2021 Volume 62 Issue 2 Pages 60-75
This study promotes the challenge to empowerment practice by visualizing the process of empowerment-oriented social work practice. As the paradigm of empowerment practice covers an extensive range of approaches, we analyzed the support process over about 10 years using the Trajectory Equifinality Approach, focusing on verbalization support for four individuals with mental disabilities who work as peer supporters. The results of the analysis demonstrated the following dimensions for the process of verbalization support: a personal dimension that encourages consultation with social workers, an interpersonal dimension that facilitates discussion of experiences with peers, and a social dimension that supports conducting educational activities. Though the form of verbalization changes, the professional value of empowerment practice can be highlighted for all dimensions. Analysis of each dimension revealed that empowerment practice is established by social work practice based on daily basic principles, while the social worker’s understanding of empowerment may make it difficult to practice.
