Social Dimension Singapore

The Spoken Word

 by Mohd Farid

 

Social Worker Farid demonstrates the use of the Spoken Word, poetry intended for onstage performance rather than just written for the page. Whilst often associated with hip hop culture, it has ties to storytelling, modern poetry, post modern performance, and monologue theatre, as well as jazz, blues, and folk music. 

With its ability to directly engage the audience and create direct rapport, Spoken Word poetry often contains references to current events and issues relevant to the contemporary audience.

Hence its potential as a powerful medium of expression that could be utilised to engage youths in the community to participate in discourse and express their views in issues of interest. 

 

 

Existential Psychology and Social Work Practice: Exploring a Possible Contribution

Zheng Liren, RSW

  

    Social Work practice has always been unique in its position amongst the various helping and people professions. Social Work is committed to the fulfillment of social justice, human rights and on a deeper level, the alleviation of human suffering. Social Workers seek to intervene at different levels of society in order to help individuals fulfill their potential and prevent dysfunction. At the heart of this commitment is a radical belief in the individual dignity and worth of every human being (IFSW, 2004). These ideas have their roots in humanistic ideals, arising from the belief that the actualization and transcendence of the self is the highest achievement in human existence (ibid, 2004).

    Social workers in Singapore are commonly trained in systemic, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural and medical models of understanding human experience. These models shape the way in which we frame our thinking about cases, our interventions and our ideas of how success with a case is defined. For many of us, our commitment to our clients as human beings is far deeper than our commitment to any particular intervention modality. It is not uncommon to hear social workers say that they would employ ‘whatever it takes’ with their clients, not out of professional incompetence, but out of a deep commitment to client well-being and development. As I speak with friends and fellow colleagues in the field, I cannot help but think that this is one of our profession’s greatest strengths: the unwavering commitment to our clients’ wellbeing, growth and potential.

An Idiot's Call to REACH OUT!

Social Dimension catches up with the inspirational Dr Timothy Sim for his expert advice on Social Work Development in Singapore.

Social Dimension: During your visits to Singapore for the various symposiums and workshops you conducted, you have been vocal in speaking out about how Social Workers in Singapore may have strayed from their true calling.

In your view, what are your thoughts about the true calling and mission of Social Workers in Singapore?

Dr Timothy Sim: You must watch the movie “3 Idiots”! I believe it answers the key question you asked. In a nutshell, we need to be passionate about what we do and reflect on the meaning of success.  What is the reason for becoming who we are and doing what we do? I think an outstanding social worker has that “idiot’s” passion to be different and to make a difference. I cried buckets watching this movie. You watch it and tell me if it does anything to you?

 

REFLECTIONS: Adopting a Strengths Based Perspective

In today's article, Faith Wong, a 3rd year Social Work Student shares her paradigm shifting experiences caused by reflections during placement.

 

Introduction

During my placement at a family service centre, I had the opportunity to work as a case worker. This role gave me the ability to interact with clients directly and the privilege of listening to their life stories. Such experiences have been filled with challenges but also great lessons. One particular challenge that I find myself tussling with is how I often view my client through a problem-based and pathological perspective. Such perspectives, as I have learnt, can be disempowering to clients and may cause dependency. This experience is thus important in my learning because it challenges me to think about my personal values and my position as a social worker in helping my clients.

 

The Role of Medical Social Workers in Psychiatric Community Outreach

By Poon Weng Cheong, Kong Lai Yee and Geraldine Wong

 

 

Medical Social Work in IMH started in the sixties at Woodbridge Hospital when the first social worker came from the United Kingdom to set up services for the poor in Singapore.  Services then were naturally more inclined towards financial and welfare areas in view of the economic circumstances.

Over the decades, this role has evolved alongside the country’s progress economically. The MSW’s role in IMH has followed suit in its transformation. In the mental health setting, the MSW pays special attention to the social context of the person with mental illness (PMI), which entails the need to address social consequences arising as a result of the mental illness. The social context refers to the social environment of the individual and how it shapes the experiences of the mental illness. The social consequence refers to the impact of the mental illness on the person, family, and community (Bland 2001:147) 

BLAST FROM THE PAST: The Increasing Interest in the Systemic Approach to Family Work

 Each time in Blast from the Past, we showcase an article from past issues of Social Dimension; timeless articles that are still relevant for Social Work practice today.

 

This article was published in Social Dimension (Issue 1: 1995) by Dr Myrna Blake, who used to be a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Social Work and Psychology in the National University of Singapore.  She had also served as President in the Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW) from 1982 - 1984. In 2000, she received the Outstanding Social Worker Award having contributed more than 40 years in battling social injustice and supporting the community as a social worker. 

The request to write a paper on this topic proves the validity of its title. However, there is also a hint of a need to sort out some underlying confusions about what 'family work' means., about the difference that a systemic approach introduces and how it all fits into social work practice. This paper attempts to address these questions.

Caring for Patients and Caregivers

By Candice Tan Jia-En

Parkinson’s disease is typically ascribed with having tremors, rigidity, slowness in movements, as well as poor balance. These are the physical symptoms that characterize Parkinson’s and while they pose as a definite struggle, focusing on the emotional and psychological changes is just as vital in understanding and living well with the disease.

When we talk about care and support for Parkinson’s, it is pertinent then to extend beyond the physical care and consider aspects such as emotional well-being, morale and the individual’s coping with the progressive implications.  

Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Individuals with Psychiatric Condition – the increasing role of Medical Social Workers at the Institute of Mental Health

By Koh Chee Wai

Numerous research has shown that being actively involved in vocational activities has immediate therapeutic value as it “connects” the individual with the real world.  Employment provides a sense of self worth and self-identity to people with psychiatric conditions as they would have otherwise lose a meaningful role in their lives in the course of their illness.

In the eighties, the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) embarked on the journey of transformation from a primarily custodial institution to a psychiatric treatment facility that emphasized on the rehabilitation needs of individuals with psychiatric conditions.  Medical Social Workers (MSW) assigned to work in the psychiatric rehabilitation wards formed part of the multi-disciplinary team involved in the rehabilitation work of individuals with psychiatric disabilities.  Vocational rehabilitation thus took on a more intensive pace.

 

Towards Reflexive Practice

By Chua Wei Bin

When I started out as a social worker, one of the questions that created a certain level of distress within me was, “What is your assessment?” 

The source of my distress was that I did not really know what constituted an “assessment”. Numerous attempts to make assessments were rebuffed with reasons that the statements I made were not considered proper assessments. I started to wonder if there was a certain “template” to writing an “assessment”. 

Working With Financially Distressed Families

By Udhia Kumar

 

INTRODUCTION

An elderly male client once turned to me and said, “It will not rain all the time, it will shine one day”. In this simple belief this client, whose family was wrought with increasing financial woes mounting to a possible eviction from their flat, I learned that there will be a solution somehow and life will still go on. You only need to believe and make it happen. 

This paper is in response to the many questions and stuckness that many of us feel in our work with families facing financial difficulties. It is written from an informed personal practice viewpoint, informed by my work with my own clients and through the readings, training and discussions with fellow practitioners. I present here some of the ideas, practices and dilemmas that I have faced and continue to face with my clients, and how I manage with some of these.