SOCW 6070 wk 4 responses for discussion 2

Respond to at least two colleagues post separately in at least 1 of the following ways @ posts are provided must be different feedback for each peer

State whether you think the strategies your colleague identified would be effective in advocating for social change through cultural competence, and explain why.

Identify a strategy social work administrators might use to address one of the challenges your colleague identified, and explain why this strategy might be effective.

Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.

Peer 1 post

Nakesha Morgan 

RE: Discussion 2 – Week 4

There are several strategies that are important for social workers to use when advocating for social change. When a worker is advocating for social change they must be knowledgeable with what they are advocating for. A person must have cross cultural awareness as they understand how everything act and interact with one another in the cultural environment’s (Northouse, 2013). Another strategy a social worker may use to advocate for social change is being humane orientated which help to focus on the worker demonstrating sensitivity behaviors to other people. With displaying sensitivity it allows clients to feel more comfortable and build a rapport as they feel the worker understand their issues and concerns (Northouse, 2013). With utilizing these two strategies it allows the social worker to be open-minded able to understand the social change and focus on the views for future.

There are many challenges that agencies face when it relates to developing cultural competency within their organization. One of the biggest challenges within an organization may face is addressing the needs of different groups or individuals and how it will impact the agency relating to cultural competency (Chun-Chung Chow, 2008). Another challenge the agency may face is with the staff having to change their style of work. With the staff having to switch up to become more culturally competent they may become less efficient with their work ethics (Chun-Chung Chow, 2008). This may cuse the agency to shift in their work performance adapting to new change.

Chun-Chung Chow, J., & Austin, M. J. (2008). The culturally responsive social service agency: The application of an evolving definition to a case study. Administration in Social Work, 32(4), 39–64.

Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Los Angeles: Sage Publications

Peer 2 

angela slaughter 

RE: Discussion 2 – Week 4

Two strategies

Two strategies a social worker may use to become an advocate for social change through cultural competence are taking an empowerment approach to become advocates for social change. Taking an empowerment approach, having self-awareness of my own experience of oppression, and sharing power and responsibility with a client can empower them. Once developed with this technique, according to Lauffer (2010), this “practice is aimed at increasing the capacity of individuals, groups, organizations, and communities to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes” (p. 256-257). Also, this method enables a social worker in a variety of ways to address “problems of stigma, exclusion, blame, and discrimination” (p. 257). By implementing this method, a social worker can advocate by being culturally competent to advance clients to receive quality services to improve their lives.

Another strategy a social worker may use to become an advocate is through cultural competency is cause advocacy. The social worker develops knowledge about social action and ways to create social change by engaging with a variety of other players such as “environmental and civil rights groups, faith-based organizations, neighborhood councils, unions, corporations, foundations, and professional associations” (Lauffer, 20101116, p. 20). Taking social action being involved in diversity as a social worker brings on social change in advocating for policy and program changes with organizations, communities, and society She also notes that social advocacy is both necessary and exceedingly difficult (p. 20)

Two challenges administrators may face 

Administration may face challenges in developing cultural competency within their organization. One of the challenges administrators face is when taking a top approach instead of a top-down approach. Chun-Chung Chow (2008) as cited Fong and Gibbs (1995, that “diversity should not be managed from above but rather fostered through the use of “core groups” of staff members who meet regularly to create new values and assumptions about people, their behaviors, and how work gets done. The approach to facilitates top management needs to demonstrate a commitment to change so that staff-set agendas, continuous assessment, open discussion and the celebration of diversity can operate amidst a multicultural workforce (p. 45-46). 

Another challenge an administrator may face when an organization experience resistance to change. If the organization’s culture unwilling to adapt, it “can threaten the core culture of an agency, foster resistance, and compromise the effectiveness of an ethnically diverse workforce that must conform to preexisting services, rules, and procedures that may not be appropriate for serving diverse communities” (p. 43). Social agencies are not closed systems. When this happens, it can cause an organization to lack support externally and cause damage to the integration of cultural competency. However, when an organization is open, according to Lauffer (2010) their goals are influenced by environmental expectations—especially those expressed by outside organizations and individuals with significant access to both needed resources and to legitimacy (p. 28). When an organization recognizes culture and provides useful services, and develops a bond with the communities, management “share a clear understanding of the required level of cultural skills and knowledge” (p.44). 

References:

Julian Chun-Chung Chow PhD & Michael J. Austin PhD (2008) The Culturally Responsive Social Service Agency: The Application of an Evolving Definition to a Case Study, Administration in Social Work, 32:4, 39-64, DOI: 10.1080/03643100802293832

Lauffer, A. (20101116). Understanding Your Social Agency, 3rd Edition. [[VitalSource Bookshelf version]]. Retrieved from vbk://9781452239460