TEXT A. THE ESSENCE OF SOCIAL WORK
Task: read the text and do the exercises that follow.
Social work is professional activity aimed generally at enriching and enhancing individual and group development or at alleviating adverse social and economic conditions. Its practitioners work to provide care for abused or neglected children; rehabilitate the physically, mentally, or emotionally handicapped; and extend financial aid to the poor and the aged. Social workers also carry out treatment, counseling, and direct-service activities1 to help those individuals with mental and emotional disorders, to help rehabilitate those with disabilities, or to provide preventive services.
Formerly, all forms of philanthropic and charitable activities, including those of untrained, civic-minded2 individuals, were regarded as social work. Such activities focused primarily on solving the immediate problems of the indigent and did little to change the conditions that caused those problems. More recently, however, a vast amount of new social research has made possible analyses of the social and economic maladjustments of modern society, and the activities of social workers have been coordinated in an effort to achieve the maximum possible benefit both for those individuals who are in need and for the entire community.
Social work is a profession concerned3 with helping and empowering individuals, families and communities to resolve problems that affect their well-being on an individual or collective basis. Social workers help people with individual personal issues, but they are equally responsive to larger problems, such as those arising from poverty, unemployment, racism or other emerging needs.
Social work professionals believe in the intrinsic worth4 and dignity of each person. Social workers are committed5 to the values of acceptance, self-determination and respect for individuality. Social workers are dedicated6 to the welfare of individuals and the achievement of social justice for all. Social workers believe in the obligation of all people, individually and collectively, to contribute to the provision of resources, services and opportunities for the overall benefit of humanity.
Notes:
1direct-service activities – работы по непосредственному обслуживанию (работа, которая осуществляется в условиях контакта социального работника и клиента)
2civic-minded – обстановка, ситуация
3concerned with – с развитым чувством гражданского долга
4intrinsic worth – прирожденная ценность
5committed to – приверженный, верный
6dedicated to – преданный, ориентированный на
EXERCISES
Ex. 1. Pronounce these international words.
| pro′fession | ′mental | ′problem |
| ˌindi′vidual | e′motional | a′nalysis |
| ′group | fi′nancial | co′ordinate |
| ′social | ′service | ′maximum |
| ˌeco′nomic | pre′ventive | co′llective |
| prac′titioner | ′form | ′personal |
| ˌreha′bilitate | ˌphilan′thropic | ′racism |
| ′physical | ′focus | re′source |
Ex. 2. Memorize the following pairs of derivatives.
| N → Adj | V → N | |
| society – social profession – professional finance – financial person – personal charity – charitable prevent – preventive | develop – development treat – treatment achieve – achievement counsel – counseling accept – acceptance provide – provision |
| Adj →Adv | |
| individual – individually physical – physically | mental – mentally emotional – emotionally |
Ex. 3. Transform as in the models.
Model 1: to resolve problems – resolution of problems
analyze the maladjustments; empower communities; provide opportunities; achievement social justice
Model 2: benefit of humanity – humanity’s benefit
activities of social workers; the welfare of individuals; the obligation of all people; problems of the indigent
Model 3: needs of community – community needs
development of group; professionals of social work; the provision of resources
Ex. 4. Match English and Russian equivalents.
| 1. extend financial aid | a. развитие личности |
| 2. individual development | b. получать максимально возможную пользу |
| 3. cause problems | c. неотложные проблемы |
| 4. alleviate adverse conditions | d. прирожденная ценность |
| 5. provide care | e. оказывать финансовую помощь |
| 6. emerging needs | f. предоставлять помощь (уход) |
| 7. intrinsic worth | g. создавать проблемы |
| 8. carry out treatment | h. возникающие потребности |
| 9. immediate problems | i. осуществлять лечение |
| 10. to achieve the maximum possible benefit | j. смягчать неблагоприятные условия |
Ex. 5. Choose the right word or word-combination.
1. Social work is aimed at … individual and group development.
a) enhancing b) alleviating c) rehabilitating
2. The practitioners work to rehabilitate the physically, mentally, or emotionally …
a) indigent b) aged c) handicapped
3. Social workers help individuals with mental and emotional...
a) disorders b) activities c) services
4. Recently new social research has made possible analyses of the social and economic … of modern society.
a) disorders b) maladjustments c) disabilities
5. Social work professionals believe in the … worth and dignity of each person.
a) emerging b) immediate c) intrinsic
Ex. 6. Complete the sentences.
1. Social work practitioners work to extend financial aid to... 2. Social workers provide preventive … 3. The activities of social workers are coordinated to achieve … both for those individuals and for the entire community. 4. Social work is a profession concerned with helping individuals, families and communities to … their problems 5. Social workers are also responsive to problems … poverty, unemployment, racism or others.
Ex. 7. Insert the necessary preposition if it is necessary:
(with, at, to (2), for (2), on).
1. Social work is professional activity aimed … alleviating adverse social conditions. 2. Social workers provide care … abused and neglected children. 3. Their activities focused … solving the immediate problems of the needy. 4. Social work is a profession concerned … helping communities to resolve problems that affect … their wellbeing. 5. Social workers are equally responsive … various problems. 6. Social workers are committed … the values of acceptance, and respect … individuality.
Ex. 8. Mark the statements below as true or false.
1. Social work is professional activity aimed generally at enriching individuals and groups. 2. The activities of social workers have been coordinated in order to achieve the maximum possible benefit both for individuals and for the entire community. 3. In the past, any form of philanthropic and charitable activities was considered as social work. 4. Social work is a profession concerned with helping only individuals. 5. Social workers believe in the obligation of all people to work together for the benefit of humanity.
Ex. 9. Answer the questions on the text.
1. What is social work? 2. What groups of people do social workers deal with? 3. What activities were regarded as social work in the past? 4. Why has the role of social work in the world greatly changed recently? 5. What is the philosophy (essence) of social work?
Ex. 10. Give a brief summary of the text.
TEXT B. TYPES OF SOCIAL WORKERS
Task: scan the text for getting the main idea of types of social workers.
Social workers may be employed in varied settings1. Social caseworkers deal directly with the individual or the family. They work in family-service agencies, medical and psychiatric hospitals and clinics, public agencies, substance-abuse clinics2, and industrial settings. In the last two decades, there has been a trend toward professionals working in private practice rather than in the non-profit or public sector. After determining the nature of the client's problem, the clinical social worker tries to help the person overcome these difficulties or obtain appropriate assistance. In recent years the areas of specialization within social work have increased greatly.
The social group worker is usually concerned with planning or leading activities of large groups of persons. This type of social work is often carried out in recreation centers3 such as those maintained by the American Red Cross4 and the Young Men's Christian Association5, and in hospitals and other therapeutic settings.
Social planners are social workers who conduct research and help develop social welfare policies, frequently acting as proponents of social legislation. Community organizers act as area-wide coordinators6 of all the programs of different agencies so as best to meet community needs for health and welfare services. They also facilitate self-help programs initiated by local common-interest groups, for example, by training local leaders to analyze and solve the problems of a community. Community organizers work actively, as do other types of social workers, in community councils of social agencies and in community-action groups. At times the role of community organizers overlaps that of the social planners.
Notes:
1setting – зд.: обстановка, ситуация
2substance-abuse clinics – клиники по лечению алкогольной и наркотической зависимостей
3recreation centers – центр отдыха и развлечений
4the American Red Cross – Американский Красный Крест
5the Young Men's Christian Association – Ассоциация молодых христиан (Христианская ассоциация молодых людей)
6area-wide coordinators – общерайонные координаторы
TEXT C. EDUCATION AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR SOCIAL WORKERS
Task: go through the text and get ready to speak according to the following items.
1. Requirements for a bachelor’s degree in social work.
2. Requirements for a master’s degree in social work.
A bachelor's degree in social work (BSW) degree is the most common minimum requirement to qualify for a job as a social worker; however, majors1 in psychology, sociology, and related fields may be adequate to qualify for some entry-level jobs2, especially in small community agencies. BSW programs prepare graduates for direct service positions such as caseworker. They include courses in social work values and ethics, dealing with a culturally diverse clientele, at-risk-populations, promotion of social and economic justice, human behavior and the social environment, social welfare policy and services, social work practice, social research methods, and field education3. Social work agencies collaborate with universities in training programs, thus enabling students to obtain supervised experience in actual professional practice. Fieldwork, that is, supervised training in an operating agency, is required for most social work positions.
For more advanced work and in order to work independently, a master's degree in social work from an accredited university is required. A master's degree in social work (MSW) is typically required for positions in health settings and is required for clinical work. Some jobs in public and private agencies also may require an advanced degree, such as a master's degree in social services policy or administration. Supervisory, administrative, and staff training positions usually require an advanced degree. Master's degree programs prepare graduates for work in their chosen field of concentration and continue to develop the skills required to perform clinical assessments, manage large caseloads, and explore new ways of drawing upon social services to meet the needs of clients.
Notes:
1major – профилирующая дисциплина
2entry-level job – должность молодого специалиста (с дипломом, но без опыта работы по специальности)
3field education (fieldwork) – учебно-производственная практика
TEXT D. SOCIAL WORK JOBS
Task: skim the text for particular information about social work programmes and careers.
Social work is conducted by public and private agencies. In the U.S., for example, the federal government administers social welfare programs or provides funds that permit state, city, neighborhood, or private agencies to operate many programs. These include adoption services to abused and neglected children, foster-home care, children's institutions, and juvenile-training schools, as well as local community organizations and neighborhood service centers1. Other funds go to school social work, psychiatric clinics and mental health centers, drug-abuse programs, programs to improve intergroup relations. Many states, cities, neighborhoods, and voluntary agencies grant funds for similar and other programs.
Some social workers go into private practice. Most private practitioners are clinical social workers who provide psychotherapy, usually paid for through health insurance or by the client themselves. Other career options for social workers include teaching, research, and consulting. Some of these workers also help formulate government policies by analyzing and advocating policy positions in government agencies, in research institutions, and on legislators' staffs.
The professional organization of social workers is the National Association of Social Workers (NASW)2, with headquarters located in Silver Spring, Maryland, and local chapters3 around the country. NASW publishes the quarterly magazine Social Work Journal and the Encyclopedia of Social Work, in addition to books and journals.
Notes:
1neighborhood service centers местные (районнные) центры обслуживания
2the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) – Национальная ассоциация социальных работников (НАСР)
3local chapters – зд.: местные отделения
UNIT III
SOCIAL WORK AREAS