Adding to Practice Model
Social Capital Theory
I learned about this theory in SOWK 699 S03 and immediately appreciated the idea that the potential resources that lie within an individual's social connections or relationships, which is social capital, can play a vital role in determining the individual's social position in society. Having access to social capital means that a person has access through the people in their social network to resources such as information, connections to other people, and practical guidance. I had looked into social capital specifically in immigrant communities and found great value in applying the difference between bonding social capital, which is connections within the group, and bridging social capital, which is connections between groups. For example, if a newcomer in Canada from the Philippines only builds relationships within the Filipino community, they may not have access to knowledge about some of the employment opportunities that people outside of that community know about. As a social worker, I can support immigrants by encouraging bridging social capital and connecting them to further resources outside their immediate community. Sustainable Livelihoods Framework The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework, which I learned about as a tool for social change in SOWK 675 S01, really builds upon certain aspects of my existing practice model, namely a person-centred approach, an emphasis on self-reliance and sustainability, and a strengths-based approach. This approach places people at the centre of development by emphasizing supporting people to achieve their own goals, sustainability and independence from external support, and recognizing people’s strengths and assets, such as human capital in the form of skills and knowledge. This framework can be useful in evaluating development projects as, for example, looking at my work with Healthy Child Uganda, I can see that we are trying to improve access to information and education through VHT trainings. We are also encouraging social supports through promotion of community engagement activities and trying to further access to financial resources through encouragement of Income Generating Activities (IGAs). Self-Efficacy (& Collective Efficacy) Theory As another influential theory I learned about in SOWK 699 S03, self-efficacy theory proposes that an individual's belief in what they are capable of doing, as well as their ability to cope and succeed, stems from seeing others do the same thing, from what other people tell them they can do, and from what they had previously done before. This is important because self-efficacy not only influences behaviour but also an individual's goals and perceptions of both opportunities and barriers. Significantly for community development, self-efficacy can also be applied to groups of people as, for example, a community's shared belief in their capability as a group can determine whether they will achieve their goals. Therefore, if a community believes that they are capable of, for example, generating some income through a goat rearing project, then they are more inclined to continue to cope and strive for success when faced with various challenges. I feel then that it is important to take collective efficacy into account when developing and evaluating initiatives, such as with my development of the Healthy Homes Competition guidelines and my current documentation of community engagement initiatives at my practicum with HCU. |