Do you know the difference between Micro, Mezzo and Macro social work?

Social work does more than help individual people.It works across three scales to create change.

What does a social worker do?If you believe the mainstream media, which generally portrays social workers engaging in one-on-one sessions with individuals or perhaps with families, you might see the position as one that functions on a relatively small scale.

This is only one type of work that social workers do.The scales of the practice are micro, mezzo and macro.An understanding of the opportunities available at each level is important for those considering a career in social work.

People think about the micro level when they think of the day-to-day activities of social workers.Direct interaction with clients is the most common type of social work.

Helping people find housing, health care and social services are examples of micro-level work.Mental health and substance abuse treatment are some of the things that fall under this category.Micro-level social work can be offered by agencies and nonprofits, as well as in schools, police departments or even the military.

Since micro-level social work involves sensitive interactions with individuals, undergraduate degrees in fields like psychology or sociology can be helpful for students hoping to work in this field.

Micro social work is done on an individual level, while mezzo-level work looks at groups.The family unit is the smallest group, but it is not the only group.Micro and mezzo social work are used to solve problems in businesses, schools, organizations and communities.

Since social work addresses group issues, it is a valuable tool for creating small-scale institutional, social and cultural change.A solid foundation for this kind of work can be built with an undergraduate degree in psychology.

Interventions and advocacy on a large scale affect entire communities, states or even countries.It helps clients by intervening in large systems.

For people unfamiliar with the field, macro-level work may not even be considered social work.Local, state or federal governments may be involved in crafting laws for macro social workers.State- or nation-wide activist campaigns may be organized by them.

Since macro social work often involves governmental assistance or interventions, an undergraduate background in a macro-level discipline like political science will prepare students well for this career path.

Do you know the difference between Micro, Mezzo and Macro social work?

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