Interpersonal Social Work Skills for Community Practice,by Donna Hardina

The social work profession has struggled with an uncertain identity since its beginning. The split between clinical practitioners and those who engage primarily in social action and social policy analysis is particularly diversive. The author proposes that "Community Education" could be an integrative framework for the profession. Direct practice could shift from an obsolescent allegiance to a therapeutic model, to a less stigmatizing educational model which could include psychodynamic practice. Those professionals concerned with macro-issues can be conceptualized as educating the community regarding their clients' needs. Such a change of identity would have implications for professional training.