Getting Started

Social action with organizations and communities always occurs in a context, and it would be difficult to study macro social work practice without considering relevant social issues within your own organization and community. As the article you will read mentions, macro social workers have a unique understanding of community structure and dynamics and unique insight about how to identify, describe, explore, and address problems. Likewise, from a perspective of cooperative power, constituents and stakeholders of organizations and communities also have their own useful perspectives about how to identify, describe, explore, and address social justice concerns. As a macro social worker, you often have the unique position of being both a professional serving the community and also a stakeholder in the community. In this module, you will reflect on current issues within your own community or organization, from the perspectives of a community stakeholder as well as a professional working towards social change.

Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:

• Identify interventions to achieve macro practice goals. (PO 8)

Resources

• Article: Why Macro Practice Matters
• Textbook: Generalist Practice with Organizations and Communities

Background Information

Article author Reisch calls attention to social workers’ ethical obligation to work towards social justice issues, human dignity, and human rights, and to the importance of engagement both locally and globally within organizations and communities to address these issues. As a macro social worker, you will work with your organizations and communities to identify opportunities for change. In this activity, you will begin to explore your own perspective about opportunities for organizational and community change that could be addressed locally in your own community.

Instructions

1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. In your textbook, Generalist Practice with Organizations and Communities, read Chapter 3.
3. Review the article, “Why Macro Practice Matters.”
   1. If you are not logged into the IWU OCLS, you will be prompted to enter your login and password to access the article.
4. Navigate to the threaded discussion and respond to the following prompts in 200 to 300 words:
   1. Identify a macro-level need in your community or organization.
   2. How does the Reisch article resonate with what is occurring in your community or organization?
   3. How could macro practice meet needs in your community or organization?