150 Influencing Community and Neighborhood Life 3. Social Work Function, Modality, Methods, and Skills The lack of essential and desired community and neighborhood resources and marginalization provide the social worker with the goal of improving the quality of community/neighborhood life for residents and other members. This purpose is fulfilled by using the community modality and four professional methods: 1. Helping community and neighborhood members undertake action to improve the fit between available and desired formal and informal resources 2. Developing community programs to meet members’ needs 3. Building informal support systems of relatedness among members 4. Improving the coordination of services for members In each area of community work, the social worker may provide formal and informal consultations to community-based service providers, other professionals, and community members. Competency 3 Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice • Apply their understanding of social, economic, and environmental justice to advocate for human rights at the individual and system levels. • Engage in practices that advance social, economic, and environmental justice. Competency 5 Engage in Policy Practice • Identify social policy at the local, state, and federal level that impacts well- being, service delivery, and access to social services. • Assess how social welfare and economic policies impact the delivery of and access to social services. • Apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice. Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities • Collect and organize data and apply critical thinking to interpret information from clients and constituencies.