange mustalwaysbeattentivetothelocalandregionalpower
imbalancesthatourworkhasequalpotentialtodisruptormaintain.Itisourcritical
awareness and reflective practice that increases the possibility of disruption and
transformation. And it is this reflection that is evident in the contributions to this
volume.
Thiscollectionistheresultofcontributionsfromscholarsaroundtheworldwho
takeupcommunitypracticeandsocialdevelopmentfromarangeofstandpointsand,
at times, considering practices on the ground, at other times, more focused on the
ways we make sense of this work from a distance. As a whole, they provide a
textured understanding of the complex ways in which community-based interven-
tions provide opportunities to shift communities and societies towards greater
interpersonal and structural justice. In so doing, the contributions provide insight
into how the profession of social work operationalizes its commitment to social,
economic, and environmental justice and the roles that social workers take on in
differentsettingsoftransformation.Theauthorsaddressmanyofthemostpressing
issues of our time: disasters, environmental sustainability, migration, maternal
health, and decolonization. They explore what social workers are doing and what
theymightcontinuetodotojoinwithpeopleatlocallevelstoensuregreaterjustice.
The authors articulate their ideas for change in a manner that is culturally translat-
able. They put these ideas in this volume not only to share possibilities for imple-
mentationbutalsofortheideasthemselvestobechangedandmaderelevanttoother
contexts.
This volume is not meant to be a comprehensive review of all community
practicesandsocialdevelopmentaroundtheworld.Thereismoreworkleftuntold
inthiscollectionthanthereisresearchhighlighted.However,therangeandscopeof
perspectives in this volume, the ways in which chapters lead the reader from
continenttocontinent,oftenexploringrelatedsocialtransformationsfromdifferent
perspectives,isitsdistinguishingfeature.Eachchapterillustratesalocalexampleof
howcommunitypracticesareusedtonegotiateaspecifictransformationandputthis
in the context of how we have come to understand social development as well
alignedwithsocialworkprioritiesofattendingtopeopleintheirenvironmentswith
an understanding of how those environments are largely determined by extra-local
relationsofpowerandinequality.
Thepracticesexploredinthisvolumeattendtocommunitiesandthebroadsocial
andpoliticalrelationsthatshapepeople’slives.Indoingso,thecollectionsketchesa
social work agenda that is translatable to the local of needs of people facing the
enduringchallengesofourtime.Asawhole,theymapthepossibilityforhowsocial
VolumePreface ix
workcanwalkwithpeopleexperiencingchallengingtransformationsandhowwedo
soinamannerthathelpsusimagineandrealizeanew,morejustworld.
Ottawa,ON,Canada SarahTodd
Edmonton,AB,Canada JulieL.Drolet
May2020