Tackling Contemporary Challenges through Strengths based Approach in Social Work

Abstract  Social work practitioners work with problems of individuals and groups and organizations, where the demands often require finding sustainable and effective solutions. Practitioners may indulge in a variety of methodologies but the objective continues to remain solution focused. Most people who suffer from ailments often feel as if they are victims of situations and fail to look within their own resources for solutions. It is at this moment that we need to highlight people’s strengths to derive a solution for their persisting problems. Deficits could thus be discounted to tackle by tackling the case through strengths based approach to explore more effective results. Strengths based practice is a social work practice theory that emphasizes people's strengths and self-determination. People are bestowed with innate capacity, skills, knowledge and other potential qualities which are often not tapped optimally during challenges. The challenges or struggles could well be addressed if the strengths highlighted. This paper analyses the significance of the Strengths Based Approach in Social Work and its relevance to the changing times. It is strongly believed that the evolution of this approach is in synthesis with the existing practices but a step forward towards effective problem solving on a case to case basis. When an individual realizes one’s full potential and ability of doing things, it naturally enables them to have a more enriched life to make a better living for them.
Keywords   Social Work, Strengths approach in social work, counselling

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