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Reflect on and discuss alternative roles human-service…
Reflect on and discuss alternative roles human-service professionals might play
when working in the community. Identify which of the following roles you think you
could assume as a community worker: (a) advocate, (b) change agent, (c) consultant,
(d) adviser, (e) facilitator of indigenous support systems, (f) facilitator of indigenous
healing systems, or (g) all of the above roles. Discuss which of these
roles you would feel least comfortable functioning, and why. How could you learn to
carry out professional roles in the community different from those in which you were
trained?
Community-oriented counseling emphasizes the necessity for recognizing and
dealing with environmental conditions that often create problems for ethnically
diverse client groups. In this psychosocial approach, community workers focus on
alternative ways of helping clients that embody fundamental principles of social
justice and activism aimed at client empowerment. Atkinson (2004) suggests these
alternative roles for counselors who work in the community: advocate, change agent,
consultant, adviser, facilitator of indigenous support systems, and facilitator of indigenous
healing methods. Counselors who adopt these alternative roles base their work
on a developmental foundation rather than on a service approach. The role of
community workers as advocates and change agents has been described; now let’s
take a look at some other alternative counselor roles.
Consultant Operating as consultants, counselors encourage clients from diverse
cultures to learn skills they can use to interact successfully with various forces
within their community. In this role, client and counselor cooperate in addressing
unhealthy forces within the system. Consultants work with clients from diverse
racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds to design preventive programs aimed at
eliminating the negative impacts of racism and oppression. The role of consultant
can be seen as the role of a teacher.
Adviser The counselor as adviser initiates discussions with clients about ways
to deal with environmental problems that contribute to their personal problems.
In many ways, this is a social work approach that considers the person-in-theenvironment
rather than simply addressing problems within the individual. For
example, recent immigrants may need advice on immigration paperwork, coping
with problems they will face in the job market, or problems that their children may
encounter at school. Veterans transitioning out of the military also may need help
finding a job, accessing education benefits, finding a place to live, and identifying
local supports for their family.
Facilitator of Indigenous Support Systems Many ethnically diverse clients,
people in rural environments, and older people would not consider seeking
professional help in the traditional sense. However, they may be willing to put
their faith in family members or close friends, or turn to other social support
systems within their own communities. Community workers need to be aware
of cultural factors that may be instrumental in contributing to a client’s problem
or resources that might help alleviate or solve the client’s problem. Counselors
can play an important role by encouraging clients to make full use of
indigenous support systems (such as family and friendship networks) within
their own communities.
Facilitator of Indigenous Healing Systems Mental health practitioners need to
learn what kinds of healing resources exist within a client’s culture. In many cultures,
individuals with problems are more likely to put their trust in traditional
healers. For that reason, counselors need to be aware of indigenous healing
systems (such as religious leaders and institutions, energy healers, and respected
community leaders) and be willing to work collaboratively with them when it is to
the benefit of the client. Ignoring these indigenous resources can have a negative
effect on the client’s welfare, and therefore, has ethical implications.
In summary, we see it as ethically incumbent on practitioners who work in the
community to assume some or all of the alternative roles described above when
needed to benefit their clients and provide optimal and at times alternative care.
We are not discounting the efforts of practitioners primarily engaged in individual
counseling as they also contribute significantly toward creating a more actualized
community.
