Challenges in Social Work Advocacy

Describe the advocacy in which you engaged this term

This term I was engaged in advocacy for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) group in the society. LGBT groups face a lot of challenges ranging from health disparities that are associated with discrimination, societal stigma, and denial, and of human and civil rights. As a result, the LGBT population are vulnerable to substance abuse, high rates of psychiatric disorders, and in extreme cases suicide. Social, family, and Personal, acceptance of gender identity and sexual orientation plays a critical role in safety and personal health of the LGBT groups (Amnesty International, n.d.). As a result, I advocated for the LGBT group to ensure their well-being in the society.
Explain how the concepts from this week’s resources apply to the act of advocacy in which you engaged. 

The concepts of this week played a critical role in advocating for the rights of the LGBT population in the society. Advocacy activities in social work involves promoting human rights and dignity of people in their everyday life and educating the clients on the ways of advocating for their rights (Social Work License Map, 2018). During the advocacy, I educated the community on the issues and stereotypes surrounding the LGBT group to enable the society respect and accept their sexual identity. Also, advocacy involves improvement of service delivery systems among populations (Social Work License Map, 2018). For this case, I worked closely with healthcare centers and healthcare providers to ensure that the LGBT group have equal rights to access healthcare services like any other member of the community.
Describe potential risks that you considered or that may exist for a social worker who serves as an advocate

According to the Amnesty International, advocating for the LGBT group is associated with enormous challenges and risks to their personal safety when striving to call out abuses of the human rights of the LGBT population. LGBT advocates have to overcome. LGBT advocates can be mistaken to be among members of the group when advocating for the rights of the LGBT and be subject to name-calling, abuses, and discrimination that the members of the group face (Amnesty International, n.d.). Besides, they can be denied access to important offices that would help tem foster for policy change and call out discrimination among the LGBT group. Also, due to stigma in the society, it is hard for the advocates to access the members of the group because of fear of their safety thus hindering the advocacy process.

References

Amnesty International (nd). LGBTI Rights. org/en/what-we-do/discrimination/lgbt-rights/”>https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/discrimination/lgbt-rights/

Social Work License Map (2018). Macro, Mezzo, And Micro Social Work. Social Work License Map. [online] Available at https://socialworklicensemap.com/macro-mezzo-and-micro-social-work/ [Accessed 18 Jul. 2019]