Eco-Social Work Model of Practice.
EARTH: Noun (Oxford Dictionary)
· the planet on which we live; the world
I titled this tab Earth because my practice is largely grounded in an eco-social work model.
The Earth and Social Work
I argue that traditional academic social work definitions of ‘diversity and oppression’ are limited and limiting. As identified within the home tab, I have been exploring, discussing, breaking open, and interweaving the themes of diversity and oppression through out my lifetime. After sitting in different classes being asked to reflect upon the definition of 'oppression', I eventually raised my hand and asked, "where and how does the oppression of the Earth fit into this definition?" The response was uncertain. Identifying Earth within my intimate and personal definition of home, I am gravely concerned about the limited integration and dialog within social work discourse and education about the human and Earth relationship given the crisis we are experiencing as a planet.
The definition of social work by the International Federation of Social Work (IFSW) is:
The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilizing theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.
The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilizing theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work.
This definition does an excellent job of identifying the inclusive nature of the profession through principles of human rights and social justice. Additionally, the above definition identifies a strong anthropocentric approach to promoting social change and empowering people to enhance well-being. However, I argue the definition is exclusive because it does not take into account the broader system that informs social change and impacts human relationships and the liberation of people – planet Earth.
Social work has the professional capacity and responsibility to broaden its lens to incorporate the natural environment into discourse, education, and action. Right now climate change is the most pressing issue on our planet and social work needs align it’s practice with the Earth. This can be done through teaching classes outdoors, engaging social work students in classes that integrate outdoor and experiential components. It can also be done through investigating the intersection between social and environmental policies, or through including planetary rights within different definitions such as 'oppression'.
Social work has the professional capacity and responsibility to broaden its lens to incorporate the natural environment into discourse, education, and action. Right now climate change is the most pressing issue on our planet and social work needs align it’s practice with the Earth. This can be done through teaching classes outdoors, engaging social work students in classes that integrate outdoor and experiential components. It can also be done through investigating the intersection between social and environmental policies, or through including planetary rights within different definitions such as 'oppression'.
Eco-Social Work Model of Practice
My eco-social work practice model integrates relationship with the planet, and all relations, into its framework. The model arises out of:
Language of the Planet Podcast
The podcast explores the intersectionality between the natural environment, oppression, and social work. I pursue an argument for fusing social with environmental, inviting the profession to move beyond self limiting perspectives of ‘who clients are’, to be inclusive of the living Earth system in it’s frameworks, language, and advocacy work.
The podcast writing process was one of integration. Throughout my graduate studies, I was critical of the social work profession with regards to the exclusion of the natural environment from it's frameworks and models. I recall many of my questions going unanswered by professors - perhaps because the integration of Earth into social work models is a new lens that students are seeing more value in. Due to a love for nature, spirit, and my relationship with Earth, many of my assignments related to this passion in varying degrees – whether researching indigenous and collective rights, social capital, social change processes, or practice models – all these topics tied back to the natural system.
Throughout the podcast, I consistently return to the principle argument - the social worldview needs to fuse with the layers and language of the natural system...and I identify social work as an ideal profession to initiate this task with it’s critical and justice oriented lens. This task can be done through social work curriculum and education, advocacy, supporting client recovery, community development, and impacting policies. However, prior to shape-shifting the broader system, the profession needs to take responsibility and identify the gaps within social work definitions, concepts, theory, and frameworks to be addressed in order to shift it’s identity and professional boundaries to be inclusive of the Earth as ‘a client’.
My eco-social work practice model integrates relationship with the planet, and all relations, into its framework. The model arises out of:
- Critical Theory
- Indigenous Knowledge
- Complexity and Chaos Theory
- Praxis - Action and Reflection
- Experiential Learning
Language of the Planet Podcast
The podcast explores the intersectionality between the natural environment, oppression, and social work. I pursue an argument for fusing social with environmental, inviting the profession to move beyond self limiting perspectives of ‘who clients are’, to be inclusive of the living Earth system in it’s frameworks, language, and advocacy work.
The podcast writing process was one of integration. Throughout my graduate studies, I was critical of the social work profession with regards to the exclusion of the natural environment from it's frameworks and models. I recall many of my questions going unanswered by professors - perhaps because the integration of Earth into social work models is a new lens that students are seeing more value in. Due to a love for nature, spirit, and my relationship with Earth, many of my assignments related to this passion in varying degrees – whether researching indigenous and collective rights, social capital, social change processes, or practice models – all these topics tied back to the natural system.
Throughout the podcast, I consistently return to the principle argument - the social worldview needs to fuse with the layers and language of the natural system...and I identify social work as an ideal profession to initiate this task with it’s critical and justice oriented lens. This task can be done through social work curriculum and education, advocacy, supporting client recovery, community development, and impacting policies. However, prior to shape-shifting the broader system, the profession needs to take responsibility and identify the gaps within social work definitions, concepts, theory, and frameworks to be addressed in order to shift it’s identity and professional boundaries to be inclusive of the Earth as ‘a client’.