C15 Communication and Documentation - Module.pdf

Republic of the Philippines
Don Honorio Ventura State University
Villa de Bacolor, Pampanga
College of Social Sciences and Philosophy
Department of Social Work
C15: Social Work Communication and Documentation
Module 1: Communication
Communication
Lesson 1: Definition of Communication
Communication comes from a Latin word “communis “which means to make common”
and communi-care which means “to share” or “to impart”. It is a two-way process and method
by which a source purposively shares messages with a receiver directly or via a channel or both
learn from each other. Knowledge about communication is a growing branch of study that is now
also referred to as science- can be extremely helpful to the social worker who will undoubtedly
have many occasions to use such knowledge to effectively influence people and help bring about
change.
Communication is defined as the process by which thoughts or feelings are conveyed,
either verbally, non-verbally, or virtually, across different persons, groups, or systems (The
Terminology Committee for social work, 1995). According to Ellis and McClintock (1990)
communication is described as a linear, one-way process in which a sender intentionally
transmits a message to a receiver, which should be guided by the intent to ensure comprehension.
Trevithick (2005) added that communication could be tied to all ways through which knowledge
is transmitted and received.
In explaining the context specific attributes of communication, Koprowska (2010)
averred that communication is contextual and should align with the gender, cultural, social,
knowledge base, occupational, and age peculiarities of people. Summarily, communication is
the process of sharing information, thoughts, and feelings between people through speaking,
writing or paralanguage. In the context of social work, effective communication follows through
facilitating a common understanding, changing behaviors, and acquiring information. Good
communication as a social worker requires the expertise to be both sensitive and understanding
of clients’ situation in order to build rapport with the client, with the purpose of charting
treatment pathways, and eventually fostering desired change (Trevethick, 2008). Communication
in social work is vital to engaging clients (individuals, groups, and communities), himself/herself
(intrapersonal communication), colleagues, and other professionals, in the context of
interventions and helping relationships (Shaw, 2005).

Communication is central, and without it, humans cannot co-exist. In that case, if any
profession is aimed at studying humans and their interactive processes, then such a profession
must pay attention to the fundamentals of communication (Obi-keguna, Agbawodikeizu & Uche,
2017). This must have inspired Engelbrecht, (1999) to argue that the driving engine of social
work profession is communication. In corroboration, Nelson (1980) asserted that social work
was one of the first professions to recognize the importance of communications skills and the
link of same to effective practice. Therefore, it is expected that every social worker should have
the dexterity in utilizing communication to the tasks of problem identification, assessment,
intervention planning, evaluation, and termination, taking into consideration the uniqueness and
peculiarities of groups and individuals (Bodie, 2010).
Lesson 2: The Elements of Communication Process
The Elements of Communication Process
1. Source
2. Message
3. Channel
4. Receiver
5. Feedback
1. Source. Communication may originate from an individual, a group, or an institution. When
applied to social work, this means that communication could be initiated by a social worker,
with her client, her co-worker, her agency or with a worker in another agency. According to
Mercado “the more credible the source is, the more effective it is in changing attitudes”.
Factors for Credibility
• Being an older person
• Sincerity
• Ability to explain clearly
• Frequency contacts with the receiver.
2. Message. Message could be some knowledge, an attitude, or a behavior. This message can be
conveyed in various ways like verbally, non-verbally and through symbols.
Verbal Communication. Also considered as oral communication comes from word of mouth.
Words are used in expressions. They are used in telling stories and cases, investigations,

interviewing, counselling, conducting talking therapies, informing clients, conducting case
assessment with colleagues and other professionals, reporting cases, among others (Trevithick,
2005) The use of words, whether spoken or written. Many of us have a limited vocabulary,
which prevents us from expressing ourselves clearly and candidly. The availability of words does
not always make us “say what we mean and mean what we say”. For some people, there is a
problem with their inability to use certain words due to personal inhibitions or fears that the
receiver may find them offensive. Thus, such words like “ano” and “kuwan” (expressions
equivalent to “this thing” or “you know what I mean”) are in common usage.
Euphemisms. Use of a word or phrase which expresses something unpleasant or offensive in a
more pleasant way.
Examples:
• Passed away instead of died
• Correctional facility instead of jail
• Departed instead of died
Non-verbal Communication. Communication without the use of spoken or written words.
Examples of Non-verbal Communication:
1. Posture, facial expression, behavior, gestures, sounds, silence, touch, eye contact and so on.
2. A physical setting can also communicate message. For example, the appearance of a yard can
tell us if it is well-kept or neglected, the general climate of a house can convey whether it is
comfortable, lived-in, or just for display.
3. Symbols are essentially a non-verbal form of communication, but because of their own unique
characteristics, they will be discussed separately. Symbols come in the form of pictures,
diagrams, posters, and logos.
Symbols are chosen from different reasons:
• To appeal to the intellect and/or to the senses.
• To correct or to promote a bias or a prejudice.
• To raise hopes or to create dissatisfaction.
• To foster unity.

3. Channel. Channel refers to the proper course “channel” of transmission of communication,
that is, either interpersonal communication or mass media, or both.
Interpersonal Communication. It involves face-to-face contact with people. A one-to-one
basis, such as the communication that takes place during interviews.
Examples of Interpersonal Communication:
• One-to-one basis (Interviews)
• Group level (Small group meetings, Community Assembly, etc.)
• Mass Media comes in two forms
**Printed material (magazine, newspaper, comics, etc.)
**Electronics (radio, television, and films.)
4. Receiver. The person, group, or population segment/total population that is intended audience
of a communication is called “receiver.”
Guidelines to Remember (Mercado)
✔ The more homogeneous the audience, the easier to communicate with them.
✔ The more we know the needs of our audience, the easier for us to influenced them.
✔ In general, women are easier to persuade than men.
✔ In general, the higher the educational attainment of a person, the more open he/she is to
new ideas.
✔ In general, the younger the person, the more open he/she is to new ideas, because the
existing knowledge are not yet deeply ingrained.
Effects. It is the changes occurring in the receiver as a result of the transmission of the message,
changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavior. The receiver may ignore the message or store it
or dispose it or even send a feedback to the source depending on how the message has an effect
to the receiver.
5. Feedback. Feedback is the response the receiver gives to the sender/source after the element
of effect. It is an optional element of communication that may or may not happen.
Readings and References:
Mendoza, Thelma Lee (2008), Social Welfare and Social Work, Revised ED, Mega books
Hepworth (2010) Direct Social Work Practice Skills and Theories, USA, Cengage Learning

Summers, Nancy (2012) Fundamentals on Case Management Practice, Skills for the Human
https://www.slideshare.net/PallaviGupte/elements-of-communication-43627411
https://www.senate.gov.ph/about/symbols%20of%20authority.asp
Obi-keguna, Agbawodikeizu & Uche (2017) Communication in Social Work. University of
Nigeria.

Module 2: Communication Skills
Lesson 1: Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication
Verbal Communication. The use of words, whether spoken or written. Many of us have
a limited vocabulary, which prevents us from expressing ourselves clearly and candidly. The
availability of words does not always make us “say what we mean and mean what we say”.
Non-Verbal Communication. The communication without the use of spoken or written
words.
Some examples of non-verbal communication:
✔ Posture,
✔ Facial expression,
✔ Behavior
✔ Gestures
✔ Sounds,
✔ Silence,
✔ Touch
✔ Eye contact and so on.
✔ A physical setting can also communicate message. For example, the appearance of a yard can
tell us if it is well-kept or neglected, the general climate of a house can convey whether it is
comfortable, lived-in or just for display.
✔ Symbols are essentially a non-verbal form of communication, but because of their own
unique characteristics, they will be discussed separately.
Active Listening. A communication technique used in counseling, training, and conflict
resolution. It requires that the listener fully concentrate, understand, respond and then remember
what is being said.
Barriers to Active Listening

1. Some barriers are due to hunger or fatigue of the listener, making them irritated and less
inclined to listen to the speaker.
2. Sometimes it is due to the language the speaker uses—such as high sounding and bombastic
words that can lead to ambiguity.
3. Other barriers include distractions, trigger words, vocabulary, and limited attention span.
4. Listening barriers may be psychological (e.g., emotions) or physical (e.g., noise and visual
distraction)
Reflective Listening Reflective listening has its roots the fields of counseling and
psychotherapy, particularly in Carl Rogers's "client-centered" therapy. This is not to say that
people in organizations should become therapists, but rather that this one therapeutic skill can be
very useful in many everyday work situations.
Reflective listening is:
✔ Used in situations where you are trying to help the speaker deal with something. Reflective
Listening does not include advice or solutions.
✔ A reflective listener does not tell the other person to feel another way or to look at the
problem from another perspective.
✔ Responding to content- is a good way to help people who have just been through a traumatic
event by repeating facts of the event back to the clients.
Three Purposes of Reflective Listening:
1. Reflective Listening lets clients know you have heard their concerns and feelings accurately.
2. Reflective listening creates an opportunity for you to correct any misperception.
3. Reflective listening illustrates your acceptance of where the clients are at the moment.
Two aspect for listening and responding
1. The content of what the client has said.
2. The feelings that underlie what the client has said.
Empathy is the listener’s desire and effort to understand the recipient of help from the recipient's
internal frame of reference rather than from some external point of view, such as a theory, a set
of standards, or the listener's preferences. The empathic listener tries to get inside the other's
thoughts and feelings.

Three Steps in Responding to Feelings
1. Listening carefully to the client.
2. Identifying the most prominent feeling you are hearing
3. Constructing a single statement that includes that feeling.
Positive Reasons for Reflective Listening
Some specific therapeutic reasons have been given for employing reflective listening.
1. Self-Acceptance. People change only when they are able to accept themselves exactly when
they are right now (Perls paradoxical theory of change.). Judgments about where clients should
be only engage them in defending how they came to the place they are now. The most healing,
and therefore the most therapeutic practice is reflective listening.
2. Drain Off Feeling. In the human service profession, you will meet people in all sorts of life
crises and difficulties. Some if the circumstances are very traumatic, and considerable reflective
listening will be required on your part if the clients are to begin the healing process.
Points to Remember in Reflective Listening
a. Listen Reflectively Long Enough. Do not cut short this important piece of the clients
healing process because you feel pressed for time. Be sure you go over the situation
thoroughly once and if you can review it several times. In cases of violence, reviewing
the content several times, along with listening to feelings, helps the victim begin to hear
the story and come to hear with it. Reflective listening, in this case as in others, promotes
healing.
b. Solutions Come Later. Do not rush to the solution phase of the interview. Even if you
have ideas, wait until the emotion has been drained off.
c. Reflective Listening Does Not Mean You Agree- just because you say to a client “You
must feel very angry” does not mean you think the silent should feel angry. You are
simply acknowledging where the client is right now.
d. You Could be Wrong- suppose you say to a client, “It must have made you sad to see
your parents go through that” The client responds, “Well, not really I think I felt more
anger than sadness,” This is a good exchange. Here you get important, corrected
information that allows you to follow the client’s concerns more accurately.

e. Mind your Body Language- to facilitate the interview, lean toward the client, look the
client in the eye, nod, and look interested and exhausted. While the client is talking, do
not fiddle with things on your desk, lower your head to write, stare out the window, or
glance at your watch. Give your body language signals that indicate you are being
attentive to what the client is saying.
THOMAS GORDON'S TWELVE ROADBLOCKS
Thomas Gordon (March 11, 1918 – August 26, 2002). An American clinical psychologist and
colleague of Carl Rogers who was widely recognized as a pioneer in teaching communication
skills and conflict resolution methods to parents, teachers, leaders, women, youth and
salespeople developed a model which was known as the Gordon Model or the Gordon Method,
a complete and integrated system for building and maintaining effective relationships. The
twelve "roadblocks" are common responses that get in the way of good listening. They are not
necessarily wrong, but they are not listening. They interrupt the person's own exploration, and in
order to get back to his or her own process, the person must go around them.
1. Ordering, directing, or commanding. Here a direction is given with the force of some
authority behind it. There may be actual authority (as with a parent or employer), or the
words may simply be phrased in an authoritarian way.
2. Warning or threatening. These messages are similar to directing, but they also carry an
overt or covert threat of impending negative consequences if the advice or direction is not
followed. It may be a threat that the individual will carry out, or simply a prediction of a
bad outcome if the other does not comply.
3. Giving advice, making suggestions, providing solutions. Here the individual draws on
her or his own store of knowledge and experience to recommend a course of action.
4. Moralizing, preaching, telling them their duty. An underlying moral code is invoked
here in "should" or "ought" language. The implicit communication is instruction in proper
conduct. Such communication might start:
5. Judging, criticizing, disagreeing, blaming. The common element here is an implication
that there is something wrong with the person or with what he or she has said. Note that
simple disagreement is included in this group.
6. Agreeing, approving, praising. Some people are surprised to find this included with the
roadblocks. This kind of message gives a sanction or approval to what has been said.
This, too, stops the communication process and may also imply an uneven relationship
between speaker and listener. True listening is different from approving and does not
require approval.

7. Shaming, ridiculing, labeling, name-calling. Here the disapproval is more overt and is
directed at the individual in the hopes of shaming or correcting a behavior or attitude.
8. Interpreting, analyzing. This is a very common and tempting one for counselors: to
seek out the hidden meaning for the person and give your own interpretation.
9. Reassuring, sympathizing, consoling. The intent here is usually to help the person feel
better. What is wrong with that? Nothing, perhaps, but it is not listening. It meets the
criterion as a roadblock because it interferes with the spontaneous flow of
communication.
10. Probing, questioning, interrogating. Trying to find motives, reasons and causes. Clients
do not always tell their concerns in logical sequence, and there are good ways for workers
to go back and fill in the gaps without sounding though they are in a superior position.
11. Withdrawing, distracting, humoring, changing the subject. Finally, this very obvious
roadblock is an attempt to "take the person's mind off it." It directly diverts
communication, and underneath implies that what the person was saying is not important
or should not be pursued.
12. “I understand”. Workers attempt to comfort clients who are upset. Most of us can never
fully understand what the client feels. Do not use phrase “I understand…” or “I
understand what you feel. That happened to me once” or worse “I understand you, but…”
These phrases tend to negate the client’s real feelings and push the worker perspective
instead.
Lesson 3: Useful responses.
You are responsible for creating an environment that makes client feel comfortable and safe
enough to be open.
1. Ways to responding the feelings. t helps the client feel comfortable and understood if you
can identify their feeling and say that back to them. Do not confuse the person by adding more
than one feeling.
2. Ways to start responding to content. You are confirming that you are bearing what the client
has told you and confirm for the client how important the details are to you.
3. Ways to start a closed question. Question that requires only a single answer are often
referred to us a closed question and can be used when you need facts or specific information.
4. Ways to start an open question. To be more open to solicit the information clients believe is
significant.

5. Ways to start an “I-Message”. A better way to bring up our own concerns is to indicate that
this concern belongs to us. We do this by using the word “I” first. These responses can consist of
several sentences and should sound tentative rather than judgmental or decisive.
6. Useful ways to begin a firmer “I-Message”- there are times when you need to act on behalf
of clients. Another person may unintentionally interfering in some way. This may call for an
invitation to help and that invitation must be worded in a way that is more authoritative but not
offensive.
7. Ways to show appreciation for what has been said. It is a good idea to let them know you
appreciate what they have to say.
8. Specific questions useful in beginning to disarm anger. When client express anger to us or
our organization, it is not constructive to argue with them. By using this question, you indicate
that you really want to understand the problem the client is experiencing with you or your
organization.
9. Examples of ways to agree when practicing disarming. You can use responses to let clients
know that you can see and accept the truth in what they have told you.
10. Responses when you cannot change. You need a pleasant way to let the client know you
cannot make the request change.
11. Responses when you find you can compromise. Clients make useful suggestions, and the
requested changes can be made.
12. Ways to start collaboration. You let the clients know they can trust your intention to be
supportive without taking over and forcing a solution. It prevents your giving the impression that
you feel superior and that you see clients as being helpless and inadequate.
13. Ways to involve client in collaboration. Prevent client from simply going along.
Points to Remember:
• Good responses are constructive responses that promote rapport and build trust; poor
responses, block rapport, understanding and further exploration.
• To become proficient, you must practice.
References:
Hail, Christopher, et.al. Analyzing Social Work Communication: Discourse in Practice. 2012

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_listening
http://www.analytictech.com/mb119/reflecti.html
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflective_listening
https://www.slideshare.net/PallaviGupte/elements-of-communication-43627411
https://www.unodc.org/ddt-training/treatment/VOLUME%20B/Volume%20B%20-
%20Module%202/3.Clinical%20Forms/3.T_Gordon_Roadblocks.pdf

Module 3: Interviewing
Lesson 1: The Social Work Interview
Interview. An interview is a face-to-face meeting between two or more persons, directed
towards a purpose, such as to obtain information, to give instructions, and to help. It is an event
composed of a sequence of physical and mental experience. Worker must know how to plan and
conduct a respectful, professional, and effective interview. It occurs when and where a helping
professional practitioner and a client talk to one another.
Types of Social Work Interviews
1. Informational or social history interviews. Obtain data for social study or for social history
i.e., background or life history related to client’s problem and it seek information about
client’s background to better understand him/her.
2. Assessment or decision-making interviews. It is done to arrive at an appraisal. The
qquestions are aimed at making specific decisions involving human services. Example: A
medical social worker interviews an unmarried pregnant woman to determine eligibility for
financial assistance
3. Intervention Interviews. To help client make changes, or to change the social environment
to help client function better or both. Example: A shy parent is counselled on how to be more
assertive.
Skills required for an effective interview.
1. Skills in relating with the interviewee. A social work is guided by the professional
principles applied in working with people, which include the following:
a. Accepting people as they are
b. Individualizing people
c. Protecting the confidential nature of the interview

d. Exercising discipline in the use of oneself.
e. Allowing the interviewee to participate and become self- determining.
2. Skill in observing the interviewee. A skilled interviewer is very observant, is sensitive to
what his eyes can see: the physical appearance of the interviewee, his facial expressions,
body movements, and the like.
3. Skill in listening. A good interviewer is a good listener. She listens before she talks or starts
the interview by giving its purpose, and then lets the interviewee talk. She picks up important
points for elaboration or discussion. When the interviewee says, “everything I do is wrong.”
the interviewer can respond in any of the following ways:
✔ everything you do is wrong... “everything?”
✔ What do you mean?
✔ I am not sure I understand what you mean.
✔ Perhaps you would like to tell me about it.
✔ Tell me about “everything”.
✔ Silence (just being silent, with a waiting expression on one’s face can encourage the
interviewee to keep talking.)
4. Skill in asking questions. An interviewer would remember that a friendly manner in asking
questions can make the difference between her getting correct or wrong information, and a
responsive or hostile reply. An accusing question arouses a fearful and defensive attitude.
5. Skill in answering personal questions. Just asking personal questions require skill, so does
answering personal question. The Filipino social worker should realize that she, too, is
entitled to her own privacy and she must not feel obligated to answer every question her
client asks.
6. Interpreting the client’s response. The interviewer gives meaning to the client’s words,
expressions, and behavior. There is also needed to understand the client’s culture, when
making interpretations of his responses.
Chapter 2: Conducting Interview

1. Prepare for the interview. Anticipate the usual problems and situations presented by people,
considering the particular nature of your work.
2. Always start by making the client feel comfortable. The interviewer should feel
comfortable herself since anxiety, tension, and nervousness can be sensed by the client and can
affect the interview. Use of amenities (kumusta ho kayo, namukhaan ko yata kayo) are every
helpful
3. Use your intuition or “sixth sense”. The worker should be sensitive to certain signs that tell
her when or how to start with the interview. A client who comes in seemingly upset should be
allowed time to collect himself before interview starts.
Middle Stage
4. Exercise care in the use of interview instruments like intake and survey forms. The
worker should explain these instruments to the client, as the latter can become suspicious or
uncomfortable once the worker starts writing down his responses. Note taking in the course of an
interview sometimes has to be done.
5. Be conscious of time. The interviewer should realize the need to set time limits on the
interview. By this we do not mean that she decides on a definite length of time and rigidly abides
by it. Rather, she keeps in mind what she wants to accomplish during the interview.
6. Do not rush into direction action or help without fully understanding the client’s
situation. A worker should carefully assess the client’s situation based on accurate or reliable
data she has gathered, which makes for a definition of the nature of the client’s problem, which,
in turn, becomes the worker’s basis for action.
7. The interviewer should have proper deportment. The way the interviewer acts or conducts
herself is very important. In our society, a worker will find it helpful to learn the norms in a
particular community if she wants to be accepted by people.
Helping Interview. A common mechanism to demonstrate the components of helping
relationships (i.e., empathy and active listening). It is another r activity in helping/problem
solving process. It is ddifferent from an ordinary informal conversation
Purpose of Helping Interview
✔ Gather information.
✔ Assessment of nature of problem
✔ Deliver information or education.

✔ Provide emotional support.
✔ Assist with generating alternatives and solving problems.
✔ Counselling
Distinguishing Features of Social Work Interview
✔ Has a context or setting.
✔ Purposeful and directed.
✔ Limited and contractual
✔ Involves specialized role relationship.
Initial Interview Objectives
✔ To set the context and develop skills for building effective working relationships with client.
✔ To thoroughly explore client’s difficulties (clarify what the client can expect from the
contact)
Desired Outcomes of Initial Interview
✔ Client feels free to express/feels safe to open up.
✔ Worker in the process receives needed information.
✔ Client leaves confident of being able to work with a worker toward satisfactory solution.
✔ Rapport is established between the two parties.
Conversation vs Helping Interview
Conversation Helping Interview
• Unstructured • Somewhat structured
• Informal • Formal
• No special roles • Roles. Person seeking and helping

• No specified purpose or goal • Purpose: to help the person
accomplish his/her goals
• Equal exchange or dialogue • The person seeking help talks more
• Spontaneous, unplanned • Most often, scheduled, planned
• No rule governs the communication • Ethical guidelines and
communication techniques
• Relationship is ongoing, social • Relationship is temporary and
business like
Chapter 3: Steps in Helping Interview
Step 1: Affective Dimension: Building Rapport
✔ Worker establishes the initial relationship.
✔ Creates a safe environment and a helpful climate
Step 2: Cognitive Dimension: Assessment
✔ Worker explores basic crisis or problem and how the person seeking help views the
situation.
✔ Gathers information and explore what prompted the person to seek help
Step 3: Affective Dimensions: Feeling
✔ The core of helping comprises the identification of, accepting of, validation of, and
reflection of the person’s feelings.
✔ Active listening allows this phase to occur
Step 4: Cognitive Dimension: Problem Solving
✔ Generating alternative solutions with the person seeking help
✔ Discussing possible resources
✔ Making a mutual, shared plan for action

Steps in a Helping Interview.
The 4 interview phases should often occur in this order- certain tasks must be accomplished
before the others:
1. Rapport building should happen initially and quickly (carried throughout the interview)
2. Assessment is much more useful in the beginning of the interview than at the end.
3. Listening actively and responding reflectively to feelings is a continuous process (but is most
important in the middle of the interview)
4. Problem solving is most useful if bulk of it occurs toward the end of the encounter (rather than
at the beginning)
Problem Solving Phases of an Interview
1. Identify the specific problem the person wishes to address.
2. Determine the person’s view of the problem and feelings about the situation
3. Explore the person’s priorities about this particular issue
4. Break the tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces
5. Develop and list possible options, along with pros and cons with each one.
6. Explore which solutions would be more comfortable or possible to try
7. Develop resources
8. Develop an action plan, agreeing on what each of you will do
Components of an Interview
1. A helping interview has 3 parts: beginning, middle, and ending.
2. Important to take notes of what must happen in each part.
3. Remember helping interviews:
● Characteristically flexible and fluid
● Requires the worker to gently guide the process and
● Worker does not take control away from the person seeking help.

Components of an Interview – Beginning/Introduction
Greeting and meeting the person is actually the end of a process of preparation on the part of the
worker/agency/and person.
1. The person must:
✔ recognize that assistance and support is needed and
✔ Must gather the courage to see the worker who will be asking for personal and private
information.
2. The worker must:
✔ be careful with the way she greets the client, answers the client, care also in
choosing/responding to clients.
✔ First words are important components of the development of rapport and trust.
3. Acknowledge (or even appreciate/thank) the person for seeking help and for taking an
important and courageous step in seeking support.
4. Let the person state the purpose for seeking help as well as his/her perception of the problem.
5. Worker explores and clarifies the person’s expectations about the agency can and cannot do.
6. Worker explains what services and referrals are possible.
7. Worker corrects any misconceptions early on and provide correct information in return.
8. This is the best time to discuss confidentiality.
9. If agency/worker cannot provide needed services, make an appropriate referral to other
agencies/resources.
Component of Interview - Middle as the CORE of the Interview
1. Bulk of the interview must be spent on:
✔ Exploring the problem
✔ Talking about how the person feels and experiences the current situation.
✔ Generating options for solutions
2. Worker

✔ Assists the person with identifying feelings and thoughts.
✔ Worker clarifies views and perceptions about the situation.
✔ Listens intently to statements about the nature of the problem.
3. Worker must maintain a balance among:
✔ Directing the interview and allowing the person to tell his/her story.
✔ Eliciting content and reflecting feelings
✔ Formulating a possible plan of action; invite the person to develop his/her own options.
Components of an Interview - Ending
1. Both worker and person must be aware that the interview is drawing to a close
2. Ending should not be abrupt or a surprise.
3. Worker:
✔ Summarize what has been done or decided in the interview.
✔ Schedule the follow up interview.
✔ Restate the action that both worker and person have agreed to take.
Note Taking and Record Keeping
1. Most effective interviewing technique: the ability to listen intently and remember what the
person tells the worker.
2. Worker may jot down during interview certain types of information that are not easy to
remember. i.e., Dates, medications, names.
3. Key words and phrases may occasionally be written down.
4.Worker asks permission and explains why she needs to take down notes as this is needed by
the agency.
Use of Forms
1. It is necessary to complete certain forms or make notes about information obtained during and
after interviews.
2. The form is a tool for data collection or accessing services.

3. Inform the person that information must be gathered as part of the interview, and what the
form and information is used for.
4. As much as possible, conduct the interview without relying on the form. Be familiar with the
intake form or assessment outline to guide most of the interview.
Handling Interruptions
1. Schedule interviews outside of other appointments or expected other activities to avoid
disruption or interruption.
2. Attention must be focused on the person as soon as possible.
Skills Needed for Interview:
1. Observing. Prior to the interview, observe the child’s nonverbal cues, physical and personal
appearance, posture, facial expression.
2. Listening . This involves hearing what the client is saying literally and understanding what is
meant
3. Questioning. When we ask questions, we must be clear in our purpose
4. Exploring. This mean delving into a topic in depth
Two Skills that are Involved in Questioning and Exploring
1. Timing. Ability to know when to ask question without interfering with the flow of the child’s
conversation
2. Formulating or phrasing. Questions should be designed to encourage the child to express
freely and openly
Other Considerations for Questioning and Exploring
1. Tone of voice
2. Use open-ended questions
3. Language and vocabulary - should fit the child’s educational level, age, and frame of
reference
4. An indirect method is to form a question as a statement e.g., “that sounds really hard for
you”. This kind of questioning is used to get the child to share more feelings. It is used when the
child may be a little reserved or reluctant to express painful feelings.
5. Use of comparative questions. For the child who says her parents do not love her.

6. The direct question “what do you mean by love?” could make the child defensive and
reactivate feelings of being unloved
In formulating direct questions:
● The sequence of questions should progress from the general to specific
● The questions should progress from the less personal to the more personal
● The questions should be worded to elicit answer of a sentence or more and to avoid “yes”
and “no” responses
● The questions should be worded to avoid bias
● Guidelines in Interviewing Children
● When a child is presented for an interview, they are likely to be feeling anxious, fearful, or
nervous
● Introduce yourself
● Never assume that the child understands you
● Rephrase misunderstood questions
● Use language or other ways to communicate that the child can easily understand e.g.,
storytelling, playing, art
Lesson 4: The Interviewing Process
1. Structure and Skills. Direct social worker employs interviewing as the primary vehicle of
influence. Although administration and social planners also rely heavily on interviewing skills to
accomplish their objectives.
2. Physical Condition. Interview sometimes occur in office or interviewing setting over which
the social worker has some control.
✔ Adequate ventilation and light
✔ Ample space

✔ Comfortable room temperature
✔ Attractive furnishing décor
✔ Chairs that adequate support the back
✔ Privacy appropriate of the cultural belief of the client
✔ Freedom from distraction
✔ Open space between participants
3. Structure of Interviews. Interviews in social work have purpose, structure, direction, and
focus. The purpose is to exchange information systematically with the view toward eliminating
and solving problem, promoting growth, or planning strategies or actions aimed to improving the
quality of life for people
4. Establishing Rapport. Before starting to explore client’s difficulties, it is important to
establish rapport. Rapport with clients fosters open and free communication, which is the
hallmark of effective interviews.
5. Starting Where the Client is. Social work research has suggested that motivation and what
the social worker attempts to provide is the major factor in explaining more successful findings
in studies of social worker effectiveness (Reid and Hanrahan, 1982)
6. Using Interpreters. When the ethnic minority and immigrant clients have virtually no
command of the English language, effective communication requires the use of interpreter of the
same ethically as the clients, so that the social worker and the client bridge both cultural value
differences and language differences.
7. The Exploration Process. When clients indicate that they are ready to discuss their
problematic situations, it is appropriate to begin the process of exploring their concerns
8. Exploring Expectations. Before exploring problems, it is important to determine client’s
expectation which vary considerably and are influence by socio-economic level, cultural
background and level of sophistication and previous experience with helping professionals.
9. Eliciting Essential Information. During the exploration process, the social worker assesses
the significance of information revealed as the client discusses problems and interacts with the
social worker, group member, or significant others.
10. Employing Outlines. In addition to answering questions that are relevant to virtually all
interviews, social workers may need to collect information that answer questions pertinent to
specific practice settings.

11. Assessing Emotional Functioning. During the process of exploration, social workers must
keenly be sensitive to client’s moment to moment emotional patterns.
12. Exploring Cognitive Functioning. Because through patterns and attitudes are powerful
determinants of behavior, it is important to explore client’s opinions and interpretations of those
circumstances and events deemed salient to their difficulties.
13. Exploring Substances, Abuse, Violence, Sexual Abuse. Because of the prevalence and
magnitude of problems associated abuse, violence, sexual abuse in our society, the possibility
that these problems contribute to or represent the primary source of client’s difficulties should be
routinely explored
14. Negotiating Goals and Contract. When social workers and client believe that they have
adequately explored the problems prompting the initial contract, they are ready to enter the
process of planning. Ending Interviews. Both initial interview and the contracting process
conclude with a discussion of “housekeeping” arrangements and an agreement about the next
steps to be taken
15. Goal Attainment. During the phase II of the helping process, interviewing skills are used to
help clients accomplish their goals. Much of the focus during this phase is on identifying and
carrying out actions or tasks that clients must implement to accomplish their goals.
Initial Interview Objective
✔ To set the context and develop skills for building effective working relationship with client
✔ To thoroughly explore client’s difficulties (clarity what the client can expect from the
contract)
Desired Outcomes of Initial Interview
✔ Client feels free to express self/feels safe to open up
✔ Worker in the process receives needed information
✔ Client leaves confident of being able to work with a worker with a satisfactory solution
✔ Rapport is established between the two parties
✔ Essential/Requisite Qualities of the Case Work Interviewer
Qualities Desirable of an Effective Interviewer (Cournover)

1. Empathy. A process of feeling with another person rather than feeling towards as in sympathy.
Baker defined empathy as “the act of perceiving, understanding, experiencing, and responding to
the emotional state and ideas of another person”
2. Authenticity. Humund, Hauper, and Smith (1997) state that “authenticity refers to a sharing of
self by behaving in a natural, sincere, spontaneous, real, open, and non-defensive manner. As
authentic person relates to others personally.
3. Self-understanding. It is a quality which a caseworker must process if he/she is used to
himself/herself effectively in helping others. The caseworker has to go through the process of
self-exploration
4. Understanding of Social Work Values and ethics. The caseworker must pay consistent
attention to professional ethics and obligations as they are applicable to almost all aspects of
one’s professional life.
5. Professional Knowledge. A caseworker without professional knowledge, is like a painter
without a brush. The caseworker must keep himself/herself abreast with latest development of
the field to be updated and informed.
6. Responsible Assertiveness. It includes the capacity to express knowledge, opinions, and
feelings in a manner that respects both your own and other’s rights and preferences as unique and
valuable human beings.
Lesson 5: Legal Interview
The interview of a VAW survivor and her (possible) witness is conducted to gather information
that would help in building a case. The paralegal is one of the first persons that a survivor will
get to talk to - even before a lawyer -and therefore, the information that the paralegal gather from
the survivor is a basic for the documents that will draw and the step that will be undertaken.
Legal interviewing is one of the most basic skills that a paralegal is expected to learn and master.
Remember that the legal interviewing is deferent from psychological counseling. In the latter, the
purpose is to show to the survivor that she has someone to turn to in facing her problem, whether
she files case or not. In legal interview, it is likewise important to show to the survivor-
interviewee that the paralegal conducting the interview is a friend.
The main purpose of the interview is the gathering of data or information for the case.
1. Definition. Legal interview is the communication of two or more persons that is primarily
intended to gather information that may be used for a case or for an issue that is legal in nature.
Elements of a Legal interview
1. It takes a place between an interviewer and an interviewee.

2.The issue that is given attention has a legal aspect. The problem at hand is a legal problem of
the interviewee or of another person; and
3.The interviewer, who may be a paralegal or a lawyer, presents her opinion as to the possible
legal remedies.
2. Requirements in a legal interview
A. Knowledge of the Law. It may not necessary that the interviewer be an expert in law.
The basic requirement is for the interviewer to connect the problem of the interviewee to the law.
B. Knowledge of the purpose of the interview. This is important in order for the interviewer to
know what data of information to look for during the interview.
This way, time is not wasted dwelling on information that is not very important to the problem
being addressed.
C. Adequate preparation. Before the scheduled interview, the interviewer should have an idea
on what questions need to be answered by the interviewee and that will be the flow of the
interview questions. It will help if the interviewer has a questionnaire or interview forms at hand.
However, it is also important that the interviewer does not stick to the questions in the interview
forms only, especially if there are other questions that need to be answered. There are instances
where the questions have to be expanded in order to have a better understanding of the facts and
issues involved.
Points for the Interviewer to Remember
A. Proper Set-up
1. The environment. The pace where the interview shall be held should have some privacy and
should be comfortable. Arrange seats in such a way that the interview becomes more personal.
It is also important that the decorations and other objects inside the venue appear to be neutral.
Take out any object that may distract the attention of the interviewee.
2. Emotional preparedness. It is important that the interviewer and the interviewee are
comfortable with each other. It is important so that the interviewer gets the information that
needs to be gathered from the interviewee. The interviewer has the obligation to foster a
relationship with the interviewee that is based on trust. The interview will not be fruitful if there
is no trust between the interviewer and the interviewee. If there is no trust, the information
gathered may not be accurate.

B. Initiating the Interview. The interviewer should explain at the importance of being open and
of having information that is both complete and accurate.
The interviewer should make sure that the interviewee is comfortable.
This can be done by talking about other things first until the interviewee has rested and is no
longer nervous about the interview.
Two ways of initiating an interview, depending on the circumstances of the interview:
(1) Let the interviewee start telling her story. The interviewer may encourage the interviewee
to say whatever it is that she is thinking or whatever it is that is bothering her. This method is
good in winning the trust of the interviewee. On the other hand, this method may take too long
before it can be expected that the interviewee will say many facts that are not even relevant to
her legal problem. But if the pros and cons of this method are weighed, it will become apparent
that this method is still effective because the interviewer will get information that may help in
understanding and pursuing the case or legal problem. Furthermore, the interviewer may get an
idea of what the interviewee expects of her; and
(2) Interviewer starts by offering a question. If the interviewee is having a hard time during
the interview, or if she is uncomfortable talking about her legal problem, it may be better to have
the interviewer start the interview by propounding questions to the interviewee. But if there
comes a point where the interviewee can tell her story without feeling uncomfortable. The
interviewer should stop asking questions and allow the interviewee to tell her story at her own
pace.
C. Information that the interviewer should get. It is important that the interviewer has a clear
idea of what information needs to be gathered during the interview. This will dictate the flow of
the whole interview. The interviewer should treat with confidentiality the information she was
able to gather from the interviewee, especially if the information is on a very sensitive matter. At
the outset, the interviewer should assure the interviewee that whatever she says during the
interviewee to disclose important information.
D. Manner of conducting the interview. If it is necessary to write down notes while conducting
the interview, it is important to explain this to the interviewee. As much as possible, do not
interrupt the interviewee while she is relating her story. Watch out for legal angles in the story.
Refrain, as much as possible, from giving your personal opinion or judgment about the
interviewee's previous acts. Be sensitive about non-verbal communication, like being restless or
the refusal to talk about certain issues.
Common Problems in Conducting Legal Interviews

A. On the interviews
1. Usually, the interviewee does not know all the facts and incidents relevant to the issue. And
even if she knows them, she may have difficulty relating them to the interviewer in an orderly
manner. There are also instances where, due to nervousness or fear of being judged, the
interviewee finds it difficult to tell the story. In these cases, it is important for the interviewee to
be patient, respectful and persistent.
2. The interviewee may also have a hard time recalling the relevant events and the chronology of
the same. This is especially true if she is under stress and/or if a long period of time has elapsed
between the vents and the interview date.
3. The interviewee may have a hidden need for attention or sympathy. She may be afraid that she
will be judged as a "bad person" by the interviewer if she discloses everything to the latter. This
problem may also crop up if there is lack of trust on the part of the interviewee towards the
interviewer.
B. On the interviewer
1. The interviewer may fail to recognize the weaknesses or limitations of the interviewee.
2. The interviewer may overly rely on verbal communication as a source of information that may
be received from nonverbal communication.
3. The interviewer may suffer from lack of sympathy.
4. The interviewer's lack of trust in the interviewee will also prevent a meaningful and open
interview from being confused.
E. Notetaking
It is important to have notes about the information gathered from the legal interview, because it
will serve as a record to which the interviewer can refer during the course of research. In order to
prevent any feeling of discomfort on the part of the interviewee, note taking can be done right
after the interview (and not during), if the interviewer has a good memory. Note -taking during
the interview may be done if the reason for such act is explained to the interviewee. The
interviewer must also allow any apprehension on the part of the interviewee that some of what
she says is being ignored by the interviewer, thus, it is important that the interviewer takes down
notes from the start of the interview.
Things to watch out during the interview
1. Remember that sometimes, the actual events and chronology thereof may be presented
differently by someone who has another mind-set version of what transpired.

2. All conversation undergo through the following process and there may be difficulties
encountered in each step:
(a) Expression of message • source of the message • manner of expressing the message
( b) Receipt of the message • recipient of the message • understanding/ appreciation of the
message.
3. The information given by the witnesses depending on the reliability of their memory. In some
cases, there will be errors in recalling the event. The following factors may affect the ability to
recall events:
(a) Receipt of the message • attention given • stress level • expectations that are rooted in: -
culture -personal preferences -experiences
(b) Reliability of memory
(c) Retrieval of memory.
4. Choosing the witnesses
(a) It is easier for the judge to believe a witness who is amiable.
(b) The perception of the is an affected by the words chosen by the witness; • use the words
"perhaps", " maybe"; • repeating that which has been said before , which may be perceived as an
indicator of uncertainty in what the witness is saying; • use of rhetoric which mean nothing in
substance; and • the tone of the voice used.
5. Do's and don'ts
(a) Don't contradict the version of the client.
(b) Refrain from making any personal judgements in the interviewee.
(c) Be serious; and
(d) Make sure that the witness knows her role and the role of the paralegal.
References:
Sidell, Nancy (2015). Social Work Documentation: A Guide to Strengthening Your Case
Recording. NASW
Hail, Christopher, et.al. (2012). Analyzing Social Work Communication: Discourse in Practice.
Rai, Lucy. (2014). Effective Writing for Social Work: Making a Difference. The Policy Press.
Kadushin & Kadushin. (2013). The Social Work Interview, Fifth Edition

Handbook for Social Workers on Basic Bio-Psychosocial Help for CNSP,UN
Presentation of Prof. Alicia Molina on Recording and Documentation on Case Management
Module 4: Use of Technology in Communication and Documentation

Lesson 1: Use of Multi-Media and Other Technology (Traditional And New Information
Technology)
What is Multi-Media?
The use of multimedia technology in social work education preexists the web. Innovative social
work educators have incorporated images, audio, and video into the curriculum to enrich and
invigorate teaching ever since it was possible to do so (Neil Ballantyne , 2008). Multimedia is a
comprehensive term for combining multiple media formats.
Multimedia is:
⮚ The combination of text, audio, still images, animation, video and interactivity together. One
example is the slides or power point presentation as they combine text and images, and
sometimes video and other types. Multimedia can be recorded and played, displayed,
interacted with or accessed by information content processing devices, such as computerized
and electronic devices.
⮚ The field concerned with the computer-controlled integration of text, graphics, drawing, still
and moving images (video), animation, audio and any other media where every type of
information can be represented.
⮚ Usually recorded and played, displayed, or accessed by information content processing
devices, such as computerized and electronic devices.
⮚ Especially with the ready access to new technologies, educational institutions are well
positioned to take advantage of these rapid changes. There is a member of ways that
educational media and multimedia technology can enhance effective services delivery
programs while conserving program resources through:
Multimedia Platforms in Social Work
Multimedia platforms are the spaces that you can use to make, share, or view this content. One
good example of it now adays is the social media. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and others. This
means that multimedia platforms offer an array of communication and education applications to
different audiences. Some of these presentations are vlogs, wikis and podcasts are all excellent
examples of how multimedia platforms can get the message across. Traditional multimedia
platforms are newspaper, television, newspaper, magazine, paper handouts, flipcharts, and props
which are still used but they can fall short in several respects.
Forms of multi-media
1. Traditional Form. Media that use only rudimentary computer displays such as text-only,
printed or hand produced material.

2. New info technologies. Use of electronic media devices to store and experience multimedia
content.
Classification and Definition of Multimedia Content
1. Educational content. Two-way learning program consisting of images, sounds, graphics and
text and education content mixed with game elements
2. Multimedia Publishing. Content to deliver knowledge, such as encyclopedia, dictionaries of
specialized subjects and digital books that are used in the multimedia devices such as PC.
Regularly or irregularly published contents such as web products, digital newspapers, online
magazines and image novels
3. Game. Games for game-selling shops that use printed circuit board (PCB) or a separate
exclusive hardware. Games using TV monitors or exclusive devices.. PC-based games (including
online games)
4. Digital Images. Specially edited images and computer graphic works to be used for
broadcasting, movies and advertising. Animation and cartoons that use computer graphics. 2-
and 3-dimensional shape models that are digitized for commercial purpose and personality
elements model
5. Tools to produce multimedia contents. Application software used for production of contents
6. Others. Items other than abovementioned, such as simple CG works, development of sound
effects and treating of data and images.
Categories of Multi-media
1. Linear active content progress without any navigational control for the viewer (such as cinema
presentation).
2. Non-Linear content offers user interactivity to control progress as used with a computer game
or used in self-placed computer-based training.
Characteristics of Multimedia
1. Multimedia preparations may be viewed by person on stage, projected, transmitted, or played
locally with a media player. A broadcast may be a live or recorded multimedia presentation.
2. Broadcast and recording can be either analog or digital electronic media technology. Digital
online multimedia may be downloaded or streamed. Streaming multimedia may be live or on
demand.
3. Multimedia games and simulations may be used in a physical environment with special
effects, with multiple users in an online network, or locally with an offline computer, game, or
simulator.

4. The various formats of technological or digital multimedia may be intended to enhance the
user’s experience, for ex. To make it easier and faster to convey information. Or in entertainment
or art, to transcend everyday experienced.
Lesson 2: Educational Media.
What is educational media? It refers to channels of communication that carry messages with an
instructional purpose. They are usually utilized for the sole purpose of learning and teaching.
What is educational multimedia? Is media and content that uses a combination of different
content forms. This contrasts with media that use only rudimentary computer displays such as
text-only or traditional forms of printed or hand produce material.
Relevance of educational media and multimedia technologies. Computer-based technologies
cannot be regarded as media, because the variety of programs, tool, and devices that can be
utilized with them is neither limited to a particular class of activities.
Educational media and technology. It can be defined as all means of communication like
prints, animations, audios and audiovisual. Educational multimedia technology incorporates all
the qualities of prints, graphics, animations, audio and audiovisuals and technology is define as
any object or process of human origin that can be utilized to convey media and multimedia.
In education media are the symbols systems that teachers and learners utilize in representing
knowledge and technologies are the tools that allow them to share their knowledge
representations with others. Educational media and media technology are the channels of
transmitting information to learns and are also those gadgets, and machines that are needed in
transmitting information to learners.
Various types of educational media and multimedia technology currently utilized in
Teaching and learning processes.
1. Computer System
2. Microphones
3. Mobile Devices
4. Interactive Whiteboard
5. Digital Video
6. Online Media Streams
7. Digital Game
8. Podcast

Effective Service Delivery in Teaching and Learning Processes
According to Yoon and Hoon (2009) in order to have effective service delivery in teaching and
learning the use of educational media and multimedia technology is paramount and higher
educational media and multimedia technology service delivery has had a dramatic impact on
teaching and learning.
1. Program management. Databases can help program staff to track learner’s placement,
community partner contact information and the academic calendar.
2. Community partner participation. A well-publicized web site can describe the service
delivery programs to enhance co-operative learning within the community and provide easy
access to forms for registering a community project and highlight stories of positive community
partner experiences.
3. Curricular tools. Online modules and case studies can enhance classroom and community-
based learning.
4. Community service. Meaningful community service does not necessarily have to involve
regular or on-going face-to-face contact between learner and community partner, and it can
entail, meeting with community learners in a web design course with a service-learning
component.
5. Reflection. Electronic discussion groups can enable learners across different services-learning
sites to regularly communicate, share their experiences and respond to reflective question posed
by faculty and one another.
6. Program evaluation. Online surveys can enable learners and community partners to respond
to question about their experiences and the impact of the programs. Databases can facilitate the
tracking and storage of the program evaluation information.
Classification of Educational Media
1. Printed media. They include books, journals, magazines, newspapers, workbooks, and
textbooks.
2. Non-print media. They include projected, and non-projected media.
3. Electronic media. They include audio media, visual media, and audio-visual.
4. Projected media. They require light source for projection, for example, film projector slides
and so on.
5. Audio media. This form of media carry sounds alone, for ex. Audio tapes, record player.
6. Visual media. These are the ones that can be seen. For ex. Television, computer, whiteboard

7. Audio visual. This term refers to those instructional materials which provide learners with
audio and visual experiences by appearing to the hearing and seeing sense at the same time. For
ex. Television, video tapes, and closed-circuit television (CCTV).
Guidelines for using Gender-Sensitive Language in Reporting and Writing.
Social work deals with both simple and complex problems troubling the welfare and wellbeing
of people. Understanding these problems takes a great deal of communication. This is why
communication in social work is central to effective practice. Such communication measures
include, oral, non-verbal or paralanguage, and virtual (ICT-based) communication
(Trevithick, 2005). All of these measures apply to social work intervention (Obi-keguna ,
Agbawodikeizu & Uche, 2017).
Suggestions for using gender-sensitive language
1. Use the plural form for both nouns and pronouns.
XEach student should come to class with his assignments completed.
/ All students should come to class with their assignments completed.
2. Omit the pronoun altogether.
X Each professor should send one of his assistants to the conference.
/ Each professor should send one assistant to the conference.
3. Use “his or her”, “he/she” or “s/he” when you occasionally need to stress the action of an
individual. Such references will not be awkward unless they are used frequently.
X If you must use a technical term he may not understand, explain it.
/ If you must use a technical term he or she may not understand, explain it.
4. Vary your choice of pronouns when you want to give examples that emphasize the action of
an individual. Ideally, choose pronouns that work counter to prevailing stereotypes.
X Gradually, a child will see the resemblance between block creations and objects in his
world, and he will begin to name some structures, like “house” and “door”.
/ Gradually, a child will see the resemblance between block creations and objects in her
world,
and she will begin to name some structures, like “house” and “door”.

X The kitchen can serve as a center for new experiences, an interesting place where
important things happen, and where she has a chance to learn about the way adult things are
done.
/ The kitchen can serve as a center for new experiences, an interesting place were
important
things happen, and where he has a chance to learn about the way adult things are done.
5. Switch from the third person (he) to the second person (you) when this shift is appropriate.
X Each employee should report his progress to the supervisor by June 1.
/ You should report your progress to the supervisor by June 1.
6. Use “they”. This option is much debated by grammar experts, but most agree that it works
well in several kinds of situations. “They” is traditionally used only to refer to a plural noun. In
speech, however, early 21st century English speakers commonly use “they” to refer to a singular
person. According to many grammar experts, that usage is incorrect, but here is an example of
how it sounds in our everyday speech. If a student wants to learn more about gender inequality,
they should take a look at the university’s equal opportunities website. In this example, “a
student” is singular, but it is replaced in the second sentence by “they”, a plural pronoun. In
speech, we often do not notice such substitutions of the plural for the singular. In writing,
however, some will find such substitutions awkward or incorrect. As such, it is best to use “they”
mainly in plural situations. Here is one way this can work:
X A student's beliefs about gender equality may be based on what he has heard in the
popular media.
/ Students' beliefs about gender equality may be based on what they have heard in the
popular
media.
7. Practice using gender neutral nouns. Examples:
Traditional Alternative
Businessman or businesswoman Executive, manager or businessperson
Mankind Humanity
Man Individual
Policemen Police Officer
Chairman Chair or chairperson

Repairman Technician
Fireman Firefighter
Freshman First-year student
Spokesman Spokesperson
Frenchmen The French
Man-made Artificial, synthetic, manufactured
Manpower Staff, workforce, personnel
Alumni Graduates
References:
Mendoza, Thelma Lee (2008), Social Welfare and Social Work.
Parga, J & Schwartz, S. (2018)Technology Adoption in Social Work Education
http://www.servicegrowth.net/documents/Examples%20of%20
Gender-Sensitive%20Language.net.pdf (Retrieved June 1, 2012)
Obi-keguna , Agbawodikeizu & Uche, (2017). Communication in Social Work. University of
Nigeria.
https://image.slidesharecdn.com/383multimediatechnologies-120214000258-
phpapp01/95/multimedia-technologies-introduction-22-728.jpg?cb=1482906214
http://www.amanet.org/training/articles/seven-principles-of-effective-public-speaking.aspx

Module 5: Public Speaking
Lesson 1: Introduction to Public Speaking
Public Speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate
manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain listeners. It is closely allied to “presenting”,
although the latter has more of a commercial advertisement.
Speaking Opportunities in School
• Flag ceremonies
• Meetings
• Student Council
• Programs
• Recitation
• Report/Presentations
• Daily transactions
Three Types of Public Speaking
1. Speeches That Inform. Speeches that inform explain, report, describe, clarify, define and
demonstrate. Such speeches can move an audience to action or belief. Their primary purpose is
to present facts, details, and examples
2. Speeches That Persuade. Speeches that persuade are designed to convince and the goal is to
influence the audience’s beliefs or attitudes. This can be accomplished by using your own
credibility to strengthen your argument or you can appeal to your audience’s emotions, reason, or
sense of right and wrong.
3. Speeches That Entertain. Speeches that entertain use humor to influence an audience as in an
after-dinner speech. Once the audience is warmed up, one main idea is presented, still on a light
note. This is the most difficult of all presentations because it requires great ease and elegance and
depends to a large degree on the charisma of the speaker.
Three Main Speaking Styles
1. Cool Presenter. The Cool Presenter captures the audience’s attention with clear-headed
persuasiveness. During her presentation things will be orderly and stay under control. These
presenters are usually on a mission and deliver their message with dramatic intensity. They draw
on facts and figures to substantiate what is being presented. Adjectives describing this presenter
are analytical, logical, deliberate, rational, intellectual and insightful.

2. Hot Presenter. The Hot Presenter can blow the roof off a building. You will probably either
like or dislike this presenter, but no one ignores this kind. Her presentations are fast and furious,
and often delivered with rapid speech. She runs on adrenaline and pushes passions to the limit.
The pause, the raising and lowering of her voice, her body movements are all dramatic and
enhance the points made. Hot presenters are emotional, driven, charismatic, impulsive, and
daring.
3. Dull Presenter. Dull Presenters are afraid to take risks, so they remain bland and boring. You
have likely endured a boring speech at some time. Dull presenters are safe, but they do not
change much. Because they are so dull there is minimal risk, and it is easily forgotten. Dull
seems to be the norm because so many people operate within those boundaries. And few within
an audience will tell a dull presenter that she is dull. Dull presenters are cautious, predictable,
ambivalent and boring.
How to Become the Best Presenter
1. There is no one best style since every presenter operates in all these zones but an inherent
tendency will pull one closer to one style than another. But the tendency for many is to drift
toward the dull periodically. This is usually due to laziness.
2. To become a Cool Presenter takes a great deal of research and preparation.
3. The hot presenter involves more emotion than intellect. The Hot Presenter is a high-risk,
high-reward style involving a lot of action.
4. The ideal is to have your presentation be a blend of hot and cool, avoiding the dull.
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Some of the important consideration for a successful public speaking are the following:
1. Analyzing the Audience. Good speakers are audience centered. Keep the audience foremost
in mind at every step of preparation
2. Psychology of Audience. It is up to the speaker to make the audience choose to pay attention..
Each speech contains two messages: one from the speaker, one from the listener. People are
egocentric.
3. Demographic Audience Analysis. Look for observable audience traits. Their general feature,
importance to the situation and their traits such as the age, gender, cultural background,
religion, group membership
Public Speaking Is Like Conversing
• In both, you do the following:

⮚ Organize your thoughts
⮚ Tailor your message to the audience
⮚ Telling a story for maximum impact
⮚ Adapting to listener feedback
Requirements in public speaking:
1. Structure
2. More formal language
3. A different method or delivery
4. Adapting to the Audience
Before the Speech
1. Assess how the audience is likely to respond
2. Adjust what you say
During the Speech
1. Things may/will not go exactly as you plan
2. Do not panic, remain calm and adapt
Main Points.
Ideally, the number of main points is between three (3) and (4) and their strategic order are:
1. Chronological
2. Topical
3. Problem – Solution
4. Spatial
5. Casual
Supporting Materials & Connectives
Three major types of supporting materials:
1. Examples
2. Statistics

3. Testimony
Make-up of the Audience
How you address the audience will depend greatly on whom you are addressing
1. Superiors. When addressing superiors, suggest rather than lecture or dictate. Back everything
said with facts.
2. Peers. When talking with peers, share information. Draw them into the presentation and ask
them to share their expertise and experiences. You will be more successful if you admit to your
own human foibles and show that you are slightly vulnerable.
3. Team Members. To team members relate facts through examples. Make sure you use “we”
language. Share success with team members and accept blame when necessary.
4. Special Interest Group. Focus your presentation on the concerns of this particular group.
Relate to them by persuading.
5. Mixed Group. If the group is a mixture of team members and peers, you will need to use a
combination of presentation techniques in order to reach everyone. Capture attention in the first
few minutes by using examples each group can relate to.
Lesson 2: Public Speaking Tips
Guidelines for Appropriate Dress
• Avoid that wrinkle
• Dress traditionally
• Wear a dress or business suit
• Empty pockets
• Leave handbag at your seat
• Use of color
• Necklines
• Tailored look gives more authority
• Choose comfortable shoes
Using a Podium:
• Do not put hands on it

• Do not lean on it
• Check podium height
Public Speaking Tips from Ms. Tina Bejar (2013)
1. To speak is a privilege.
2. When you are invited to speak, the floor is yours.
3. Are you comfortable in your own house?
4. If you are in your own house and you are the host, who is more comfortable, you or your
guests?
5. You make your guests comfortable kasi bahay mo ‘yon e!
6. So, when you speak, (even if it is just for 3 minutes) it is like owning the floor in your house
and everyone who is listening are mere guests.
7. After three minutes, someone else owns the house.
8. But for those three precious minutes, it is completely, unequivocally yours.
9. Get your confidence from there. Public speaking produces anxiety in most people.
Gaining Confidence
People’s Biggest Fears
3. Death
2. Snakes
1. Public Speaking
Overcoming Speech Anxiety
1. Acknowledge your fear
2. Act confident
3. Channel nervous energy
4. Practice, practice, practice
5. Stimulate setting at home
6. Ask friends to be practice audience
7. Visualize your success
8. Use deep-breathing techniques

9. Focus on message, not fear
10. Give yourself a mental pep talk
Understand the audience and ‘listening’
• People think faster than hear
• Have short attention span
• Jump to conclusions
• Easily get distracted
Lesson 3: Delivery of Speech.
Four Basic Methods of Delivery
1. Reading a Manuscript Verbatim. A manuscript that is read has several disadvantages. Unless
the person who delivers the speech is extremely skilled the recitation will sound just as if it were
read, and it will likely have a sing-song tone to it. Reading a manuscript also fails to give the
audience the eye contacts necessary in order to keep attention. If you want to lose your audience
entirely pursue this mode!
2. Memorized. If you do have the ability to commit your entire speech to memory, you may do
so. But one of the main disadvantages to memorizing an entire speech is that it creates too much
pressure to get the speech “absolutely perfect.” Memorizing a speech can also result in a stilted,
wooden sounding delivery. Professional speakers who repeatedly deliver the same speech often
commit it to memory, yet with each delivery they adjust the speech to suit the occasion and
audience. Only a very skillful speaker can do this. The main disadvantage to memorization is
what might happen if your attention were diverted, and you could not recall what you were to say
next. If you choose to speak without notes, make certain you have the necessary delivery skills.
You never get a second chance to give a speech.
3. Impromptu. The impromptu speech is speaking at a gathering with little or no preparation and
without the use of notes. For many it might be likened to trial by fire, but it need not be that bad.
Impromptu speaking follows three basic rules:
(a) Have something important to say.
(b) Make your audience understand or believe it, and
(c) Speak simply, directly and meaningfully. Believe it or not, you already know how to speak
off -the-cuff. You have been doing it for years since you go about your daily business without
writing out what you are going to say. And you do just fine at it.

4. Extemporaneous. It is delivered with some prepared structure, such as notes or an outline but
is likewise delivered with off-the-cuff. In most cases, this is going to be your best choice.. The
notes allow you to structure your speech, without handcuffing you in the event that your
audience need to adapt. You will sound more natural and conversational, and this will help hold
audience attention
Beginning
1. Walk calmly with confidence
2. Establish eye contact
3. Smile naturally
4. Deliver introduction
During
1. Use effective eye contact
2. Use effective language
3. Use effective gestures
4. Be enthusiastic
5. Use conversational style
6. Use notes as needed
After
• Frame the speech
• Pause before returning to seat
• Accept applause graciously
Exercise
Each student to give a one-minute impromptu speech answering the question, “What is the most
important personal quality to be a successful and fulfilled social worker?”
References:
Ballesteros, Theresa F. Technical Writing, Makati

Bejar, Tina (2013) Communication Crash Course 2012. Public Speaking Tips from a Pro.
https://www.slideshare.net/earltongol/communication-crash-course-2012
Mike Shaw (2014) Facilitating Large Group Meetings
https://www.students.coop/facilitating-large-group-meetings/
https://open.lib.umn.edu/publicspeaking/chapter/14-1-four-methods-of-
delivery/#:~:text=There%20are%20four%20main%20kinds,extemporaneous%2C%20manuscrip
t%2C%20and%20memorized.
http://revistaie.ase.ro/content/51/003%20-%20Pirosca,%20Mohanu.pdf
http://ijiet.org/papers/181-T10039.pdf

Module 6: Protocols for Presiding/Moderating Meetings and Group Discussions
Lesson 1: Protocol
Protocol is “an official procedure or system of rules that govern affairs of states or diplomatic
occasions.” It is a system of rules that explain the correct conduct and procedures to be followed
in formal situations. It can be a plan for a scientific experiment or for medical treatment. formal :
a document that describes the details of a treaty or formal agreement between countries. It can be
defined as the proper procedure of conduct. Different agency, company, businesses and groups
follow or adapt different protocol to conduct their business that is more applicable to them.
The meeting chair follows a facilitation protocol including (Jeremy Barlow, 2016)
✔ Only one person speaks at a time
✔ The speaker must be recognized before speaking
✔ All comments are made through the chair
✔ Comments are confined to the current issue
✔ Discussion should alternate between pro and con arguments
✔ Not allowing lengthy papers to be read during the meeting
✔ No cross conversations
✔ No verbal attacks of other members
✔ All rules must be respected and obeyed
How to Conduct Successful Meetings?
Within any club or organization, meetings between committee members and general members
are vital for the maintenance of effective communication and democracy. The purpose of
meetings is not only to share ideas and to reach a common agreement among members, but also
to make decisions and appoint the right people to carry out these decisions. There are several
different types of meetings that an organization may conduct, and they are commonly outlined in
the constitution.
In summary the various types of meetings are:

1. General body meetings - open to all members (however they may not have the right to vote).
2. Executive or committee meetings - involve only elected or appointed decision makers, e.g.,
members of subcommittees, that both groups achieve the same result - virtually no worthwhile
decisions.
Meeting Protocol (Robert’s Rules of Order)
Robert’s Rules of Order, or parliamentary law, helps boards maintain order by providing an
approved method of conducting meetings in a democratic, orderly, and expeditious manner.
Orderly meetings effectively uphold the organization’s objectives according to the bylaws and
protect the rights of the organization’s members. Each rule is affected by, and in turn, affects all
other rules. Robert’s Rules contains a comprehensive set of rules that addresses virtually every
potential meeting issue.
One of the main parts of parliamentary procedure is the handling of motions. There are six
steps to handling motions:
✔ Members stands, is recognized, and makes a motion
✔ Another member seconds the motion
✔ Presiding officer restates the motion
✔ Members debate the motion
✔ Presiding officer asks for the affirmative and negative votes
✔ Presiding officer announces the result of the voting
Lesson 2: Ten Tips for Presiding Officers
Ten Tips for Presiding Officers (per Robert's Rules) by C. Alan Jennings
1. Know your rules. One of the best ways to establish your credibility as a leader is to know
your rules. If you do not know your rules, your members will know it, and you will come to a
sudden understanding of how it probably feels to be a deer staring into oncoming headlights.
2. Plan your meetings. Nothing benefits you and your group as much as being prepared for your
meetings. Planning your meeting in as much detail as possible gives you the best chance of
completing the agenda within the time available (or at least knowing whether you will need to
hold an adjourned meeting to finish your business).

3. Start your meetings on time. People have busy schedules. Your time is valuable, but it is no
more valuable than that of the members who have arrived on time and are ready to start at the
appointed hour. Nothing you do commands the respect you must have as the chair as much as
starting your meeting on time. Your members know you mean business, and that’s fine, because
that’s what you’re all there for.
4. Use unanimous consent. Unanimous consent is when the chair declares a motion to have
passed without taking a vote and instead asks simply if there’s objection. Unanimous consent is a
remarkable tool for handling any motion for which it is clear and obvious that the assembly’s
will is to pass the motion. If you ask for unanimous consent and a member objects, you simply
take the vote. Otherwise, it is a great timesaver, and members really do respect presiding officers
who know how to save them time.
5. Use committees. Encourage new proposals to be brought through your organization’s
committees. Members often have good ideas, but those ideas sometimes need some work before
they are ready for a vote. Teaching your members how to take their ideas to committees can have
great benefits for you and your organization. But members need to have confidence in their
committees’ willingness to help them with their ideas.
6. Preside with impartiality. Nobody expects you too actually be impartial. You were probably
elected or appointed because you have an overall agenda and a program you hope to advance.
But when you are presiding during your meeting, you must put aside your personal agenda and
help the assembly make the decisions. The surest road to your success as a presiding officer is to
take the position that the members control the decision, and you’re there to help them do just
that.
7. Never give up the chair. No matter how strongly you feel about an issue, your job is to
preside. True enough, Robert’s Rules provides that if you cannot preside impartially because you
feel too strongly about an issue, you must step down and let someone else preside until the vote
is taken. But consider that the person who takes the chair may not gracefully return the position
to you! That can get mighty uncomfortable.
8. Do not share your lectern. Put simply, never share your lectern with other speakers. Instead,
provide a separate and distinct station for other officers and committee chairmen to use when
giving their reports. During a business meeting, your duty requires that you stay in control of the
floor, and you cannot be in control of the floor if you cannot use your station to address the
assembly without moving somebody else out of the way.
Lesson 3: Moderating a Panel Discussion
Moderate means in academic and ecclesiastical contexts) preside over (a deliberative body) or at
(a debate). It is similar to chair, preside over, arbitrate, mediate or referee.

Moderator is one who presides over an assembly, meeting, or discussion such as:
✔ a: the chairman of a discussion group
✔ b: the nonpartisan presiding officer of a town meeting
✔ c: the presiding officer of a Presbyterian governing body
✔ d. Social Worker in a group discussion/ panel discussion/ etc.…
Practical Tips for Every Event Moderator (Martin Broz, 2017)
✔ Do thorough research. When you are tasked with moderating a panel discussion, do thorough
research to understand the context and the trending topics. Schedule a short call with each
speaker to be aware of the perspective they are bringing to the discussion.
✔ Know your participants. Learn why the participants are attending the event and what they
know about the subject. Facilitate the conversations to match their expectations and help
them get the most out of the event.
✔ Prepare the perfect opening line. Prepare, rehearse and deliver strong opening lines. You
have one shot at making a great introduction. Keep everyone on their toes by giving them a
teaser for what will happen next.
✔ Memorize the speakers' names. Do not read out the speakers’ names from notes. Memorize
them to keep eye contact with the audience easily and make the introductions more
impactful.
✔ Be radically neutral. When introducing the speakers, it is better to avoid words such as
“brilliant” or “interesting.” This allows the audience to create their own opinion based on the
facts that you have presented.
✔ Be the bridge between the speaker and the audience. Involve the audience every step of the
way and as often as you can. As a moderator, ask them questions and follow up on their
answers to establish a connection quickly.
✔ Allow the audience enough time to formulate questions. People who attend presentations are
often in a listening mode. Once the speaker is open to questions, let the audience reflect on
what has been said. Give them two or three minutes to formulate their questions and then
switch to the interactive mode.

✔ Always ask one question at a time. Work with the questions that the participants submit
through technology or simply ask live. Pass them to speakers on their behalf and always ask
only one question at a time. It is the simple and concise questions that stick with the
audience.
✔ Watch the audience’s reactions. When communicating with the audience, read facial
expressions to see how people react to different questions or statements. Based on these
subtle cues, gauge the audience’s mood and decide where the conversation should go next.
✔ Conclude with a practical take-away. When closing a panel discussion, it is not necessary to
get a final
Lesson 4: Corporate Communications is managing the communication risks and opportunities
of an organization both internally and externally. The role of corporate communications is to
manage a company’s brand reputation and the long-term reputational implications of a
corporation’s strategy to ensure the brand retains its integrity regardless of the financial
information.
Functions of Corporate Communications
✔ Advertising
✔ Annual report
✔ Communication Policy and Strategy
✔ Community Relations/Philanthropy
✔ Corporate Culture/Identity
✔ Employee relations
✔ Investor relations
✔ Media/Government/Public relations
✔ Marketing communications
Why do we need to communicate to our public?
✔ Information exchange

✔ Generate awareness and knowledge
✔ Generates involvement
Who is the public?
✔ External (stakeholders, clients, government, media, general public, etc.)
✔ Internal (trustees, employees, suppliers, etc.)
How do you communicate to the public?
✔ External (outreach program, publicity, company events, etc.)
✔ Internal (newsletter, memo, bulletin board, board meeting, staff assembly, etc.)
References:
Barlow, Jeremy. (2016) What is Board Meeting Protocol?
Corporate Communications Workshop by Metrobank Foundation
www.seedsofchange.org.uk
https://www.boardeffect.com/blog/board-meeting-protocol/
https://blog.sli.do/event-moderator-tips/
Alan Jennings at https://www.dummies.com/careers/business-skills/ten-tips-for-presiding-
officers-per-roberts-rules/

Module 7: Facilitation
Facilitation
✓ Facilitation is about helping the group to have an efficient and inclusive meeting ✓ It
combines a series of roles and tasks
✓ Oftentimes embodied by one person, sometimes shared facilitation where there is sharing of
responsibility to ensure productive and participative meeting
✓ Vital role that needs to be filled at every meeting
✓ A clearly designated and experienced facilitator may be needed for difficult meetings or
meetings with large number of participants.
Facilitation Tasks
✓ Helping the group on a structure and process for the meeting and keeping to it. ✓ Keeping
the meeting focused on one item at a time until decisions are reached. ✓ Regulating the flow of
discussion- drawing out quiet people, or those with the most relevant expertise, and limiting
those who tend to do a lot of the talking.

✓ Clarifying and summarizing points, testing for consensus and formalizing decisions. ✓
Helping the group deal with conflicts.
✓ Keeping the meeting to time
✓ Ensuring that a written record is made of any action points and decisions agreed at the
meeting
Learn to facilitate
✓ Facilitation on is a vital role that needs to be filled at every meeting. In small groups this
function may be shared or rotated informally while difficult meetings or meetings with a larger
number of participants (more than 8 or 10 people) should always have a clearly designated and
experienced facilitator. However, all members of any meeting should feel responsible for the
progress of the meeting and help the facilitator if necessary.
Facilitating or chairing?. Superficially a facilitator fills a role similar to that of the traditional
chairperson. There are however important differences:
X – a facilitator never “directs” the group without it consent
X – at no time does the facilitator make decisions for the group or take on function which are the
responsibility of the group as a whole.
✓ A good facilitator stays neutral and helps the members of the meeting be aware that it is their
business that is being conducted. The success of the meeting is the mutual responsibility of the
whole group. The facilitator needs to be aware of this and always get the group’s agreement
before using or tools.
Who should facilitate?
The role of facilitator can be learnt by everyone- use your own experience of meetings and
observe other facilitators. Learn from mistakes, from bad meetings as well as good ones. If the
role of the facilitator is rotated amongst group members, people can develop these skills. It is
well worth running some training, aside from normal meeting times, to practice facilitation
skills. These skills are not only useful in group meetings but also in informal settings, at work
and at home.
Skills and Qualities of a Good Facilitator
• Good listening skills
• Confidence
• Assertiveness

• Energetic and attentive
• Respect for all participants
• Understanding
• Neutrality
• Clear thinking and observation
Co-Facilitation Roles at a Meeting
✓ Co-Facilitators
• Take turns and support each other.
• This is useful if the facilitator needs to step out of his / her role to take part in the discussion,
have a break, or when back up is needed.
• Co-facilitators are useful to check understanding of what is being said.
✓ Taking Hands
• One of the co-facilitators can keep track of whose turn it is to speak next
• They can also give appropriate time limits to speakers
✓ Vibes-watching
• Someone not actively participating can pay more attention to the emotional atmosphere of the
meeting and watch out for individual members being affected.
✓ Timekeeper
• Draws attention to the agreed time frame for the meeting and keeps the group to it •
Negotiating extensions for particular agenda items
✓ Note takers
• Keep track of decisions, take minutes, or notes
• They collect reports and draw attention to incomplete decision
• They provide summary of the discussion if needed
✓ Doorkeeper
• Useful when some people may be late

• Welcomes newcomers and latecomers
• They can prevent the flow of a meeting from being interrupted to recap every time someone
enters the room
✓ Practical Coordinator
• Responsible for venue, equipment, refreshments, and notices
• They gather people together to start on time
Facilitating a Meeting
1. Preparing the meeting
• Prepare an effective agenda
• Inform everyone about time, place, and content of the meeting
• Consider physical arrangements
• Gather materials needed for the meeting
• Find a co-facilitator who can take charge in case of emergency
The Meeting Agenda. An agenda is list of items to be discussed in a formal meeting 1. To
create an agenda:
✓ first agree the aims of the meeting
✓ Estimate the time needed for each item
✓ Consider the priorities for the meeting
✓ Alternate short and long items
✓ Plan breaks and evaluation time
✓ How should the meeting start and end
✓ Write the proposed agenda and let everyone see it (use the whiteboard for example or make
copies for everyone.)
✓ If you run out of time, what can you cut from the agenda?
2. Getting the meeting off to a good start

• A good start is to introduce yourself
• Have an introductory activity
• Set the boundaries of the meeting
• Explain the proposed agenda
• Ensure roles such as: note taker, timekeeper, and vibes-watcher are covered 3. During the
meeting
• Go through the agenda items one by one
• Use short items, fun items, announcements, and breaks throughout the agenda • Make sure
decisions on action steps include what, how, who, when and where • If new items come up, make
sure they get noted down to be dealt with later
• Invite and move forward discussion
• Introduce tools: forming small groups / working group to make meeting participatory •
Regulate the flow of discussion by calling on speakers in an appropriate order • Help everyone to
participate
• Check on the overall feeling of the group
• Be positive (use appreciation specially to contributions and ideas)
• Intense or tiring situation, try using humor, games, silence, or breaks
• Challenge put-downs and discriminatory remarks
4. Ending the Meeting
• Make sure a time and place for the next meeting has been agreed
• Summarize and recap
• Check that someone is responsible for writing up and distribution the minutes or notes after few
days. Facilitating Consensus
• The key to helping a group towards consensus is to help all members of the group express their
needs and viewpoints clearly
• Map out common ground and find solutions to any areas of disagreement
3 Skills that helps facilitator
1. Active Listening. When we actively listen, we give the speaker our full attention Active
listening helps facilitator: understand how the speaker feels about a subject Allows us to focus on
the core issues of a speaker’s message

Enables us to hear what the speaker is actually saying to us
2. Summarizing. Summarize what has been said. It helps to focus on meetings. Summarize after
a period of discussion to clarify where you think the meeting has go to. Summarize after a
particular rambling speaker to ensure everyone understood each point made
3.Synthesis. Synthesis means map out the common ground, find connections between competing
ideas, and weaves them together to form proposals. Synthesis is based on active listening. ✓
Start with a summary of where you think the group and its different members are at ✓ Start with
whatever agreement there is and build proposal from that
✓ Focus on solutions that address the fundamental needs and key concerns
✓ Even if there are strong disagreement, synthesis can help move the discussion Dealing with
Problems During Meetings
Two types of problem:
1. Disruptive behavior.
2. Blocks in the Process of the Meetings
1. Disruptive Behavior. Sometimes called problem behavior
Examples: dominating individuals who talk at the expense of others, or cynic that shoots down
every idea that is raised in the meeting. Remember that the problem is the behavior and not the
person.
• Address people’s needs - People should feel that they are being treated fairly • Disruptive
behavior can be caused when needs are not fulfilled, and people feel alienated from the meeting
• Facilitate the meeting that allows everyone to participate which will make everyone happy
from the start
• Dominating behavior – do not tolerate if this happens, it can be destructive for the group
• Introduce a go-around: where each person speaks in turn for set amount of time • Make a group
agreement at the start of the meeting
• Proactively ask other people for their opinion
• Share out information before the meeting so everyone is well-informed
2. Dealing with blocks in the process

✓ Time pressure – time constraints on finding a solution to an urgent problem leads to stress. ✓
Lack of focus – avoid having meetings in which several issues are being discussed at once When
group cannot reach a decision
✓ Ask those disagreeing for alternative proposals
✓ Propose a break, silent thinking time, or postponing the decision to give time for cool down
✓ Agree a process for taking a decision that all parties can sign up to.
Facilitating Large Group Meetings
Large groups:
✓ More difficult for less assertive people to participate
✓ Be easily dominated by confident few
✓ Have slower pace and lower energy than smaller groups
Preparing Meetings for Large Groups
• Planning – need more preparation and planning.
• Agenda Items – not everyone needs to discuss. Delegate topics to smaller groups • Time –
Allow extra time for large group meetings so that they will feel there’s adequate discussion •
Facilitation Team – Someone should facilitate, write up notes, and take hands, separate
timekeeper and door keeper
• Clear Process – Take time to explain clearly how the meeting will work.
References:
https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/group-facilitation/facilitation-skills/main
Robert Cserti. (2019)Essential Facilitation Skills for an Effective Facilitator
https://www.sessionlab.com/blog/facilitation-skills/
Barlow, Jeremy. (2016) What is Board Meeting Protocol?
https://www.boardeffect.com/blog/board-meeting-protocol/

Module 8: Documentation
Documentation
✓ The documents, records that are used to prove something or make something official. ✓ A set
of documents provided on paper, or online, or on digital or analog media, such as audio tape or
CDs.

✓ Documentation is distributed via website, software products, and other online applications. ✓
The procedures of documentation vary from one sector, or one type, to another. In general, these
may involve document drafting, formatting, submitting, reviewing, approving, distributing,
tracking, etc.
Records are evidence of what actually transpired between the worker and the client. The records
will identify the clients served and kind of services rendered. A record is often considered as
document. Records provide evidence that activities have been performed or results have been
achieved. Recording written account or report of proceedings or any activities of a social
worker.
Key Knowledge and Skills for Effective Recording
✓ Basic communication and relationship building skills
✓ Social writing skills
✓ Generalist practice
Purposes of Recording
✓ Provide ongoing picture of the nature and the process of the case management process. ✓
Provide accountability for the agency and the worker.
✓ Serve as supervisory tolls to help improve the knowledge, skills, and challenges of the social
worker working with the case.
✓ Provide data useful to planning, decisions, reporting of accountability.
✓ Provide account of accomplishment and serve as source of statistical information. ✓ Provide
data for research.
✓ Provide information to meet legal and policy requirements.
✓ Useful in evaluation of cases, programs, agency.
Types of Records
1. Intake Forms. Also called Face Sheet, Admission Form, and Application Form. Uses of
Forms

✓ It is necessary to complete certain forms or make notes about information obtained during and
after interviews.
✓ The form is a tool for data collection or accessing services.
✓ Inform the person that information must be gathered as part of the interview, and what the
form or information is used for.
✓ As much as possible, conduct the interview without relying on the form. Be familiar with the
intake form or assessment outline to guide most of the interview.
2. Summary Records/Entries Data. Obtained as part of the information-gathering stage in the
problem solving. Usually indicating date, place and source of data.
3. Survey Reports. Contains findings about the community situation, indicating date, place, and
source of data.
4. Case Study
✓ Contains brief identifying information.
✓ Synthesis of the data obtained from various source
✓ The definition of the problem for work
✓ The goals/objectives to be achieved
✓ The specific means to their achievements
5. Summarized Process Recording. A real process recording is supposed to contain
considerable detail about the content of interviews, conference and other contacts with clients, in
the sequence in which they took place, including the reaction and responses of both client and
worker, followed by the worker’s assessment/analysis of what transpired.
6. Periodic Evaluative Summaries. Including a statement about the major developments that
have occurred.
7. Transfer Summaries. Including recommendation on future course of action.
8. Final Evaluative Statement. Focusing on the extent to which goals/objectives spelled out in
the Case Study have been accomplished/not accomplished and why, recommendations for
termination or continuation of service.

Contemporary Functions of Documentation
1. Assessment and Planning. Clear and comprehensive documentation of all case-related facts
and circumstances is essential. The data provide reliable source of measuring performance and
outcomes, incomplete records may lead to inadequate planning and intervention, critical
judgment errors, and poor outcomes for clients.
2. Service Delivery. Provides a solid foundation for practitioners’ efforts to design and deliver
high-quality services/ whether they involve clinical intervention, efforts to organize community
residents to address neighborhood problems, supervision, or agency administrators’
management and evaluation of personnel and programs.
3. Continuity and Coordination of Service. Documentation facilitates professional and
interdisciplinary collaboration and coordination of service. Administrative records facilitate
coordination among supervisors, managers, and administrators in programs and agencies.
4. Supervision. Under the legal doctrines of vicarious liability and respondent superior (“let the
master respond”), supervisors, as well as administrators and agencies, can be held liable for the
errors and omissions of their staff if there is evidence of flawed supervision (Malden,
2003;Reamer, 2003, 2004). 5. Service Evaluation. Records provide essential data for broader
program evaluation measured outcomes and program effectiveness are central to social work.
6. Accountability. It means being obliged to give an explanation or being held to account of
one’s action or inaction.
Documenting Service Monitoring. In addition to your direct contact with the client, document
your efforts to monitor the delivery of service to your client. Monitoring notes should also be
labeled with date and types of contact
Documentation Best Practice
✓ Avoid Hostility – notes should not reflect any negative feelings you might have about another
person.
✓ Document your interaction with the client – could be verbal exchange or some other form of
interaction. Always use a quotation mark to indicate word-for-word verbal exchange. ✓
Document significant aspects of the contact – e.g., 10/13/12 (Home Visit) Mrs. Peters seemed
unable to understand exactly when we would be meeting again or what services would be
provided in the meantime. She appeared confused and was somewhat unresponsive to her
daughter and son-in-law who tried to clarify these for her.

✓ Be clear and precise – do not use vague terms or indefinite statements. E.g.: (Poor) Marcella
got along well in the program today. (Better) Marcella’s affect was improving today, and she
participated in preparing lunch for the group and in both group sessions.
✓ Use quotations – do not use them for any reason than indicating an individual’s exact words.
✓ Avoiding contradictions – your progress notes must not contradict other previous notes
without explanation.
✓ Use language the people you serve can understand – language you use must be
understandable to the client or client’s family
✓ Accurately describe disabilities – make sure to use language that accurately reflects the
person’s life circumstances and does not label the person in pejorative ways.
How to Avoid Sounding Judgmental
POOR WORDS FOR DOCUMENTATION BETTER WORDS FOR DOCUMENTATION
*Dirty *Poor hygiene
*Nasty *Unpleasant
*Lazy *Inactive
*Stubborn *Resistive
*Nervous *Anxious
*Wild *Restless
*Sarcastic *Critical
*Mean *Unpleasant
*Troublesome *Uncooperative
*Whining *Complained of
*Foolish * Use poor judgment
*Slow *had trouble completing
Tips in Documentation
1. In notetaking during the interview, write on a notebook or pad first. If not urgently needed,
complete the intake sheet or write the “clean copy” later.

2. Take notes in the language you are most comfortable with. These can be translated in the
language required for the reports later.
3. If interviewing several people in succession, allot five to 10 minutes in between interviews to
write details or impressions from the interview just completed.
4. If there is very little time for #3 write down key words or phrases that will remind you of the
details you want to include in the “clean copy” later on.
How to tackle Social Work Documentation
1. Schedule Time to do Paperwork
➢An hour daily at start or end of day or
➢Reserve 1 day per week for paperwork or
➢Schedule time B/N sessions to write notes.
2. Keep a list of notes needing to be written.
3. Take Breaks
4. Write notes from oldest to newest
5. Allow about 15 minutes per note
6. Work in chunks (30 minutes or 2-3 notes)
7. Reward yourself
Guidelines on Documentation
1. Do not be judgmental – do not be subjective instead use objective words to describe your
observations
2. Distinguish between facts and impressions – facts are something that are observed,
impressions are clues you picked up from the person
3. Give a balanced picture of the person – always note both the strength and weaknesses of the
client
4. Provide evidence of agreement - contract
5. Making changes to the plan – note every change
Professional Writing

✓ A style of written communication used in a workplace environment that allows professionals
to make informed decisions.
✓ Typically has a formal tone and differs from written text that is considered literary or artistic,
which generally seeks to entertain and/or convey a philosophical truth.
✓ Allows various types of professionals to communicate ideas to each other despite their
different areas of expertise.
Purposes of Professional Writing. The general purpose of professional writing is to convey
information to readers within a workplace context. The specific function of professional writing
can be one or a mixture of the following depending on context:
1. To encourage action
2. To instruct
3. To persuade
4. To inform
5. To affirm shared goals
TYPES OF SOCIAL WORK PROFESSIONAL WRITING
1. Process Recording
A process recording is a written record of an interaction with a client (Handbook for Student
Social Work Recording).
Why are Process Recordings required?
Process recording is a major learning tool in social work. Social work is unique in its heavy
reliance on process recording to teach intervention skills. Because in social work the
practitioner’s major tool is oneself and one's ability to interact effectively with clients and other
professionals, training must focus on the interactive skills necessary to be effective. Process
recordings require that the student attend to interactions on a level not required by verbal review
or theoretical analysis. They encourage integration of the multiple levels of learning that a
student is exposed to in field and class. Finally, they allow for close oversight of students' work
by both agency and school.
What do you learn from process recording?
1. To pay attention
2. To be aware of your own experience

3. To describe behavior, affect, content and recognize its significance
4. To analyze your responses and those of your clients
5. To recognize the consequences of an intervention
6. To develop the ability to intervene purposefully
How do you learn from process recording?
Writing a process recording allows you to pay attention and to reflect on and analyze
your own work
Reviewing process recordings with your field instructor allows you to identify learning
patterns, access your field instructor's factual and clinical knowledge and experience, recognize
results of interventions
What is appropriate to process in a recording?
1. A face to face session with an individual client
2. A telephone contact with a client
3. A brief interaction in a waiting room, hall, community room, etc.
with a client
4. A group session
5. A contact with a family member or a family meeting
6. A contact with a service provider
Elements of Process Recordings.
All process recordings must contain certain elements. Models are variants with different foci of
attention and learning. They should include at least the following:
1. Identifying pertinent information. The student's name, date of the interview and the client's
initials of identifying number (remember always disguise client name to protect confidentiality).
It is helpful to state who was present during the contact and the number of the interview (i.e.,
"Fourth contact with Mrs. S; Mrs. S and Johnny were present"). On a first contact, it may also
be helpful to include name and ages of the client system under consideration.
2. Objectives for the interview. Briefly state whether there are any specific goals to be achieved,
the nature of the referral, the nature of the initial or presenting issues, the student's plans, and the
client's agenda.
3. A word-for-word description of what happened as well as the student can recall. 4. A
description of any action or nonverbal activity that occurred.

5. The student's feelings and reactions to the client and to the interview as it took place. This
requires the student to put in writing unspoken thoughts and reactions as the interview is going
on. (E.g., "At this point I began to feel uneasy. I was a little frightened and wondered what to do
next.")
6. The student's observations and analytical thoughts regarding what has been happening during
an interview. (E.g., "I wondered what would happen if I said such-and-such. I chose not to, but I
wondered whether I should have raised it," or "Mrs. S. said she felt happy, but this seemed to
contradict what she said earlier. I didn’t think she looked very happy, so I asked her to explain
further.")
7. A summary of the student's impressions. This is a summary of the student's analytical thinking
about the entire interview.
8. Future plans. Identification of unfinished business, identification of short and longer-term
goals.
9. Identification of questions for field instruction. This provides the student with the opportunity
to build upon their ability to become autonomous workers.
SAMPLE PROCESS RECORDING #1
Narrative Model
INTERVIEW WITH CLIENT
Relevant Background Data
Mr. and Mrs. B., both 79, were in a car accident, in which Mr. B was driving. Mr. B. suffered a
fractured left leg and Mrs. B had two fractured legs. Mrs. B. also lost her right eye and suffered
partial hearing loss in one ear. They are located in the same room in a rehabilitation center. The
student met each client briefly alone once, prior to this first joint interview. Each was reported
by the nurse to be anxious about recovery, each fearing for himself/herself and for each other.
Worker's Purpose
Clarify services worker (or other hospital personnel) might provide; evaluate areas of strength
and difficulty; help clients with adjustment to rehabilitation center, any interpersonal needs or
tensions, discharge plan.
Interview with Mr. & Mrs. B
As I entered the room, Mrs. B. was half-lying, half-sitting in bed, working on a small pile
of correspondence. Mr. B. was sitting in his wheelchair, beside her bed. As I said hello, Mrs. B.
looked up, grinned, and said hello, Ms. Jones (pleased at showing that she remembered my
name, I think) and Mr. B. turned his wheelchair so that he could face me. I sat down in the
available chair, telling them I had wanted to talk with them to find out how they were doing and

if they were worried about anything that perhaps they would like to talk about. Mr. B.
immediately began a fairly long complaint about the boredom of his diet, the low sodium diet he
was on, his "wasting away". I asked if he had spoken to the dietitian about this matter, and he
said yes, many times. She was being very helpful and doing all she could, but he hated this food,
and the restrictions on the diet imposed upon him. I asked if he had spoken with his M.D. re: the
need for these dietary restrictions. He answered rather vaguely that he had not seen the doctor
since shortly after they arrived at the center. How could he ask him if he never saw him? And
his daughter, Carol, was too busy to take time out to help her own family. Carol had said that
they should come here because they would have the finest doctors available. And they had been
here seven days and seen a doctor only once.
I commented that Mr. B. sounded very upset with his daughter. He said no, he was not
upset, that Carol was too busy even to help "this poor girl" (referring to his wife) get a hearing
aid. At this point Mrs. B., who had been working on her letter at times, listening to her husband
at other times, sometimes understanding what was being said, sometimes not from the look on
her face, entered the conversation. (It seems the pattern is for Mr. B. to do most of the talking,
and to translate as necessary for his wife. If she cannot understand or hear what he is saying, he
tells her he will tell her about it later, and she nods and seems content. Whether or not this is so I
do not know, but during Mr. B's outpouring of feelings, it did not seem advisable to attempt to
draw Mrs. B. into the conversation.) In any event, Mrs. B. burst in at this point with a comment
addressed to me that their daughter Carol worked very hard and was very busy. Mr. B.
interrupted her saying, "You're defending her again, sticking up for her!" Mrs. B. looked at me,
asking me what her husband was saying. I said that it seemed as though Mr. B. was quite angry
with their daughter Carol and seemed upset that she was speaking positively about the daughter
when he was feeling so angry with her.
Mr. B. said he was not angry with her. I said that perhaps "disappointed" more accurately
described his feeling. At this, he broke down into tears, saying yes, he was disappointed; it was
very hard. Then he began to make excuses for his daughter; she really did work hard and did not
have much time.
I said I thought it must be very difficult for them being so far away from their home, their
neighbors and friends. Mr. B. said yes, it was very hard. He went on to describe the visits and
general helpfulness of his fellow church members, his neighbors, etc., when he and his wife
were in the hospital. The spoke of many cards and letters they had received in the hospital. Then
he looked at his wife, nodded and told me proudly how she had written a letter to all their
friends. Indeed, he said, every Christmas his wife would write a long letter on all their Christmas
cards-- 150 of them. I said that was quite a job. He nodded, smiling at her.
Mrs. B. caught the look and asked me what was going on. I told her that her husband was
bragging about her and her letter-writing ability. She said, "Is he," smiling and seeming pleased.
Mr. B. returned to talk about New Jersey, their friends, how nice it was. I said that it must be

lonely for them out here in Long Island, away from all of those friends. At this, Mr. B. again
started to cry, then began to speak of the accident that had hurt them so. He described how
carefully he had driven, how careful he always was, how he had never gotten a ticket until just a
few months ago. He was still tearful and clearly very upset. I said that it must be very hard and
rather scary to be so very careful and still not be able to avoid such an accident. After a quiet
minute or so, he stopped crying, looked at me and said we are alive, we are going to get better,
we are going to get out of here and go home.
Then he returned to his daughter, muttering that she wanted to send them to a nursing
home. She did not even have room for her own parents. I told Mr. B. that it was too soon yet to
make plans for their discharge, we had to wait to see how quickly they healed. I said I did not
know if they would be able to return to their own home -I hoped so, because I knew they both
wanted to do so very much. If that was not possible, then we would deal with that too. In either
event, I was going to be available to help them sort out their plans and help them deal with any
problems they encountered with discharge.
Mr. B. seemed somewhat reassured--at least he did not look angry. At that point, an aide
came in to take Mr. B. to his p.t. session. I told him I would see him after the session to say
good-bye and I remained in the room with Mrs. B. I moved over to stand by her bedside, and we
talked for the next 10 minutes or so. Some of the conversation was about trivialities, some about
her background as an Englishwoman, some about her daughter's education and career. (During
this conversation, we were interrupted by the nurses who had to put drops in Mrs. B's eyes. I did
not feel so flustered by a nursing interruption as in earlier meetings, and we continued our
conversation after they left.) I wanted to touch base with Mrs. B., feeling uncomfortable that the
conversation among the three of us was difficult with the shouting, repetitions, hard stares, etc.
She was important too, and despite the physical impairments, perhaps the more dynamic of the
two of them, and I wanted her to know that I regarded her as capable and intelligent. She asked
me whether or not I was a social worker, and I said yes, and she asked what school I went to,
and I told her. She said she had heard of Columbia. She said, you know, I do not know if it does
any good to talk about your problems and how you feel, but I think maybe it does. I answered
what sounded to me like a hope, a question, and a challenge all in one, that I thought it did help
me to talk about what was troubling me and that I thought that was true for a number of people.
Also, I said, that sometimes talking about difficulties leads to new ways of looking at them and
maybe even ways of solving them or at least dealing with them. She nodded and smiled at me. I
told her that I would leave my card with my name and phone number with her, and if she or Mr.
B. should want to talk about difficulties, if they were upset or feeling worried about their future
plans, they could call me, and I would also come talk to them a couple of times a week.
At this point Mr. B. returned from p.t. He turned to me and said, I need a straight answer
to a question. How long are we going to be here? I told them that I did not have the medical
knowledge to make an expert judgment about that, but that I knew from discussion with medical
staff that he and Mrs. B. were expected to be at the center for 2-3 months. I said I could not

guarantee that time period; to some extent it depended on their rate of recovery. But that was our
best guess at this point.
Mr. B. sighed, with relief, apparently, and said "That's not so bad. I was 12 afraid it
would be much longer." It is always harder he said, not knowing. I agreed that that was very
difficult. I added that I understood how important it was for them to have an idea about their
length of stay here.
I told Mr. B. about the card I had left with Mrs. B., my availability to discuss their
feelings and concerns, and said good-bye.
I returned to my office where 5 minutes later the phone rang. It was Mr. B. and it had
occurred to his wife as they were talking things over that they might be separated at some future
point. She was very upset, he said; he himself sounded shaky. I told them I would come back to
their room to talk to them, which I immediately did. Their concern was that Mr. B. would be
ready for discharge before Mrs. B. since the severity of her injuries was so much greater. Then,
she might be in Long Island, and he might be in New Jersey. I told them I could understand how
upsetting that thought would be to them. Then I said that, again, I could not predict rates of
recovery, but that what I could do was work with them to try to arrange things in the best way
possible. If Mr. B. was ready to go home and Mrs. B. was not, then we would explore the
possibilities of Mr. B. remaining temporarily in town--or of Mrs. B. at that juncture moving to a
facility in New Jersey. I did not know what the possibilities were, but if there were such a need,
I would work with them to see what we could do. They seemed reassured. Again, good-byes
were said, we scheduled another appointment, and I left the room.
Impressions
The couple seems comfortable with my presence, and I attempted to make somewhat
clearer today the kinds of concerns with which I can deal. Today Mrs. B. seemed quite sharp,
witty, less frightened and Mr. B. was somewhat depressed. Tears were very near the surface
today for him and any touching upon the areas of loneliness or disappointment with his only
child triggered those tears.
The two seem very close to each other and very supportive of each other. I think the B's
would benefit from continued opportunities to discuss their present and future situations. Also,
the information gathered from these meetings could be very useful in assessing how realistic are
the plans that the B's propose for their discharge.
Generally, I felt this interview went well. Hopefully, I will become more skilled at
dealing with the difficulties posed by Mrs. B's hearing incapacity and more confident in
focusing the conversation on helpful ways. I am still suffering from uncertainly regarding my
role and uncertainty regarding the aging - i.e., degree of frailty, etc., my own fears--(to be
infirm, to be unable to hear, to have to rely on my child to do for me.) I wonder if Mrs. B. is
angry with her husband for his role in the accident.

I do not know how to respond and help when they complain about their daughter or the
doctor, especially since they may be neglected, and I feel upset about that. I would also like to
discuss future plans.
2. Journal Writing
The Importance of Reflective Journal Writing to Lynda Monk.
During my first ten years as a social worker, I worked in high stress and often high trauma
roles: an intake and after-hours child welfare social worker, a crisis response counsellor with
at-risk youth, and a medical social worker within the emergency department and intensive care
unit of a hospital. I did my best to consistently practice self-care as a way of managing stress
and mitigating the effects of exposure to both direct and indirect trauma that were “just part of
the job.” I realized that it did not matter how many bubble baths I took — I needed something
more in my self-care toolkit that would serve as an effective way to process my own emotions,
cultivate boundaries, reduce stress, and reframe the sometimes-painful impact of witnessing the
suffering of others on a near daily basis. Over time, I began to notice that when I was journaling
(a practice that I enjoyed on and off since being a teenager) — my stress levels were lower, and
I enjoyed my work more. When I stopped journaling, stress seemed to creep up and I often felt
overwhelmed by the multiple and often competing demands of life, work, and my studies. I
started to get curious about this and began to ask myself; “Is journal writing actually a
significant part of my self care? Is it a tool for my emotional and psychological health as a social
worker?” With these questions in mind, I started reading books about the healing power of
journal writing and soon noticed there was evidence to support what I was inherently
experiencing which was that regular journal writing can help to reduce stress, heal trauma, and
enhance well-being.
Think about this: What can you learn about Ms Monk testimony on the importance of
Journal Writing in Social Worker’s Mental Health?
Reflective journaling is an important tool which assists students in identifying ad processing
learning in the field practicum setting. Journals provide an avenue for students to document
what they are learning and to become more reflexive in their practice. Recording in a journal is
not simply about recording what happened or was observed in the field setting but is intended to
foster and strengthen one’s understanding and development of critical thinking skills. All social
work students are expected to spend time writing in their journal on a weekly basis, the method
or process to be determined in discussion with their field instructor.
Common areas of inquiry to consider in a journal include the following:
• What ethics and/or values were challenged in my practice this week? How did this affect my
actions? • In which situation did I used my practice skills most effectively this week? What
skills were developed or strengthened?

• What areas do I need to improve upon? What can I do to improve upon these skills? • What did
I struggle with the most this week? If faced with a similar situation, what would I do differently
in the future?
• How have I made the transition from classroom to field? What has been most difficult? What
has been most positive?
• How have I worked on improving my own problem-solving skills in the field setting? Why is
this important in social work practice?
• What theories have guided my practice with a particular individual, family, or group? • Did I
take a risk this week? What happened and what did I learn?
• In what ways am I presenting in a more professional manner?
• What supports and experiences would be helpful to me in field placement? What can I do to
access these supports and experiences?
• Describe a situation in which you requested feedback from others? Describe a situation in
which you were provided with critical feedback? How did you react?
• Why is constructive and critical feedback important in social work practice?
Some of the Importance of Journal Writing.
There is a great deal of research across various fields of study including psychology, education,
and healthcare that supports the effectiveness of journaling and expressive writing for healing
and well being, for example:
1. James Pennebaker, PhD, (2004) a research psychologist and author of Writing to Heal: A
Guided Journal for Recovering from Trauma & Emotional Upheaval conducted a study in the
1980s with people who were dealing with trauma and emotional upheavals. His research showed
that individuals who wrote about their traumas needed less medical attention in the following
months than they had previously. His work clearly demonstrated a link between writing and
health.
2. Stephen Lepore and Joshua Smyth edited an entire collection of research within their book
The Writing Cure: How Expressive Writing Promotes Health and Emotional Well-Being (2002)
where they show evidence that expressive journal writing can offer relief from stress and heal
the damage that can be done from highly stressful experiences. For example, there is compelling
evidence that stressful life events undermine cognitive processes, and that expressive writing
can restore these processes.
3. Louise DeSalvo, researcher, and author of Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our
Stories Transforms Our Lives (1999), teaches us that we need to write in certain ways in order
for writing to be a restorative and healing tool. Healing narratives are those that involve writing

about not what you already know, but rather writing about something that puzzles, confuses,
troubles, or pains us. This is what allows for learning, growth, and healing. We can engage in
the act of creation that energizes and enlarges us. Writing.
“A gift that comes to us. A gift we give ourselves.”
As social workers, we are often the story keepers of our client’s painful stories (we not only hear
difficult stories, but we must also keep confidential the details of the stories we hear outside the
realm of professional consultation and so forth). We listen with empathy to countless stories of
trauma, loss, betrayal, and violation. Of course, within these stories are also incredible examples
of resiliency and the strength of the human spirit. The bearing witness we do can lead to the
occupational hazards of professional burnout (characterized in part by emotional exhaustion),
vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue. To prevent these hazards, social workers must have a
way of processing the emotions relevant to the nature of our work which at its heart can be
referred to as “emotional labour.”-
Where to start with journal writing?
According to Lynda Monk of bcasw.org, whether you are an avid journal writer, someone who
used to journal and got away from it, or have never written in a journal before, your journal can
be a creative, soulful and nourishing space that supports you in every way. A journal will
lovingly hold whatever you choose to embrace within it! I have grown to believe that how we
show up on the page is how we show up in our lives. When you can allow more gratitude, joy,
curiosity, energy, vitality, hope, patience, and whatever else you might want more of in your life
— to have consistent residence in your journal — these same values can have a deeper presence
in your life and work.
3. Narrative Process Recording. Narrative process recording in which the student writes the
story of the session (entire or excerpts).
PROCESS RECORDING OUTLINE
Narrative Model
Student's Name:
Date of Interview:
Client's Name (Masked):
TUNE IN (THINKING/PLANNING BEFORE THE INTERVIEW):
FOCUS FOR WORK/CONNECTION TO OVERALL PURPOSE:
CONTENT OF INTERVIEW:
ASSESSMENT OF THE CLIENT/ASSESSMENT OF YOUR OWN WORK:

NEXT STEPS:
4. Case Study
✓ An in-depth analysis of a subject or entity.
✓ Goal: to describe as accurately as possible the fullest, most complete description of the case.
✓ The product of gathering a substantial amount of information concerning the person-problem
situation (assessment process).
Tips for Writing Case Study
1. Follow agency protocols and standards.
2. Apply social work professional writing.
3. Use clear descriptive words; use behavioral terms.
4. Indicate notes based on your observations.
5. Employ appropriate tools.
6. Collect meaningful and relevant data.
7. Cite the source of information.
8. Avoid making conclusive assessments
9. Organize data in a coherent structure.
10. Be consistent.
Social Work Case Study
The case study report basically contains four things:
1. Case facts or the “4Ws and H” of the case-who, what, where, when, how.
2. Social worker’s assessment which presents the social worker’s analysis and interpretation of
the case facts using relevant practice framework.
3. Helping goals and plans that set down the directions of the helping
relationship and the interventions toward changing the client situation .
4. Implementation or the description of how the helping goals and plans were carried out and its
results. It also contains the social worker’s recommendation on the future direction of the case,
based on the results of the said interventions.
Format of a Case Study Report

I. Identifying Information
II. Circumstances of Referral/Problem Presented
III.Background Information
A. Description of the Problem
B. Description of the Client
C. Family Composition and Background
D. Environment
IV. Assessment
V. Helping Goals and Plans
VI. Implementation
VII. Recommendation for further action (if necessary)
Case Study Report Format
I. Identifying information - Basic information about the client
II. Family composition -The client’s Family members, their names, ages and education
III.Sources of referral - Who requested and for what purpose
IV. Sources of Information - Primary and secondary sources
V. Presenting problem - Problem being presented by client or referring person VI. History of the
problem - How long it has been happening?
-Precipitating events
- How did the client manage to handle those events in the past
VII. Background information - The client, parents, family situation and economic situation VIII.
Worker’s impression (diagnostic summary)- Analyses and diagnostic impression IX. Treatment
plan - Short range or immediate goals
-Long range goals
References:
Thelma Lee-Mendoza, Social Welfare and Social Work, Third Edition (2008)).
https://socialwork.columbia.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2015/06/Process_Recordings_Handbook1.pdf Nancy Summer, Fundamentals of
Case Management Practice (Fourth Edition.)

Fitzpatrick & Sanders, 2003; Patton 2008; Royse, Thyer, Padgett, & Logan, 2000).
https://umanitoba.ca/social_work/media/About_Reflective_Journalling.pdf
Reflective Journal Writing for Social Worker Well-Being by Lynda Monk, MSW, RSW, CPCC
https://www.bcasw.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Reflective-Journal-Writing-H1.pdf Rai,
Lucy. (2014)Effective Writing for Social Work: Making a Difference
Koprowska, Juliet. (2014) Communication and Interpersonal Skills in Social Work Bouing, R.
(2006). Effective Communication
Module 9: Ethical Guidelines in Writing
Ethical and Guidelines
Once a person is in the case management unit’s systems and is receiving services from a
provider, it is your responsibility to keep a record of all contacts relevant to this case. These
contacts will be with the clients or with those connected to the client in some way, such as
providers of services, family, and counselors. You will document these contacts on the form
titled “Contact Notes”.
While you are a person’s case manager, you will see this person for many reasons. Sometimes
people will come to your office because something upsetting has happened in their life or
because they need a prescription. At other times, people will call on the phone because of a
problem or need. You might see people at provider agencies where they are receiving services
when you make site visits. In addition, you may talk to teachers, family members and other
related to the person, something called a collateral contact. Every contact related to the client is
documented.
Keeping accurate records and documenting all contacts with or related to clients is needed
primarily for legal and administrative purposes. Legally you need to be able to show that the
service for which you are being paid is being given to the client administratively you need a
record that documents the activities on behalf of the client all contacts related to the client so
that managers are not relying on memory to reconstruct what has happened before.
These notes should focus on your client, and not on you. The treatment plan begins to go out of
date soon after it is written due to the changes in programs and people’s lives. The purpose of
your notes is to keep the record current.
Your contacts note in the chart should always include the following:
1. The focus of the interview or contact – Linda came to the office today to discuss her
medication. 2. Your assessment was based on a concise summary of behavior, appearance, and
affect – She appeared somewhat disheveled and tearful and indicated her belief that the
medicine is “not strong enough.” 3. Any resolution that takes place – An appointment was set up

for her to see Dr. Wentworth on July 2. She was advised to remain in her program where her
depression can be closely monitored. 4. The reason for the next contact or follow-up that will
occur – Client will return July 2 after her visit with the doctor to let CM know what was done
about her medications.
Labelling the Contact.
In the left-hand margin for every case note, place (1) the date and (2) the type of contact in the
parentheses (Collateral contact, Office visit, Phone, Site Visit, Group, and Home Visit). The
types of contact are as follows:
• Collateral Contact: Is with someone other than the client such as the client’s mother, minister,
or nurse. Be careful that in all collateral contacts you have the client’s permission to make that
contact and, if the client is a child, that you have the parents’ permission to talk with this person.
• Office Visit: The client was seen in the office.
• Phone: The client called you on the phone or you called the client.
• Site Visit: You went to the site where services are being given to your client and evaluated
those services or discussed problems that have arisen.
• Group: You saw the client in a group, and you are noting what took place during that contact.
Sometimes clients are seen in groups to use time more efficiently.
• Home Visit: The client was seen at home.
Social Work professional writing: critically evaluate kinds of data:
• Worker and client make life-affecting decisions based on the data collected/evaluated
especially during the assessment.
• Workers must choose data that are both accurate and relevant to helping client attain outcomes
they value.
• Question to guide evaluation. What information will help me help my client?
Criteria in deciding what data or information to record or document and judging the value
of data: 1. Reliability – refers to the consistency of the data.
2. Validity – concerns the effectiveness of the measure/s used in getting the data. 3. Sensitivity –
answers the question. Will a measure reflect that changes occur? 4. Utility – concern to the
usefulness of the data for meeting goals and objective 5. Feasibility –factors in cost (time, effort,
expense) balanced against information provided.
6. Relevance – answer is the information relevant to the desired outcomes? Do the clients and
significant others consider the data relevant?
7. Norms- information about the typical (or average) performance of a group or individual

Purpose and audience
• Consider the purpose and who will use the recording.
• Consider who, what, when, where, and how.
• The why is addressed only after the other questions are answered.
• Why questions imply making a judgment --- recording must have a separate section for
discussing the meaning of gathered information.
• Why information is labeled as professional outcomes, discussion, or outcome expectation.
Ethics
• Cite sources of information.
• Maintain honesty and personal integrity in all aspects including reporting and recording. •
Caution must be observed in committing written ethical violations.
✓ inaccurate reporting or facts
✓ falsification of records or misquoting clients
✓ making assumptions and judgmental comments about clients
✓ other careless practices
•Practice professional ethics: demonstrate professionalism.
• Follow basic rules and mechanics of [professional writing, spelling, sentence structure,
punctuation, grammar.
• Always proofread written material so they are free of errors and “clutter” that do not project a
good impression of the professional and his or her profession.
• Ensure accuracy in both quality and quantity of information (meaning precise, truthful, exact,
correct, adequate)
• Records and documents are written because someone needs information. They should be
sufficiently detailed yet also succinct as well as correctly presented.
Writing Objectives
• Objective information represents what the social worker actually observed and heard. •
Objective records are free of derogatory words, unbiased, no judgmental statements, and avoids
use of conclusive adjectives.

• Information presented in a record or documents may be used by someone else to decide or may
urge someone towards a preference --- must show fairness in dealing with all possible
alternatives. • Worker integrates in the information his/her interpretation of those information or
facts based on his or her experience, training, and research.
• Although considered to be more subjective, the professional’s opinions are allowed in social
work recording and documentation.
~consciously recognize and separate clients’ needs and treatment from his or her own values and
experiences.
~opinions based on a strong professional foundation.
• Writers should always identify their opinions and judgments and avoids words and expressions
that open to misunderstanding.
• They should also include necessary qualifying statements to avoid misinterpretation.
Write clearly.
• Must be clear and easy for the reader to understand.
• Check for correctness in grammar and basic writing mechanics – an essential component to
writing clearly.
• Use precise language, clearly define terms, avoid overly technical language, check for missing
information, focus on main points.
• Clearly identify conclusions and the premises on which they were based, provide descriptive
data to support inferences, and logically organize writing.
Use multiple sources.
• Collect data following certain protocols.
• Be aware of the strengths and limitations of the methods utilized in collecting and recording
data. • Employ triangulation --- using multiple sources --- strengthens the credibility and
accuracy of data. 1. Observation, reviewing previous records, talking to different people (family,
friends, close associates, doctors)
2. Having the clients complete clinical survey or intervention
3. Gathering a cross section of information about the clients
4. Clients’ self-reports
Write concisely.

• Practice of parsimony (worker must collect only that data/information that has relevance to the
situation at hand and is essential to the formulation of valid working judgment) • Writer should
express his or her intended meaning accurately and in as few words as possible – this requires
careful choice of words and sentence sequence.
• Avoid rambling, redundant, and unnecessary explanations. Write to the point.
Updating records: ensure recording is always kept current.
• Updated records are useful in planning what to do next.
• Transfer observation notes taken as soon as possible after the interview into a report or record,
while the facts and transaction are fresh (in the workers mind), so no important elements are
missed. • Include notes on the current situation or circumstances surrounding the client. • Make it
a habit to complete recording immediately following any service delivery.
Accurately Describe Disabilities. When writing about a person with a disability, make sure to
use a language that accurately reflects a person's circumstances and does not label the person in
pejorative ways. Here are some guidelines for the Three Rivers Center for Independent Living in
Pittsburgh*:
• Person first: Identify the person first, rather than the disability. Use person with a disability or
a person who is deaf rather than disabled person or deaf person.
• Disability: The terms afflicted with, suffering from, cripple, and victim are all unacceptable.
They emotionalize and sensationalize, often to induce pity. The term handicapped is based on
the image of a person with a disability on the street with a cap on his hand, begging for money.
Except when citing laws, regulations, or environment conditions (such as the stairs are a
handicap to her), always use disability rather than handicap.
• Wheelchair: People are not confined to their wheelchairs; they use them for mobility. Say she
uses a wheelchair, not that she is a wheelchair-bound or confined to a wheelchair.
• Blind: This term refers to total loss of vision. Partial vision, partial sights, or visual impairment
are more accurate terms in some cases.
• Deaf: This term refers to a total loss of hearing. Partial hearing, hard of hearing, or hearing
impairment are more accurate terms in some cases.
• Nonverbal: A person who cannot speak is preferred over terms mute, deaf-mute, or deaf-dumb.
These terms imply that people who are deaf are also unintelligent. The inability to speak does not
indicate intelligence or lack of intelligence.
• Congenital disability: This is a disability that has existed since birth. Do not use the term birth
defect. Defect is derogatory and is not a synonym of disability.

• Learning disability: This term refers to a disorder affecting the understanding or use of spoken
and/or written language.
• Mental disorder: This term describes any of the recognized forms of mental illness or other
emotional disorders. Terms such as neurotic, psychotic, or schizophrenic are pejorative labels. •
Be careful about using phrases such as he overcame his disability or in spite of her handicap.
These terms inaccurately reflect the barriers people with disabilities face. They do not succeed
in spite of their disabilities as much as they succeed in spite of an inaccessible environment or a
discriminatory society. They do not overcome their disabilities so much as they overcome
prejudice.
Do not be judgmental.
Do not write notes that sound as if you are sitting in judgment with the client. You may be
inclined to judge some aspect of your client’s life or behavior in negative terms, but that is not
helpful. When negative judgments are obvious in your case notes, they leave a legacy that can
follow the client. Avoid judgmental words in your notes. Figure 24.3 contains a list of words that
tend to sound judgmental and a substitute word that is more objective for each.
Poor words for Documentation (judgmental)
Dirty
Nasty
Lazy
stubborn
Nervous
Wild
Bad-mouthing
Sarcastic
Mean
Troublesome
Whining
Glum
Just sat there.
Better words for Documentation (more
objective)
Unclean habits, poor hygiene
Unpleasant
Inactive
Resistive
Anxious
Restless
Argumentative
Critical
Unpleasant, insulting others
Uncooperative
Complained of
Sullen

Jittery
Foolish
Slow
Pushy
Aggravating
Passive
Restless
Used poor judgment.
Had trouble completing.
Persistent
Irritated others
Distinguish between facts and impressions.
A fact is something you observed, whereas an impression is a clue you picked up from the
person. Use words such as the following to introduce your impressions:
• Bart seemed….
• Agnes appeared….
• Staff felt….
• For example:
Poor: Mary acted pleasant but was putting on a front.
Better: Mary was pleasant, but CM felt she was sensing some anger over losing her job. Poor:
Manuel was not telling the truth when he said he was comfortable with the new group. Better:
Manuel said he was happy in the new group, but he appeared uncomfortable in the first season
Give a Balanced Picture of the Person

Do not paint the client as entirely positive or entirely negative. People have strengths and
weaknesses, and they have assets and problems. Give a balanced picture of the person, noting
strengths and weaknesses, positive gains, and negative problems. Your notes should not be
simply a collection of problems.
Provide Evidence of Agreement
There should be evidence in the written record that you and the program to which the individual
was referred agree on the plan for the person and that you have interacted with each other
regarding the plan. This interaction and agreement can be documented by reporting on team or
staff meetings you attended at the other facility or meetings called specifically to discuss the
person’s goal plan or treatment. This does not mean that the individual is excluded from
participation in developing the specific plan for himself at the provider agency. You should also
see evidence that the client was a participant in developing his plan, and if that is not clear, you
should inquire about how the client took part.
A Simple Method to Being Judgmental
We are all judgmental, even you and I certainly am, I think its human nature. And yet, while it is
in our nature to be judgmental, I do not think it is always useful to us. We look down on others,
as if we are so much better… and that creates division between people. Think about it for a
second: we see someone, and based on their looks or actions, we pass judgment on them, not
good judgment, either. Usually without even knowing the person. And that is it that is usually
the extent of our interaction with that person. We do not try to get to know the person, or
understand them, or see whether our judgment was right or not.
And let us consider what happens when we pass judgment on people we do know. We see
something they do, and get angry at it, or disappointed in the person, or think worse of them. We
judge, without understanding. And that is the end of it--- we do not try to find out more, and
through communication begin to understand, and through understanding begin to build a bridge
between two human beings.
Can you build a bridge with every single person you meet? Probably not. That takes time and
effort, two things were usually short on anyways. But I have found that taking that extra time,
even just one day, can make a huge difference. Here are the dual methods:
Do not pass judgment. If you find yourself being judgmental, stop yourself. This takes a greater
awareness than we usually have, so the first step is to observe your thoughts for a few days,
trying to notice when you are being judgmental. This can be a difficult step. Remind yourself to
observe. Once you are more aware, you can stop yourself when you feel yourself being
judgmental.

Understand. Instead of judging someone for what he has done or how he looks, try instead to
understand the person. Put yourself in their shoes. Try to imagine their background. If possible,
talk to them. Find out their back story. Everyone has one. If not, try to imagine the
circumstances that might have led to the person acting or looking like they do.
Accept. Once you begin to understand, or at least think you kind of understand, try to accept.
Accept the person for who he is, without trying to change him. Accept that he will act the way
he does, without wanting him to change. The world is what it is, and as much as you try, you
can only change a little bit of it. It will continue to be as it is long after you are gone. Accept
that, because otherwise, you are in for a world of frustration.
Love. Once you have accepted someone for who he is, try to love him. Even if you do not him.
Even if you have hated him in the past. Love him as a brother, or love her as a sister, no matter
who they are, old or young, light skinned or dark, male, or female, rich or poor. What good will
loving someone do? Your love will likely only be limited. But it could have an effect on two
people: yourself, and possibly on the person you have found love for. Loving others will serve
to make yourself happier. And loving others can change the lives of others, if you choose to
express that love and act on it, it can be life changing.
Government Requirements
You must follow state and federal government requirements for documentation to be reimbursed
for you services to the client. Those may vary from state to state and from one type of service to
another. These funding sources treat the record the same way blank checks are treated:
Correction fluids, erasures, and blank spaces are not acceptable.
Hence are some general rules for documentation that are often required by state and federal
governments:
1. Use black ink. Blue ink does not copy well.
2. Never use either a pencil or correction fluid.
3. All notes must be legible.
4. The person must be identified by name on each page. Sometimes you can use an agency
number instead. For children, a date of birth on each page is often required. Do not use
nicknames or initials. 5. When recording, place the actual date of the contact note in the margin.
6. Sign (do not initial) every note.
7. After your signature, add the date the note was written. It should be on or as close to the date
of service as possible.
8. If the person is in on-going service, every note must end with the next scheduled service date.
In some places, case managers are required to note the actual date and time of the next

appointment and also the plan action. For example, "John will return on March 6, 2011, for an
appointment at which time we will discuss what has been done about housing."
9. To correct a mistake in a note: a. Draw a line through the error- whether it is a letter, word,
phrase, or entire paragraph.
b. Write the word error above the line.
c. Write the correct next to the word error.
d. Sign or initial the line.
e. Date your signature or initials.
10. If any blank lines are left on a page once you have completed your notes, draw diagonal lines
through the blank spaces.
Module 10: Other Technical Writing Skills
1. Correspondence
2. Referral.
3. Business letter,
4. Email
5. Memoranda
6. Minutes of Meeting,
7. Project proposal makings
8. Minutes of Meeting,
9. Project proposal makings
10. Writing Position Paper

Correspondence.
Correspondence is the most important channel through which communication takes place in any
written or digital form between two or more parties. Communication can be in the form of
letters, memos, e mail messages, text messages, fax messages, voicemails, notes, phone calls,
radio communication, and any other forms of communication.
It is an effective way to make requests and deliver specific information. When you respond to a
job announcement, you write a letter. When you summarize a staff meeting, you write a memo.
When you announce a sudden change in a schedule, you send an electronic mail message.
Unlike a telephone conversation, correspondence presents the audience with a contract that is
dated and can support a claim in court. Besides the advantage of legality, correspondence has
the advantage of efficiency when you are trying to reach several people. Writing a single memo
will take you less time than phoning twenty-five people. Also, when the message is difficult to
phrase, such as a negotiation point in a contract, correspondence allows you the advantage of
revising the message until it is correct. Finally, from the audience’s perspective, correspondence
has the advantage that it can be reread (Springer Science + Business Media, 1996).
Business Correspondence
Business Correspondence means the exchange of information in any written format inside an
organization (intra-organization i.e. within a business), between two or more organizations (inter
organization) and between the customer and organization. E-correspondence has also become
extremely essential for modern businesses. The whole Business Correspondence should,
preferably, be done on the letter-head of the organization. It is through letters that an
organization can build good relations with different parties i.e. customers, suppliers and service
providers. The image of an organization depends on what impression is conveyed through the
business letters. These letters help to bridge the gap between two parties. Since the basic
objective of a business letter is directly or indirectly to increase the business of the company, it
should be drafted and typed with utmost care, accuracy and displayed in such a way that it gives
a pleasing appearance.
Business Letters.
A good business letter follows the 7C’s of Communication:
✓ clarity,
✓ completeness,
✓ conciseness,

✓ consideration,
✓ correctness,
✓ courtesy and
✓ concentration.
Styles of Typewriting Letters
The layout of business letters depends on the choice of individual firms concerned. Yet, some
common styles have been standardized and adopted over the years. The common styles of
business correspondence are:
i. Indented Style. This is the oldest style of typed writing. The word “indented” generally
refers to the beginning of the first line of each paragraph by indenting in the left side of
the margin of the letter 5 or 7 spaces and typing the remaining lines of each paragraph
from the left set margin.
ii. ii. Block Style/Fully Blocked Style. This type of letter style is now the most commonly
used method of display for all business correspondence. It is thought to look very
businesslike and sleek. It is also known as the American Style of typewriting the letters.
This layout simply means that every line is aligned flush with the left margin. No
paragraphs are indented, no headings are centered – everything starts at the left set
margin. Paragraphs are separated by leaving two lines blank between the two paragraphs.
iii. Semi-Block Style. Semi-Block Style is a combination of both the Indented Style and the
Block Style. In this style, there is no indentation in the first line of each paragraph in the body of
the letter. All the text of the paragraph is aligned to the left set margin. All the other parts of the
letter are typed more or less in the same way as in the Indented Style. It gives a neat and
balanced look to the letter, which is more popular. Paragraphs are separated by a double or a
triple spacing.
Office Memorandum:
The Office Memorandum is known as ‘Memo’ and is commonly used for interoffice
correspondence in different offices. A memo is a message in writing sent by one person or
department to another ‘within the same organization’. This is the reason why a memo sometimes
is described as an inter-office memo. It is usually used in offices for routine matters like
granting of annual increments, confirmation in services, making announcements, requests,
policy statements, notices, reminders, suggestions, acknowledgements, congratulations, informal
invitations, salary and leave adjustments etc. It is usually drafted by Senior Officers for their

subordinates. It includes the name of the originator, the intended person(s) to whom it is
addressed, the date of issue, the general topic and the body of the document.
The important features of the memorandum are:
1. It is written in third person;
2. It is written in direct style;
3. It does not have either salutation or subscription
4. The address of the addressee is written in the left hand bottom corner after the signature; 5. It
contains either the name or the designation of the officer signing the letter.
Emails
On average, people in the workplace spend a substantial amount of time and energy reading and
answering emails. In the modern workplace, email is king, so it’s important to know how to
excel in this form of written communication.
Subject line. Subject lines are small information highlights that should
communicate what the email is about.
Some tips for creating subject lines:
✓ Include the location/date/time if the email is regarding an event or meeting. ✓ Add an
indication of timeliness (such as “URGENT” or “Due in 24hrs:”) if it’s an important or timely
email.
✓ Double-check the subject line if you’re forwarding or replying. Often, you may be forwarding
messages to a client after a manager has reviewed the email first, so be careful of “FWD” or
“RE” appearing in the subject.
✓ Make sure the subject is brief and not a full sentence - under 10 words at least!
Language
Language can be a bit tricky when it comes to emails, as you want to appear formal, but not
stuffy. Many people struggle with walking this line in written communication. Especially
because your body language cannot contribute to the conversation, it’s extra important your
language reflects exactly what you want to say!
Some tips for crafting language in professional emails:
✓ Employ a formal but inviting tone.

✓ Address the recipient with a “Hello” or “Hi.” “Hey” is sometimes ok for someone you work
regularly or more informally with (i.e., manager of over a year, or teammate) but in general, err
on the side of caution.
✓ For your signoff, be consistent. Personally, I use “Thanks” followed by my name, but others
use “-” followed by a name. Your signoff is your way of virtually “shaking the hand” of your
colleague, and should be followed by an email signature that will serve as your business card,
delivering information such as title, name, phone number, email, and company.
Formatting
In business, how you format something can be as important as what you say. It’s important that
you use approachable formatting to increase the likelihood of people reading your emails
thoroughly and remembering key content.
Some tips when formatting emails:
✓ When possible, use smaller paragraphs - people will be more inclined to read 4 lines in 2
paragraphs, rather than 4 lines in one block of text.
✓ Bullet points are your friend! Use them to highlight information or differentiate lists from
paragraphs. ✓ When you have an important date or are addressing a specific person in a group,
consider bolding to make it jump out in an email.
✓ If you’re including an image, insert it directly into the body rather than attach it. Many
organizations have attachment rules for security, but even if they don't, it's easier for your
recipient to see/open it if it’s included in the body.
General Etiquette
Always respond! Even if it’s a mistake, let them know, and perhaps point them in the right
direction. Proofread like your life depends on it (because your career may). The world of text is
unforgiving, so even if your content is spot-on, your performance may suffer if there are typos.
Emails last forever. Once you send something, that person will always have it, so think
accordingly about what you are sending before you hit the send button.
Thank You Notes
When you hear “thank you note” in the workplace, often, it’s associated with sending one after
an interview; however, once you get the job, there are many more opportunities to show
gratitude towards your peers, managers, or clients.
Some examples of when to send a thank you note after employment are:

✓ To tell an employee they went above and beyond on a project
✓ To thank someone for taking the time to meet you at a networking event
✓ To express gratitude after signing a new client
✓ To share you are moving on from an opportunity and would like to address the company or
specific people who made an impact on your career
✓ While these scenarios are pretty different, you can still employ a few tips and tricks,
regardless of the specific situation.
✓ Use formal and professional language to deliver clear, concise notes.
✓ Be specific and personal in your note - address who impacted you, and how they did so. ✓
Consider your method of delivery; email is typically appropriate for coworker exchanges, but if
it’s a large client or a momentous event, consider sending a handwritten note instead. ✓
Understanding how your emails and notes are read is vital in today’s work environment. Without
you there to add in additional details or justification, all you have is your (written) word, so it’s
important to know how to craft messages that can stand alone and act as an extension of your
thoughts without you having to say it.
Referrals
✓ A referral mechanism is a process of referring clients (this could be a vulnerable child,
caregiver or household) to another organization or service provider for the purpose of receiving
a service or services that the referring organization does not provide, but that the client requires.
Here is how to write an effective letter of referral:
1. Include both addresses.
2. Write a brief introduction.
3. Give an overview of the applicant's strengths.
4. Share a story of the applicant.
5. Add a closing statement.
6. Leave a signature.
Example of Referral

Referral of a client between community agencies – Financial Counseling Program Instructions:
You can make a referral if a client has presented and requested a service outside your agency’s
service area because of:
• privacy issues
• a conflict of interest
• proximity to work
• residency not being in the service area and they require ongoing support.
• Client’s needs are beyond your agency’s capacity to provide
Sample email for Referral
Dear [name of agency referral contact person]
I wish to refer this client for financial counseling with your service because due to [insert reason
from list in instructions above]. I have attached the assessment of the client and the file notes.
Could you please confirm your receipt of this referral by return email.
If you wish to discuss any issues arising from the referral, please do not hesitate to telephone me
on our intake number quoting the client number provided in the attached file notes.
Please find the following supporting client documents attached: [List any attached documents
and delete those not required]
Kind regards
[Your name]
[Your agency]
[Email and telephone for worker]
• Client assessment [response to questions below]
• Client case summary [see example below]
• Client case file notes
• Other associated client documents [Financial counselor to list]
Assessment Questions
Financially disadvantaged and vulnerable
The client has been assessed by me as being: [Tick one of these categories]

⬜Financially disadvantaged, because name the reason as determined from eligibility criteria or ⬜
Financially disadvantaged and vulnerable name the reason for vulnerability from eligibility
criteria
Face to face services
The client is referred to face to face financial counseling because: [Tick one of these categories]
⬜the client requires extended casework services
⬜the client appears to require advocacy with third parties
⬜telephone financial counseling is inappropriate for this client due to:
⬜low English proficiency
⬜intellectual disability or cognitive impairment
⬜low literacy
⬜no access to telephone, or
⬜the client’s matter is complex, such that it is unable to be resolved by telephone services and
requires face to face casework.
Urgency rating
I have assessed this matter as: [Tick one of these categories below]
⬜non urgent, or
⬜urgent, because:
⬜the client has overcome significant practical difficulties to seek assistance at this time and is
unlikely to be able to do so again due to [name the circumstances] or:
⬜the client’s situation is likely to deteriorate significantly if there is no immediate service
response due to [name the nature of the problem]
Priority rating
I have assessed this matter as: [insert an X against one of the categories]
Insert X Priority assessment Priority
level
Response
time
High vulnerability with high impact
consequences and/or urgent
1 2 working
days

High vulnerability with low impact
consequences or Low vulnerability with high
impact consequences
2 1 week
Low vulnerability with low impact
consequences
3 4 weeks
Client’s consent
⬜The client has consented to providing these personal details to your financial counseling
service.
Minutes, also known as minutes of meeting (abbreviation MoM), protocols or, informally, notes,
are the instant written record of a meeting or hearing. They typically describe the events of the
meeting and may include a list of attendees, a statement of the issues considered by the
participants, and related responses or decisions for the issues. The name "minutes" possibly
derives from the Latin phrase minuta scriptura (literally "small writing") meaning "rough notes"
(etymonline.com).
Minutes may be created during the meeting by a typist or court reporter, who may use shorthand
notation and then prepare the minutes and issue them to the participants afterwards.
Alternatively, the meeting can be audio recorded, video recorded, or a group's appointed or
informally assigned secretary may take notes, with minutes prepared later. Many government
agencies use minutes recording software to record and prepare all minutes in real-time.
Meeting minutes, or mom (for minutes of meeting) can be defined as the written record of
everything that's happened during a meeting. They're used to inform people who didn't attend
the meeting about what happened, or to keep track of what was decided during the meeting so
that you can revisit it and use it to inform future decisions (Tatiana Morand, 2020).
What Should You Include When Writing Meeting Minutes?
The five steps that you must include are:
1. Pre-Planning
2. Record taking - at the meeting.
3. Minute’s writing or transcribing

4. Distributing or sharing of meeting minutes
5. Filing or storage of minutes for future reference
What Is the Agenda of a Meeting?
Meeting agenda = outline
At the very least, it’s important to get a copy of the meeting agenda and use it as a guide or
outline for taking notes, setting up your MoM format, and preparing the minutes – with the
order and numbering of items on the minutes of meeting matching those of the agenda. In
addition, the agenda and/or meeting notice also provides information that will need to be
included in the minutes, such as:
the names of all the meeting attendees, including guests or speakers and documents that are sent
out with the agenda or handed out in the meeting – copies (digital or hard copy) of handouts
should be stored with the meeting minutes for future reference and for sharing with those who
were unable to attend the meeting (and others as determined by the meeting’s Chair).
Purpose of MoM
Minutes are the official written record of the meetings of an organization or group. They are not
transcripts of those proceedings. Using Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR), the
minutes should contain mainly a record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said by
the members (The Official Robert's Rules of Order Web Site). The organization may have its
own rules regarding the content of the minutes.
For most organizations or groups, it is important for the minutes to be terse and only include a
summary of the decisions. A verbatim report (transcript) is typically not useful. Unless the
organization's rules require it, a summary of the discussions in a meeting is neither necessary
nor appropriate.
What Should Be Included in Meeting Minutes?
Before you start taking notes, it’s important to understand the type of information you need to
record at the meeting. As noted earlier, your organization may have required content and a
specific mom format that you’ll need to follow, but generally, meeting minutes usually include
the following: ✓ Date and time of the meeting
✓ Names of the meeting participants and those unable to attend (e.g., “regrets”) ✓ Acceptance
or corrections/amendments to previous meeting minutes
✓ Decisions made about each agenda item, for example:
• Actions taken or agreed to be taken

• Next step
• Voting outcomes – e.g., (if necessary, details regarding who made motions; who seconded and
approved or via show of hands, etc.)
• Motions taken or rejected
• Items to be held over
• New business
• Next meeting date and time
Tips that might help your note taking:
1. Create an outline – as discussed earlier, having an outline (or template) based on the agenda
makes it easy for you to simply jot down notes, decisions, etc. under each item as you go along.
If you are taking notes by hand, consider including space below each item on your outline for
your hand-written notes, then print these out and use this to capture minutes.
2. Check-off attendees as they enter the room - if you know the meeting attendees, you can check
them off as they arrive, if not have folks introduce themselves at the start of the meeting or
circulate an attendance list they can check-off themselves.
3. Record decisions or notes on action items in your outline as soon as they occur to be sure they
are recorded accurately
4. Ask for clarification if necessary – for example, if the group moves on without making a
decision or an obvious conclusion, ask for clarification of the decision and/or next steps
involved. 5. Don’t try to capture it all – you can’t keep up if you try to write down the
conversation verbatim, so be sure to simply (and clearly) write (or type) just the decisions,
assignments, action steps, etc. 6. Record it – literally, if you are concerned about being able to
keep up with note taking, consider recording the meeting (e.g., on your smart phone, iPad,
recording device, etc.) but be sure to let participants know they are being recording. While you
don’t want to use the recording to create a word for-word transcript of the meeting, the recording
can come in handy if you need clarification.
Sample Template of Minutes of Meeting

Project Proposal
The Project Proposal is the initial document used to define an internal or external project. The
proposal includes sections such as title, start and end dates, objectives and goals, requirements,
and a descriptor of the proposed solution. Itfunctions as the working document between the
agency and the client before a potential initiation of the project. Thus, the project proposal is
used to define the objectives and requirements of a project for the external party. For the internal
party, it is a method to analyze the feasibility and profitability of the project.
The main objective of the project proposal is to get the client to buy into your services. Thus,
project proposals are a great way to secure funding, win new clients, or convince executives to
allocate resources to projects.
Writing a successful project proposal requires
✓ being on the same page with the clients and
✓ wearing their shoes for a moment.
✓ You need to think like them and figure out exactly what they want to achieve with the project.
It’s at the stage of writing a project proposal that you start focusing on the results critical for the

client. It explains why successful organizations get into so much detail with their project
proposals. Because a project proposal outlines your project’s value proposition, you will benefit
from having the following elements in it:
✓ Central problem: What is the core problem the project team will aim to solve? ✓ Project
resources: What resources will be available?
✓ Project timeline: What is the suggested project timeline to solve the problem? ✓ Project
budget: What is the project’s price?
✓ Key project deliverables: What is the project scope? How will the success of the project be
measured?
Steps to writing your own project proposal.
Remember that the reason you’re writing a proposal is to obtain executive buy-in. You want key
people to support your project. You need decision-makers on your side to turn a vision into
reality. You want the proposal to speak to them, and then motivate them to take the next step,
which is to greenlight the project.
Step 1: Define the problem
Step 2: Present your solution
Step 3: Define your deliverables and success criteria
Step 4: State your plan or approach
Step 5: Outline your project schedule and budget
Step 6: Tie it all together
Step 7: Edit/proofread your proposal
Step 1: Define the problem
What’s the problem your project is trying to address? Why is it a problem? Why is it worth
solving? Make your audience see the problem the way you see it.
Tips for defining the problem:
✓ Start strong. Decision-makers usually don’t allot much time to look over a proposal, so make
sure that the pain point is succinctly described and in a manner that resonates with them.

✓ Use facts, not opinion. Although you want your audience to understand the severity of a
problem, you don’t want to exaggerate. Instead, use data from your research to back up your
assertions.
Step 2: Present your solution
How will your project solve the problem? Why is your solution the better option over other
similar solutions? Discuss why other solutions won’t work for the situation.
Tips for presenting your solution:
✓ Anticipate questions and objections. Be prepared to defend your solution from all angles. Be
ready to explain why your more expensive solution is better than a less expensive one, for
example. ✓ Present the solution’s larger impact. Stakeholders generally get more excited about
projects with wide-ranging effects than those with limited impact.
✓ Again, facts over opinion. Provide as many research-backed examples as you can. Step 3:
Define your deliverables and success criteria
This section provides a picture of the functions and attributes of the deliverable, plus how to
know if the project is successful.
Tips for defining deliverables:
✓ Include a delivery date. Define what your project will deliver and what users can expect from
it, such as a cloud-based phone system that’s accessible 24/7 from anywhere if it’s a customer
service project you’re proposing. Also, indicate when you plan to complete each deliverable.
✓ Your solution must be SMART. Your success criteria will signal whether the project has been
successful. Remember to keep your solution SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic,
and time bound.)
Step 4: State your plan or approach
This is the most critical section of the proposal and discusses how to achieve the project’s
objectives. It starts with an explanation of the approach and why it’s relevant and effective. It
also explains how problems will be managed.
Tips for planning:
✓ Introduce project strategies. Will you be using the traditional waterfall approach? Why? Will
you be using third-party contractors, in-house staff, or consultants? What will their objectives

and responsibilities be? This is your opportunity to discuss the "why" behind the decisions
you're making to get the project completed.
✓ Explain how problems will be addressed. This explains your project management plan's risk
mitigation strategies.
Step 5: Outline your schedule and budget
This is the section where you break down project costs and detail how you will meet deadlines.
Tips for defining a schedule and budget:
✓ Provide as much detail as possible. Break your budget down into categories, such as supplies,
tools, salary, etc. Include all overhead and indirect costs. A detailed financial breakdown will
signal to stakeholders that you’ve done your research and don’t intend to waste their money.
Note that certain projects may require financial statements and funding sources.
✓ Be concrete. Don’t guess. Provide project start and end times, and if certain sections of the
project can be done simultaneously.
Step 6: Tie it all together
End your proposal with a conclusion that briefly summarizes the problem, solution, and benefits.
Emphasize the significant parts, and make your proposal stand out by restating ideas or facts you
want your audience to remember. Check your proposal for consistency of ideas and whether the
elements support each other.
Tips for tying everything together:
✓ Your proposal should read like a book. Your proposal should tell a story. Every section and
element must work together to form a cohesive whole.
✓ Refrain from introducing anything that doesn’t fit. Be careful not to introduce anything that
seems off or doesn’t contribute to the overall objectives of the project.
✓ Make sure all project proposal elements are present. Check your document and ensure all the
necessary elements have been addressed.
Step 7: Edit/proofread your proposal
Rewrite your proposal as necessary to make it interesting, helpful, clear, and persuasive. Ask for
feedback, and ensure the proposal is organized and visually appealing.
Tips for editing:

✓ Check the tone and language. Your proposal is intended for a certain audience type, so make
sure the tone and language used are reflective of that. Don’t forget to proofread for grammar,
punctuation, or spelling mistakes. You want your proposal to look professional.
Writing a Position Paper
A position paper (sometimes position piece for brief items) is an essay that presents an arguable
opinion about an issue – typically that of the author or some specified entity. Position papers are
published in academia, in politics, in law and other domains. The goal of a position paper is to
convince the audience that the opinion presented is valid and worth listening to. Ideas for
position papers that one is considering need to be carefully examined when choosing a topic,
developing an argument, and organizing the paper.
Position papers range from the simplest format of a letter to the editor, through to the most
complex in the form of an academic position paper. Position papers are also used by large
organizations to make public the official beliefs and recommendations of the group.
A position paper presents an arguable opinion about an issue. The goal of a position paper is to
convince the audience that your opinion is valid and worth listening to. It is an essay that
presents an arguable opinion about an issue – typically that of the author or some specified
entity. Position papers are published in academia, in politics, in law and other domains.
How do you write a position paper?
1. Create an Outline
2. Introduce your topic with some basic background information. ...
3. Introduce possible objections to your position. ...
4. Support and acknowledge the opposing points. ...
5. Explain that your position is still the best one, despite the strength of counter-arguments. ... 6.
Summarize your argument and restate your position.
Three main elements of a position paper
The classic position paper contains three main elements:
1. An Introduction, which identifies the issue that will be discussed
2. The author's position on that issue.
3. A Conclusion, restating the key points and, where applicable, suggesting resolutions to the
issue.
References:

"Frequently Asked Questions about RONR (Question 15)". The Official Robert's Rules of Order
Web Site. The Robert's Rules Association. Retrieved 2015-12-15
"The Importance of Corporate Minutes". Inc.com. Inc. June 13, 2000. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
"The Importance of Corporate Minutes". Inc.com. Inc. June 13, 2000. Retrieved 2015-12-16
"Internal Revenue Manual - 4.35.2 Audit Techniques for Business Returns". Irs.gov. Internal
Revenue Service. May 5, 2006. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved
2015-12-16. https://www.forecast.app/faqs/what-is-a-project-proposal#:~
Rivera, Maricel (2021). 7 Steps to Writing the Perfect Project Proposal
https://www.fool.com/the-blueprint/project-proposal/
Sanders, Tingloo & Verhulst 2005, p. 11, "The simplest form is the letter to the editor An
example of a position paper published by an organization: Information Literacy: A Position
Paper on Information Problem Solving, American Association of School Librarians, archived
from the original on 2008-04-22
Moriah Gaynor (2019). Mastering Professional Written Correspondence in the Workplace
https://www.igrad.com/articles/tips-for-cover-letter-and-professional-correspondence-writing
http://cbseacademic.nic.in/web_material/Curriculum/Vocational/2018/Study_Material_XII_Typo
grahp y_&_Comp.PDF
https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au › forms › grants DOC

Module 10: Social Advocacy and Social Marketing
5 Advocacy Tips for Social Workers
The Advocating Social Worker – Five Tips For Advocacy Success
- Be A Power Broker
- Exercise Strong Case Management Skills
- Educate When Possible
- Canvas and Research Continuously
- Increase Community Participation
Social work advocacy is all about selfless service and advocacy to those in the community
needing it the most. But how can one truly excel in this noble mission beyond what is simply the
industry-standard expectation? Here are five great tips for achieving above-standard excellence
in advocacy from within the social work profession today.
1. Be A Power Broker
One of the main functions of many social workers is that of acting as an effective broker, getting
the benefits and other services connected to those in need of them. Unfortunately though, with
much paperwork and bureaucracy involved, continuous follow-up and extra work is often
necessary. An excellent social worker advocate stays on top of these processes assuring that
there is not excessive time lapse or further complications in administering benefits and services.
2. Exercise Strong Case Management Skills
Yet another progressive step forward in social work advocating efforts comes by way of
providing excellence in another already-core job responsibility – case management. By providing
excellent case management, help-needing clients get an overall more effective experience. This

speeds access to needed services and benefits, provides timely notices of actions and needed
actions, helps to provide more fair outcomes relative to the intentions of legal and ethical stance,
and much more.
3. Educate When Possible
While many social workers are able to provide effective services without much effort in
educating their clientele, those who do put some effort into some simple educational attempts
provide the utmost advocacy advantage to their clients. As once summed up handsomely by
Nelson Mandela, "the worst enemy of humanity is ignorance and fear, and the best weapon to
fight this is education. If you educate a person you are empowering that person." To be the best
advocate, one must take every opportunity to inform, guide, and educate.
4. Canvas and Research Continuously
Another often overlooked yet potentially highly beneficial approach to social work advocacy and
greatness comes by way of continued research inside and outside of the community for emerging
or previously unknown resource opportunities. A community's resource pool is always changing
because its various qualities and characteristics are always changing. Furthermore, resource
options and opportunities from larger-scale groups such as state and federal governments can
also change at any time. Subsequently, staying in the loop with research and canvassing can be a
great way to provide some substantial advocacy.
5. Increase Community Participation
Finally, nearly any social worker can ramp up their advocacy efforts ten-fold simply by putting
in some targeted volunteer work within the community. As reported by Forbes, in many cases,
research has shown that such investment in volunteer work actually builds and betters the
volunteer more than the actual recipient of the volunteerism. As such, volunteer work in and
around the community truly is itself a type of high-grade advocacy.
How to Get Involved in Social Work Advocacy
Social work as a profession has a deep tradition in advocacy dating back to Jane Addams, but
there have always been conflicting views about what the profession’s primary role should be.
Today, there are many obstacles facing social workers if they choose to focus exclusively on
“macro” social work, including lower salaries and a lack of funding for advocacy organizations.1
Social workers who pursue more traditional clinical practice or community work are still
responsible for advocating for large-scale change. From promoting policy changes to joining
social movements, there is no shortage of ways for a social worker to make room to fill this vital
part of their calling.

Advocacy in social work takes many forms. What’s known as case advocacy, or micro social
work, is probably what most are known for doing: helping clients navigate institutional systems,
connecting them with resources and acting as emotional support.
Social workers have an important voice: In legislation and policy debates, they can speak from a
place of knowledge. Social workers are in a unique position to understand how larger issues and
policies impede, and sometimes prevent, their clients from finding success.
Macro and mezzo social work focuses on making changes on the community level and beyond.
For many social workers, taking up what’s known as cause advocacy often starts with a case. As
a social worker aids their clients, they might notice certain systemic hurdles or a lack of
resources that make their clients’ challenges worse. They also might notice negative changes in
their community and offer their support and expertise to community organizers working to
address it.
Social Marketing and Social Work
Social marketing emerged as a valuable commercial tactic in the 1970s, created by Philip Kotler
and Gerald Zaltman. The essential principle is that marketing ideologies used when selling
consumer merchandise can also be applied to promote concepts, feelings, and behaviors. Both
marketing strategies aim to determine what people want and need and then cater to this, instead
of attempting to convince the public to buy whatever the company happens to be selling. Social
marketing differs from consumer marketing in that it “seeks to influence social behaviors not to
benefit the marketer, but to benefit the target audience and the general society.”(1) This method
has proven to be extremely effective for international health campaigns, such as encouraging
contraceptives or the use of ORT
Social marketing is not just social media. It is the use of marketing principles to influence human
behavior in order to improve health. Social marketing is useful when knowledge is not enough.
For example, we all should know by know that smoking harms your health and yet people
continue to smoke.
Social marketing campaigns can help promote change by drawing on our emotional responses
and identifying other benefits that may not be immediately apparent. In planning a social
marketing campaign, it is is important to define your audience, present benefits that your
audience will find appealing, and to get your message out in ways that will reach your audience.
Campaigns require work at all phases. It is important to do pre-testing and be prepared for mid
course correction. Then promote, promote, promote and evaluate.
4 P’s of Social Marketing
– product

– price
– place
– promotion
Some popular social marketing campaigns you might be familiar with are Smokey the Bear ads
to prevent forest fires and the more recent “1 is 2 many” campaign to end sexual violence. This
is a powerful example of a campaign to save a public library:
In consumer marketing, there are four key principles known as the “four P’s,” including
“product, price, place, and promotion.” These exist in social marketing also, along with four
additional “P’s.”
In social marketing, the “product” is not always a tangible object. While sometimes it is physical
(for example, distribution of contraceptives), it often comes in the form of providing a service,
promoting a practice, or raising awareness about an idea. The success of a product depends
largely on public belief that there is a real problem, and that this new invention will help to solve
the issue.
The “price” in social marketing refers to what the user must do to acquire the product (this could
be financial cost, but is more likely a dedication of time, effort, or potential risk). The benefits
must be greater than the costs in order to be of significant value.
“Place” refers to the manner in which the merchandise reaches the buyer. For tangible items,
this means the method of dissemination (such as free distribution, trucks, stores, etc.), while for
intangible items, this represents choices about how the information is spread (such as media use,
training demonstrations, and public postings). Researchers must observe the routine schedule of
their market pool in order to identify the best way to convey their message.
“Promotion” is comprised of publicity, media support, personal sales techniques, and attention-
grabbing ploys, all of which should concentrate on fostering and maintaining sufficient demand
for the item.
The four additional “P’s” specific to social marketing are “publics” (internal and external groups
involved with an organization), “partnership” (joining with other groups with common goals),
“policy” (media advocacy organizations can sometimes supplement social marketing schemes if
policy change is necessary), and “purse strings” (funding, grants and donations from various
programs and the government are necessary to help fuel social marketing plans).
References:
http://www.uniteforsight.org/social-marketing/module1#_ftn3
http://www.uniteforsight.org/social-marketing/module1

https://uncssw.wordpress.com/2015/03/03/social-marketing-and-social-work/
https://www.socialworkdegreeguide.com/lists/5-advocacy-tips-for-social-workers/
https://online.yu.edu/wurzweiler/blog/social-work-advocacy

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