One goal during engagement is to accomplish key logistical tasks, such as completing required intake paper
work and negotiating the frequency of future meetings so that your client is efficiently oriented to the helping
relationship. This allows you and your client to move to the next stage of assessment, where your work to
assess the needs of the client and determine necessary actions to help the client meet those needs.
Moving from the engagement stage, the assessment should consider the micro, macro, and mezzo aspects of
the client’s environment. Within each of these levels, you then identify the client’s needs and strengths and
also consider any aspects of diversity. There are many different assessment tools that can be used by the
BSW to help with this process. In this Discussion, you move from engagement to assessment by examining
assessment tools.
• Describe the assessment tool that you have chosen.
• Explain why you would use this tool with a client.
• Explain how this tool could assist you in the client assessment process.
Sample Solution
Generalist Intervention Model (GIM): Engagement and Assessment
The primary function of the social work profession is to work with client systems to alleviate social and psychological problems and promote health and well-being. The generalist intervention model is a multilevel approach that allows social workers to work within a variety of environments, whether it be on a micro, mezzo, or macro level. It is a problem-solving model typically used within the profession of social work (Ebear, Csiernick, & Bechard, 2008). The generalist practice model helps social workers identify potential stressors and other disruptions to the client system`s equilibrium at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels, so that social workers can work with clients to plan and implement appropriate interventions that will support clients in attaining optimal social functioning.
This could be explained as he was writing in 1990, when primary sources became widely available for use, especially some from the soviet archives which were released after USSR began to collapse in 1990. Also his jobs provide an insight to why he holds the views he does. He is a director of the Council on Foreign Relations and also teaches in the program on National and international Affairs. This provides evidence towards his international views.
Evaluation
The Kolko’s argument is more narrow than others as he claims that the motives behind the Marshall plan were purely of economic self-interest as the US wanted to “secure their own immediate gains”. This already strays Kolko’s argument away from those of Rees and Yergin who have more diverse views on the motives such as humanitarian and political. Kolko’s particular focus economically for the basis of his argument is on the self-interests of the American government and particularly the dollar crisis which at the time was viewed as critical for the condition of the world economy. Similarly, to add support to Kolko’s specific argument McCormick too comments on the importance of it, that “the dollar gap situation provoked” the plan. Therefore, Kolko’s argument does highlight the important motive that economic factors, such as the dollar crisis, had on the introduction of the Marshall plan. This argument is further developed as Europe was undoubtedly in a financial crisis with money being the short term requirement by many European countries. This is seen as Britain was already using up the $3.75bn Anglo-American loan given in 1945 which was meant to last till 1951 and “designed to get England back on its feet”, which it didn’t. Emphasizing the need for the Marshall plan. Overall, the Kolko’s were right to say that Europe was desperate and that the Americans exploited this for their own selfish reasons.