The experience of social protection in Palestine: An exploratory study of beneficiary perspectives

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (6) ◽  
pp. 1000-1014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott D Easton ◽  
Najwa Sado Safadi ◽  
Thomas M Crea
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Program Improvement ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
National Authority ◽  
Palestinian Territories ◽  
Eligibility Requirements

Families in the Occupied Palestinian Territories face political and social problems that reinforce poverty and undermine well-being. Since the limited self-governance era, Palestinian National Authority implemented anti-poverty reforms, including national cash transfers; yet, little is known about how social assistance is perceived by beneficiaries. This exploratory study analyzed transcripts from interviews with Palestinian heads of households. Families were unclear about eligibility requirements and frustrated with funding changes. Cash transfers did not cover basic living requirements, forcing painful budget choices. Participants characterized social workers as generally effective but offered suggestions for program improvement. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.

Selected Observations and Lessons Learned for 21st-Century Supports for Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprises

2020 ◽  
pp. 358-368
Author(s):  
Katharine Briar-Lawson ◽  
Paul Miesing ◽  
Blanca M. Ramos
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Warning Signs ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social And Economic Development

Key propositions and recommendations for support of social enterprises and entrepreneurship are presented in this chapter on “Selected Observations and Lessons Learned for 21st-Century Supports for Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprises.” These are derived from snapshots of developments in the nations and regions discussed in prior chapters. In addition, warning signs about these innovations are offered. Some recommend more social protection and social supports for social entrepreneurs. Others suggest more, not less, government intervention in support of sustainable social and economic development. Key domains for further exploration include the premises on which social enterprises and social entrepreneurship are built. In addition, more contextual understanding is needed, as well as a balancing of social and economic development for human well-being. Moreover, selected findings for social enterprises and their role in social inclusion and economic development are offered. Lessons learned are highlighted along with recommendations for future research.

Development and Initial Validation of the Self-Care Practices Scale

Social Work ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-28
Author(s):  
Jacquelyn J Lee ◽  
Shari E Miller ◽  
Brian E Bride
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Construct Validity ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
The Self ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Care Practices

Abstract Self-care is regarded as essential for effective social work practice, offsetting occupational stress and promoting well-being and resiliency among practitioners. However, the literature reveals a notable absence of psychometrically sound instruments to measure self-care. The purpose of the present study was to describe the development, refinement, and construct validity of the Self-Care Practices Scale (SCPS). The piloted version of the SCPS is a 38-item instrument designed to measure frequency of engagement in personal and professional self-care practices. Data were collected through mailed surveys from a random sample of master’s-level clinical social workers and members of the National Association of Social Workers (N = 492). Analysis supports the construct validity of an 18-item SCPS with two subscales that demonstrate strong internal validity. The SCPS is useful for social work educators, practitioners, and administrators to ascertain frequency of self-care practice and build a stronger culture of self-care. The role of SCPS in future research is discussed.

Examining brand communities among children and adolescents: an exploratory study

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Ann Flurry ◽  
Krist R. Swimberghe ◽  
Janna M. Parker
Keyword(s):  
Community Involvement ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Community Membership ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Online Panel

Purpose – Online communities designed to appeal to children are on the rise. The success of this marketplace phenomenon indicates that adolescents are likely candidates for brand community membership; however, the literature has yet to examine this trend. This research aims to address this gap and establish the likely existence of brand community involvement among adolescents. It further seeks to explore the characteristics which may differentiate children who are more likely to become involved in brand communities and examine what impact their involvement may have on adolescents' psychological well-being. Design/methodology/approach – A national online panel was employed to collect survey data from respondents aged 7-18 and their parents. Findings – The results support the existence of a high brand community involvement segment among adolescents. Adolescents high in brand community involvement are found to display noteworthy differences in attitudes, values, and marketplace behaviors. Several interesting avenues of future research are proposed. Originality/value – To the authors' knowledge this is the first study attempting to measure differences between adolescents who measure high and low in brand community involvement. Of particular interest are the results indicating that adolescents involved in brand communities may have important distinguishing attitudes and values and exhibit noteworthy differences in their marketplace behavior.

Child Support Grants in South Africa: A Pathway to Women's Empowerment and Child Well-being?

2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 377-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
LEILA PATEL ◽  
TRUDIE KNIJN ◽  
FRITS VAN WEL
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Women’S Empowerment ◽  
Care Givers

AbstractDespite the growth of cash transfers to reduce poverty, promote child and family well-being and women's empowerment, the gender dynamics and impact of social protection remains poorly understood. We hypothesise that poor female care-givers receiving a cash transfer for their children are better able to contribute to the material and social well-being of their children than female care-givers who do not receive a cash transfer. This paper reports results of a household survey in one of the poorest wards in Johannesburg, South Africa. Structural equation modelling is used to analyse the data. We found that cash transfers increase women's individual income, which is in turn positively associated with increased financial independence, decision-making power over financial resources and decisions about children's well-being. Beneficiaries were more actively engaged in care activities with their children. There are two implications for the insertion of gender and care into social protection policies. First that it is not necessary to attach behavioural change conditions to social protection policies in order to stimulate female care-givers to be more engaged in developmental activities with their children. Second, there is no risk of promoting a maternalistic model of care or ‘maternalism’ in the South African context as the transfer contributes to both women's individual incomes and their financial decision-making power.

Factors Related to Organisational Commitment amongst Social Workers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Najwa S Safadi ◽  
Scott D Easton ◽  
Robert G Hasson, III
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Employee Attitudes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Service Orientation ◽  
Organisational Commitment ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Palestinian Territories

Abstract This study examined the contribution of social–demographic characteristics, employee attitudes and environmental factors in explaining levels of organisational commitment amongst public sector social workers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected in the summer of 2016 from employees at twelve local directorates of the Ministry of Social Development (N = 237) in the West Bank. Palestinian social workers reported extremely high levels of overall organisational commitment. Results of multiple regressions revealed predictors of this outcome, including job stress, job satisfaction and service orientation. As hypothesised, job satisfaction and service orientation were positively related to the dependent variable. Surprisingly, higher levels of job stress were related to higher levels of organisational commitment. Implications for organisational policies and future research are discussed.

Law, Value and Norm: The Constitution of a Culture-Bound Ethical Dilemma in Social Work in the Ultra-Orthodox Community

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Netanel Gemara ◽  
Yochay Nadan
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Cultural Sensitivity ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Gender And Sexuality ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Religion And Spirituality ◽  
Cultural Encounters ◽  
Course Of Action ◽  
And Gender

Abstract Multi-cultural encounters pose challenges and ethical dilemmas for social workers. A common form of dilemma in these settings stems from the clash between the ethical requirement of cultural sensitivity and contradictory ethical principles. This article presents qualitative findings from an exploratory study of social workers (n = 30) working with Jewish Ultra-Orthodox families and children who are at risk in Israel. Our exploration was guided by the following research question: What are the constructions, perceptions, beliefs and meanings associated with the dilemmas social workers face while working with the Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel around issues of child well-being, risk and protection? A thematic analysis of 30 in-depth interviews yielded three themes of dilemma: the collectivist nature of the Ultra-Orthodox community, religion and spirituality and gender and sexuality. Further analysis of the findings revealed a typology of three elements that constitute a culture-bound dilemma: laws, values and norms. This article, which also addresses limitations and recommendations for future research, suggests how the understanding of what components make up a specific dilemma can aid social workers in managing the dilemma and may require a different course of action.

Bereavement Support Groups: Timing of Participation and Reasons for Joining

2001 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cliff Picton ◽  
Brian K. Cooper ◽  
Diana Close ◽  
Jean Tobin
Keyword(s):  
Support Groups ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Bereavement Support ◽  
Target Individual

This exploratory study investigated the experiences of a small group of people who had participated in professionally led bereavement support groups, with particular emphasis on perceptions of the appropriate timing for initial involvement with a group and the reasons for joining. The results support the need for timely group-based bereavement support. The proposition that bereavement support in the early weeks of bereavement is too early was voiced by some participants but strongly negated by others who found early support of major value to their well-being. Taking account of the small sample size, qualitative data suggest that the reasons for joining are similar regardless of the length of time since the death, although there is evidence that the need for emotional support is felt most acutely by those without adequate family support and who join within the first three months after the death. Findings suggest that group interventions are helpful to target individual circumstances, needs, and reactions throughout the process of mourning and offer direction for future research.

scholarly journals Expert Assessments of Loneliness among Older Adults: Identifying Reasons and Providing Solutions

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-342
Author(s):  
Фабио Касати ◽  
Галина Анзельмовна Барышева ◽  
Ольга Павловна Недоспасова ◽  
Ольга Юрьевна Корнева ◽  
Евгений Викторович Щекотин ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Soviet Society ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Subjective Assessments ◽  
Expert Assessments

Loneliness among older adults has emerged as a specific social phenomenon relatively recently – in developed countries just a few decades ago. In Russia, due to its initially strong family-oriented culture, this problem presented itself even later, following the collapse of Soviet society. This article analyses probable social policy adjustments aimed at reducing the negative impact of loneliness on the older generation. We address the issue of loneliness assessment and prevention involving older adults themselves and social workers as experts. The methodology of 'expert seminars' involves comparing preliminary subjective assessments of the phenomenon under consideration with a final assessment of its contributing factors. Two groups of experts disagree on both the general assessment of loneliness and how to outline the loneliness-provoking factors and solutions suggested to combat it. Social workers have assumed that loneliness can be mitigated by developing an age-friendly environment, which improves the quality of life of the older generation. Older adults, however, clearly revealed in discussions during expert seminars and in their final recommendations that impersonal environment-oriented measures are not specific enough to tackle loneliness. In recent decades, political elites have made significant efforts to promote the importance, necessity and, to a large extent, the inevitability of delegating greater responsibility for the well-being of older adults to older adults themselves. However, participants of our Tomsk expert seminars were unwilling to take responsibility and continued to rely heavily on the social protection system rather than on personal resources or family support.

scholarly journals The effects of an exclusionary bursary policy on student social workers: an exploratory qualitative study on the effects of the 2013 policy to cap the allocation of bursaries in England

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-110
Author(s):  
Thomas Considine ◽  
Kim Heanue ◽  
Paul Hollingdale
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Financial Support ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Social ◽  
Student Cohorts ◽  
Work Education

The social work bursary for England was introduced in 2003 for all students on qualifying degrees. Following a review of social work education funding, the bursary was capped in 2013. This meant that higher education institutions have had to develop policies for the allocation of bursaries and that student cohorts included students with a bursary and others who did not receive this financial support, thus creating an exclusionary system. This article presents the findings from an exploratory qualitative study that investigated the experiences of students who completed their placement under these new arrangements. The findings indicate that students who did not receive a bursary experienced additional stressors that had an adverse impact on their well-being. These findings may have significance for future research in light of considerations to abolish the bursary for all social work students.

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