Presence of Social Workers in Nongovernment Organizations

More and more, social workers, like other helping professionals, are being asked to address global issues. But social work's contributions to international social development, policy formulation, services provision, and advocacy have not, as yet, been well defined. One measure of the extent to which social workers contribute to international development is their prevalence in nongovernment organizations (NGOs), frequently international not-for-profit organizations that serve the public interest, are independent of government, and have humanitarian objectives. The NGOs vary widely in their activities, countries in which they operate, size, and number and type of workers they employ. International NGOs operate in more than one country (for example, Amnesty International, Oxford Committee on Famine). National NGOs operate within a single country or geographic area (for example, Epilepsy Foundation in the United States). Furthermore, distinctions among NGOs can also be made with respect to missions. Charitable NGOs generally provide relief efforts or attempt to meet the needs of refugees and people who are poor, by distributing food, clothing, and medicine (for example, Doctors without Borders, American Refugee Committee). They also provide housing and schooling (for example, Habitat for Humanity International, Save the Children). Community development and policy analysis NGOs serve to strengthen the capacity of local organizations and communities by collaboration and empowerment for social and economic development (for example, Amigos de las Americas, Volunteers in Technical Assistance). Environmental NGOs work to create sustainable social and economic development by using environmental practices and policies (for example, Rainforest Action Network, Heifer Project International, Green Peace). In general, services NGOs commonly provide health, family planning, and educational programs in situations in which the beneficiaries are expected to participate in program implementation. Participatory NGOs use community organization models, assisting local people to identify their own needs and to help with planning and implementation. Empowerment-focused NGOs raise the political, social, and economic consciousness of people who ate poor, strengthening their power to control their lives. Here, the NGO acts as facilitator for autonomous, self-managing groups, using community-based methods that are respectful of diversity within communities (Campfens, 1996). The International Professional Organization in Social Welfare (IFSW) and the International Association of Schools of Social Work are NGOs. Social work practice, as defined by the IFSW (2001), "addresses the barriers, inequities and injustices that exist in society. The holistic focus of social work is universal, but the priorities of social work practice will vary from country to country and from time to time depending on cultural, historical, and socio-economic conditions" (p. 2). NGOs and social work are both committed to a wide range of activities advancing cultural and racial diversity and serving vulnerable and oppressed populations. Social workers operating in NGOs may find themselves working with rural or urban populations experiencing poverty-related factors such as low income, poor food distribution, low education, and large family size; people decimated by famine, disease, environmental contamination, or population shifts from agrarian to industrial society; or people marginalized by dominant groups. Social workers endeavor to provide skills required for individuals and families to succeed in modern society by identifying local needs, developing programs, and coordinating and providing services. The numbers of NGOs and their influence have grown tremendously since their inclusion in the United Nations (UN). In 1948, 41 NGOs were formally recognized as organizations to consult with the UN's Economic and Social Council. …