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Strengths & Empowerment Perspectives

The document discusses the strengths and empowerment perspectives in social work. It defines the strengths perspective as focusing on clients' abilities rather than problems, and identifies six hallmarks of strengths-based practice. The empowerment perspective is defined as helping individuals overcome barriers to self-fulfillment. Both perspectives aim to empower vulnerable populations by identifying strengths and powers. The document provides examples of how social workers can apply these perspectives across micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice.

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Angie Dill Graves
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5K views18 pages

Strengths & Empowerment Perspectives

The document discusses the strengths and empowerment perspectives in social work. It defines the strengths perspective as focusing on clients' abilities rather than problems, and identifies six hallmarks of strengths-based practice. The empowerment perspective is defined as helping individuals overcome barriers to self-fulfillment. Both perspectives aim to empower vulnerable populations by identifying strengths and powers. The document provides examples of how social workers can apply these perspectives across micro, mezzo, and macro levels of practice.

Uploaded by

Angie Dill Graves
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 18

1

STRENGTHS &
EMPOWERMENT
PERSPECTIVES

Presented by: Latira Barnett, Angie Graves,


Jeniene Jourdan, and Jodi Kelley
Understanding of Strengths Perspective
2

“helping to discover and embellish, explore, and


exploit clients’ strengths and resources in the
service of assisting them to achieve their goals,
realize their dreams…” (Saleebey, 2006, p1)
Understanding of Strengths Perspective
3

 Who are the claim makers?


 University of Kansas School of Social Welfare - 1982
 Saleebey

 Rapp

 Claims:
 Instead of focusing on clients' problems and deficits, the strengths perspective centers on clients' abilities, talents,
and resources.
 Encouraged social workers to shift from this problem-focused approach to helping.

(Kim, 2008)
Understanding of Strengths
4
Perspective
Six hallmarks of strengths-based practice:
1. It is goal oriented
2. Systematic assessment of strengths
3. The environment is seen as rich in resources
4. Explicit methods are used for using client and
environmental strengths for goal attainment
5. The relationship is hope-inducing
6. The provision of meaningful choices is central and clients
have the authority to choose

(Rapp, Saleebey, & Sullivan, 2005, p81)


Understanding of Strengths
5
Perspective

5 Concepts of Strengths Perspective:


 Resilience
 Membership
 Dialogue
 Collaboration
 Suspension of disbelief

Schiver, JM (2011). Human behavior and the social environment, Boston: Allyn and Bacon. p. 119.
Understanding of Strengths
6
Perspective
 Core values of the strengths lexicon

Strengths

C R

Saleebey, D. ( 2006 ). The strengths perspective in social work practice (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. p. 10.
Understanding of Strengths
7
Perspective

Populations who may benefit the most from strengths perspective:


 Elderly
 Partner Violence
 Families
 Adolescents
 Mental Health

(Kim, 2008)
Application of Strengths Perspective:
8

Strengths Scenario

What strengths can you identify?


Application of Strengths Perspective:
9

How would  Micro


you use
strengths
 Guidelines for Strengths Assessment
perspective
to help (Cowger, 1994, p.265)
client,
community,
 Mezzo
and
society?
 Support group
 School policies
 Macro
 Legislative advocacy for Bully
Prevention
Critical Reflection Questions:
10

#1 – What claims can be made about the Strengths Perspective?


#2 - Who are the claim makers?
#3 – What empirical evidence exists to support claims?
#4 – What is the affective appeal of the Strengths Perspective?
#5 – What sociological, political, and economical contexts promote the
Strengths Perspective?
#6 – Unanswered questions?
Understanding of Empowerment
11
Perspective

“Empowerment practice helps


individuals and groups to overcome
social barriers to self-fulfillment within
existing social structures” (p. 297)

Payne, M. (2005). Modern social work theory, 3rd Ed. London: Lyceum Books.
Understanding of Empowerment
12
Perspective
 Who are the claim makers?
 Solomon -1976
 Cox
 Claims:
 Powerlessness is caused by economic insecurity, absence of political
involvement, absence of resources and access to information. (Parsons, 2008)
 Social workers do not empower people, rather help others to empower
themselves. (Cowger, 1994)
Understanding of Empowerment
13
Perspective

Populations that may benefit from the Empowerment


Perspective:
Women
Poor
Minorities
Victims of abuse
Individuals with physical or mental disabilities
Other vulnerable populations

Payne, M. (2005). Modern social work theory, 3rd Ed. London: Lyceum Books. p.
298
Application of Empowerment
14
Perspective

Anderson, Wilson, Mwansa, & Oseu-Hwedie (1994)


Application of Empowerment
15
Perspective:

Empowerment Scenario

What powers could you help this client realize?


Application of Empowerment
16
Perspective:
How would  Micro
you use
empower-
 Individual therapy
ment
perspective
 Mezzo
to help  Support groups
client,
community,  Shelters
and
society?  Macro
 Advocate for legislative policy

Payne, M. (2005). Modern social work theory, 3rd Ed. London: Lyceum Books.
Critical Reflection Questions:
17

#1 – What claims can be made about the Empowerment Perspective?


#2 - Who are the claim makers?
#3 – What empirical evidence exists to support claims?
#4 – What is the affective appeal of the Empowerment Perspective?
#5 – What sociological, political, and economical contexts promote the
Empowerment Perspective?
#6 – Unanswered questions?
References:
18

 Anderson, S.C., Wilson, M.K., Mwansa, L., & Oseu-Hwedie, K. (1994). Empowerment and social work
education and practice in Africa. Journal of Social Development in Africa 9(2), 71-86.
 Cowger, CD. (1994). Assessing client strengths: clinical assessment for client empowerment. Social Work,
39(3), pp. 262-268. 2006
 Kim, JS. (2008). Strengths perspective. In T. Mizrahi & L.E. Davis (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Social Work.
(e-reference edition). Retrieved from
http://www.oxford-naswsocialwork.com/entry?entry=t203.e382&srn=1&ssid=466511042#FIRSTHIT
 Miley, K. K, O’Melia, M. & DuBois, B. (2009). Generalist social work practice: An empowering
approach. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
 National Criminal Justice Reference Service. (2010). Family violence. Retrieved from
http://www.ncjrs.gov/spotlight/family_violence/legislation.html
 Parsons, RJ. (2008). Empowerment practice. In T. Mizrahi & L.E. Davis (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Social
Work. (e-reference edition). Retrieved from
http://www.oxford-naswsocialwork.com/entry?entry=t203.e128&srn=1&ssid=1075340437#FIRSTHIT
 Payne, M. (2005). Modern social work theory, 3rd Ed. London: Lyceum Books.
 Rapp, CA. Salebeey, D, & Sullivan, WP (2005). The future of strengths-based social work. Advances in
Social Work, 6(1), pp. 79-90.
 Saleebey, D. (1996). The strengths perspective in social work practice: extensions and cautions. Social
Work 41 (3): 296-305.
 Saleebey, D. (2006). The philosophy, principles, and language of the strengths perspective. In D. Saleebey
(Ed.), The strengths perspective in social work practice (4th ed., pp. 1-22). Boston: Pearson/Allyn &
Bacon.
 Schriver, J. (2011). Human behavior and the social environment, 5th Ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

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