List of Social Worker Roles
Advocate
Counselor
Mediator
Researcher
Educator
Manager
Case Manager
Facilitator
Community change agent
Broker
ADVOCATE
In the advocate role, the social
worker fights for the rights of
those disempowered by society
with the goal of empowering the
client. The social worker speaks
on behalf of clients when others
will not listen or when clients are
unable to do so.
http://www.clipartpanda.com/clipart_images/advocate-9054104
COUNSELOR
In the role of counselor, the social worker helps
clients express their needs, clarify their problems,
explore resolution strategies, and applies
intervention strategies to develop and expand the
capacities of clients to deal with their problems
more effectively. A key function of this role is to
empower people by affirming their personal
strengths and their capacities to deal with their
problems more effectively.
http://www.cliparthut.com/counselor-clip-art-clipart-uaf2Lp.html
MEDIATOR
In the mediator role, the social
worker intervenes in disputes
between parties to help them find
compromises, reconcile
differences, and reach mutually
satisfying agreements. The
mediator takes a neutral stance
among the involved parties.
http://www.fotosearch.com/ILW504/ruggia0488c/
RESEARCHER
In the researcher role, a social worker
evaluates practice interventions and with
others evaluates program outcomes. The
researcher critically analyze the literature
on relevant topics of interest and uses this
information to inform practice. A researcher
extends and disseminates knowledge, and
seeks to enhance the effectiveness of
social work practice.
https://www.fau.edu/ssw/organizations/sowsa.php
EDUCATOR
In the Educator role, social
workers are involved in teaching
people about resources and how
to develop particular skills such
as budgeting, the caring
discipline of children, effective
communication, the meaning of a
medical diagnosis, and the
prevention of violence.
http://www.onlinebusiness.newstipstricks.com/how-can-you-do-more-to-inspire-your-employees/
CASE MANAGER
In the role of a Case manager, the social
worker locates services and assists their
clients to access those services. Case
management is especially important for
complex situations and for those who are
homeless or elderly, have chronic
physical or mental health issues, are
disabled, victims of domestic or other
violent crimes, or are vulnerable children.
http://donnienicole.com/2010/06/21/project-organization-financial-documents/
COMMUNITY
CHANGE AGENT
As a community change agent, the social
worker participates as part of a group or
organization seeking to improve or restructure
some aspect of community service provision. A
change agent, working with others, uses a
problem-solving model to identify the problem,
solicit community input, and plan for change. A
community change agent acts in a coordinated
manner to achieve planned change at multiple
levels that helps to shift the focus of institutional
http://www.clipartpanda.com/clipart_images/neighborhood-clipart-7367249
resources to meet identified goals.
FACILITATOR
In this role, social workers are
involved in gathering groups of
people together for a variety of
purposes including community
development, self advocacy,
political organization, and policy
http://www.utsab.org/joomla25/index.php/events/12-gbm/event_details
change. Social workers are
involved as group therapists and
task group leaders.
BROKER
In the role of a broker, a social worker is
responsible for identifying, locating, and linking
clients to needed resources in a timely manner.
Once the client’s needs are assessed and
potential services identified, the broker assists
the client in choosing the most appropriate
service option and assists in negotiating the
terms of service delivery. In this role the social
worker is also concerned with the quality,
quantity, and accessibility of services.
http://pixshark.com/office-administration-clipart.htm
MANAGER
As managers, social workers are better
able to influence policy change and/or
development, and to advocate, on a
larger scale, for all underprivileged
people.
http://masspeaceaction.org/4081
ENABLER
An enabler assists clients with
coping with difficult circumstances
and engages clients in becoming
active participants in the problem
solving process. Enablers also works
with individuals, families and groups
to modify behaviors that can serve as
obstacles to them achieving their
goals.
NEGOTIATOR
A negotiator represents an organization, a
group, or an individual that is trying to gain
something from another group or system.
Somewhat like mediation, negotiation
involves finding a middle ground that all
sides can lived with and achieving
consensus whenever possible. However,
unlike mediators, who play a neutral role,
negotiators clearly ally themselves with
one of the sides involved.
LOBBYIST
Lobbying is a political activity that
involves voicing the concerns of
groups and communities with the
goal of influencing and shaping local
and national policy. Lobbyist speak
on behalf of the groups that they
represent with politicians at the local
and national level.
ACTIVIST
Activists need to be change agents who work to
educate, organize, and involve the general public
to actively oppose present policies and seek
positive, constructive solutions. Finally, activists
must also be reformers who work with the official
political and judicial structures to incorporate
solutions into new laws and the policies and
practices of society’s public and private
institutions. Then they must work to get them
accepted as the conventional wisdom of
mainstream society.
Thank you!