Chapter 7

Question 1

What does social policy pertain to?

Answer 1

Provincial, federal, or municipal government legislation or service delivery frameworks that guide methods of intervention in direct practice.

Question 2

As a social worker, why is important to study and analyze practice models of practice?

Answer 2

To consider the effectiveness of practice models in achieving the desired social outcome of social inclusion, and also the desired outcome for members of a service user group.

Question 3

What signifiant implications do income security programs have?

Answer 3

1. Where people can afford to live
2. What they can afford to eat
3. The extent to which they can engage in social and recreational life
4. The level or quality of social inclusion that a group of service users experiences

Question 4

What factors impact the service users experiences?

Answer 4

1. government-mandated policies
2. eligibility requirements
3. programs and focus of efforts of organizations that act as sites for for social work
4. organizational policies that structure service provision

Question 5

What overall shift has made social workers aware of the way policy affects direct practice?

Answer 5

A shift away from support for the welfare state to the dismantling of programs and the restricting of access to social services.
(neo-liberalism)

Question 6

What is the person-in-envrionment approach?

Answer 6

A focus on the individual in a wider context (family system, organizational system, community, society) as well as the complex relationships between the individual and these broader structures.

Question 7

In 1915, Abraham Flexner issued a stinging indictment of social work. What did he urge social workers to do?

Answer 7

Enhance their status as a profession by emulating the medical profession.

Question 8

Since the shift from indivdualism that pervaded social work until the 1920s, the majority of social workers and social work students have been directed towards what?

Answer 8

Interventions with individuals and families.

Question 9

For what reason do some social workers still maintain their focus on individuals?

Answer 9

Individuals and families present themselves directly to us; they are immediately available as the focus of possible changes, whereas policy changes are slow.

Question 10

What influences do contemporary social work scholars consider that were not traditionally factored in the welfare state era?

Answer 10

1. Broader influences of civil society/third sector
2. Influences of private sector
3. Mezzo-level social work practice (organizational level factors and practice roles related to social work manager, social welfare leader, and agent of social change)

Question 11

What is the role of organizational level practice?

Answer 11

It acts as a bridging agent between macro-level change tactics and improved micro-level social outcomes for service users.

Question 12

What are the 2 traditional ways that scholars thought social welfare needs would be met?

Answer 12

1. Through market practices and measures

2. Through a more elaborate federally-directed social policy framework guaranteeing economic equality and human rights

Question 13

What is the “third-way” to provide social welfare that social welfare scholars have been arguing for?

Answer 13

Social welfare development through civil society and social capital (e.g. nonprofit organizations and other forms of association such as grassroots initiatives or individual acts of reciprocity, such as donating or volunteering)

Question 14

What is the role of the third sector in relation to social welfare and social work?

Answer 14

Nonprofits influence both public policy and act as agents for the development of civil society. Since many social workers are are employed by direct service nonprofits, their role in social welfare and social policy development becomes tied to their day-to-day work efforts with service user groups.

Question 15

From the work of Tocqueville comes the idea that social issues are rooted in a lack of social ties. How does this relate to the concept of “social capital” and non-profits and the voluntary sector?

Answer 15

They create opportunities for individuals to participate and can aid in reducing the social exclusion of segments of the population.

Question 16

From the work of Gramsci come the idea that the role of civil society is to mobilize popular discontent, promote empowerment and to create systemic change. How does this relate to nonprofits and the voluntary sector?

Answer 16

They are seen as active agents that seek to address issues of inequality and mobilize groups to create social change.

Question 17

In what 4 ways are direct service nonprofits important in contemporary social work?

Answer 17

1. They are exposed to the day-to-day needs of service users
2. There is a historical context in which social change emerges from the local level
3. There have been structural changes within the social welfare system where neo-liberal governments have move away from traditional welfarism
4. Their social, economic and political impacts meet emerging and persistent needs, they support labour market and general economic growth, and provide opportunities for active citizenship through advocacy efforts and volunteerism.

Question 18

How have direct service nonprofits been redefining their relationship with public policy?

Answer 18

Through emerging practices and perspectives of social entrepreneurship and social innovation.

Question 19

What is a social enterprise?

Answer 19

A business that has a social mission, where the profits and assets accrued are utilized to achieve a particular social purpose.

Question 20

Why are many direct service nonprofits engaging in market-based efforts to generate revenues, such as the development of social enterprise initiatives?

Answer 20

To develop programming and new methods of intervention beyond the sometimes narrow focus of existing government initiatives.

Question 21

What 3 actors are involved in the contemporary model of governance?

Answer 21

1. Government
2. Private sector (business/market)
3. Civil society (third sector/community)

Question 22

What is the difference between the contemporary model and the traditional welfare model?

Answer 22

In the contemporary model, there is a deeply embedded cross-sector interrelationship.
In the traditional welfare model, there are one-sided relationships between the government and non-profits and between the private sector and non-profits. Civil society actors are viewed in silos of distinct service areas.

Question 23

What does existing evidence show about nonprofits and civil society actors?

Answer 23

They are not just silos of direct practice, only involved in political advocacy. They are the combined collective relationships between people and non-profits, and these associations happen on a continuum aimed at creating social change and generally represent various forms of community practice.

Question 24

What are some of the collective associations that civil society actors engage in to shape social policy and social welfare development?

Answer 24

1. Individual forms of association
2. Grassroots initiatives
3. Formal nonprofit organizations
4. Service sector networks
5. Intra-sectoral partnerships

Question 25

Through the lens of mezzo-level social work practice, in what two ways do social workers go beyond social and public policy implementation?

Answer 25

1. Create social change through the adaptation of direct services and organizational processes
2. Engage in efforts to change public policies/laws that oppress marginalized groups

Question 26

What is social entrepreneurship?

Answer 26

Innovative and effective activities that focus strategically on resolving social market failures and creating new opportunities to add social value systematically by using a range of resources and organizational formats to maximize social impacts.

Question 27

What are socially transformative social innovations?

Answer 27

Innovations that seek to create wider systemic social change within the community more generally (e.g. creating public awareness, influencing policy direction)

Question 28

What are product-based social innovations?

Answer 28

Innovations where new programs and services are created to meet emerging or unmet demand (e.g. creating more inclusive programming, changing focus of service delivery efforts)

Question 29

What are process-based social innovations?

Answer 29

Organizational adaptations to the structure or procedures utilized within an organization to create better social outcomes for service users (e.g. adaptations to methods of engagement with key stakeholder groups, adaptations to organizational procedures, processes, and structure)

Question 30

What are some new models of social finance that provide greater flexibility for nonprofits?

Answer 30

Social Impact Bonds, Social Investment Funds, Pay for Performance Contracts

Question 31

What are some of the potential benefits that these new models of social financing offer?

Answer 31

1. target investments to specific social issues in specific local communities
2. create job opportunities and local community economic development
3. reduce income inequality by diverting profits from investment income earned by large financial and corporate institutions to local communities
4. involve local community stakeholders to develop socially innovative solutions to persistent social problems