It has been a long and extensive process of engaging social workers in the full achievement of human rights. In the definition of social work, The International Federation of Social Workers stated that the imperatives of respect for diversities, social justice, collective responsibility, and human rights are core to social work (Mapp et al., 2019). The discipline of social work has strived to establish itself and its diverse contributions to several challenges facing persons (micro) and societies (macro). Micro practice social work, also known as the clinical or direct practice, is mainly interpreted as interventions directed towards personal or familial problems, obstacles, or pathologies. Possible aspects of micro practice social work are planning for discharge from the hospital, case management, child welfare investigation, counseling, and group therapy. Macro practice social work, also referred to as administrative, social work, community practice, or indirect practice, entails work that focuses on transforming the social setup of the vulnerable or oppressed populations. Most likely practices, interventions, or methods are administration, program development, community organizing, lobbying, policy analysis, or research (Neinow, 2017). This paper aims to elaborate on the significance of addressing micro and micro issues in social work practice.
Micro social work practice includes working with families, groups, or individuals within a problem-solving approach that reveals a high level of diverse social concern and enhancement of economic and social justice. The vast nature of micro social work practice results in social practitioners embracing a more comprehensive theoretical concept that significantly applies to micro approach perceptions and emphasis on treatment aspects. For instance, a social practitioner may have a behaviorist perspective origin that regulates pragmatic treatment objectives and a family setup perspective that deviates the treatment emphasis from personal to familial or an empowerment and recovery formula that further interprets the definition of diagnosis and treatment essentials. Social work professionals embrace various perspectives; however, these examples outline the greeter conceptualization of the client, the issue the treatment component encompassing micro social work practice (Austin et al., 2016).
With the diversity, it is not astonishing that the extent of micro practice constituents varies by the type of program and the corresponding degree of specialization considered by faculty members who manage curriculum preferences. Most of the basic micro-skills taught in the first year are used in various applied systems and required by social professionals working in the human services setups. Most of the micro practice social curriculum’s signature skills are embraced in interviewing and relationship-construction skills, critical thinking skills concerned with different interventions, and problem-solving skills essential for macro practice. Micro practice informs macro practice in numerous ways. For instance, managers require behavioral observation skills to carry out staff meetings or come up with influential groups, especially when fostering a broad range of engagements and attending to and reporting information. Listening and relationship-construction skills are also required when interviewing job applicants or reviewing performances. The skills are similarly essential for social organizers involving social stakeholders to initiate better control methods in the local community (Austin et al., 2016).
Structural strategies towards macro practice are currently emerging to be critical, especially in realizing social justice in social work. Macro social professionals play a vital role in changing private obstacles into public challenges and interpreting the consciousness of these obstacles into meaningful programs and policies, which cannot be easily mitigated by persons at the individual and family level. Macro practitioners are the only professionals responsible for creating awareness of the social organization and dynamics and the mechanisms that influence social services models and delivery; cumulative attempts to empower constituents and clients; and acknowledgment of how complex matters impact various societies. The macro practice assumes that numerous communal conditions recognized as givens are neither inevitable nor natural. This critical viewpoint leads macro practitioners to question the process of identifying, defining, explaining, and addressing issues. Just posing the questions and insisting on communal just means and ends demonstrate new realities and enhance the likelihood of a systemic transformation (Reisch, 2016).
Macro social work practice extends professional boundaries by promoting a broader perspective that checks into social matters beyond limits and puts in place the prevention of the challenges. It constitutes the commitment of social work practice to social justice and social transformation by fostering structural measures to systemic inequalities and several types of oppression that exceed personal adaptation and resilience. Despite macro practise appearing to be a recent uprising, in other circumstances, workers did attempt to design unions in radical political setups and social movements and in mutual or self-help organizations that marginalized and ignored the underprivileged formulated for survival objectives. At the beginning of the 20th century, macro practitioners were crucial in initiating the United States social welfare framework. They established public and nonprofit communal service units at the local and state levels. They also assisted in democratizing the aspect of society and industry, utilized research to highlight social challenges and civilized administration of human services. The efforts developed the foundation for social work practice to advance and exist (Reisch, 2016).
In conclusion, micro practice is concerned with an individual’s skills that enable proper relationship construction for family members or groups. The macro approach addresses the concerns of the broader society in an attempt to achieve social justice and equity. The collective intervention of both the micro and macro practice equips community members with techniques of addressing crucial issues from various perspectives.
References
Austin, M. J., Anthony, E. K., Knee, R. T., & Mathias, J. (2016). Revisiting the relationship between micro and macro social work practice. Families in Society, 97(4), 270-277.
Mapp, S., McPherson, J., Androff, D., & Gatenio Gabel, S. (2019). Social work is a human rights profession. Social Work, 64(3), 259-269.
Nienow, M. C. (2017). The professional socialization of macro practice social workers: A narrative inquiry (Doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota).
Reisch, M. (2016). Why macro practice matters. Journal of Social Work Education, 52(3), 258-268.
