- What gains/new insights/perspectives have you made about the uses of research to your future social work practice?
I have always wanted to open a youth center in a low income neighborhood. As i’m trying to research the effectiveness on after school programs, i’m realizing that it would be a good idea to use/ get a neighborhood needs assessments as a insight of services I might need to offer . Or survey parents and teens on the types of programs they would participate in . What is the average income in that neighborhood, if there was a fee could the target population be able to attend ETC… Before this class I didn’t consider doing / looking into data as being part of my program set up list, but now I definitely see the benefits .
- How relevant is research to social work practice?
I believe it to be very relevant. It helps us know what ways to best service a client as well as new forms of treatments / resources as they develop. It helps bring a voice/ shed light on topics not other wise tested or challenged.
- What could research potentially do?
I think research can bring light to problems and solutions in society. It can be a way to give a voice to people who other wise wouldn’t have one. It can show us new ways of doing / understanding each other / and or cultures. It can create or improve treatments options as well as advocate for and teach clients how to advocate for rights. And it can be used to create social policies/ movements once enough attention is gained on a certain topic.
- How should social workers really think about the role of research?
It should be seen as a tool, as part of constantly improving the quality of service being offered. Research can also serve as a challenge for ourselves to look passed /beyond what we think we know as “normal” and be open to new/ different ways of accomplishing that same task. It can help us challenge / learn about our own bias and work through how that might effect the way we service clients.
- Do social workers have to choose between doing research and working for their clients? Are these two issues distinct or are they different sides of the same coin? (HINT: See Ch. 1)
No , I believe working with clients and research go hand in hand. I would agree that they are different sides to the same coin. In the reading , the book says ” Social work research seeks to give the field the information it needs to alleviate human suffering and promote social welfare”. As social workers we are on the ground level with the people and see/ experience the needs of services and policies that will be needed in order to for them to succeed. We also see whats currently in place and if it works / helps the intended population or not and can suggest way to improve resources . As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect! No, social workers are no where near perfect, but we strive to be aware of ourselves and others around us to help improve the world we live in.
I like this picture because it explains what we have learned about research methods already but it says repeat at the end. That shows that even just going through the cycle 1 time will never be enough. It shows that social work should ALWAYS have jobs because the work never ends.
512Mercedes 