Generalist Practice: The U.S. Council of Social Work Education (CSWE) prescribes social work students should be trained in generalist practice because it enables them to assess and intervene at various levels.
The generalist perspective, according to the Schatz-Jenkins-Sheafor model, is characterized by the following:
(a) requires knowledge of socio-behavioral and ecosystems,
(b) needs ideologies of democracy, humanism and empowerment,
(c) needs an open approach to the practice situation,
(d) It is client-centred and emphasizes on the problem,
(e) direct or indirect interventions are used, and
(f) applies research-based approach.
Generalist Foundation
Morales and Sheafor states that the social worker with the generalist foundation uses the generalist perspective to:
(a) provide effective interpersonal helping
(b) deal with change processes
(c) apply appropriate multilevel intervention techniques
(d) intervene in different sized systems as per the situations
(e) play different roles
(f) assess and evaluate they practice, and
(g) operate effectively within the agency.
The generalist practitioner acts as facilitator, educator, broker, enabler or/and mediator. They perform various tasks including assessment, evaluation, referral or/and supervision within systems and person-in-the environment framework.
According to the CSWE curriculum policy statement and global standards suggested by IFSW and the IASSW, social work practice requires the following skills:
(i) How to define problems and issues?
(ii) Skills of Planning and contracting
(iii) Finding out alternative interventions
(iv) Skills in data collection and assessment
(v) Choosing and executing appropriate courses of action to confront injustices.
(vi) Applying appropriate and ethical research for monitoring and evaluating results.
(vii) Skills of applying social work values, ethical principles, knowledge and skills to promote care mutual respect and responsibility among members.
(viii) Use of social work research skills and critical appreciation of research in social work practice.
(ix) Applying appropriate research-based knowledge and technology.
(x) Skills for termination.
Relevance of Generalist Practice In India
India is country with multi-religions, castes, cultures, languages, lifestyles and geography. Social workers need to adopt different approaches to deal with people from different parts. They require a basic generalist foundation and apply specialized techniques as per the requirements. For example, a woman may not be able to convey the problems in front of her husband because of her submissiveness and she is more comfortable in a group of women.
A social worker with a generalist foundation can apply various methods, skills and values in different situations as per the requirements. A generalist social worker would also be sensitive to different cultures. Social workers need to have different skills to work with clients in urban areas and rural settings. He has to understand the people he is working with. People have different priorities and a social worker has to be sensitive enough to understand that.
In social work courses in Indian colleges, the students are taught the generic course content in the first year. The masters programs include various types of situations, playing different roles and adopting appropriate methods. In the second year, students choose their specialization area. A generalist social worker also works with the girl child at the individual level. The lower status of girls and women is an important aspect that is not challenged in a problem situation. While a woman can be empowered subtly, an open confrontation by the generalist social worker would not be acceptable. Social workers also need different skills to work with clients in urban areas and rural settings. They have to understand the priorities of the clients and customers.
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