Scott Valley

This post is about rural life. Article 6 of the text Rural Social Work Building and Sustaining Community Assets, points out some differences when working in rural, semi-rural and urban environments. The two topics I will be discussing are confidentiality and dual relationships, which are two strongly held values in The Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and pushed endlessly in social work education.

The code of ethics states, in regards to confidentiality that "social workers should respect clients' right to privacy." Yes, this is true to some degree; it is applied very differently working in rural communities where natural helping networks are built on people knowing other peoples business. Natural helpers and informal resources are neighbors, friends, family and churches that meet peoples needs and resolve problems, rather than formal, trained professionals or "therapists." My brother, whom lives in rural Scott Valley, recently said to me, "If I am having problems I will go to my friends or older people in the community for support." My husband from a rural area of Ghana also said to me, "We seek help from family, close friends, parents or elders. We do not seek help from outsiders or non-family members." The NASW Code of Ethics also talks about dual relationships and states, "social workers should not engage in dual or multiple relationships with clients or former clients in which there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to clients." In semi-rural and urban environments it is common to refer clients to another social worker or helper when a "conflict" of interest is present or when the worker and client have any known connection. One can not live in truly rural communities without having dual relationships because first you are a member the community and then a "professional." In rural places where there is (or is not) one school, one pharmacy, one doctor, one store and maybe a couple of churches like my home town. A social worker can not avoid the store where your client may work, or not visit the doctor because your client is his wife. The interconnectedness of rural communities is amazing and assets and strengths should be highlighted and used rather than highlighting the lack of formal agency resources.

Here is a story I thought about when I was pondering my hometown and rural and urban situations. A couple of years ago, as I was driving from Eureka to Etna California, going from 299 to highway 96 on to a small one lane winding road to Sawyers Bar, I had a rural awakening experience. As I was getting into more rural areas, after a few waves from strangers passing by I thought, "Everyone is waving to me. I have not waved to someone just because we passed by each other in such a long time. Matter of fact, I have not waved to even someone I new in such a long time. How sad is this?" I got closer and closer to my home town a friendly hand greeted me through each windshield that passed by.

*The Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers

http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp

*Rural Social Work Building and Sustaining Community Assets, edited by Scales; Article 6, Natural Helping Networks, by Ted Watkins.

Photos that Changed the World

This snapshot in time, of a starving Sudanese child with a vulture waiting for the child's last breath, was one of the first introductions to my Social Work Community Practice class over a month ago. The professor began to show us photos that changed the world. I guess he was trying to inspire us to take action, be motivated and organize for change as the photos had done themselves. This photo has sparked me to take action and create this blog. While this photo was meant to awaken the world to the effects of poverty and famine in Africa, it has provoked me to do the opposite. Something I have been pondering for years, to awaken the world to the other side of Africa.

The negative images and stereotypes of Africa are embedded in American society. How often do you see or hear about the 98 year old women who went to farm months before her death, the joy and love, daily life of people working, of bustling cities, cell phones pressed to every ear, the jam packed Internet cafes, and the unwritten rule to take care of one another? Rather one sees and hears about extreme poverty, underdevelopment, famine, enormous HIV/AIDS rates, corruption, and war. Do we hear about how people are surviving these in justices, stories of resiliency, and the assets of these families and communities?

Throughout the duration of this blog, I hope to breakdown some of the stereotypes that inundate Americans and on the flip side broaden the view of Americans and the United States to viewers around the globe.

*Surviving Child Vulture photo origanlly from photosthatchangedtheworld.com the site is currently down, this photo was taken from http://www.uniquescoop.com/2009/09/photos-that-changed-world.html