This document provides an overview of Module 1 of the Issues in Human Services course. It introduces key concepts around structural and strengths-based approaches. The structural approach examines social systems at the macro, meso, and micro levels. The strengths-based approach focuses on identifying individual and family strengths rather than deficits. It assumes that with the right opportunities, all people have strengths to draw from. The next class will involve applying these concepts by creating a personal social structure diagram and discussing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

1. Issues in Human Services
(HMNS 10085)
Module 1:
Structural and Strengths-Based
Approach

2. Welcome!
•{eLearn}
•Learning outcomes
–To become sensitive to diverse groups within our
community
–To apply concepts of equity and inclusion
•Learning Activities and Assignments
•About me

3. House Keeping
•Attendance
•CAAP
–See Case Manager to create Winter 2013 CAAP
–Please submit Winter 2013 to professor ASAP
•Recording
–If you’ve been provided with this accommodation
please submit CAAP
–Please do not record any personal classroom
discussions or information, just lecture by professor.

4. Jennifer Curry Jahnke,
M.Ed., BA Comm
Disorders, CDA, ASL Interpreter
Family: Married, 2 daughters
Work: Mohawk ALS, Professor HSF
Originally from Sudbury now live
in Oakville.
CAGIS Coordinator, Volunteer
Friends
Yoga, Boxing
Halton Conservation membership
Appendix, medical

5. Individuals, Families, Society
Thinking about families:
Concept: Census Family (Statistics Canada)
Definition:
•Census family is defined as a married couple and the
children, if any, of either or both spouses; a couple
living common law and the children, if any, of either
or both partners; or, a lone parent of any marital
status with at least one child living in the same
dwelling and that child or those children. All
members of a particular census family live in the
same dwelling. A couple may be of opposite or same
sex. Children may be children by birth, marriage or

6. Structural Approach
A social structure is composed of 3 levels:
•Macro (macrosystem)
–Consists of a society’s ideology and culture
–Shared beliefs and ways of doing things (policy
decisions, government, politics, legal)
–Cultural systems and Social Values
–Social and Health systems
–Education and Recreation systems

7. Structural Approach
•Meso (mesosystem)
–Made up of the relationships between two or
more groups of which the individual is a member
–Quality of the connections is important
–Middle structure, composed of the individual’s
immediate community
–Consist of relationships between parents and
childcare, recreation centres, faith community,
school

8. Structural Approach
•Micro (microsystem)
–Consists of the small groups in which people
interact face-to-face
–Adults – family, workplace and organizations of
which they are members
–Children – family or primary caregiver
–Most directly affects the quality of life, nature and
quality are important

9. Structural Approach Activity
Micro
Meso
Macro

10. Strengths-Based Approach
A strengths-based approach refers to policies,
practice methods, and strategies that identify
and draw upon the strengths of children,
families, and communities.
Strengths-based practice involves a shift from a
deficit approach, which emphasizes problems
and pathology, to a positive partnership with the
family.
The approach acknowledges each child and
family’s unique set of strengths and challenges.

11. Strengths-Based Approach
“If we ask people to look for deficits, they will
usually find them, and their view of the situation
will be colored by this. If we ask people to look
for successes, they will usually find them, and
their view of the situation will be colored by
this.”
(Kral, 1989, p. 32)

12. Strengths-Based Approach
Strength-based approaches are founded on four important
assumptions:
1. Every child, regardless of his or her personal and family
situation, has strengths that are unique to the individual.
2. Children are influenced and motivated by the way
significant people in their lives respond to them.
3. Rather than viewing a child who does not demonstrate a
strength as deficient, we assume the child has not had the
opportunities that are essential to learning, developing, and
mastering the skill.
4. When development planning is based on strengths rather
than deficits, children and adults are more likely to become

13. Strengths-Based Approach
Strength-based approach IS:
• valuing everyone equally and focusing on what the child can do rather than what the child cannot do
• describing learning and development respectfully and honestly
• building on a child’s abilities within their zones of proximal and potential development
• acknowledging that people experience difficulties and challenges that need attention and support
• identifying what is taking place when learning and development are going well, so that it may be reproduced,
further developed and pedagogy strengthened
Strength-based approach is NOT:
• only about ‘positive’ things
• a way of avoiding the truth
• about accommodating bad behaviour
• fixated on problems
• about minimizing concerns
• one-sided
• a tool to label individuals

14. Integrating Structural Approach
with Strengths-Based Approach
Macro
Remove Barriers
Meso
Remove Barriers
Micro
Remove Barriers
Individual
-Strengths

15. Removing Barriers
•http://strengths.ning.com/video?sort=mostPop
ular
•Barriers:
–Issues pertaining to Childhood
–Issues pertaining to Youth
–Poverty
–Issues pertaining to Women
–Issues pertaining to Individuals identifying as
LGBTQ
–Issues pertaining to Older Adults
–Issues pertaining to Individuals with disabilities

16. Next Class:
•Complete your Personal Social Structure
diagram adding in Barriers. Bring to next class
and be prepared to present to a small group for
grading.
•Research the following:
–United Nations Convention on the Rights of the
Child, 1989
•Come to class prepared to discuss the 4 basic
human right principals