Empowerment, emerging as a leading approach in the social work profession since the 1980s, offers a powerful alternative to medical approaches that devalue individuals and reduce problems to the size of a disease. This approach is rooted in the belief that people possess the potential to improve themselves and is considered both a process and a result, beginning with the client’s dissatisfaction and desire for change. Despite an increase in scientific publications on empowerment in Turkey since the 2000s, studies analyzing this approach with case examples remain few. This approach is crucial for offering an alternative perspective to address increasing social problems such as inequality, injustice, and human rights violations.Historical Foundations and Philosophical Underpinnings of Empowerment
The philosophical roots of the empowerment approach can be traced back to Aristotle’s teleological theory of human development, or eudaimonia. This theory posits that individuals should strive to achieve their innate potential by utilizing their talents, primarily intellect and intelligence. Empowerment, evolving from philosophical movements, later found frequent application in personal development, NLP, coaching, as well as in education, health services, and advocacy.
In Britain, the empowerment approach began to spread widely at the end of the 1980s, becoming most accepted by the mid-1990s. Historically, empowerment has existed in Britain since the eighteenth century as mutual aid in charitable organizations. In America, where empowerment laid its foundation, it developed in parallel with women’s suffrage movements, Jane Addams’ work, social reform movements for African Americans in the 19th century, and approaches for minority groups. These historical struggles for democracy and human rights in America forged a direct relationship with empowerment theories. The philosophical and economic basis of this approach is the mutual and fair distribution of resources without class differences. African American women’s associations also played a significant role in the fight against racism, influencing the adoption of group action and social responsibility for democratic values in social work. The Great Depression further highlighted the need for social justice-oriented approaches, exemplified by Berta Reynolds’ advocacy-based work, which emphasized social justice over psychoanalytic interventions. Empowerment theory draws from various social sciences, including political science, psychology, sociology, and economics.
The Concept of Power and Key Elements of Empowerment
According to the empowerment approach, three types of power are identified: personal power (the limits determining an individual’s potential), interpersonal power (prestige and influence over others), and political power (solidarity with vulnerable people against pressure groups and fostering political consciousness). These powers are interconnected, and a decrease in one negatively impacts the others. This idea, which emerged in the 1960s, is frequently used in school social work and psychology, helping individuals recognize their weaknesses and strengths to establish life balance.
Empowerment involves various control mechanisms in individuals, groups, and communities, including self-determination, self-esteem, vital competence, self-efficacy, and internal control mechanisms. Weakness in these concepts inhibits empowerment.
• Self-determination: The right to determine one’s own life and the freedom to choose, a concept with roots in the French Revolution. In the intervention process, the client actively initiates and has the freedom to choose.
• Self-esteem: The feeling of self-worth and adequacy.
• Vital Competence: The ability to cope with life’s difficulties and be effective.
• Self-efficacy: An individual’s perception of being adequate in a new task and the responsibility taken.
• Internal Control Mechanisms: The realization that an individual’s life flow is within themselves, rather than predominantly influenced by external factors.
A person’s ability to realize their potential and utilize their strengths stems from the approach’s hope for human beings. At its core, the empowerment approach incorporates the foundations of Carl Rogers’ person-centered theory, which is based on a humanistic perspective and emphasizes the innate goodness and responsibilities of each individual.
Basic Assumptions of Empowerment
The empowerment approach is founded on four basic assumptions:
1. Oppression is Structurally Based: Oppression is a structural phenomenon affecting individuals and communities, characterized by psychological conditions such as depression, low self-perception, and low self-efficacy. Thompson’s PCS (Personal, Cultural, Structural) model illustrates how discrimination operates at different levels and reinforces itself, allowing social workers to observe macro pressure groups and their individual dynamics.
2. Communities Possess Problem-Solving Potential: Individuals and communities can solve sudden problems and are resilient against institutionalized pressure groups. They can transform crisis moments into opportunities.
3. Focus on Individuals and Their Environment: Empowerment involves focusing on individuals and their environment. As individuals become empowered, they integrate personal and environmental resources. This process includes empowering both the oppressed and the oppressor; as oppressive groups lose their influence, they become subject to internal psychological processes.
4. Empowerment as Both a Process and a Result: Empowerment is simultaneously a process and an outcome, encompassing concepts such as caring, change, control, and improvement. As clients discover the origins of their problems and the conditions sustaining them, they develop self-awareness. An empowered client begins to view the counselor as a teammate rather than an authority figure. Resisting obstacles and mobilizing others in this direction is a process, and while every process may not have an immediate result, results can initiate the empowerment of other individuals and groups.
Empowerment Application and Intervention Processes
The empowerment approach comprises implementation, assessment, and intervention stages. Before assessment, a strong bond based on common values must be established between the counselor and the client. The empowerment process is collaborative, where the client freely defines their problems, and the social worker facilitates joint decision-making. The intervention is always initiated by the client’s own will. The social worker’s role is not to simply “give” power but to evaluate the client’s strengths and weaknesses, enabling them to become empowered throughout the process.
During the assessment phase, power is understood through its effects at personal, interpersonal, and sociopolitical levels. The client’s narratives and life story should be evaluated holistically, as past experiences and perceptions can illuminate the definition of oppression. Anti-oppression practice and advocacy are foundational to the empowerment approach. Assessment involves a dialectical interaction with the client to increase critical consciousness about the problem’s dimensions. The social worker considers the client’s individual context alongside their relationship with their environment (political positions, social structure). An eclectic approach is often employed, where different theories, especially empowerment, are integrated to understand the case. Flexibility is crucial, as intervention plans may need to adapt to unexpected situations.
Limitations and Considerations of the Empowerment Approach
The empowerment approach requires the client to initiate the assessment and intervention processes, making it suitable for individuals who recognize issues in their lives and wish to regain control. In cases such as substance abuse or sexual abuse, where clients are emotionally and socially traumatized, other approaches prioritizing mental and physical repair may be necessary before empowerment can be effectively utilized. Empowerment can be used eclectically with other approaches like task-oriented, psychoanalytic, and transactional therapies.
The language used by the social worker in the therapeutic relationship is critically important. As Foucault noted, what is perceived as power by the counselor can become stifling, one-sided communication for the client. Therefore, the language of the therapeutic process should be client-centered, and concepts of power and empowerment should be freed from purely individual-oriented theories. Empowering language patterns—such as the language of cooperation, ownership, possibilities, solutions, elaboration, and clarification—are recommended. Institutional rules and policies can sometimes limit the application of the empowerment approach, leading to suboptimal outcomes, especially when working with communities.
Case Study Example: The Transformation of the G.I. Family
A case study involving the G.I. family, who sought assistance from a social service center, illustrates the practical application of the empowerment approach. The initial application by father R.I. for financial deprivation revealed deeper psychological, physical, and social problems within the family. Father R.I. was timid and struggled with communication; mother S.I. had a mild mental retardation and an irritable nature, often engaging in verbal conflicts; and their daughter G.I. faced adaptation issues due to family problems.
The intervention process included providing social assistance from the district governor’s office to secure healthy housing and cover student expenses. A caregiver was assigned to R.I. for his heart medication, and the family was facilitated in moving to a larger, more suitable home to enhance their self-esteem. S.I.’s health issues were managed through collaboration with the medical social service unit, and individual and family meetings were held to improve family communication and self-efficacy. For G.I., school and home changes were made to help her adapt and develop new relationships, with cooperation from the school counselor to support her academic and social well-being.
As a result of these interventions, R.I. reported increased self-confidence in his interactions with landlords, health institutions, and his child’s teachers, and a reduction in the effects of his illness. G.I. began spending more time with her family, experiencing improved communication. Influenced by these processes, G.I. commenced studies in physiotherapy and rehabilitation at a university. Mother S.I. expressed pride in her daughter’s achievements. This case exemplifies how a physically and emotionally disadvantaged family could achieve greater independence in their decisions through the empowerment approach.
Conclusion: Empowerment in a Social Justice and Postmodern Context
The empowerment approach in social work is a valuable framework that prioritizes client autonomy, self-determination, and social justice, offering distinct strengths while sharing commonalities with other theoretical frameworks like systems theory, Person-in-Environment theory, cognitive-behavioral theory, and the strengths-based perspective. These theories can be used eclectically to enrich interventions and better understand clients’ complex lives.
In the context of postmodernism, empowerment aligns with recognizing diverse perspectives and deconstructing singular, authoritative narratives. Postmodernism values multiple truths and acknowledges the complexity of individual identities, allowing social workers to honor clients’ unique stories and self-determined goals rather than imposing a universal model. Social workers act as facilitators, empowering clients to construct their own narratives and make meaningful choices.
Justice is a core tenet of empowerment, deeply intertwined with equity and human rights. This approach enables clients to reclaim power and confront injustices that restrict their lives. Social workers advocate for individuals and for systemic changes addressing root causes of social inequalities like poverty, discrimination, and lack of access to resources. Justice-based empowerment helps clients become active agents in their fight for rights and dignity, supporting them in developing self-advocacy skills and connecting them with resources for greater autonomy. This extends to community empowerment, where collective action can challenge societal structures that perpetuate inequality.
The empowerment process is often gradual and requires patience, sustained support, and continuous self-reflection from the social worker to prevent personal biases from hindering the process. Ultimately, the empowerment approach represents a commitment to human dignity, equity, and the belief that every individual has the potential to overcome adversity. It aligns with the core values of social work by advocating for both personal and systemic transformation, fostering a society where individuals are empowered to contribute to their own well-being and that of others. As social work evolves within postmodern and justice frameworks, empowerment remains a vital strategy for advancing individual and collective resilience, equity, and social harmony.
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Küçükoba, E. (2024). ADALET TEMELLI SOSYAL HIZMET MÜDAHALESI: BIR VAKA ÇALIŞMASI. Uluslararası Öğrenen Toplum Dergisi, 1(2), 203-220. https://doi.org/10.64782/istlj1212203220
Küçükoba, E. (2024). ADALET TEMELLI SOSYAL HIZMET MÜDAHALESI: BIR VAKA ÇALIŞMASI. Uluslararası Öğrenen Toplum Dergisi, 1(2), 203-220. https://doi.org/10.64782/istlj1212203220
