Introduction
Hong Kong society is made up of people across different social strata. Some of them may require assistance from the Government or others for various reasons or because of natural calamities. Social workers, therefore, have an important role to play.
Social workers are concerned with helping people overcome personal and social problems, promoting interpersonal relationship and the well being of individuals and the community, and building a caring community which provides mutual support.
Social Work Methodologies
The following are the common methodologies adopted by social workers in performing their job:
Casework
- Focus on clients and their families
- Meet clients through interviews and home visits to help them understand and solve their problems
- Mobilise social resources or cooperate with other professionals in the course of work
- Provide clinical psychotherapy to people with emotional, mental or behavioural problems
Group Work
- Carried out through a group which is formed by people who share some common characteristics. For example, ex-drug addicts may form a group to deal with their common problems, or people with similar interests may form interest groups
- Objective: encourage group members to develop their potentials and help each other in overcoming difficulties
Community Work
- Enhance individualsˇ¦ awareness of being members to a community
- For instance, to help residents in squatter areas to organise themselves to deal with local problems (e.g. fire prevention)
For more information about the latest developments in the field, you may contact:
Hong Kong Social Workers Association