MODULE 1

1. Introduction to social work
JISMI JOHN
Assistant professor
GASC

2. Misconceptions of social work
 Social work as a profession is of recent origin and, therefore,
people are not aware about the real meaning of social work. They
define it in their own terms and knowledge.
 1. Social work as Alms giving activity
 It is a traditional concept. The desire to help the needy fellow men
has been present from the very inception of the human society.
 Such a desire was generated by the feeling of belongingness. It
was a religious duty of a man to provide care and protection to
the people suffering from various kinds of distresses.

3.  In India, alms giving was considered as a path of Moksha. Still
today alms giving to the poor is considered a social welfare
activity and, therefore, it is called social work.
 But alms giving is not social work because the aim of help in social
work is to solve client’s problems scientifically. Social worker
attempt to regenerate self-confidence and self-dependency.

4. 2. Sramadan as social work
 To provide physical help voluntarily to any individual group or community
is known as Shramdan, i.e. construction of public roads, public sanitation,
help to flood victims, etc.
 But this is not social work because in such activities labour is given
without any remuneration whereas in social work activities worker is
being paid.
 There is no need of training in Shramdan whereas social worker is a
trained person.
 Adjustment problems are not taken up in Shramdan whereas the basic
aim of social work is to solve adjustmental problems.
 There is an absence of scientific methodology in Sharmdan but in social
work problems are solved scientifically.

5. 3. Leadership activities are social work
 Leaders are known as social workers. Even national prizes are
given to them as social workers.
 The political worker and social worker has become
interchangeable terms. The process of clarification is urgently
needed.
 Political workers are not social workers because they are neither
trained in social work profession nor use social work methodology
in their practice.

6. Work in voluntary welfare agencies is a
social work
 Few people think that a person working in voluntary welfare
organization is a social worker and his service rendered in such
institution is a social work.
 But it is not social work because his services are not based on
scientific knowledge and values of social work

7. Social welfare
 The term social welfare signifies the total well-being of the individual and
the community.
 The objective of social welfare is to provide each individual with the basic
economic necessities, high standard of health, decent living conditions,
equal opportunities, the well-being of deprived like Scheduled Caste (SC),
Scheduled Tribe (ST), widows, aged, children and unemployed.
 'Social welfare' is an organized system of social services designed to aid
individuals and groups to attain satisfying standards of life and health.
 Social workers facilitate linkage between social welfare schemes and their
clients.

8.  Encyclopedia of Social Work defines, social welfare as an organized effort
to ensure a basic standard of decency in relation to the physical and
mental well being of the citizen.
 According to National Association of Social Work (NASW), social welfare
is a nation's system of programmes, benefits and services that help
people to meet those social, economic, educational and health needs."

9. Social functions of social welfare
 Social welfare programmes may be understood in terms of
the social functions they perform. They are
 1. Social provision
 2. Social services
 3. Social action

10.  1. Social provision
 Public assistance, social insurance, public housing,medical
care etc.
 The ideal goals of social provisions are social security and
social justice.
 2. Social services
 4 types:- Developmental, remedial, supportive and
substitutive

11.  3. Social action
 It is concerned with changing people. It seeks to alter the
structure of roles and the distribution of power, prevents
problems, expands opportunity and enhances the quality of
life.

13. Social service
 Social service is the help given by the society for the
immediate relief of certain problems faced by the members.
 Social service is the temporary service given to an individual
or group in cash or in kind.
 It is a service given by a volunteer to a needy man. It does
not help a person to help himself.
 No training is required to practise social service. We need a
good mind to help a person who is in need of our help

14. Characteristics of social service
 it is as a temporary assistance.
 it is a voluntary service.
 it is a charity work.
 no need of specialized training.
 no remuneration.
 can be practised by any individual.

15.  Giving old clothes to tsunami victims,
 giving alms to poor are some examples of social service.

16. Social reform
 Various social evils like untouchability, child marriage,sati etc.
were prevalent in our society. Those customs hindered the
development of society.
 Social reform is a process to make changes or improvements
in the society.
 Social reform involves "deliberate attempt to bring about
change in social attitudes, social values and social
institutions.“
 This can be achieved through the process of persuasion and
public education

17. Raja Ram Mohan Roy
 The abolition of sati was
the result of the attempts
of Raja Ram Mohan Roy.

18. Sree Narayana Guru
 Struggle against caste
discrimination and
untouchability by Sree
Narayana Guru

19. Sir Sayyid Ahammed Khan
 Educational upliftment of
Muslims by Sir Sayyid
Ahammed Khan

20. V.T. Bhattathirippad
 Struggle for women's rights
among Brahmins by
struggle for women's rights
among Brahmins by V.T.
Bhattathirippad

21. Ayyankali
 The upliftment of Dalits by
Ayyankali

22. Social security
 Social security is the protection given to its members by the
society against certain risks that may occur at any stage in
life.
 It is a programme of protection against the contingencies of
modern life namely sickness, unemployment, old age,
dependency, etc.
 Social security is divided into two. They are:
 a. Social assistance b. Social insurance

23. 1. Social assistance
 It is the financial aid given by the government to individuals
and families in their contingencies.
 Here contribution from the person is not at all needed to
receive assistance
2. Social insurance
 Social insurance helps a person financially when he meets
with some risks in life.
 The insured person has to contribute a particular amount
regularly to get financial assistance under this scheme

25. Social justice
 Social justice demands equal opportunity and access to
resource irrespective of age, religion, caste, sex and other
socio-economic conditions.
 It requires fair treatment of all in education, employment,
governance, and other welfare measures.
 Since social justice is denied to various sections like women,
children, aged, farmers, tribes and other weaker sections of
the society, social work profession has an added
responsibility to be keen on this issue.

26. Objectives of social justice
 To guarantee equality of opportunity
 To provide special opportunities to weaker and vulnerable
sections.
 To prevent abuse and exploitation of weaker and vulnerable
sections.

27. Social legislation
 Government frames laws to regulate the behaviour of
people. Framing of such formal rules to control or regulate
social evils and problems are called social legislation.
 The term social legislation refers to a body of rules enacted
by a recognized body and operated by a community as
binding upon itself.

28. Examples
 Dowry prohibition act
 Consumer Protection Act
 Widow Remarriage Act
 Juvenile Justice Act
 Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act

29. Objectives
 promote harmony in a community.
 uphold rights and protect people from injustice.
 ensure the security of the society.
 improve social and economic condition.
 bring social order through social control.