Power in Social Work Practice

Learning about the power dynamic is essential to social workers as decision makers tend to regulate resources, policies, and fundamental change in a system. The identification and navigation of such dynamics guide social workers to be effective advocates. Even though legal boundaries are perceived as a hindrance to advocacy by most social workers, Rocha et al. (2010) explain that there is much more political activity that they can deliver, particularly by using education and nonpartisan policy: Power in Social Work Practice.

The power resource that I have chosen is person-to-person power, which entails the utilization of interpersonal relationships that can be built to create influence. Individuals with a power-with-others orientation build influence through collaboration and mutual respect, core traits of person-to-person power in advocacy (Carvalho & Conde, 2024). It helps social workers to collaborate with the stakeholders and the decision makers to facilitate the goals of a policy through mutual respect and shared understanding.

The person-to-person power influences decision makers through the establishment of solid relationships based on trust, which will open doors to discussion. It enables advocates to make the policy questions human, make a convincing presentation, and win their insider support (Jansson, 2017). When the decision makers respect and trust the person behind the change, they tend to approve the proposals more readily.

This resource aligns with my collaborative, relationship-centered approach to social work. It places strong focus on empathy and collaboration rather than on authority or processes. It better fits my practice since it promotes long-term advocacy, cultivates coalitions, and unites local communities, which are essential features of a sustainable social change.

Ethical issues involve the chances of favoritism, the situation of hazy boundaries, and unwitting prejudice. In order to be moral, social workers should act according to the NASW Code of Ethics, ensure nothing remains hidden, and provide a fair representation of all clients. Ethical use of this power implies authenticity and accountability.

References

Carvalho, J. M. S., & Conde, A. (2024). Individual power in human motivation – Review and theoretical perspective. Acta Psychologica, 249, 104452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104452

Jansson, B. S. (2017). Empowerment series: Becoming an effective policy advocate (8th ed.). Cengage Learning. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9798214338224

Rocha, C., Poe, B., & Thomas, V. (2010). Political activities of social workers: Addressing perceived barriers to political participation. Social Work, 55(4), 317–325. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/55.4.317

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***Social workers are in the business of empowering people. They are also often faced with power structures that are entrenched and difficult to navigate. Skillful policy practitioners recognize the many kinds of power resources that exist, thus expanding their options in specific situations.

As a social worker, you will learn various strategies that can create and expand personal networks that might be useful in negotiating your policy practice within an agency. You want your power resources to be recognized as effective ways to get things done, not as tools for coercion and force.

For this Discussion, you will identify power resources (including person-to-person, substantive, process, and procedural) that you can use to influence decision makers and secure the adoption of a policy proposal.

Power in Social Work Practice

***To Prepare:

• Review Chapter 10 in the Jansson text. Focus on Jansson’s categorization of types of power resources in the policy-enacting task.
• Review the article by Rocha et al. in the Learning Resources this week. (Attached)
• Identify a type of power resource you would use in your practice and advocacy.
• Search for and select at least one additional scholarly article (not from the Learning Resources this week) related to the power resource you identified. You will use this article to help explain your selection.

QUESTION:
Post a brief description of why it is important for social workers to be familiar with power dynamics when working with decision makers. In your description, address the following:

• *Identify the power resource you selected for use in your practice and advocacy.
• *Explain the resource you selected.
• -How does this power resource work to influence decision makers?
• -Why is this power resource more appropriate for your approach to practice and advocacy than others?
• *Describe the ethical issues or concerns in using the type of power resource you selected.
• Be sure to support your post with specific references to this week’s resources, as well as the additional scholarly article you selected. Provide full APA-formatted citations for your references.