ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the term empowerment, as in social work although empowerment is about empowering employees, there is a strong emphasis that service users must also be empowered. There is agreement in the social work literature that powerlessness is a common condition experienced by different groups in society, for example, women, the aged and people from ethnic minority backgrounds. The psychological implications of empowerment, such as locus of control, self-efficacy and self-esteem, are particularly emphasised in social work but less importance is placed on them in the management literature. A paradigm shift in the practice of social work is gradually moving towards empowerment. There is high consensus in social work literature that empowerment can enable people to achieve control in their lives and to achieve their goals. In practice, this is how empowerment in social work is viewed by individuals, groups and/or communities, namely as a way of taking control of their lives, thereby achieving empowerment from within.
