Assignment Code: BSW-131/TMA/2022-23

Course Code: BSW-131

Assignment Name: Social Welfare Administration and Social Action

Year: 2022-2023

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

Answer any five of the following questions in about 300 words each. 20x5

Q1) Distinguish the term social welfare from social services and social work.

Ans) The value of social work lies in its ability to support society and lend a helping hand to those who are most in need. People can obtain free or discounted access to services like counselling and health care through social work. Social work and social welfare differ significantly in that the former is a "specific profession like a Nurse or Physician" and the latter is linked to governments or other organisations that "create a system of programmes and care for those in our community who need assistance: those who are disabled; suffering from poverty, health ailments."

Assistance is provided to those in need for social welfare, under the management of the system. Social work refers to the aid provided to people by highly trained professionals who have specialised professions to carry out. While social welfare can be implemented as a programme managed by any organisation or government, social work is conducted by social workers. In most nations, social welfare is the responsibility of the government, although social work may be carried out by either the public or private sector.

Social work and social welfare both concentrate on initiatives that aid those in need, which is one of their many commonalities. This makes it possible to think of social work and social welfare as support programmes that can be run by the public or private sector to benefit society. Both social work and social welfare promote social growth as a virtue, which has the effect of enhancing peoples' lives.

Social welfare is a programme of aid aimed at assisting the less fortunate, whereas social reform is when individuals attempt to bring about change in their community in order to better themselves. Social welfare benefits individuals, whereas social reform benefits society. The government is in charge of social welfare, but for social reform to succeed, all participants must be committed.

Q2) Describe the scope of Social Welfare Administration.

Ans) Planning, organising, and directing the operations of a social welfare organisation is the process of social welfare administration. It's the procedure we use to put professional skills to use in achieving objectives and converting social policy into social action.

Social service organisations are tasked with a very big responsibility: serving HIV/AIDS patients. The social agency handling any programme connected to HIV/AIDS/STIs and drug addiction disorders should have properly qualified social workers to staff the service delivery system due to the sensitivity of these concerns. Regarding the extent of social welfare administration, there are essentially two points of view which are:

The POSDCoRB View

1. Planning: Planning entails creating a general outline of the tasks that must be completed and the approach that will be used to achieve the goal that has been established for the organisation.

2. Organization: This is the process of creating the formal authority structure through which the work is divided, structured, clarified, and coordinated in order to achieve the stated goal.

3. Staffing: The process of filling every position in the organisation with qualified and adequate individuals is known as staffing. Thus, it refers to the entire workforce, hiring and training new hires, and maintaining favourable working conditions.

4. Directing: Making judgments and putting them into particular and general commands and instructions is the continual task of directing the enterprise.

5. Coordinating: This refers to combining many components into a logical whole in order to accomplish a task. In other words, coordination refers to the crucial task of connecting the efforts of multiple sections, divisions, and other components of the enterprise.

6. Reporting: This involves informing those for whom the executive is responsible of what is happening. Keeping both supervisors and subordinates informed about what is happening and organising for the collecting of this information through inspection, research, and records are both considered to be reporting.

7. Budgeting: It includes all aspects of financial planning, accounting, and control.

The Integral View of Social Welfare Administration

Another view of the scope of social welfare administration has come into vogue during the last few years. Due to emergence of new social problems, the subject matter of Social Welfare Administration is expanding day by day. The already overburdened administrative machinery of the government itself, not being able to successfully tackle these problems, involves various non-governmental organisations for this purpose.

Q3) Explain the concept of Formal and Informal Organisations.

Ans) In every organisation, employees are guided by rules, policies, and procedures, and the structure of jobs and positions of employees are clearly defined for achieving smooth functioning of the organisation. Such a structure is known as Formal Organisation. Interaction amongst employees at the workplace gives rise to networks of informal communication and employees cut the official channels and form their own social groups, which are known as Informal Organisations.

Difference between Formal and Informal Organisation

Q4) What are the cautions a social worker needs to keep in mind while carrying out Social Action?

Ans) The field of social work is dynamic and difficult, requiring a range of abilities and traits. Whether these abilities are innate or learned, social workers must constantly improve them throughout their careers in order to succeed in the industry.

The following abilities are necessary for all social workers, albeit this list is by no means comprehensive:

1. Empathy: Empathy is the capacity to relate to and comprehend the feelings and viewpoints of another person.

2. Communication: For social workers, effective verbal and nonverbal communication is essential. It's crucial to have excellent communication skills with a variety of people. Social workers have a responsibility to speak up for their clients, and in order to do so, they must be aware of their needs.

3. Organization: In addition to overseeing and supporting numerous clients, social workers also have a full plate of duties that include teamwork, reporting, billing, and documentation. In order to manage cases efficiently, social workers must be very organised and capable of prioritising the requirements of clients.

4. Critical Thinking: Understanding how to critically assess data gleaned via objective observation and conversation. Social workers need to be able to analyse each situation impartially by gathering data from observations, interviews, and research.

5. Active Listening: Social workers must actively listen in order to comprehend and pinpoint a client's needs. Social workers can engage clients and build trust by listening intently, focusing, asking the proper questions, and using strategies like paraphrasing and summarising.

6. Self-Care: It's crucial to take part in activities that support a good work-life balance because social work can be demanding and emotionally taxing. Self-care is defined as actions taken to lessen stress, promote health and wellbeing, and prevent burnout and compassion fatigue. Self-care is essential to a long-lasting profession.

7. Cultural Competence: Social workers must be sensitive to cultural ideas and practises in order to work effectively with clients from varied backgrounds. Social workers must understand and respect the cultural origins of their clients.

8. Patience: Social workers deal with a variety of situations and people throughout their careers. Working through complex issues and with customers that require more time to progress is something that requires patience.

9. Professional Commitment: Lifelong learning is necessary for professional success in social work. The professional principles and ethics of social work, as well as the ongoing development of professional competence, must be upheld by social workers.

10. Advocacy: Through advocacy, social workers advance social justice and empower clients and communities. When clients are weak or unable to speak for themselves, advocacy skills allow social workers to stand up for and persuade them as well as connect them with the resources and opportunities they need.

Q5) Mention any ten tactics adopted in various stages of social action.

Ans) People get active through social activity. They feel empowered and are less likely to bow docilely to the norms and demands of those in authority as a result. People are given ownership over their own lives and decisions, and their leadership potential is revealed.

Social action and the discussion of the strategies that it involves the use of a range of tactics, frequently a combination of them, depending on the sponsors' philosophies and ideologies, the other party's tactics, and the dynamics of the situation as it develops.

Following is a list of some of the explicitly identified strategies:

1. Obtaining facts.

2. Diffusion, promotion, and use of official and informal media.

3. Conscientization, awareness-raising, and education.

4. Gaining support and changing attitudes through established institutional and political institutions.

5. Spectacular and creative ways of expressing rage, indignation, and hatred.

6. Cooperation/collaboration.

7. Using catchphrases

8. Bargaining, arbitration, and negotiation.

9. Disobedience to commands, light coercion, protests, marches, morchas, dharnas, strikes, boycotts, fasts, gheraos, etc., as well as other economic punishments.

10. Powerful coercive techniques (extra-legal measures, and direct action).

The choice of strategy influences the choice of tactics. Even while confrontation and conflict are a necessary part of social activity, the majority of social activists want to avoid using violence in favour of bringing about change through moral and public pressure. The majority of social activity is also focused on making the system more humane rather than trying to topple it.