Developmental and Community-Based Social Work

Abstract

Developmental social work is part and parcel of mainstream social work that emphasises use of investment strategies to meet the material needs of individuals and groups and the adoption of practice interventions that lead to progressive, sustainable social change. It is predominantly macro-level practice with most interventions targeted at community level, as well as engaging with societal systems, structures and institutions to address the root causes of oppression, exploitation and vulnerability. It is inspired by the broader field of social development and closely interlinked with community development and developmental social welfare. Developmental social work reclaims social work’s primary mission of liberating people from poverty, vulnerability and oppression. It is also squarely fitting into social work’s current orientation towards promoting social change and social cohesion, human rights, social justice and equality. Although predominantly researched, theorised and practiced in the global South, particularly in Africa, developmental social work is deemed relevant in contexts of the global North.