Micro-Practice Settings in the Community

Micro-Practice Settings in the Community

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Micro-Practice Settings in the Community

Macro, mezzo, and micro are the three levels that agencies employ to reach out to people in communities. The micro-practice level deals with individuals, families, and small groups (Mattocks, 2018). This level is often used to help individuals with basic issues directly. Some of these issues include helping one to find a home, taking care of foster children, and giving counseling. The main purpose of micro-practice in social work is to meet with individuals, families, and small groups to help them improve their quality of life. This is done by guiding these people in identifying and managing the challenges that bar them from having a happy and quality life. These challenges may be mental, physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual (Mattocks, 2018). The agencies help individuals in coping with life despite these challenges. The meetings set up often give people hope and strength to keep fighting and pushing for a better life. These talks help people who have mental issues or suffer from any other diseases that may be chronic; to understand their status and learn to live with it. Micro-practice agencies are important because they will help connect their clients to better resources, healthcare services, and temporary housing to ensure their lives get better (Mattocks, 2018). This paper will present research done on micro-practice settings in the community. It will include a faith-based, governmental, and private agency.

Faith-Based Agency

Faith-based organizations have a great value in society. The primary role of these organizations has always been providing basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter to the needy (Freund, 2021). Through a collaborative effort, individuals donate what they have to these organizations so that it is given to the less fortunate. Currently, the roles of these organizations are expanding, and they are now involved in housing and community development (Freund, 2021). The advantage of faith-based organizations is that they are fully committed and very passionate about helping people in the community. This is because it promotes people’s quality of life and nourishes their spirits. These organizations aim to help people; they also want to pull people into their faith and belief. Several faith-based organizations have been created to help other people in my community. For instance, the Catholic Church in my community has an organization that runs these operations. They give food, clothing, and shelter to those in need. Most of these resources come from church members, well-wishers, and donations from politicians and even the government (Freund, 2021). The church visits orphanages and shelters to donate the resources they have acquired. The people who manage to come to church and need this help are warmly received, counseled, and given the appropriate help. The church has built shelters that help accommodate the homeless. The church has an organizing committee that helps manage and redistribute the resources.

Governmental Agency

The government plays a valuable role in ensuring the lives of its people are good and of quality. It, therefore, offers social services to members of the community to achieve their goals. The government’s social services include free or affordable education, healthcare services, affordable housing, job training, adoption, and community development and management (Forenza & Eckert, 2018). The government employs social workers to give these services to people. The government has created agencies that help reach out to people in areas where some of these services are not accessible. For instance, an area can lack a mental health facility, and the government can play a role in dispatching social workers to these areas. They can do a door-to-door or set up a place to meet a small group of people at a time. Governmental agencies usually provide services at a subsidized cost (Forenza & Eckert, 2018). If it is education, the government can help pay a part of an individual’s tuition fee as they cater for the rest. The governmental agencies also provide minimum income support to individuals and households living in poverty (Forenza & Eckert, 2018). This way, the government helps improve the quality of life of people within its jurisdiction. Training jobs and engaging the youth in social work is another role that governmental agencies play. They engage the youth in activities that help in community development. This is a win-win situation since the youth will get paid for their services, and the community will benefit from these programs. Therefore, governmental agencies help develop individuals and the community through their programs.

Private Agency

Few private agencies deal with social work programs in my community. The few available agencies are sponsored by rich individuals and rely on donations from well-wishers. Despite wanting to help people in the community, the private agency faces challenges in reaching its goals. Paying their employers and getting resources to redistribute to society is challenging. However, most private agencies offer services like counseling that are affordable and easy to maintain (Jacob et al., 2020). Some volunteers work with private agencies without expecting pay. These individuals have a passion for guiding and counseling other people. They also want to see others happy through their talks and interaction. The private agency deals with individuals, families, and small groups. The major service provided is guidance and counseling. The people who seek help from these private agencies are often engaged in co-curricular activities and get enrolled in social clubs. This interaction with others through social activity helps the different individuals to build their self-esteem and confidence (Jacob et al., 2020). These actions, in turn, give these people a drive to work on the negativity in their lives and lead quality lives.

Hypothetical Client

The faith-based organizations, which are mainly churches in the community, receive many people every day. It could be adults, children, the old most of whom are homeless and lack basic needs. Therefore, faith-based agencies work around the clock to ensure they help as many people as possible (Mattocks 2018). The church could receive an orphaned child who is homeless. The church will take up the responsibility of taking care of the child. The child’s information will be investigated to ensure it checks out before the church takes him in as their responsibility. The concerned organization will report to the authorities to make them aware that the child is now under their care so that they get a go-ahead. Reporting to authorities will help prevent any future problems and need legal advice (Mattocks 2018). The client will be given food and shelter and also sponsor his studies. All the resources wired towards catering for this child come from the faith-based organization’s donations from the church, offerings, and donations from sponsors and well-wishers. At some point, the agency will connect the child to get a foster home so that they grow within the structure of a family. Alternatively, the child could be enrolled in an orphanage whereby the organization will send some of its members to visit him from time to time. As the church members visit the child they put in the home care, they also get the chance to visit the other children to give them food and clothing.

As a social worker, I have acquired skills to deal with different clients. Children have always been my soft spot because they are sweet and innocent. Approaching a child can be challenging, especially if they have undergone traumatic experiences. It, therefore, requires one to approach them with caution, or else they will shut off and not give you any relevant information. I would offer the child a snack, offer to play with them, or make a good and relevant joke to them. This will lighten up their mood and open a way for a good conversation. I would use indirect questions to get relevant and helpful information. For instance, they would tell you how they used to get late to school; you could ask them why and this will make them explain to you about their family life. The child could offer more information about their family or a hint to the kind of life. This will help me understand the child’s current situation and how I will be required to handle them. The person-in-environment theory will help me understand the child’s background and how they have been raised. This theory will help me get the information I will use to handle the child. I will know what to say and what to avoid ensuring that my client is comfortable throughout our interaction.

The quantity and quality of services offered by these faith-based organizations are good. However, these organizations should avoid pegging their services to their specific faith. When they offer help to people in the community, they should understand that not everyone will want to be a part of their faith. Some people do not believe in any religious aspects, but they will need help. So it does not mean that, as you offer them your help, they owe you their faith. Most people suffering out there are drunkards, drug addicts, and people who have engaged in criminal activities. These people know little to nothing about faith and churches, but faith-based organizations are obligated to help them. The organization will offer help, give them food and clothing, and counsel them. After this, an individual will decide to give their lives to the church and do as per the faith of the organization. If they accept to join the church, then the better for the organization, but if not, at least they did their part in helping the individual.

References

Forenza, B., & Eckert, C. (2018). Social worker identity: A profession in context. Social work, 63(1), 17-26. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swx052

Freund, A. (2021). Culturally-based socialization to social work: comparison of faith-based and secular students. Social work education, 40(2), 190-205. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2019.1664453

Jacob, A., Tauati, A., & Brown, A. (2020). Applied response to homelessness: Model for service learning across the micro-macro social work practice continuum. Journal of Social Work Education, 56(sup1), S131-S141. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2020.1723758

Mattocks, N. O. (2018). Social action among social work practitioners: Examining the micro-macro divide. Social Work, 63(1), 7-16. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swx057