Lecture 4: Tasks in Social Service Practice

Question 1

Describe the three tasks in social service practice namely, conducting research, planning and implementing social support programmes and conducting interviews and the roles and responsibilities of social workers in carrying out these tasks.

Answer 1

1st Task: CONDUCTING RESEARCH
- Analysing statistics, languages and the social movements of societies.
- Gain an insight into the observable social world.
- It helps us to:
• Understand how social structures shape individual experiences.
• Understand the individuals through exploring their individual experiences based on their social interactions with others.
• Explain social relationships and interpretations of social situations.

2nd Task: Plan and Implement Social Support Programmes

Social support activities, provided by the not-for-profit agency. Some of the social support programmes:

 Family programmes
 Mentoring programmes for youth at risk

Planning Process
• Accurate Description of the Problem

• Have an accurate description of the problem to identify who are the ones most affected by the problem and where the problem occurs most frequently so that the intervention will be effective in addressing the needs of the target group(s)
• Guides the not-for-profit agency to develop realistic goals for the programme(s) and these will provide the benchmarks to track the progress of the programme(s).

• Programme Alignment
- Each programme should be aligned closely with the organisation’s overall strategic direction.

• Set the Intended Outcomes
- Set the intended outcomes:

 To measure the effectiveness of the programmes and the processes.
 To ensure the efficient use of the resources.
 To enable the organisation to keep track of its direction.

Implementation of the Programme

• Market the Programme

• Reach out to the target group(s) that there is a planned programme which may meet their needs
• Involve clients throughout the planning of the programme(s) - key to the programme’s successful implementation and use.

• Programme Evaluation
This should be carried out on a yearly basis to track if the programmes are achieving the intended outcomes and goals efficiently.

3rd Task: Conduct Client Interviews
Definition of Client Interview

• To facilitate cooperative working relationships between them by focusing on the client’s needs, wants, problems, resources, solutions and action plans.

Purpose of Interview

Interviewing is an essential part of social work and social service professionals spend much of their time interviewing clients. In a social work setting, interview allows the clients to express not only their views, but also their emotions and attitudes. This includes paying attention to both verbal and nonverbal cues such as listening, body postures, facial expressions and gestures of the client.

Question 2

Explain the three purposes of conducting social research

Answer 2

Sociologists goal is to gain an insight into the observable social world. It helps us to:

• Understand how social structures shape individual experiences.
• Understand the individuals through exploring their individual experiences based on their social interactions with others.
• Explain social relationships and interpretations of social situations.

Question 3

Describe the processes involved when conducting interviews.

Answer 3

1. Introduction
   Give a brief introduction of yourself to establish rapport and trust.
2. Build Rapport and Establish Trust
   Find common grounds to converse with the client for a more open and relaxed interview.
3. Gather Information
   Use the agency’s standardised questionnaire to start off the interview. Ask all the necessary questions that will reveal the client’s pertinent information. Build a relationship with the client - smiling and encouraging the client to answer the questions.
4. Listen Attentively and Empathetically
   Use open-ended questions and determine the client’s reason for visiting the agency. Apply active listening and observation skills. Be empathetic and sincere when determining the underlying purpose of the visit.
5. Prepare Contingent Questions
   If client holds back some pertinent information due to embarrassment or disability, contingent questions will keep the interview going.