Empathy and Communication in Micro Advocacy

Human service work is complex and unique and involves direct work with people. Specialists in this field should be able to interact with them to give them the most qualified help in solving their issues. Therefore, the key elements in the work of a human service professional at the micro advocacy level are empathy and communication, which play a positive role in the creation of more effective and productive work.

At the micro advocacy level, specialists should have a high level of empathy. This quality “is a core characteristic of helping and caring interactions and thus is fundamental to service” (Bove, 2019, p. 31). Empathy allows understanding the feelings and experiences of others, which will help make a correct decision. An example where this skill can be implemented is assistance in solving problems with the healthcare system, for example, when black people have difficulty receiving medical services due to racism (Hamed et al., 2022). Therefore, human service workers should understand the emotions of people.

Another key element for human service workers is the skill of successful communication. This ability helps to learn more about customer issues and share creative ideas (Wilshiere, 2021). Communication can help resolve such situations at the micro advocacy level as navigating complex government systems. Many foreign people have difficulties understanding the legislation of United States and need assistance with resolving the problems in an accessible way.

In conclusion, human services represent one of the complex professions since these specialists are involved in solving problems at the micro advocacy level. These individuals are involved in working with society, which requires such skills as empathy and communication. They can contribute to a more detailed analysis of the issues that have arisen in people, determining their feelings and emotions and explaining the main aspects of understanding.

References

Bove, L. L. (2019). Empathy for service: benefits, unintended consequences, and future research agenda. Journal of Services Marketing, 33(1), 31-43. Web.

Hamed, S., Bradby, H., Ahlberg, B. M., & Thapar-Björkert, S. (2022). Racism in healthcare: a scoping review. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 998. Web.

Wilshiere, J. (2021). Effective communication skills for social workers. One education. Web.