The organization of social action.

This study assessed changes in community members’ ratings of the dimensions of individual community related empowerment (ICRE) before and two years after the implementation of an empowerment expansion framework in three community health promotion initiatives within the Estonian context. We employed a self-administered questionnaire, the adapted mobilisation scale–individual. As the first step, we investigated the multidimensional nature of the ICRE construct and explored the validity and reliability (internal consistency) of the ICRE scale. Two datasets were used. The first dataset comprised a cross-sectional random sample of 1,000 inhabitants of Rapla County selected in 2003 from the National Population Register, which was used to confirm the composition of the dimensions of the scale and to examine the reliability of the dimensions. The second dataset comprised two waves of data: 120 participants from three health promotion programs in 2003 (pre-test) and 115 participants in 2005 (post-test), and the dataset was used to compare participants’ pre-test and post-test ratings of their levels of empowerment. The content validity ratio, determined using Lawshe’s formula, was high (0.98). Five dimensions of ICRE, self-efficacy, intention, participation, motivation and critical awareness, emerged from the factor analysis. The internal consistency (α) of the total empowerment scale was 0.86 (subscales self-efficacy α = 0.88, intention α = 0.83, participation α = 0.81 and motivation α = 0.69; critical awareness comprised only one item). The levels of ICRE dimensions measured after the application of the empowerment expansion framework were significantly more favourable for the dimensions self-efficacy, participation, intention and motivation to participate. We conclude that for Rapla community workgroups and networks, their ICRE was rendered more favourable after the implementation of the empowerment expansion framework.

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“…Thus, people are motivated by a sense of moral responsibility to redress practices or change conditions that they perceive to be unfair [33]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Motivation is the belief that one should participate in community problem-solving processes as a responsibility to others [ 25 , 32 ]. Thus, people are motivated by a sense of moral responsibility to redress practices or change conditions that they perceive to be unfair [ 33 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Changes in Individual Community-Related Empowerment in Community Health Promotion Interventions in Estonia

Kasmel

Tanggaard

2011

IJERPH

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“…This case study suggests that professional associations might increase the efficacy of future lobbying via forming alliances with other key stakeholders and influencers (Horvath, 1999;Payne, 2002) and articulating the implications of policy decisions in terms of social justice and equity outcomes with accompanying case studies. This is a skill in itself and must be reinforced in social work education (Heidman et al, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…For example, the emerging research on policy practice in social work suggests that key social justice values and associated assumptions about the social responsibility and potential influence of social workers underpin their involvement in policy activism (Gal & Weiss Gal, 2013). Additionally, knowledge and theory from the social and cognitive psychology disciplines implicate both personal and professional values as possible drivers of social action for workers, professional bodies and individual citizens (Feather, Woodyatt, & McKee, 2012; Horvath, 1999; Thomas, McGarty, & Mavor, 2009a, 2009b; Zomeren, Postmes, & Spears, 2008). On the whole, the evidence suggests that values are more likely to act as an initial ‘goad’ to action.…”

Section: Social Action: From Mobilisation To Effecting Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating professional social work identity and social justice advocacy: An analysis of the Australian campaign to restore Medicare rebates for accredited mental health social workers

Mendes

McCurdy

Allen-Kelly

et al. 2014

Journal of Social Work

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Summary This study utilises a recent social action campaign undertaken by the Australian Association of Social Workers to examine the skills, motives and factors of success for social workers and professional bodies in undertaking social action activities. Findings The evidence suggests effective social action is likely to rely on several, interdependent factors. Social workers appear more likely to actively intervene in policy issues when their immediate client base, professional identity or personal livelihood is threatened. Peak professional bodies are more likely to succeed in lobbying when they are able to mobilise broad-ranging support, present a united media presence and form alliances with key stakeholders and influencers outside their organisation. Application Results from this study may be useful for professional associations, social work educators and students who are interested in understanding social action in the context of social work practice and ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to fulfil their professional mandate as agents of social change.

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“…Such engagement involves giving the recipients decision-making responsibilities and ownership over the project. Organizational psychologists can contribute here by drawing on their long history of work to understand the psychological dimensions of empowerment and decision-making, in which emotion and cognition interact in complex ways depending on the individual's own characteristics and their social environment, as well as conditions imposed by the sponsors of the projects in which they are involved (Horvath, 1999).…”

Section: Work and Project Engagementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Humanitarian work psychology: The contributions of organizational psychology to poverty reduction

Berry¹,

Reichman²,

Klobas

et al. 2011

Journal of Economic Psychology

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a b s t r a c tAchieving the MDG goal of reducing world poverty by 50% by 2015 requires the cooperative effort of many disciplines. To date the discipline of organizational psychology has not played as significant a role as it might in this endeavor. With the recent establishment of the Global Task Force for Humanitarian Work Psychology, this discipline signaled its commitment to the global effort. Organizational psychology offers to bring its expertise to poverty reduction: its ability to assess needs and capacity, develop partnerships with stakeholders, bring about and manage change, and systematically review, evaluate, monitor and revise high level mandates, policy development, program implementation and consultation on personnel issues. Its successes as practitioners-scientists in private enterprise will enhance its credibility for success in the public sphere. The article reviews the research and practice of some of the organizational psychologists presently engaged in poverty reduction and how humanitarian work psychology might enhance the efforts of anti-poverty organizations.

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The organization of social action.

Cited by 9 publications

References 73 publications

Evaluation of Changes in Individual Community-Related Empowerment in Community Health Promotion Interventions in Estonia

Evaluation of Changes in Individual Community-Related Empowerment in Community Health Promotion Interventions in Estonia

Integrating professional social work identity and social justice advocacy: An analysis of the Australian campaign to restore Medicare rebates for accredited mental health social workers

Humanitarian work psychology: The contributions of organizational psychology to poverty reduction

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