Implementing Intersectional Approach in Social Work

The assignment focuses on implementing an intersectional approach within social work education and practice. This involves recognizing differences, avoiding complex language, exploring the narratives of those with different interlocking identities, and promoting culturally competent practice with clients. It also discusses the importance of lifelong learning in cultural competence and highlights relevant references from books and journals.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Article 1..................................................................................................................................1
Article 2..................................................................................................................................2
Article 3..................................................................................................................................4
Article 4..................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Article 1
Key message
The key message provided by this article is that every human being is important and
unique. Every individual has the right for attaining self-determination and well-being. The social
workers must value honesty, reliability, commitment and transparency. It gives rise to certain
ethical responsibilities such as respect for human beings, social justice, and professional unity.
This association with its 9 branches and vivacious community supply for the professional needs
and interests of social work members.
The further study shows that Australian universities are preparing their students for the
21st century by building both social sustainability & well-being fundamental competencies. The
Australian Association of Social workers look for a certification process for promoting
competencies in the practice of social work; this will allow people to resolve issues and adapt
themselves in this complex world (Australian Association of Social Workers, 2016).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people states that social workers are accountable for
making sure that their exercise is culturally responsive, delicate and safe and further, they should
admit capabilities, strengths, abilities and contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people make it to wider society. Torres Strait Islanders are determined as the native people of
Torres Strait Islands, which is the part of Queensland, Australia.
Australian Association of Social workers (AASW) is determined as the professional
representative body of social workers in Australia. It has more than 10,000 members working as
social group. It was introduced at the national level in 1946 and is still encouraging its members
through profession's several improvements and changes. AASW has a loyalty to the international
social work community, and it has been also the social unit of International Federation of Social
Workers (IFSW).
Basically the term Cultural competence refers to an individual's ability to effectively
communicate with different types of cultured people (Grant and Greenop, 2018). Being Cultural
Sensitive means an individual must have the understanding regarding cultural similarities and
differences among people who are existing without distributing them values- right or wrong,
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positive or negative, better or worse. It means being responsive & respectful regarding health
issues and practices, cultural needs for different population.
My perspective
In my opinion, being culturally competent is important for an individual to gain
knowledge, skills & attitude with regard to care of people with different beliefs and cultures.
These competencies let social workers to be more keyed and behave delicately to an individual,
family & group certain needs, attitudes and belief in raising patient preferences. There should be
changes in exercises to improve service delivery & community development in order to furnish
with more culturally effective services.
There are various ways to improve an individual's cultural competence, some of them are:
acknowledgement of culture that extends beyond skin colour, figuring out the cultural
background of each individual, finding out their cultural effectiveness, trying to make a patient
feels like home, doing culturally sensitive judgement, raising patient preferences, conducting a
'cultural self-analysis'.
Applying this knowledge
As a social worker in a service organisation, I will supply more suitable services to native
Australians. I can improve my services by: improving my understanding and my competence in
performing across different cultural background people and overseeing views for community
development and service delivery, I will make changes in exercises to improve service delivery
& community development. I will make changes in exercise to develop service delivery &
community development in order to furnish with more culturally effective services and aid.
Article 2
Key message
The research stated mixed methods study of a racist equity and cultural competency
training & case conference model for child welfare professionals (Azzopardi, C. McNeil, T.
2016). As a result of an increase in cultural diverseness & increased inequalities in social
outcomes and health, this leads to cross cultural competence in becoming a key dimension for
effective and right social work.
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The study of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work is referred to an examination
of multicultural social problems because they link to social work concept, research, policy and
exercise. It helps to gain and develop knowledge and allow an understanding of the impact of
ethnicity, culture and class of any individual, group, community and organisation on the human
service deliver.
Cultural consciousness is the process of developing awareness of culture, which results in
expanding understanding of cultural knowledge about other individuals. Race and culture are
influential factors in society, and there is a need to address these issues in research, teaching at
different fields.
My perspective
In my opinion, social workers shall work in accordance with the values, ethics and
standards of NASW. Cultural competence requires self-awareness, humility and also
commitment to understand and enhance cultural for effective practice (Lennon-Dearing and
Delavega). Social workers should also show an appreciation of their own cultural identities and
also those of others. They can even change agents who show the leadership skills to work
effectively with multi-cultural groups in communities.
Other key readings
On the basis of other reading, I learnt that US is constantly undergoing major
demographic changes that are affecting the social work policy plan at national levels.
Diverseness, more than race and quality, involves socio-cultural experiences of people. Cultural
competence in social work practice implies an increase consciousness of how culturally diverse
people experience their uniqueness and deal with their differences and similarities. Additionally,
social workers require acknowledging their own position of power.
Applying this knowledge
As a social worker, I can continue to develop specialized knowledge and understanding. I
may use a broad range of skills like micro, mezzo and macro and other tools & techniques that
demonstrate my understanding of the importance of culture in exercise. I will also develop and
participate in professional educational and training programs that enhance cultural competence
with my profession. I will make myself aware of the impact of social systems, programs, policies
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and practices on different cultural clients. Additionally, I will participate in the enforcement of
policies and practices that empower oppressed people.
Article 3
The study shows how experienced White social workers tool with the existence and
impacts of White privilege on their Clinical Social Work Practice. Social work, as an industry,
has been continously to be a profession controlled by White, female voices (Davis &
Gentlewarrior, 2015).
In social work, privilege is defined as an unearned status which is based on social
identities, which translates into opportunities, benefits, advantages or right to social resources.
According to the data collection, 5 topics came out –role participation in continuous self-
awareness in clinical social practice, problem of using intersectionality to inform one's work,
need for addressing white privilege in clinical conversation, process of engaging in long term
growth and importance of creating strategies for use of power.
Key message
The key message is that preparing skills and spreading awareness to consider one's own
privilege is essential in practice. Attentiveness to privilege is an issue which needs to be taken as
a priority at all levels. It takes an individual's commitment, humility and practice admitting
his/her mistakes.
An interesting article by Ashley Davis and Sabrina Gentle-warrior used groups of
intimate, white social workers to search how professionals practise their knowledge of White
privilege at their workplace. If an individual is considered white in USA, it means to be part of
the dominating culture. People enjoy white privilege as a group, they think that they are smarter,
capable and far better than other people. They also accept that they deserve all the advantages
and benefits that they are enjoying because of their own virtue and hard work. Many people who
came to be called as white have benefited from this wealth directly or indirectly.
My perspective
According to me, they may also participate with their colleagues, mostly Mexican
American, African American or with few white, in educational research, training and
development. NASW subscribes to standards of cultural competence as it is the process by which
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individuals respond effectively to people of different cultures, classes, races, languages and other
diversity factors (Congress, 2017).
Clinical Social Work Practice continues to have a deeper impact on people. White people
are protected from dealing with experience of racism and once they get the grounds of their
privilege, they become defensive. Social workers are purposefully achieving and holding
membership in maintaining white culture. It has been stated by an individual in the documentary
“The Colour of Fear” where racism is the White man's problem, and it’s up to them to change it.
One can apply this knowledge in their role as a professional social worker by presenting their
own dominant cultural credentials (Greene, 2017).
Applying this knowledge
As a professional social worker, I should not refuse to work with some people because of
their accent, gender or race. In critical reflection, I will engage myself in a process of critical
self-evaluation, and self-analysis to know how my values, personality, feelings, interests are
affected by external forces such as political, social, cultural and service contexts. Critical
reflection is a deliberate analysis of experience that allows social workers to a consciousness that
deepens their choice about future behaviour, especially related to the practice of privilege. As a
social worker, I can improve as my clients deserve better.
Article 4
Based on the findings, intersectionality is a tool used for critical reflection, and as a part
of the social work that intent to challenge oppression and inequality. In critical reflection,
oppression and unfairness are often related to gender, class, race and sexuality. It has been
suggested to use intersectional approach, which mainly focuses on complexity between gender,
class, race and sexuality.
Key message
The key message is to contribute to equality, social justice and social change. According
to reflection, it is possible for social workers to become more aware of social structures and
oppression. The approach requires a professional who can examine the ability of imbalance
inherent in an organisational structure (Mattsson, 2014).
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In delivering social services, AOP approach control any possible oppressive practices and
helps in providing welfare services. Intersectionality exercised in critical reflection, aims to
understand the complexness of variety of categories which are tangled and reinforce each other.
This also shows that the reflection might end by dissolving class, sexuality, gender and race,
where there is actually difficult to understand inequalities because they are too dynamic. The
background of intersectionality has been found in feminist theory.
The main aim for feminists was to acquire inequality and persecution within groups of
women, and not only among women and men. In recent years, intersectionality has been used as
logical approach in social work and it has been an another way to understand both complex
identities and effect of social structures on people living situations. Anti-oppressive practice
refers to an interdisciplinary approach used in the practice of social work that aims at ending
socio-economic oppression. Oppression at social works refer to restrictions on an individual or
institution which are imposed by the government or political enterprise that has a power to apply
these rules formally on oppressed groups so as they may be exploited.
My perspective
As per my opinion, implementing the use of critical reflection within social work
education and practice, this may help an individual to become capable of working against
oppression and injustice. An intersectionality approach removes the disposition of mass social
identities as if there were no driving interaction among them.
Applying this knowledge
I can apply intersectional approach of social identity as it plays an important role in
organisational work environment. I can recognize differences, avoid complicate language,
explore the narratives of those with different interlocking identities. When people share their
experience, I will take an opportunity to listen to them and help them accordingly.
Further, I will promote culturally competent practice with clients to create effective
multicultural work teams, or to work as a partner with marginalised clients to strengthen these
communities and advocate the profession for fair treatment of colleagues and clients. This will
help me to build culturally appropriate referrals within both formal and informal networks. As a
social worker, I must enhance cultural competence and try to focus on lifelong learning.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Australian Association of Social Workers. (2016). preparing for culturally responsive and
inclusive social work practice in Australia: Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples. AASW, Accessed online at
https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/7006
Grant, E. and Greenop, K., 2018. Affirming and reaffirming Indigenous presence: Contemporary
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, public and institutional architecture in
Australia. In The handbook of contemporary Indigenous architecture (pp. 57-105).
Springer, Singapore.
Lennon-Dearing, R. and Delavega, E., 2015. Policies Discriminatory of the LGBT Community:
Do Social Workers Endorse Respect for the NASW Code of Ethics? Journal of Gay &
Lesbian Social Services. 27(4). pp.412-435.
Greene, R. R., 2017. Human Behaviour Theory and Professional Social Work Practice. In
Human Behaviour Theory and Social Work Practice (pp. 31-62). Routledge.
Azzopardi, C. McNeil, T. (2016). From Cultural Competence to Cultural Consciousness:
Transitioning to a Critical Approach to Working across Differences in Social
Work. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work. 25(4). 282-299
Davis, A, & Gentle warrior, S. (2015) White Privilege and Clinical Social Work Practice:
Reflections and Recommendations, Journal of Progressive Human Services, 26:3, 191-
208.
Mattsson, T. (2014) Intersectionality as a useful tool: Anti-oppressive social work and critical
reflection Affilia:Journal of Women and Social Work. 29(1). 8-17.
Congress, E.P., 2017. What social workers should know about ethics: Understanding and
resolving practice dilemmas. Social Work Ethics, p.1909.
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