Introduction
In the practices of social work, we have generally interacted with diversity and equality issues. As a social worker, I have to serve most marginalized people, families, and communities. The inequalities and the phenomena of power are existing in the wider society. An individual having the task of the social worker must be aware of the anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive approaches. In the toolkits of the social worker, competent cultural practices are the primary demand to analyze the issues in a proper and systematic way. Similarly, for a social worker’s understanding, certain social theories is essential in order to address the problems of the illicit drug users, their intervention, and the related issues facing the individual. A case of a teenager is best to describe in determining how two discriminatory and oppressive factors halted the life of the person.
Description
Anti-Oppressive and Anti-Discrimination practices
The issues of anti-discrimination and anti-oppressive have frequently been discussed by a scientist of social work. Both offer the relation between society and the individual along with critique that best expresses the problems. Both of the factors have lost their political edge due to the mainstreaming of their thinking process. Being a social worker, I understand the interactions and experiences of humans and try to rethink the complexities of the relations. Engagement with the concepts like social justice, equal rights, and the acceptance of diversity is the prerequisite to understanding in ending social and individual oppression and discrimination (Turner, 2017). The phenomena of discrimination involve the matter of differences. It can be positive and can be negative. The negative kind of discrimination invites attribution, which is primarily negative. There are multiple organizations working for the welfare and improvement of depriving and socially neglected or discriminated against people.
Case Scenario on Drugs
My name is Lindsey. I was living and enjoying my life with my family, friends, and peers. I was a regular student in my class with excellent grades. One day when I came back home, I found my parents thinking about something serious. I asked that what happened to you people and that you are looking silent today. Without any wait, my father told me that Lindsey and we are moving to a new town. I thought he might be joking but he told me to get ready as we are packing our lagged. I decided to protest against any movement from this town to anywhere but received a shut-up call from the parents as they asked me that we have to move by anyway. Such a complex situation let me accept the decision while suppressing my emotions and feelings. I consult and talk with my peers who told me that I should not let us behind. I try to cool down myself along with my friends with deep hearts.
We reach a new town where I gazed and observe that people are of a different kinds. I was admitted to the new school. From the first day, I started choosing friends. Two of my classmates exchange positive gestures and we became friends. After two weeks after our meeting, one of my friends told me to visit the club. Finding some enjoyment, I went into the club. After school, I along with my friends visit the club and it became our habit. I got some space in the group, which frequently uses marijuana to get delirious. As an active member of the group, I started alcohol along with marijuana for enjoyment and buzzing. Afterward, needs nothing, not even school, grades, and a future life but club and delicious drugs? I do not want to sit and enjoy myself with my family and most of my time passed in the clubs.
Application of Anti-Oppressive and Anti-Discrimination practices
The anti-oppressive and discriminatory issues are rooted in the long-time analysis of the different sociologists and I got influenced by both approaches. They researched and produce results for the people that deviant behavior satisfies society and there is a need to control the said behavior. The oppressive practices are concerned with social stigma. The activities of the groups along with me are non-criminal but lie under the deviant behavior that is defined by oppressive and discriminatory practices. Similarly, the social roles propounded by the thoughts cover the fact that my group and I should be brought into normal life by society (Mueller, 2016). The community implies stigmatic roles and tries to limit deviant behavior. For me, as I proceed with my deviant behavior or socially condemned behavior I became a regular member of the group, which is already violating the social laws of the society.
Tackling with Anti-Oppressive and Anti-Discrimination practices with the Scenario
The practices are consistently influencing my case in numerous ways. I was influenced by the group, which already existed in society. There are three levels of discrimination and oppression in social practices. The personal, cultural and structural levels, which are also interacted with each other. The basic purpose of the practices is to explain how and why discrimination occurs which lead to the oppression of individual like me. With the implications of the practices, I have the example of myself that how my emotions and thoughts remain in a discriminatory position. If my parents have satisfied my thoughts and feeling, I might not indulge in any immoral act of taking illicit drugs. My oppression leads me to get it down through illegal means because legal means were not available to me in New town.
The oppressive practices underlie that providing the influence of group thoughts and action is simple over the individual associated with the particular group. In my hometown, I was happy in my group and with my family and social life. There was no drinking and drug user group in that society. After the move of my family, I associated myself with a group of a youngster who was frequent with marijuana and alcohol. I cannot escape from that group because I need of company and friends. The influence was apparent and it does by making me use marijuana with alcohol for the excitement (Restivo, 2015).
Gibbs Reflective Cycle
The case of the group and my destructive life can best be analyzed under the model of the Gibbs reflective cycle. The model reveals that moving and changing of my place from my hometown to the new town has a considerable effect. My feeling was very much depressive. I had positive and progressive thinking with my friends, peers ad the town. I cannot stop my parents from moving to a new place where I have no friends or peers. Entering the new society poses negative effects on my personality. I join a group, which lead me to use drugs. My bad experience in the new society and group has destructed my life. I can escape from the excessive drinking and the group of those individuals through regular contact with the psychologist and by playing games at my home. I might find some good friends in the new community with the help of my teachers but cannot. My actions do not qualify me to be an active member of society. I remain under oppression and destroy my life by diving into the drinking of excessive drugs.
Importance of Anti-Oppressive and Anti-Discrimination practices as a Social Worker
As social workers, we have to observe the number of oppressive and discriminatory issues in society. The influence of the economic, political, and social factors on the individual life as usual. As for myself, I got in hands of the influence of a structured group of drug users and went into the darkness of my life. The movement from the previous place to a new place has changed the structure of my society. I have to adjust myself to the existing group of young people in order to express my depression and oppression. My inner self and social depravity lead me to join the group. With whom I could share my emotions and feelings, and to whom I talked about everything. Similarly, discrimination in society leads to the exploitation of individuals by the group along with the internalization of the oppression of different genders. In the group of drug users, I came across the repeated exploitation of my gender, which drives me to satisfy my oppression by using illicit drugs.
BASW Frame Work
The British Association of social workers in this regard is an attempt to ensure the elimination of discrimination and the oppression of the whole community. According to the council, the main aim of humanity is to preserve social values. Social services cannot prolong unless they are incorporated along with the protection of human rights. The council has the framework to adjust for people like me and those are discriminated against and oppressed by society. The basic focus of the social worker is to incorporate the needs and the development of human skills. The council for the last many decades is providing effective services in enhancing the abilities and lives of the social workers. I am consistently in contact with the council to rehabilitate from my depressive condition to active life. Besides the organization of the BASW, the council for health and care professionals is also serving and protecting valuable social workers.
Health Care and Professional Council of Social work
The authority of the regulation of the social workers was transferred to the council in the years two thousand and twelve. There is a proper way of registration of those workers that are labeling themselves as social workers. I got registered and tried to follow the guidelines. By the way, the council is trying to serve as an anti-oppressive and discriminatory practice organization (Knott, 2016). The council started training and set the proper SOPs which explain the understanding and knowledge of graduates after completion of the due training and education. The council included the following research and detailed studies on social work, youth and criminal justice, social care, and health studies. It is also incorporated into child and adolescent studies. The services and contributions of the HCPC are positively serving the social workers and it will remain effective in contributing to the deprived and isolated individuals. I am getting regular treatment from the council and found myself much better from the previous condition.
Importance of Equality, Diversity, and Social Values for Social Workers Like me:
Being a social worker, I am sensitive to the core elements of my society. The social values explain the factor that these are directed towards the behavioral aspects and the influence of the structured society over the individual (Thompson, 2016). In the same way, equality and diversity describe the increasing role of society in controlling the attitudes of the people like me. As a social worker, my role according to the levels of the society are best to explain the philosophy of social values. While the slogan of equality focuses on the various kinds of exploitations, it does address those issues of individuals, which are highly affected by groups and associations. The issues regarding oppression and discrimination are often considered by the social workers, in order to make it better and to avoid individual and social problems. Being a social worker it is essential for me that I should observe and unfold the relation of other subjects of social sciences that are philosophy, sociology, and psychology to the values such as judgemental attitude and confidentiality.
Conclusion
To sum up the discussion it is important to highlight that inequality and discriminations are part of society. There are certain tools and measures, which can be used by the individual to enhance his social and progressive life. Those are anti-discriminative and anti-oppressive practices to which social workers like me can contribute a lot. My case provided that I must visit certain social care institutions in order to save myself from marginalization. The social workers produced by some councils have helped many people who have left their participation in society. In the coming days, I will follow certain social schools to increase my involvement in social work.
References
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Knott, C. and Scragg, T. eds., 2016. Reflective practice in social work. Learning Matters.
Mueller, A.S. and Abrutyn, S., 2016. Adolescents under pressure: a new Durkheimian framework for understanding adolescent suicide in a cohesive community. American sociological review, 81(5), pp.877-899.
Restivo, E. and Lanier, M.M., 2015. Measuring the contextual effects and mitigating factors of labelling theory. Justice Quarterly, 32(1), pp.116-141.
Thompson, N., 2016. Anti-discriminatory practice: Equality, diversity and social justice. Palgrave Macmillan.
Turner, F.J., 2017. Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches. Oxford University Press.
