Social Work: Helping Community Deal With Complex Issues

1. Introduction
Social work refers to a profession that profession facilitates social
change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and
liberation of people (Australian Association of Social Workers, 2017).
Social work also helps in developing, utilizing skills and understands social
structures. Social workers have several areas of practice that may require
individual social worker commitment or community participation. As a
social worker, my area of practice is helping community deal with social
problems. Critical social work is social work practice with main focus on
the root cause of social problems such as social injustice and oppression
without individual’s interest but rather community. Radical as a
professional aspect of social work or seek to solve socialproblems (Mullaly,
2007). As social worker providing counseling to the community is a noble
practice that requires much dedications and service to the community.
Another aspect of critical approach involves the provision of education on
a certain topic usually on social problems hence finding the solution to
social problems. One critical approach is community center approach-
beliefs, needs and strength, result based approach and solution based
approach (Cooper, 2013).
2. Social, political and economic issues affecting critical social
work practice
There are many issues that currently affect critical social work
practice. Some of these issues include political, economic and social

issues and have a significant impact on the society or community that the
social work practices. These issues are comprehensively discussed below.
A. Social issues affecting critical social work
Social issues are part of social work and have vivid influence on
critical social work. Social issues that play key role in helping community
understands social problems are personal beliefs personal strength, and
weakness, psychological relationship, addiction, domestic conflict, and
environment. Firstly, personal beliefs, strength, and weakness as an
economic issue have an impact on counseling especially in Australia
where counselor and client may have different beliefs and personal
strength or weakness towards social problem (Fook, 2002). Secondly, the
ability of a social worker to develop a good relationship with community
assists the people to be open and express their problems to the social
worker (Greene, 2008). Thirdly, other social issues such as social injustice
also play a significant role in understanding social problems as many
people do not easily know the causes. Political opinions or conflict is
another social issue that currently has an impact on social work especially
understanding social problems. Finally, the community relationship that
can be found between social worker and the community also play a vital
role in practice (Delshad, 2010).
B. Economic issues affecting critical social work
Economic factors are unemployment, discriminatory resource
allocation and economic abuse. Firstly, unemployment is a major

economic issue that affects social work in Australia. Though the
government is currently working on ways to solve unemployment issues,
unemployment remains serious challenge in many communities (Lundy,
2004). Secondly, poor resource allocation is another factor that has a
direct impact on social work as most social workers has reveal the
inappropriate resource allocation leading to financial challenges affecting
social work. Moreover, some organizations that also works in hand with
social workers in their bit to educate or counsel the community also
political role in resource allocation to regions (Allan, 2003). Thirdly, the
government of Australia identified economic domestic abuse as one of the
financial issues that have impact on counseling. Resource distribution
especially on economic, require educating the community on the on their
rights that can help them get resource from the government. This has
made the government through Commonwealth Bank of Australia offer
financial support to finance social workers (Agnew, 2004).
C. Political issues affecting critical social work
Political issues government policy, political diversity, firstly, the
government policy that guide education or counseling to a substance
abuse or domestic violence victims through financing counseling
activities. Secondly, political diversity has an indirect impact on social
work and to the understanding of social problems. Political diversity brings
great differences between communities and social worker as various
parties have different beliefs and weakness. This makes the social work