ABSTRACT
Social Work Practice with Organizations: Engagement, Assessment, and Planning covers a challenging level of practice for beginning social workers—social work practice with organizations. Students learn a wealth of practical and theoretical aspects of organizations, including a discussion about the purpose and structure of organizations, power relations within organizations, and social work within host organizational settings. The chapter provides discussion about the dimensions of an internal assessment of organizations, including organizational culture, as well as external assessments. Content on organizational policy and nonprofit partnerships helps guide practice. Examples of organizational engagement and assessment provide students with helpful illustrations of key content. This chapter includes discussion of the Grand Challenge for Social Work to “Promote Smart Decarceration.” A case involving collaborative practice among social workers whose agencies are members of a statewide coalition of shelters and intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention programs is woven through this chapter.
