Skip Navigation



BJSW Advance Access published online on October 19, 2005
British Journal of Social Work, doi:10.1093/bjsw/bch330
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
37/1/143    most recent
bch330v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Postle, K.
Right arrow Articles by Beresford, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved.

Article

Capacity Building and the Reconception of Political Participation: A Role for Social Care Workers?

Karen Postle 1* and Peter Beresford 2

1 Lecturer in the School of Social Work and Psychosocial Sciences at the University of East Anglia
2 Professor of Social Policy and Director of the Centre for Citizen Participation at Brunel University

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Karen Postle, E-mail: k.postle{at}uea.ac.uk


  Abstract

This paper explores a citizen-based approach to social work which may counter modern negative managerialist pressures on practice. It links the discourse concerning the growth of user involvement in public policy with the discourse about participation in political activity and suggests a role for social workers in supporting service users in initiatives such as self-help, campaigning and community action which offer a new interpretation of community-based social work. By engaging in this activity, health and social care professionals can support people to participate in emerging forms of active and inclusive citizenship. While participation in traditional political activity such as voting and political party membership is declining in the UK, people in marginalized groups are finding ways to have their voices heard about issues which directly concern them. Increasingly, groups such as disabled people, older people and mental health service users/survivors are taking part in activity which marks a shift of focus to include both self-help and campaigning. In contrast to their disillusion with traditional political activity, people across a range of groups have gained strength and encouragement from campaigning achievements. The paper draws on a national research study which offers fresh insights on these issues as a basis for exploring participative approaches to social work practice.

Keywords: Citizenship, service user involvement, direct democracy, capacity building.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 International Social WorkHome page
R. C.M. Chau and S. W.K. Yu
Culturally sensitive approaches to health and social care: Uniformity and diversity in the Chinese community in the UK
International Social Work, November 1, 2009; 52(6): 773 - 784.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Br J Soc WorkHome page
H. McLaughlin
What's in a Name: 'Client', 'Patient', 'Customer', 'Consumer', 'Expert by Experience', 'Service User'--What's Next?
Br. J. Soc. Work, September 1, 2009; 39(6): 1101 - 1117.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br J Soc WorkHome page
T. Hafford-Letchfield
The Age of Opportunity? Revisiting Assumptions about the Life-Long Learning Opportunities of Older People Using Social Care Services
Br. J. Soc. Work, February 9, 2009; (2009) bcp004v1.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br J Soc WorkHome page
M. Monnickendam, Ch. Katz, and M. S. Monnickendam
Social Workers Serving Poor Clients: Perceptions of Poverty and Service Policy
Br. J. Soc. Work, January 30, 2009; (2009) bcp001v1.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Journal of Social WorkHome page
S. A. Webb
Modelling Service User Participation in Social Care
Journal of Social Work, July 1, 2008; 8(3): 269 - 290.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.