Today, there is much emphasis on concepts such as ‘partnership’, ‘consumer responsive services’, ‘openness’, ‘complaints procedures’ and ‘participation in decision making’.

However, staff often find it difficult to formulate workable strategies to apply the concept of empowerment. This book should will assist by offering a clear analysis of the concept of empowerment and a workable practice tool, in the form of the Empowerment Grid.

The book is based on research on the empowerment of clients undertaken between 1995 and 2000. This looked at how empowerment was taught academically, and at the application of the skills of empowerment in the practice placement.

The book will interest

• academics, trainers, and practitioners in social work, community work, nursing, health, community development
• voluntary sector workers
• project workers in such organisations as SureStart