Papers by Justin Francis Leon V . Nicolas
Human Rights Case Book Volume 2. Open Society Foundations/SWAN Philippines, 2021
Pure religion …is this. To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction-James 1:17
Despit... more Pure religion …is this. To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction-James 1:17
Despite the Bayanihan Act, things were not so much in order. There were no separate guidelines for people and families living on the streets or street dwellers. Several human rights advocates like Father Flaviano Villanueva consider homeless individuals and families as the most vulnerable sector affected by the lockdown. Since they do not have a permanent address and were not listed in the DSWD Listahanan, they were not covered by the local government ‘ayuda’ or distribution of food packets, nor were they qualified for the Social Amelioration Program of the DSWD. To survive, the homeless either banded together as they continue to roam the streets or sought refuge in religious and non-government hospices that help the homeless such as the Arnold Janssen Bahay Kalinga Foundation Inc.
Pushing the Boundaries in Social Work: Establishing the Place of Creativity in Disciplinary Knowledge Creation
Though most social work scholars would agree that creativity is central to social work, creativit... more Though most social work scholars would agree that creativity is central to social work, creativity has yet to find its rightful place in social work theory and practice. Creativity is not explicitly expressed in social work education and practice. Similarly, there is no theory of creativity in social work practice. Furthermore, the creativity of the disciplines early pioneers is little discussed in the literature on the history of social work. This paper offers a re-reading of early social work history and examines it through the lens of creativity and the processes involved in the creation of disciplinary knowledge. Aided by two process-focused frameworks, the history of social work is reanalysed. Social work is considered first in light of the systems view of creativity developed by Csikzentmihalyi and then the propulsion model of creativity developed by Sternberg. The influence of creativity on the development of knowledge in social work is discussed and compared to the practice-...
phenomenological approach, the research focuses on the journeys of social workers in creativity. ... more phenomenological approach, the research focuses on the journeys of social workers in creativity. The research describes how practitioners consider social work as a creative profession and how their work introduces innovation in the organization and in service delivery through formulation of new policy, programs and strategies. The study suggests that leadership needs to apply governance approaches that harness creativity in individuals and in organizations. The study also suggests a typology of meanings of creativity that may be the basis for further studies in this area.
The Meaning of Creativity among Filipino Social Workers and its Implications to Governance http://journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/pjsd/article/view/4068
The meanings that Filipino social workers attach to creativity have implications on social admini... more The meanings that Filipino social workers attach to creativity have implications on social administration and governance. The personal and work-related meanings that the participants give to creativity, the areas of practice that they view as creative and the conditions in the workplace that favour or hinder creativity also point to areas of "creative leadership". Using a phenomenological approach, the research focuses on the journeys of social workers in creativity. The research describes how practitioners consider social work as a creative profession and how their work introduces innovation in the organization and in service delivery through formulation of new policy, programs and strategies. The study suggests that leadership needs to apply governance approaches that harness creativity in individuals and in organizations. The study also suggests a typology of meanings of creativity that may be the basis for further studies in this area.
International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 2021
This article is based on the author’s PhD thesis at the University of
Newcastle Australia. The st... more This article is based on the author’s PhD thesis at the University of
Newcastle Australia. The study is a product of original research. The
original contribution of the study includes the first historical
literature review on creativity in social work practice. The study also
contributes by theorizing on the dimensions and process of creativity
in social work practice. In this article, the author focused on results
and portions of the theorizing relevant to mental health and self-care.
It contributes to knowledge of self-care as preparation for creative
practice, and overall, understanding the role of creativity in social
work practice. Purpose: This paper discusses part of the findings of
the author’s graduate thesis research at the University of Newcastle,
NSW ‘Articulating creativity in social work practice’. It aims to
describe how self-care and health, as part of the preparation for
creative practice, assists in the promotion of mental health both for
the practitioner and the service user. The paper aims to give an
overview of the factors that promote and inhibit creativity in social
work but focuses on the personal and professional factors where selfcare and health are discussed. Subsequently, it introduces the form
of creativity that social workers identified in the study and focuses
on the integrative-reflexive level and presents a beginning theory
how self-care and health are related to creative practice. Methods
and Procedures: The author interviewed 18 social workers from 8
countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Israel, New
Zealand, UK and US) using Skype as medium and asked of their
understanding of creativity, ideas of creative practice, how social
workers are creative in their work, meanings of creativity, conditions
for creativity, valuing creativity, and factors holding creativity in the
margins. The author introduced creative critical phenomenology
which combined phenomenology and critical realism to highlight the
lived experiences of the participants on creativity and self-care and
explain the connection of self-care and mental health to creativity in
social work practice by re-examining literature on creativity and self-care. New Results: All participants revealed a paradox behind
the facilitating and hindering factors of creativity in social work
practice. Participants identified wellbeing and mental health as one
of the major factors that could influence the practitioner’s creativity.
Several participants experienced being most creative during periods
of optimum health. Conclusions: Self-care as preparation for
creative practice is achieved through the combination of the use of
personhood, engaging in creative activities, healthy living, and
developing creative habits. Self-care and being healthy help prepare
the social worker for creative practice and at the same time creative
practice leads the social worker to self-care and creative living. This
paper provides recommendations for practitioners in developing
creative habits and mental health in preparing for creative practice
and discusses implications for human and social development. In
turn, it shows how 10 habits of creative social workers promote
mental health and self-care.
Pushing the boundaries in social work: Establishing the place of creativity in disciplinary knowledge creation.
Humanity Journal, 2016
Though most social work scholars would agree that creativity is central to social work, creativit... more Though most social work scholars would agree that creativity is central to social work, creativity has yet to find its rightful place in social work theory and practice. Creativity is not explicitly expressed in social work education and practice. Similarly, there is no theory of creativity in social work practice. Furthermore, the creativity of the disciplines early pioneers is little discussed in the literature on the history of social work. This paper offers a re-reading of early social work history and examines it through the lens of creativity and the processes involved in the creation of disciplinary knowledge. Aided by two process-focused frameworks of the history of social work is reanalysed. Social work is considered first in light of the systems view of creativity developed by Csikzentmihalyi and then the propulsion model of creativity developed by Sternberg. The influence of creativity on the development of knowledge in social work is discussed and compared to the practice-based model of knowledge development advanced by Flaskas. The paper argues that creativity operates in a manner consistent with this process of knowledge creation suggesting a ‘pushing of’ and ‘pushing across’ boundaries in social work.
The creative journeys of Filipino social workers in program and policy development
Philippine Journal of Social Development, 2016
In an effort to understand the phenomenon of creativity in the
Philippine context, this study see... more In an effort to understand the phenomenon of creativity in the
Philippine context, this study seeks to highlight how social work
practitioners themselves interpret creativity in their everyday
lives. With the social work agency as context, the phenomenological
inquiry focuses on the meanings which they attach to, or which they
have of, creativity. Ten social workers specializing in program and
policy development provide metaphorical themes and definitions
of how they see themselves, their contributions, and the work that
they do as creative. The creative journeys of social workers open
the possibility for a Filipino notion of creativity and suggest the
need for systematic theorizing in this area.
Social Work in East Asia edited by ChristianAspalter. 2014: Surrey, Ashgate. ISBN 978 1 47241 310 9
International Journal of Social Welfare, 2015
Creativity: A Social Worker’s Professional Strength Creativity is a re-emerging discourse found i... more Creativity: A Social Worker’s Professional Strength Creativity is a re-emerging discourse found in many recent studies but not in the field of social work. This study is a first step to establish ground on how creativity is viewed by the social work professionals. Using a phenomenological approach, by suffering the social workers to share their “journeys in creativity” through reflective exercises and personal interviews, individual experiences of the social workers reveal meanings they give to creativity. The findings of the study show that the Filipino social worker considers one’s self, the contributions that they make and produce, and the process by which these contributions are made to be creative. Characteristics of being creative are given to the person, the product, and the process. The way the environment influences and judges the creativity of the social worker is also included in the meanings revealed. Putting together these meanings prove creativity to be a lived experie...
The meanings that Filipino social workers attach to creativity have implications on social admini... more The meanings that Filipino social workers attach to creativity have implications on social administration and governance. The personal and work-related meanings that the participants give to creativity, the areas of practice that they view as creative and the conditions in the workplace that favour or hinder creativity also point to areas of “creative leadership”. Using a phenomenological approach, the research focuses on the journeys of social workers in creativity. The research describes how practitioners consider social work as a creative profession and how their work introduces innovation in the organization and in service delivery through formulation of new policy, programs and strategies. The study suggests that leadership needs to apply governance approaches that harness creativity in individuals and in organizations. The study also suggests a typology of meanings of creativity that may be the basis for further studies in this area.
http://journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/pjsd/article/view/4068
Books by Justin Francis Leon V . Nicolas
Remaking Social Work for the new Global Era, 2022
This chapter discusses the experience of three graduate students of social work enrolled in field... more This chapter discusses the experience of three graduate students of social work enrolled in field instruction during the first semester that was restructured to be managed remotely, due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 community quarantine in the Philippines. Specifically, the researcher examined the integrative reports and reflexive notes of the students and faculty supervisors, and audio/video recordings of the department's field sharing of experiences. Comparison of the data from the proposed models of practice submitted by the graduate students revealed different knowledge sources used by the students in evaluating the gaps in practice in their respective agencies. The proposed models of the graduate reflected the combination of knowledge shared by the different stakeholders, (organizations, clients, faculty supervisors, agency supervisors), the application of theories and perspectives in social work and other disciplines, and the insights and strategies gleaned from innovative practice. This knowledge creation is vital toward the remaking of social work for the future.
A unique sustainable livelihoods strategy : How resilient homeless families survive on the streets of Metro Manila, Philippines
Faces of Homelessness in the Asia Pacific, 2019
This chapter examines homelessness in Metro Manila, Philippines and the most recent state policy ... more This chapter examines homelessness in Metro Manila, Philippines and the most recent state policy response, the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer for Homeless Street Families (MCCT-HSF). It discusses the mechanics of the MCCT-HSF and its convergence with other poverty reduction programs. Two cases of family beneficiaries are presented as an example of the unique 'sustainable livelihood' strategy of two resilient families, who have adapted to, and learnt to survive on the streets of Metro Manila. The chapter questions the effectiveness of the MCCT-HSF given the absence of a dedicated policy on homelessness in the Philippines. In the Philippines, homelessness has been defined in housing and welfare policy, i.e., in terms of the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) (Republic of The Philippines, Act 7279, 1992) and the expanded MCCT-HSF program, respectively. The convergence framework refers to the implementation of social protection policy in tandem with social welfare services and benefits and work-related policies.
Thesis Chapters by Justin Francis Leon V . Nicolas
Articulating creativity in social work practice
University of Newcastle Australia, 2019
Some social work scholars have concluded that creativity is central to social work practice but, ... more Some social work scholars have concluded that creativity is central to social work practice but, despite this assertion, creativity has not found its rightful place in social work theory and practice. While acknowledging the importance of creativity, the social work profession has not given support, commitment, and value to the study of creativity, thus the lack of consistent theorising in this area. Creativity is considered present in practice in ways not explicitly expressed. This is because creativity is difficult to articulate. Thus, there is no theory of creativity in social work practice. This makes it doubly difficult to articulate what creativity in social work practice involves. This study aimed to establish whether, how, and why creativity was central to social work practice and asked whether it was implicit in the profession’s values and principles. Using a creative critical phenomenological research design, the study explored the social work participants’ lived experience of creative social work practice (the phenomenological aspect) and the conditions that made creativity possible in social work practice (the critical realist aspect that presumed the existence of creativity even if it were curtailed by the organisational or practice environment).
The study found that creativity inhered in the individual and in the helping relationship. It was a generative activity that was influenced by context, involved improvisation, and enhanced practitioner reflexivity and, therefore, had value. Creative practice was competent, ethical, inclusive, transformative, and motivated by compassion. The framework developed from the study’s findings placed creativity in social work at the intersection of three dimensions:
1. Structures of practice (the individual social worker, context, client, practice, helping relationship, and community).
2. Phases of creativity (preparation, incubation, engagement, co-creation, and elaboration).
3. The interconnections arising from the meaning that social workers gave to creativity (synthesised knowledge, synergistic connections, social action, and spiritual experience).
The intersection of structure and process formed a typology of creative approaches in practice.
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Papers by Justin Francis Leon V . Nicolas
Despite the Bayanihan Act, things were not so much in order. There were no separate guidelines for people and families living on the streets or street dwellers. Several human rights advocates like Father Flaviano Villanueva consider homeless individuals and families as the most vulnerable sector affected by the lockdown. Since they do not have a permanent address and were not listed in the DSWD Listahanan, they were not covered by the local government ‘ayuda’ or distribution of food packets, nor were they qualified for the Social Amelioration Program of the DSWD. To survive, the homeless either banded together as they continue to roam the streets or sought refuge in religious and non-government hospices that help the homeless such as the Arnold Janssen Bahay Kalinga Foundation Inc.
Newcastle Australia. The study is a product of original research. The
original contribution of the study includes the first historical
literature review on creativity in social work practice. The study also
contributes by theorizing on the dimensions and process of creativity
in social work practice. In this article, the author focused on results
and portions of the theorizing relevant to mental health and self-care.
It contributes to knowledge of self-care as preparation for creative
practice, and overall, understanding the role of creativity in social
work practice. Purpose: This paper discusses part of the findings of
the author’s graduate thesis research at the University of Newcastle,
NSW ‘Articulating creativity in social work practice’. It aims to
describe how self-care and health, as part of the preparation for
creative practice, assists in the promotion of mental health both for
the practitioner and the service user. The paper aims to give an
overview of the factors that promote and inhibit creativity in social
work but focuses on the personal and professional factors where selfcare and health are discussed. Subsequently, it introduces the form
of creativity that social workers identified in the study and focuses
on the integrative-reflexive level and presents a beginning theory
how self-care and health are related to creative practice. Methods
and Procedures: The author interviewed 18 social workers from 8
countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Israel, New
Zealand, UK and US) using Skype as medium and asked of their
understanding of creativity, ideas of creative practice, how social
workers are creative in their work, meanings of creativity, conditions
for creativity, valuing creativity, and factors holding creativity in the
margins. The author introduced creative critical phenomenology
which combined phenomenology and critical realism to highlight the
lived experiences of the participants on creativity and self-care and
explain the connection of self-care and mental health to creativity in
social work practice by re-examining literature on creativity and self-care. New Results: All participants revealed a paradox behind
the facilitating and hindering factors of creativity in social work
practice. Participants identified wellbeing and mental health as one
of the major factors that could influence the practitioner’s creativity.
Several participants experienced being most creative during periods
of optimum health. Conclusions: Self-care as preparation for
creative practice is achieved through the combination of the use of
personhood, engaging in creative activities, healthy living, and
developing creative habits. Self-care and being healthy help prepare
the social worker for creative practice and at the same time creative
practice leads the social worker to self-care and creative living. This
paper provides recommendations for practitioners in developing
creative habits and mental health in preparing for creative practice
and discusses implications for human and social development. In
turn, it shows how 10 habits of creative social workers promote
mental health and self-care.
Philippine context, this study seeks to highlight how social work
practitioners themselves interpret creativity in their everyday
lives. With the social work agency as context, the phenomenological
inquiry focuses on the meanings which they attach to, or which they
have of, creativity. Ten social workers specializing in program and
policy development provide metaphorical themes and definitions
of how they see themselves, their contributions, and the work that
they do as creative. The creative journeys of social workers open
the possibility for a Filipino notion of creativity and suggest the
need for systematic theorizing in this area.
http://journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/pjsd/article/view/4068
Books by Justin Francis Leon V . Nicolas
Thesis Chapters by Justin Francis Leon V . Nicolas
The study found that creativity inhered in the individual and in the helping relationship. It was a generative activity that was influenced by context, involved improvisation, and enhanced practitioner reflexivity and, therefore, had value. Creative practice was competent, ethical, inclusive, transformative, and motivated by compassion. The framework developed from the study’s findings placed creativity in social work at the intersection of three dimensions:
1. Structures of practice (the individual social worker, context, client, practice, helping relationship, and community).
2. Phases of creativity (preparation, incubation, engagement, co-creation, and elaboration).
3. The interconnections arising from the meaning that social workers gave to creativity (synthesised knowledge, synergistic connections, social action, and spiritual experience).
The intersection of structure and process formed a typology of creative approaches in practice.