AOP Theory

According to Ajandi, anti-oppressive practice does not believe in a hierarchy of oppression, where all oppressions are on a “level playing field of discrimination” (2018). AOP produces strategies to be used in social work practice to work alongside service user: critical reflection, critical assessment, empowerment, working in partnership with service users, and minimal

Introduction Integrating theory into social work practice is essential in defining why social work is needed and how to practice it effectively. This paper will discuss two theories; intersectionality and life course theory, as I believe that these two theories are collectively suitable and effective in interrupting the cycle of oppression. I will draw upon both my own experiences and literature to analyze the strengths and limitations of intersectionality and life course theory. This discussion will exemplify how intersectionality and life course theory enhance each other and can work synergistically to inform my social work practice. Intersectionality Intersectionality is a macro theory, which looks at the complexity of an individual’s identity

The social worker should appreciates people from various group and do not make assumptions on any person’s cultural identity. Social workers who respect diversity are careful to protect against jumping to conclusions or making decisions based on overgeneralizations and stereotypes. Challenge Social Injustice Social workers should eliminate the injustices in order to improve the quality of life for all and for the most vulnerable members of society. Housing issues, wages, types of jobs, education and financial matters are some of the areas where a minority population gets unjustified. Challenging social injustice is a long term plan.

Marx highlighted the struggle between the powerless and powerful which resulted in different societal classes (Fook, 2002). Thompson (2006) states that society is made up of diverse people who make up societal structures and these structures determine and control the destitution of power and opportunities which results in layers of inequality and oppression to people who are marginalised. Radical social work is interested in the examining structures of personal problems, focusing on oppressive practice and self-emancipation and social change (Adams et al, 2005). For this to be achieved professionals need to recognise that individual knowledge might display reality but could also be constructed by society through language, values and beliefs. In order to identify this it is vital for social workers to be able to self-reflect (Adams et al, 2009).

Who I identify as, including identifying as a social worker once I graduate, will have some level privilege and power attached to the chosen identities. Gelfand, Sillivan, and Steinhouse (2002) noted that there are may dimensions that influence our personal and professional relationships with others, and these dimensions shape how we see and interact with, include or exclude them, and ways that we oppress or discriminate against them. As a social worker whose clients share my same identity, we may benefit by my having a shared understanding of cultural norms and expectations to reach a common goal. For clients who share commonalities with me, we may benefit by being able to work more collaboratively and possibly a more trusting relationship than one that must be built over time. However, just as similarities can be empowering, I must remember that the client knows best despite our shared identities that may speak otherwise.

Empowerment theory and macro social work typically appear in the form of grassroots organizing (Gitterman & Knight, 2016). Both social work students and practitioners tend to work on the mezzo or micro level with individuals, families, and/or small groups, rather than within larger communities (Gitterman & Knight, 2016). Community organization is not possible if one person attempts to create change alone. A group of like-minded people must make a concentrated effort to instigate change in a community. Groups must have open communication and an understanding of the common goal.

If the goal is to create a society in which marginalized groups are equal citizens, then Social Work has an obligation to demand a moral-system that resonates with that objective. There must be a communal (collective) account of injustice, unfairness or oppression for any government-enforced redistribution or effort for reform to be rendered equally or indiscriminately. Without an emphasis on interdependence, a caring society, empathy, and intersectionality, Social Work’s assistance or governmental interventions in people of colors’ communities cannot truly be anti-oppressive, but rather temporary solutions to intergenerational inequality, crises, disparities and social

It is found that applying theory to practice may not always lead to the right conclusion, thus it establishes a precise approach to the social work process. The problem with choosing a particular point of view is that, whilst no particular theory is absolute, but when impartially applied, almost any can be used as theories as they are dynamic and always

Social workers need to be aware of their own values and biases, be culturally aware, recognise diversity and apply anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive principles in practice. This means that a social worker must act within the law where and when

Social workers understand that, because of difference, a person’s life experiences may include oppression, poverty, marginalization, and alienation as well as privilege, power, and acclaim. Social workers also understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures and values, including social, economic, political, and cultural exclusions, may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create privilege and power (2015 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards). (2015, July 15). My personal and

As social workers, speaking on social welfare policy standpoint, social workers do everything from the federal level to the state level insuring and overseeing the administration of social programs. It takes the efforts of social workers in policy makers, as well as program administration to adequately provide the assistance to our clients. Implementation of specific policies can be undermined if the social workers believe that the policy will not be in the best interest of the client. Crises and pivotal events sometime shape the course of implementation, such as wrongdoing by implementers or incorrect decision that adversely affect the lives of clients (Jansson 2018, pg. 466).

Practice based on empirical knowledge helps reduce bias, enables workers to study interpretations, perspectives or alternative solutions, and makes social workers more accountable for their decisions JD Hudson (1997). The dialogue between theory and practice In the past and present, there is hesitation among practitioners in social work to adapt theory and research because they feel that the reference to theory is the loss of connection with reality when practicing social work. In order for the social worker to be an effective practitioner, man must have a sound theoretical basis and this is not easy to achieve.

INTRODUCTION This is a key framework of sociological theory. It depend on symbols and their meaning. The words we use to describe our behaviour and the behaviour of others is very important. To elaborate further and get into detail about this theory, firstly the theory and key terms have to be defined, secondly the major proponents and tenets, thirdly the history of the theory, fourthly the purpose of the theory, fifthly the significance of the theory for social work practice, followed by the epistemology, consistency with social work values and ethics, implication of the theory, position of the theory on the population served by the social worker, strength and weakness, relevance of Intersectionality, critical perspective on contemporary issues

According to Jacqueline Corcoran (2011), people were basically viewed in terms of their pathologies, weaknesses, limitations, and problems. However, in strengths-based models, in contrast, the helper, in collaboration with the client system, identifies and amplifies existing client system capacities to resolve problems and improve quality of life. Strengths-based approaches can be viewed as respectful toward and empowering of the oppressed and vulnerable people to which the field of social work traditionally has been committed (Corcoran,

Introduction Person-in-Environment Framework In our practice as social workers, we are urged to view and understand human behavior as a set of complex interactions between individuals and their environment. This is known as the person-in-environment framework. This framework encourages us to acknowledge the influence of environment on our lives and provides a beneficial framework to think about and understand human behavior (Hutchinson, 2017). Understanding our work from this perspective allows us to approach our clients from a multi-dimensional stance, taking into consideration how various factors, including but not limited to, race, class, age and gender create individual identity and shapes an individual’s experience in the context of