Macro Social work
Try it Out: Macro Practice
Defining macro practice is essential in understanding how it can be applied to improve society. There is also value in adopting the idea of social work practices in a community setting. Social workers and professionals working in the field are able to see and interpret the dynamics of organizations and communities. Therefore, they are vital in the process of developing policies that will impact every problem and population with the goal of making thoughtful changes. This essay will define macro practice by considering the different facets and identifying, defining, and applying a theoretical viewpoint relating to or explaining the macro practice.
Defining Macro Practice
According to Netting et al. (2017), macro practice is the professionally directed interventions intended to create change in community, policy, or organizational grounds. Macro practice likewise includes intervention with groups of people, communities, and organizations, and its goal is to bring about organized change in those systems (Netting et al., 2017). Macro practice is also defined as a type of social work that intends to bring about change. Pearson (2018) defines macro practice as the professionally guided intervention that is designed to usher in a shift in policy, community, and organizational arenas. Macro practice is applied to help social workers assist communities in performing the functions of consumption, distribution, and production of intangible and tangible goods, social control, socialization, mutual support, and social participation (Reisch, 2016). Therefore, macro social work allows a viewpoint through a critical lens to identify a problem and address the issue on a wide scale.
Theoretical Perspective that Relates to or Explains Macro Practice
A theoretical perspective frames how we see our environment and the changes that need to be made. Macro practice, just like all the other social work practices, draws from various theoretical foundations while at the same time contributing to a new theory development. Macro practice gains its foundation from different practice approaches and functions within the boundaries of professional ethics and values. In the current world, macro practice is far from the domain of only one profession, and it instead involves the skills of various professionals and disciplines in interaction (Pearson, 2018).
One of the theoretical perspectives that relate to the macro practice of social work is the structural functionalism theory. This theory considers social structures as having particular needs and society as a structure of gender, economic, educational, and legal structures and how those things function together to contribute to the whole picture or system (Brennan et al., 2013). Different parts of every society play a role in the operation and function of the entire system. There are basic things that need to be provided for people’s survival, such as food and goods, but there is also a need for justice, a system that will govern people, and support systems within communities to preserve life. In the structural functionalism theory, people complete tasks in different roles and institutions that abide by the norms and structures of society (Fisher, 2010). Lastly, this theory focuses on explaining the connection between individual parts of the system and the entire system.
Another theoretical perspective relating to macro practice is the systems theory. According to this theory, there are various parts of an entity, whether a community, organization, or group. The best way to understand these entities is through systems that have intertwined components. Particular common or mutual principles can help in comprehending these systems, regardless of whether they are as small as a family or as large as a global corporation. Certain resources are needed to facilitate the effective functioning of a system, such as equipment, people, knowledge, and funding, among other things. Such resources intertwine within the system, producing something that becomes the product or outcome of the system. Roland Warren considers the community as a system of systems where all kinds of informal and formal individuals and groups interact (Pearson, 2018). Given the diversity among subgroups and groups, communities tend to have a broad range of functional and structural possibilities that fail to conform to a centralized goal (Pearson, 2018). One thing that is considered beautiful and admirable about a community system is that it is a complex arena whereby various organizations and groups having different values are able to exist simultaneously.
Skills Related to Macro Practice
Social workers engaged in macro practice are expected to have exquisite skills in planning, collaboration, development, organizing, evaluation, advocacy, policy practice, community engagement, community management, and leadership (Gamble & Soska, 2013). In this paper, only three skills will be discussed, namely leadership, advocacy, and collaboration. A social worker or macro practitioner must possess good leadership skills. Competency in leadership as a macro practitioner entails effectively engaging with other people in the community, listening well, and knowing what kind of people as well as behavioral styles one should take on in order to help build a healthy team, allowing every member to feel values, seen, heard and is able to offer their input without fear (The Ohio State University, n.d). Effective leadership skills can help one to listen and understand the problems faced by inmates and make use of various platforms to bring about change. Through proper leadership, one will be able to find multiple suggestions on the best ways to help improve the well-being of inmates. Leadership skills go hand in hand with advocacy skills.
As a macro practitioner, it is important to advocate for the needs of different individuals. Advocacy is a feature that greatly distinguishes social work from other helping professions (Book item, 2019). When a macro practitioner is working on social justice issues, it will be pertinent for the individual to advocate for policies and laws that can help change social injustices in the community. Macro practice is majorly about bringing about change. This means that the macro practitioner needs to engage in advocacy to help individuals advance their rights, human dignity, causes, and opportunities. The macro practitioner or social worker should indulge in empowerment through advocacy in order to help enhance the lives of people, organizational functioning, policy-oriented guidelines and decisions, family dynamics, and group processes (Book item, 2019). A macro practitioner can use the skill of advocacy to advocate for the proper treatment of inmates. For instance, a macro practitioner can speak against poor treatment of inmates, such as inadequate food and sanitation, as well as harsh treatments like solitary incarceration, which have negative impacts on the psychological, social, physical, and mental health of inmates. This should be followed by taking to various media, leaders, and institutions to ensure that such inmates are treated with dignity.
Macro practice involves working collaboratively with different groups of people, institutions, and organizations to foster growth and change. As a macro practitioner, collaborative skills are important since one cannot solve a problem alone. Macro practitioners need to work collaboratively with other stakeholders. Working collaboratively ensures increased knowledge, greater resources, shared responsibility, and reduced professional barriers (Social Work License Map, 2021). An example of how collaborative skills are relevant in macro practice is a child welfare social worker who has been given the responsibility of keeping children safe. Such individuals tend to make life-changing decisions that are informed by environmental conditions, behavioral concerns, and family history. In order to do so, the macro practitioner will need to collaborate with other family members, local authorities, and teachers who will help them understand and determine the situation of a child who is at risk of abuse at home. Upon determining that a home is not safe for the child, the practitioner will need to work with local agencies in order to provide the resources for temporary housing for the child. The practitioner will also go further to advocate for the rights of children by collaborating with teachers, local authorities, and community members to help identify factors that raise the risk of abuse for children at home and come up with long-lasting and practical solutions.
Social justice and the importance of human relationships are two of the most common National Association of Social Workers values linked to macro social work. Social justice involves challenging the existing social injustices and working for social change on behalf of individuals who are considered oppressed and vulnerable. Macro practice is about bringing change, and in challenging social injustice, the macro practitioner pursues social change by addressing such issues as discrimination, unemployment, and poverty (NASW, n.d). At the macro level, human relationships are of great importance. Social workers need to understand that relationships among and between people form important vehicles for change. This means engaging others as partners in the helping process and seeking to strengthen the relations among individuals in a purposeful effort to enhance, maintain, promote, and restore the well-being of organizations, families, individuals, communities, and social groups (NASW, n.d).
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding and utilizing macro practice can be a beneficial tool for all Social Work professionals. Using the unique perspectives observed through macro practice can help social work professionals gain insight that can assist them in making meaningful and intentional changes. Macro practitioners need to have strong skills in advocacy, leadership, and collaboration. They also need to employ the NASW values of human relationships and social justice. In the TED talk Change the world, join a movement, Goodson (2014) commented that she learned early that the things you do in your life to make the world a better place matter. As a future social worker, my goal is to do just that and make the world a better place.
References
Book item. (2019). Advocacy in Social Work. Sage Publications.
Brennan, M. A., Bridger, J. C., & Alter, T. R. (2013). Theory, practice, and community development. Routledge.
Fisher, J. (2011). Systems theory and structural functionalism. In J. T. Ishiyama, & M. Breuning 21st century political science: A reference handbook (pp. 71-80). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://www.doi.org/10.4135/9781412979351.n9
Gamble, D. N., & Soska, T. M. (2013). Macro practice competencies.
Goodson, A. (2014). Change the world, join a movement. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://tedxbeaconstreet.com/videos/change-the-world-join-a-movement
NASW. (n.d). The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. https://www.uaf.edu/socwork/student-information/checklist/(D)-NASW-Code-of-Ethics.pdf
Netting, F. E., Kettner, P. M., McMurtry, S. L., & Thomas, M. L. (2017). Social work macro
Reisch, M. (2016). Why macro practice matters. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 41(1), https://doi.org/10.1080/23303131.2016.1179537
Social Work License Map. (2021). Collaborations in Social Work – How to Effectively Serve Clients Through Teamwork. https://socialworklicensemap.com/social-work-careers/collaborations/
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Question 
Expand on the ideas and concepts as follows: Define macro practice. Use the Netting, Kettner, McMurtry, & Thomas (2017) definition to ground your work. Bring in the additional sources from the modules to support and contrast that definition. Macro practice is multifaceted, and your report should reflect that. ALSO,
Macro Social work
Identify, define, and apply one theoretical perspective that relates to or explains macro practice.
Demonstrate your understanding of the skills related to macro practice.
Identify and define at least three skills for the macro practitioner.
One by one, describe how each of these skills could be used to help a population (children, survivors of abuse, inmates, for example). Cite at least one source for each talent.
Identify 2 of the NASW values that are most associated with macro social work. Justify why you have chosen each of these values using the sources from the previous modules to back up your claims.