Summary

The 21st century development approaches continue to maintain an economic and political hegemonic trends. The implication being investments models that are primarily premised on maximization of profit and accumulating wealth for a few and disenfranchising the majority. Consequently, this phenomenon has resulted to high income disparity and inequality among the rich and the poor in the world, south Africa notwithstanding. South Africa as a community continues to battle with pernicious legacy of apartheid, which manifest through gender inequality, poverty, a culture of violence, and unemployment of women and youth. It is prudent therefore to question the dominant exorbitant profit-making and wealth accumulation investment models and philosophies, and suggest alternatives for creating and distributing wealth inclusively. This paper is premised on a positive de-constructive narrative to rethink about the global convention socioeconomic development approaches, which have arguably contributed to increasing inequality, cultural erosion, loss of human dignity and a threatened social sustainability especially in Africa. Therefore, rethinking on the way governments and entrepreneurs invest in their communities is a subject of concern in the current dispensation in South Africa. \ Social work has a primary mandate to ensure socioeconomic inclusion and empowerment of individuals, families and communities.Through an empirical evidence, this papers focuses on how investing in people can facilitate socioeconomic emancipation and inclusion. Using data from selected social enterprises in South Africa, the authors shall advance the social entrepreneurship paradigm by conceptualizing and contextualizing social value creation and its concomitant social impact in communities. \ The paper challenges social services practitioners to undergo a paradigm shift in designing and implementing inclusive and social value orientated models and approaches of development.\ 

Keywords (separate with commas)

Social enterprise; Social entrepreneurship; South Africa; Social Value; People-centrism

Summary

In a world marked by increasing globalization and cultural diversity, social work faces evolving challenges that necessitate innovative approaches. Integrated social work practice emerges as a critical practice method for global solutions by bridging levels of practice and intentionally intervening at more than one level when appropriate. Integrated social work practice provides a holistic approach that transcends the traditional and clinically oriented boundaries that have evolved within the field by fully embracing the person-in-environment perspective. Not only does it integrate practice levels, but it promotes multidisciplinary interventions to address complex societal issues such as poverty, discrimination, and unequal access to resources. Social workers engaged in integrated practice work collaboratively with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to identify root causes of social issues and to develop sustainable solutions while addressing the immediate needs of the focal client system. This presentation will offer a primer to integrated social work practice and how it can offer sustainable solutions to the pressing challenges of our time and by advancing human welfare on a global scale.\ 

Keywords (separate with commas)

integrated practice, sustainable solutions, global solutions\