Title: Empowerment Theory in Social Work | VCU Online
Headings: Empowerment Theory in Social Work
Empowerment Theory in Social Work
What Is Empowerment Theory?
Important Concepts
Direct Power Blocks
Indirect Power Blocks
Dimensions of Empowerment
Self-Efficacy
Critical Consciousness
Tool Development
Micro-level Tools
Macro-level Tools
Empowerment Theory Social Work in Action
How Can Social Workers Empower Groups and Communities?
Public Policy Reform and Empowerment
Empower Communities by Earning a Master of Social Work
Recommended Readings

Content: Examples include inequitable access to well-funded and high-quality schools, discriminatory lending practices in housing, or sexist attitudes in corporate culture. Social workers can help promote awareness of direct power blocks and energize social movements against them by developing programs that help individuals overcome marginalization. For instance, programs that cultivate pride in LGBTQ+ youths could also help take action against the discrimination of their community members. Additionally, social workers can advocate for policy reforms and corrective laws. Indirect Power Blocks
Indirect power blocks refer to internalized oppression. Groups with histories of mistreatment often absorb the negative messaging of the abuse they receive. They develop stories about their limited options and ability to achieve and then pass those ideas down across generations. However challenging, these deeply ingrained thoughts need to be resolved. Social workers can investigate proven interventions, such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), which evidence shows can change thinking patterns to help clients work through their internalized oppression. For example, a mentoring program using TF-CBT could help improve the self-image of youths from historically oppressed communities to support their empowerment and potentially address the cultural trauma that has hurt their academic performance.