HSP and Empowerment Theory

This blog was written by HSP employee Rebecca Andrews

Empowerment Theory informs all of our programming at HSP, but what is it exactly and how do we use it?

Empowerment Theory is often used in social work and its goal is to empower people and communities to gain personal, interpersonal, and political power to better their lives and aims to challenge the existing institutions and systems that act in opposition to these groups.

Holly Martinez writes that there are three main pillars of Empowerment Theory: Self-Efficacy, Critical Consciousness, and Tool Development (2022).

Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. Holly Martinez writes that to “change their outer world, individuals must begin with the belief that this is even possible. This requires challenging indirect power blocks and limiting beliefs around the positive changes that can occur” (2022).

HSP believes that self-efficacy is an essential part of the empowerment process and has worked with our sister nonprofit, Associación de Mujeres del Altiplano (AMA) to establish local Women’s Circles that focus on developing self-efficacy. These Circles provide our partners with a network of support and a community to share their dreams, and fears, and to work out solutions. Self-efficacy is developed in these circles as AMA provides technical support and education on topics that range from civic participation, entrepreneurship, self-esteem, nutrition, Maya cultural identity, and community resilience. By utilizing these resources, our partners start to develop a strong sense of self-efficacy which we build upon in the next pillar of Empowerment Theory: Critical Consciousness.

Critical Consciousness

When Martinez writes of critical consciousness she identifies it as the ability to “understand the social, economic and political realities that got them where they are and continue to keep them there” (2022). This consciousness allows communities to identify these problems not as random or their fault but rather as a byproduct of corrupt systems. Because these challenges are identified as outside forces instead of a result of a communities actions, it allows for communities to start organizing as they can identify the source of the problems they face.

When individuals understand the social, economic, and political realities that got them where they are and continue to keep them there, they then can see clearly that their challenges are not random or entirely their fault, but work to problem-solve and dismantle these systems. This awareness also inspires groups to share and problem-solve together regarding the limitations they collectively face.

Through AMA, women have access to educational training on topics that range from civic participation, entrepreneurship, self-esteem, nutrition, Maya cultural identity and community resilience. Actively participating in these education programs increases the women’s critical consciousness which contributes to them organizing to combat the system rather than dwelling in a feeling of hopelessness.

Tool Development

After establishing a sense of self-efficacy and developing critical consciousness empowerment theory turns to tool development. Tool development is the action that results from the knowledge of both self and community that is fostered during the first two pillars of empowerment theory. This action can take many forms but all are focused on taking the awareness developed in the first two stages and aim to achieve healing. Martinez idintifies these interventions as “ therapy, case management, self-advocacy, political advocacy, program development and other means of working to establish access to resources” (2022).

Through our Women’s Circles we transfer a majority of authority directly into the hands of circle members, allowing them to choose projects specifically for their community’s needs, driving their development. Projects vary depending on the needs and wants of the community, in the past these projects have included: building classrooms, greenhouses, school kitchens, community centers, and constructing drainage and sanitation systems.

HSP firmly believes in the power of empowerment theory which first starts in building the belief in oneself, identifying the true root of the problem, and then structuring actions around healing. We continue to see the benefits of empowerment theory as more and more women join our Circles and become community leaders, businesswomen, and more!