International Social Work

1. International Social Work Opportunities in International Social Work Introduction & Review

2. Why is Int’l Social Work Important? • What examples do you have? • We live in a shrinking globe • National actions cross national borders • Remember it can range from full time overseas work to domestic work with some int’l. dimensions • Global interdependence

3. Int’l. Social Work • 1. Social agency caseloads have changed • 2. Social problems shared even by developed countries • 3. Actions of one country effects others • 4. Advanced technologies & travel has lead to enhanced sharing opportunities

4. History of Int’l. Social Work • Role of COS & Settlement House Movement • Formal schools develop in late 1890’s • First Int’l Conference of Social Work in 1928. • Dominance of US, Britain & Germany • Eastern Europe Influence

5. History Cont’d. • Latin America • Africa • China • India • Role of early missionaries • Denmark

6. History Cont’d. • 1915 Abraham Flexner’s Report • Problems with the definition of the profession • current example in Latvia • Social Diagnosis

7. History Cont’d. • SW viewed as a female profession • Role in World War I • Impact of worldwide Depression • Rise of Nationalism and shift away from Int’l. thinking

8. Social Work in World War II • Rise of Nationalism • Restrictions placed on German & Italian Social Work Programs • SW attempts value-neutral stance • Japanese-Americans in Internment camps • Post war impacts of Communism

9. Post War Changes • Social work was officially abolished after the Soviet take over of Eastern Europe • It was declared as unnecessary & a bourgeois profession in China as well • Social Work however continued in Poland in spite of the devastation • UNRRA--Int’l. SW Involvement

10. UNRRA • November 1943 --established • Developed by 44 Nations • Promised to organize relief & rehabilitation for nations invaded by the Axis powers….as soon as they are liberated • UNRRA programs are a high point of Int’l. Social Work

11. Role of UN • With the est. of UNRRA & subsequent developments the UN became the largest contributor to the spread of Social Work throughout the world

12. 1950 to 1960 • Time period of independence movements throughout Africa, Asia & the Caribbean • The First International Conference of Ministers Responsible for Social Welfare was held in Africa in 1968…officials from 89 countries, NGO’s & observers were present

13. 1970’s & Rejection of the West • New nations reject Western models of Social Work in favor of a search for an indigenous form of social work…both culturally and economically relevant to the society • Latin America leads the way • Radical approach • Moderate approach

14. Latin American Social Work • Impact of Paulo Freire..stressing an approach based upon citizen participation • Additional impact of Liberation Theology

15. Fall of USSR • New opportunities occurred with the end of Soviet domination • Establishment of Social Work programs in Eastern Europe in early 1990’s • First Int’l. Russian Social Work Conference in 1993 • Movements in China in the late 1990’s

16. Role of CSWE • 1956 CSWE forms working committee to develop definition of Int’l. SW • Membership in IASSW stressed • CSWE International Commission formed • Int’l. Commission impacts EPAS • Accredited Programs to include content

17. Healy’s Definition of Int’l. Social Work • 1. Internationally related Domestic Practice & Advocacy • 2. Professional Exchange • 3. International Practice • 4. International Policy Development & Advocacy

18. Int’l. Survey Results • Cross-cultural understanding • Comparative social policy • Concern with global problems • general worldview • knowledge of common profession worldwide • International Practice

19. Survey Results cont’d. • Intergovernmental social welfare experience • sense of collegiality with social workers in other countries • We can also add: • a good sensed of humor • and a high degree of flexibility

20. NASW & Int’l. Social Work • By 1999 NASW had begun to focus on the role of Social Workers in International Practice • A position paper was called for on the role of social work in international development • Social work’s contribution to policy development was stressed

21. SW & International Practice • Rosenthal in her 1991 article stated that although social work and International social welfare organizations have much in common, not many social workers appear to participate in international practice…. WHY??

22. Elements of Occupational Choice • General Values & Skills

23. General Values & Skills

24. Technical Skills • Comm. Organizing skills • Administration skills • Social Policy analysis • Program design & development • Education & training skills

25. Practice Location • 1. Freedom to relocate from the US • 2. Makes Professional & Personal demands • 3. Intercultural Experience • 4. Need to be global-minded…need to be altruistic

26. Rosenthal Study Findings • Social Workers reported a lack of freedom to relocate • They also perceived that living & working in the developing world would not be rewarding • Recruitment should focus on sw’ers with few $ problems & family obligations

27. Globalization from Below • What does CSWE CPS really mean? • This type of globalization represents the interests of the common person not the multinational corporation • Implemented through a “pen-pal” concept via the internet • Aids in student understanding of different peoples & cultures

28. Use of Internet • Social workers can share information and collaborate in solving social problems • International Social Work must be a two-way street and American Social Workers have much to learn from their colleagues in other countries

29. Course Projects • List generated of potential student partners & several local community organizations • American students required to communicate 2 times per week to discuss common social problems in both countries

30. Results of Project • Perhaps most significant is the increased awareness between students in the two cultures of the similarities & differences they experienced • Additionally, it may be a way of answering the questions raised in the earlier Rosenthal study…it promoted American social worker interest

31. International Social Work Placement Possibilities • Practices, Responsibilities, Accountability & Contracts

32. International Social Work • Massive changes taking place around the globe……such as?? • What is a definition of global interdependence? • Has the end of the Cold War made the world a safer place? • What’s the role of International Social Work?

33. International Social Work • Why is social work a primarily locally focused profession? • Reality today is the social workers much have a global focus….local practice is increasingly impacted by global factors • What do social workers know about the World Bank & the IMF?

34. International Social Work • End of Cold War means political ideologies decline & ethnicity as well as religion become sources of conflict • How has this impacted upon the refugees & resulting immigration issues? • Largest worldwide Diaspora of people in history

35. International Social Work • Increased need for professions to have an understanding of the cultural roots of the new immigrants & ethnic groups • Worldwide poverty is increasing • Some societies have a nonexistent or shrinking middle class • Increasing disparities in the area of wealth

36. International Social Work • Too little food • Too little safe water • Poor or inadequate health care • Human rights violations • AIDS pandemic • Increasing poverty & apathy

37. International Social Work • Obstacles to social work’s role internationally?????

38. International Social Work • Lack of status • Lack of resources • Political oppression • No official gov’t. sanction • Service structures that limit assistance • Limited societal understanding of the role of social work

39. International Social Work • How do social workers begin to take a global perspective??…..without being overwhelmed by the problems of the world? • Role of social work organizations • IFSW • IASSW • ICSW and IUCISD

40. International Social Work • To date, the Int’l. SW organizations perform a primarily educational role • Increased UN and International NGO involvement is needed….perhaps a role for MU ICD graduates?? • Why are American SW’ers absent from these organizations?

41. International Social Work • Impacts of economic growth & social improvements • Requires programs & policies that enhance people’s welfare & well-being while at the same time contributing to economic advancement

42. International Social Work • Disjointed development often means some benefit from economic policies, but not the majority • Many are left with the idea social benefits are an economic drain upon the society

43. International Social Work • Economic plans must enhance social programs & services • Also Social development must contribute to economic development • Any IDEAS how this can be done at a National level?

44. International Social Work • FACT: the highest standards of living in the world today are found in those nations that experienced economic modernization & at the same time introduced extensive social programs. • What is “distorted development”?

45. International Social Work • The Developmental Perspective • Seeks to promote the well-being of people through harmonizing economic & social policies within a dynamic process of development. • What was British experience in West Africa??

46. International Social Work • UN definition of Social Development stressed a movement beyond traditional remedial short-term services to that of promoting a wider inclusive view of social welfare • The UN challenged governments to ensure economic benefits reached ordinary people…..equity concept

47. International Social Work • In response to a top-down model of social planning the UN in the late 1970’s began to stress citizen or community participation to enhance local citizen involvement in the social planning process • Community participation is now considered vital in social development

48. International Social Work Problem Statement • You have just taken a job as a social planner for the government of Belarus….what are your initial plans for work in the areas of social & economic development?

49. International Social Work • How the approach works: • First, it establishes organizational mechanisms to integrate economic & social policies. • Second, economic growth must have a positive impact on people’s welfare • Third, social programs that directly impact economic development are stressed

50. International Social Work • Social workers & social agencies need to have a focus that is concerned with the promotion of human welfare rather than the treatment of personal problems • This has not been worked out in the profession as we continue to deal the “correctness” of micro vs. macro practice