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Disciplines and Ideas in

the Applied Social Sciences
Quarter 1-Week 5- Module 13
Roles and Functions of Social
Workers

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Disciplines and Ideas in the Applied Social Sciences – Grade 12
Quarter 1- Week 5- Module 13: Roles and Functions of Social Workers

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work
of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency
or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for
profit. Such agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment
of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,
trademarks, etc.) included in this book are owned by their respective copyright holders.
Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from
their respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim
ownership over them.

Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writer: RICARDO M. GAMUROT JR.
Editors: FLORENIA C. TORALDE / RICARDO M. GAMUROT JR.
Reviewers: JARME TAUMATORGO / JERSON V. TORALDE
Illustrator: KIM ARTHUR B. CARGULLO / RICHARD M. MUÑOZ
Layout Artist: KIM ARTHUR B. CARGULLO / RICHARD M. MUÑOZ

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Module 13
Roles and Functions of Social Workers

Introduction: (GET STARTED)

Social workers, like any other professionals, perform various roles and functions
that are, in any manner, different from other applied social sciences professionals. Though
similarities can be traced in some key areas, social workers’ distinctive roles are identified
through the use of a wide range of legal and social work knowledge and skills particularly
in effecting change among individuals, groups and communities – the paramount
beneficiaries of social work services. Hence, this module introduces you a variety of roles
social workers portray along with the corresponding functions expected for each role.

Learning Objectives: (SET THE DIRECTION)

Generally, at the end of the module, you are expected to explain the roles and
functions of social workers. In particular, you are most likely to exhibit the following
competencies:

1. describe the main focus of each role and identify the main function associated with
the role.
2. deepen personal knowledge about the significance of social work professionals in
today’s world.
3. write a critical essay pertaining to “How reality shapes our choices?”

Vocabulary List: (DISCOVER CONCEPTS)

To give you a solid understanding of specific concepts along with roles and
functions of social workers, here are some important terms you should bear in mind before
proceeding with the mental stretching activity in this module:

Advocate - A person who advances the interest and welfare of a particular

sector through speech, press or social action for the purpose of
meaningful change, human security, public safety and protection
from abuse or violence.
Broker - A person who assists in locating for resources or services and in
negotiating for its acquisition or accessibility and use in favour of
a client.
Case Manager.
A person
- who handles and manages all information and processes
relating to a specific issue, problem or circumstance, that is
inimical to a person under his/her care, guardianship, custody or
assignment.

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 Change AgentA person
- who initiates specific measure to transform or help individuals,
groups and communities to become socially functional and be an
active participants in achieving self-worth or societal change.

Counselor A person
- who provides guidance and intervention to an individual or
group particularly in dealing and managing an issue or a problem
or difficulty, that includes helping them to look for possible
answers or solutions that will alleviate suffering.

Educator - A person who provides meaningful experiences for people to

learn and become life-long learners through various platforms,
whether formal, informal or non-formal, using varied types of
strategies, scilicet; instruction, interaction, immersion, simulation,
apprenticeships, etc.
Enabler - A person who empowers another by capacitating him/her with the
necessary knowledge, skills and values necessary for his/her
transformation, recovery, growth or development.
Facilitator. A person
- who coordinates, leads or directs a particular group to work for
specific task in the pursuit of achieving productive results for the
attainment of group or organization’s work goal.

Mediator - A person who assists in settling issues, dispute, disagreements

or mere problems, between individuals or groups for the purpose
of reconciliation, remediation, or settlement.
Researcher - A person who engages in a systematic inquiry to address an
issue, a problem or a given condition or topic which may provide
essential suggestions or recommendations that will help improve
systems and practices, resolve conflicts, disorders or difficulties,
and inequities, or widen the pond of human knowledge.

Pre-test: STRETCH YOUR BRAIN

Directions: Read the first pair of words and analyze the combination. Proceed to the next
pair and look for the missing word that would exactly match the given word creating
a pair of words in the same combination as od the first pair. Encircle the letter of
the correct answer.

1. Mediator : Mediates :: Facilitator : _______________

a. Agrees c. Coordinates
b. Plans d. Presents

2. Change Agent : Initiates :: Case Manager : _______________

a. Handles c. Cares
b. Implies d. Manifests

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3. Enabler : Empowers :: Advocate : _______________
a. Fights c. Manages
b. Supports d. Asserts

4. Broker : Negotiates :: Researcher : _______________

a. Search c. Recommends
b. Deliberates d. Emancipates

5. Educator : Teaches :: Counselor : _______________

a. Solves c. Leads
b. Assists d. Interferes

6. Facilitator : Mediator :: Performance : _______________

a. Crime c. Functionality
b. Disability d. Conflict

7. Case Manager : Change Agent :: Case : _______________

a. Court c. Community
b. Practices d. Project

8. Advocate : Enabler :: Action : _______________

a. Agitation c. Mitigation
b. Specialization d. Motivation

9. Researcher : Broker :: Data : _______________

a. Agreement c. Case
b. Record d. Document

10. Counselor : Educator :: Difficulty : _______________

a. university c. stability
b. Performance d. Achievement

Learning Activities: GUESS WHAT?

Directions.

1. Analyze the descriptions provided in each number.

2. Identify the role of a social worker relative to the given descriptions.
3. Write your answer in the blank provided before each number.
4. Use bold letters in writing your answer.

__________________ 1. Provide guidance to individuals who are suffering from any

difficulty.
Help individuals to find answers to their problems.
Assist individuals to recover from a physical or mental health
issue.

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__________________ 2. Study the dynamic interactions between individuals, groups
and communities
Collect, organize and analyze information or data relative to
a particular study
Formulate suggestions and recommendations pertaining to a
problem statement
__________________ 3. Help in capacitating people to become productive
Empower individuals, groups and communities to become
socially functional
Motivate people to believe in their potentials and capabilities
__________________ 4. Help resolve conflicts between individuals and groups
Assist individuals in looking for resolutions to alleviate their
sufferings
Facilitate communication between parties involved in a
dispute or conflict
__________________ 5. Assist in finding resources and services to help in
augmenting client’s resources
Negotiate with possible grantors for the acquisition of
resources and services
Represent the client in transacting with identified sponsors or
grantors
__________________ 6. Teach individuals in schools or in any other learning
environments
Help individuals cope with the realities in life
Guide individuals in achieving a better and brighter future
__________________ 7. Initiate for the discussion of issues
Disseminate information relative to the issue or concern
he/she stands for
Take necessary actions to advance the interest of a sector
affected by an issue
__________________ 8. Help people in working together as a group
Encourage active participation for the performance of tasks
Assist in doing specific tasks effectively
__________________ 9. Initiate practices to achieve effectiveness in the organization
Adopts measures that will help improve organizational
culture
Monitors trends and updates that affect organizational
performance
__________________ 10. Assess client’s physical and mental or economic and social
conditions. Monitor the client’s progress vis-à-vis intervention
provided. Links clients with appropriate residential facilities or
rehabilitation centers

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Guide Questions:

1. How did the activity help you recognize social workers roles in the society?
2. Did it help you to fully understand what social workers do along with the roles
identified?
3. What is your most significant realizations about social workers’ roles after
completing the activity?

Practice Task 1: KNOW YOUR TARGET

Directions.

1. Based on the results of the preceding activity, identify the main focus of the
following roles that social workers play in the performance of their work.
2. In the center column, write as many subjects or conditions as possible to highlight
the main functions of the social workers relative to the performance of each role.
3. In the column found at extreme right of the matrix, write the difference functions to
distinguish one role from the others.

Distinguishing
SW Roles Main Functions
Function

ADVOCATE

BROKER

CASE
MANAGER
CHANGE
AGENT

COUNSELOR

EDUCATOR

ENABLER

FACILITATOR

MEDIATOR

RESEARCHER

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Guide Questions:

1. How was your experience in filling out the matrix?

2. Did it help you recognize the distinctions between social workers’ roles and
functions?
3. How do these functions change the way you look at social workers in the
Philippines?

Practice Task 2: GET DEEP PEER (DEEPER)

Directions.

1. Recall the salient functions that make each role of a social worker distinct.
2. Remember your most significant realizations in the previous activity but do not
worry too much if you can’t; just a simple understanding of the roles and functions
will do.
3. Read each situation or premise carefully as it may generate critical thinking and
analysis.
4. In the blank provided after, write AGREE if you subscribe to the given statement
while DISAGREE if you don’t.
5. On the blank sentence structure, justify your position; why AGREE or DISAGREE?

Situation or Premise Position Justification

1. Social workers are not ______________ _________________________
necessary for their roles can _______________
be played by other _________________________
professionals _______________
_________________________
_______________

2. The country has no enough ______________ _________________________

social workers to perform _______________
specialized functions in _________________________
government agencies _______________
_________________________
_______________

3. To be a social worker, one ______________ _________________________

must be equipped with _______________
knowledge and skills _________________________
relevant to social work. _______________
_________________________
_______________

4. The social work profession ______________ _________________________

is not an isolated career; it _______________

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 also works with other _________________________
professions. _______________
_________________________
_______________

5. In this time of pandemic, the ______________ _________________________

country needs social workers _______________
for social services delivery. _________________________
_______________
_________________________
_______________

Guide Questions:

1. How does each situation or premise affect the way you respond to challenging
statements?
2. Do you think, the activity has helped you to become mose critical in organizing your
thoughts?
3. Which of the statements post a huge challenge in the way you reason out to
specific standpoint?
4. Why do you think it is challenging for you?

Practice Task 3: SHOW YOUR STANCE

Directions.

1. Read and analyze the article below.

2. Write a critical essay about the article addressing the following concerns; 1) what
do you like about the story, 2) What do you think has made the character change
her career choice, and 3) How the reality opens our mind towards understanding
our worth as future professionals?
3. Your essay must highlight your observation (in real life situation) that influences
your decision for your future career goals.

THE PROFESSIONAL I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BECOME

By: Ricardo M. Gamurot, Jr.

Since the day her teacher in Grade 7 English ask the class to write about their post-
secondary career choices, Mauie couldn’t imagine how she presented her narrative about
her being a world class professional with a very lucrative job that can fully support her
lifestyle… and she means it. Growing in a well-off family, well, she deserves only the best
for her future. In fact she underscores specific professions and careers that will groom her
as an international figure specializing in foreign relations and diplomacy, legal profession

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with particular emphasis in commercial law, language and communication, and tourist and
travel but never in professions associated with welfare and other forms of social services.

However, in an orientation for senior high school entrants, she realized how
important is the training that the Humanities and Social Sciences can provide in
strengthening her potential as would be professional considering her exemplary
communicative skills and academic brilliance, which most teachers believed her greatest
advantage in order to succeed in life, which later was proved to be very helpful in securing
her lead in class.

During the immersion program, since there are no available commercial

establishments related to communication and travel (her preferred venue) in the local
community, she accepted the challenge of being deployed in the City Social Welfare and
Development Office of the Local Government Unit but with huge dislike and reservations.
Thus, a feeling of discomfort strikes her during the first two days of work at the immersion
venue.

On the third day, she was requested to join the field work in a depressed area at
the foot of the mountain, which she never thought could have existed in a city known for
its booming local industries. There, she met a young girl who prefers to be isolated from a
group of her age. Curiosity wise, she tried to communicate with her just to ease her
boredom due to, what she thought, a log rolling procedure undertaken by CSWDO
personnel as they cautiously validate information of program beneficiaries. But to her
surprise, not only did the story of the girl enlighten her how lucky she is for having the kind
of life she is living but it made her realized the social responsibility each one plays in
shaping a more humane world where everyone feels safe and protected.

After the immersion experience, Mauie’s teachers were surprised when she
enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Social Work in a nearby university… not in her dream
university in the metro. What she only tells everyone questioning her decision is… “YOU
don’t need to be in great universities to prove your worth as would be professionals, not in
world class careers nor in lucrative professions… OUR worth is determined by how we
respond to our calling and WHAT DIFFERENCE WE CAN MAKE AND HOW WE CAN DO
IT TO CHANGE THE WORLD”.

Guide Questions:

1. In what way you were touched by the story?

2. Did it help you to reflect on your career choices, once more?
3. What to you is more valuable in choosing a future career? Why?

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Post-test: CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Directions: Read and analyze each statement. Encircle the letter that describes the
underlined word or phrase relating to the social workers’ roles and functions. On
the blank provided before each item, write the appropriate roles that represent the
given descriptions.

______________ 1. Social workers capacitate individuals and groups with

necessary knowledge and skills in order to become self-reliant
and socially functional.
a. productive members of the family c. productive
members of the society
b. productive members of an organization d. All of the these
______________ 2. It is one of the responsibilities of social workers is to look for
innovative practices that will help improve the conditions of
organizational relationships and environment.
a. improvement c. change
b. transformation d. growth
______________ 3. In most cases, social work professionals assist indigent
patients in looking for possible resources and services that will
help them cope with financial liability in hospitals.
a. physically ill c. economically
deprived
b. socially incapable d. mentally disturbed
______________ 4. In the Philippines, a number of social workers stand to fight for
the rights of individuals and groups or advance the interest of
displaced sectors in the pursuit of equality and equity.
a. effectiveness and efficiency c. access and use
b, fairness and justness d. fair treatment
and recognition of right
______________ 5. In helping clients to find solutions to their problems, social
workers must provide a welcoming and motivating
environment and not an apprehensive atmosphere.
a. friendly environment c. productive
environment
b. peaceful environment d. cool and quite
environment
______________ 6. In resolving conflicts between individuals, social workers must
stand on a neutral ground.
a. must favour the truth c. must be impartial
b. must fight for what is right d. must be well-
rounded
______________ 7. In assessing the client’s physical and mental well-being
relative to a specific case, social workers must observe the
highest degree of secrecy.
a. trustworthiness c. transparency
b. confidentiality d. morality

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 ______________ 8. Social workers do not only serve as academic lecturer in
higher education institutions, they also perform community
extension work.
a. basic education level c. elementary level
b. tertiary level d. high school level
______________ 9. In social work, case study is usually one of the most common
methodologies employed in understanding cases.
a. practice c. typology
b. platform d. procedure
______________ 10. In helping people to become productive members of a group,
social workers must see to it that every member knows his/her
task in the completion of a group work.
a. capacity c. ability
b. duty d. accountability

Assignment: EXPLORE YOUR EXPERIENCES

Directions: Think of specific scenarios where you were able to perform social work roles
within the family, peer, organization or community. In the second column of the
matrix, describe the scenario while in the third, state what did you do?

SW Roles Scenario What did you do?

ADVOCATE

BROKER

CASE
MANAGER
CHANGE
AGENT

COUNSELOR

EDUCATOR

ENABLER

FACILITATOR

MEDIATOR

RESEARCHER

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Guide Questions:

1. How does it feel performing your role in those cited situations?

2. What gave you the motivation to act as counselor, facilitator, mediator and the like?
3. What important lesson did you learn from your experiences?

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Answer Key:
Pre-test

1. c
2. a
3. a
4. c
5. b
6. d
7. d
8. b
9. a
10. d

Learning Activities: GUESS WHAT?

1. COUNSELOR
2. RESEARCHER
3. ENABLER
4. MEDIATOR
5. BROKER
6. EDUCATOR
7. ADVOCATE
8. FACILITATOR
9. CHANGE AGENT
10. CASE MANAGER

Practice Task 3: SHOW YOUR STANCE

Rubric for grading the essay

Criteria 1 2 3 4 5
Organization The output The output The output The output The output
does not is partly is organized is organized is highly
subscribe to organized but not and logically organized
the but not logically sequenced and logically
organization logically sequenced sequenced
format sequenced
Substance The content The content The content The content The content
is neither is not is is is very
substantial substantial substantial substantial substantial
nor relevant but relevant and partly and relevant and relevant
relevant
Analysis Observation Observation Observation Observation Observation
is missing is not is is presented is presented

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 clearly inconsistent clearly but in a clear
expressed with real life not and rational
situation rationally viewpoint
Evidences Viewpoints No fact No fact Only some All points
do not make presented presented viewpoints are
any sense and but are supported
viewpoint is viewpoints supported with facts
weak is strong with facts

Post-test

1. ENABLER (d)
2. CHANGE AGENT (a)
3. BROKER ©
4. ADVOCATE (b)
5. COUNSELOR (a)
6. MEDIATOR (d)
7. CASE MANAGER (b)
8. EDUCATOR (c)
9. RESEARCHER (a)
10. FACILITATOR (b)

References:

1. R Dinneka.Roles of Social Workers (Social Work).YouTube video, 3:29May 14, 2015,

https://youtu.be/ilpQC0iT5C0

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