Poverty, both relative and absolute is increasing worldwide. War, natural disasters and environmental degradation have exacerbated economic deprivation, social exclusion and political marginalisation for many of the earth's people. Into this bleak picture comes social development to offer a beacon of hope. What role can social work educators and practitioners play in social development to reverse the pessimism portrayed by this view of reality? This article examines this question by looking at the processes and policies that social workers must bring to the attention of governments - in order to convince them to follow these in the interests of enabling people, whether as individuals, groups or communities to develop to their full potential. The situation in Britain is used as a case example, but the author points out that the changes brought about there through structural adjustment provide lessons to be learnt elsewhere in the world.
Read
