Filling the gaps: Unpaid (and precarious) work in the nonprofit social services

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 625-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Baines ◽  
Ian Cunningham ◽  
John Shields

Unpaid work has long been used in nonprofit/voluntary social services to extend paid work. Drawing on three case studies of nonprofit social services in Canada, this article argues that due to austerity policies, the conditions for ‘pure’ gift relationships in unpaid social service work are increasingly rare. Instead, employers have found various ways to ‘fill the gaps’ in funding through the extraction of unpaid work in various forms. Precarious workers are highly vulnerable to expectations that they will ‘volunteer’ at their places of employment, while expectations that students will undertake unpaid internships is increasing the norm for degree completion and procurement of employment, and full-time workers often use unpaid work as a form of resistance. This article contributes to theory by advancing a spectrum of unpaid nonprofit social service work as compelled and coerced to varying degrees in the context of austerity policies and funding cutbacks.

1992 ◽  
Vol 71 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1151-1154 ◽  
Author(s):  
James L. Carroll ◽  
Jerry L. Shmidt ◽  
Rena Sorensen

Employment opportunities exist for the psychology major who is flexible and diligent. The authors present at least 27 specific job titles and 22 different areas of potential employment. Job possibilities range from social service work to retail sales management. Suggestions are given to enhance employability.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (11) ◽  
pp. 2420-2442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Kobayashi ◽  
Yoko Sugihara ◽  
Taro Fukaya ◽  
Jersey Liang

AbstractAs the population ages, older adults are increasingly expected to play multiple productive roles. This study examined how hours of paid or unpaid work were associated with volunteering among older Japanese. Data came from the 2012 National Survey of the Japanese Elderly, a nationwide survey of Japanese aged 60 and older (N = 1,324). We performed multinominal logistic regression analyses to predict volunteering (regular or occasional versus non-volunteer) based on hours of paid work and unpaid work for family consisting of sick/disabled care, grandchild care and household chores. Those who worked moderate hours were most likely to be a regular volunteer while working 150 hours or more per month had a lower probability of volunteering, regardless of whether the work was paid or unpaid. Thus, full-time level work competed with volunteering for both paid and unpaid work for family, but it was more so for paid work. By types of activities, doing household chores and substantial grandchild care were positively associated with volunteering, and the latter complementary relationship was explained by a larger community network among grandparents. Our findings indicate that delaying retirement from full-time paid work may reduce the supply of regular volunteers in the community. Thus, policies to increase part-time work for older adults as well as the types of volunteer work in which paid workers can participate are necessary.


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Underwood ◽  
Alison Smith ◽  
Julia Martin

This article explores how mapping is currently being used in social services research as well as practice, and discusses the potential for mapping to be a useful tool for resource consultants in the field. This article will review different mapping techniques, including community mapping, eco-mapping, journey mapping and institutional mapping, and discuss their purpose within research and professional practice. Using examples from the Inclusive Early Childhood Service System project, we describe the application of mapping in social service work, and how resource consultants can use these techniques in their own practice.


2012 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. Carr ◽  
B. L. Kail
Keyword(s):  

1939 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 993-995 ◽  
Author(s):  
August F. Jensen ◽  
Harry S. Gradle

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (02) ◽  
pp. 48-59
Author(s):  
Fidayah Yuli Ernawati ◽  
Siti Rochmah

The purpose of this study was to find out the Motivation and Work Discipline partially or simultaneously on Employee Performance (studies on Civil Servants at the Kendal District Social Service). The method used in this research is Multiple Regression Analysis. This research was conducted on Civil Servants in the Kendal Social Service Office of Kendal. The results showed that Motivation had a significant positive effect on Employee Performance (studies on Civil Servants in the Kendal District Social Service), Work Discipline had a significant positive effect on Employee Performance (Study on Civil Servants in the Kendal District Social Service).


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 182-191
Author(s):  
Aleksandra S. Shcheglova ◽  
Tatyana E. Demidova ◽  
Anna. G. Akhtyan ◽  
Nataliya A. Bereza ◽  
Alfiya A. Salkhenova

Purpose of the study: To study the ways to increase the communicative competence of social sphere specialists, aimed at the formation of professional and personal qualities, communicative skills, and development of professional interest and success. Methodology: Some theoretical and empirical research methods are used: analysis of publications in social work, normative documentation on the research issue; diagnostic methods: questioning, testing, interviews; experimental methods: ascertaining, forming, and control stages of the experiment; stating, forming and control stages of the experiment; methods of statistical processing of research results. Main Findings: The main results of the study showed that the modern practice of successful organization of social service activities requires a thoughtful approach. The head, together with the full-time psychologist, should monitor the communicative competence of the specialists working at this service and timely organize the work to overcome the manifestations of professional burnout of specialists and prevent their professional deformation. The significance of the influence of active teaching methods on interpersonal communication has allowed us to develop and test several practically effective teaching methods that increase the effectiveness of interaction with others in professional communication. Applications of this study: This study reveals the possibilities of improving the communicative competence of the specialists working at social service departments in modern conditions of systematic emotional overload when performing their professional duties. This theme is quite relevant for the activities of any service within “person to person” interaction, especially a social one, having its specifics and directed at helping a person facing a social problem. Novelty/Originality of this study: The novelty of this study is in justifying the need for organizing activities to improve the communicative competence of social service specialists using modern socio-psychological developments. In the modern practice of holding social work, this component is often overlooked, which subsequently leads to frequent conflicts among social service employees and recipients of social services, a gradual loss of interest in the work performed, and, as a result, its indifferent fulfilment.


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