scholarly journals Social exclusion, neoliberalism and resistance: The role of social workers in implementing social policies in Chile

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianinna Muñoz Arce ◽  
Christina Pantazis
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
Policy Debates ◽  
Democratic Regimes

The views of social workers in Chile are rarely heard and considered in the policy debates. This article addresses this lacuna by examining discourses of social exclusion and underlying assumptions held by social workers with responsibility for implementing social policy interventions in Chile. It draws upon the findings of a study involving interviews with senior social workers from two large non-governmental organisations (NGOs) tackling social exclusion. We found that individual-based narratives and neoliberal rationality are dominant in the implementation of Chilean social policy. At the same time, anti-hegemonic strategies pursued by some social workers were also identified. Such an approach is highly relevant in the Chilean context, in which power imbalances remain almost untouched since the return of democratic regimes in the 1990s. The study findings pose diverse challenges to Chilean social policy and social work professional training. The necessity of promoting transformative imaginations that favour collective practices of resistance is identified to counteract, through a critical discourse, the neoliberal rationale, its rhetoric and practices affecting excluded people’s lives.

scholarly journals Empathy: Challenges Experienced by Social Workers in the Healthcare Sector on the Island of Crete, Greece

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-52
Author(s):  
Trigoni Maria ◽  
◽  
Mikits Militsa ◽  
Mpanagi Evaggelia ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Public Health Services ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Social ◽  
Prior Experiences

Introduction Empathy in social work is one of the most important factors that can bring change in the patient, by developing a productive relationship. The purpose of this study is to explore empathy in the practice of social work, as it is used by professional social workers. Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 social workers in public health services in Crete. Responses were recorded, and content analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings There were differences in the way that social workers perceive the concept of empathy, depending on their prior experiences. It was also found that they are more “sensitive” when patients have a common problem with them. Among the difficulties that prevented them from being empathetic was having “a difficult personal period” that affected their work. This study has also identified the importance of professional training for the development of empathy skills, and the key-role of work experience. Moreover, it highlighted the importance of co-operation between the researchers and the social workers for generating efficacious and valuable information. Conclusion This study emphasizes the importance of empathy as a necessary skill in the relationship between social workers and patients, and the need for in-depth scientific research and analyze on this issue in Greece.

scholarly journals Socio-political work during the election race

2021 ◽  
pp. 77-85
Author(s):  
Svitlana Bondar ◽  
Rostyslav Tsimokha
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Political Party ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
The Political ◽  
The Social

The article offers an analysis of political parties: their essence, functions, image formation, the role of the party as a mediator between the government and society, the activities of parties in elections. The features of the social work of political parties are shown, on the example of the political party «Team of Sergei Rudyk. A time of change!». Mechanisms, basic approaches, the most common methods and techniques of social work with people are analyzed. The main theoretical strategies and ideas of social work are presented. Position of the political party «Team of Sergei Rudyk. A time of change!» is that first, the solution of social problems is discussed before it will be accepted and even after it has been adopted. On the party’s website https://www.rudyk.org/news/page/4/, the main projects of social work are illustrated. The publication gives the main recommendations for improving the efficiency of social work: the creation of a mechanism to help youth in self-determination in choosing the profession of social worker, to extend forms and directions of professional training of social workers, to increase expansion in the number of periodicals covering the work of social services, centres, social workers. The formation of social policy occurs based on information received from the collection of statistical data and the conduct of sociological studies. Understanding this information allows you to identify the social tasks. The realization of socially significant goals and social problems solution have been organized through social projects and social programs, which form a significant part of social policy.

scholarly journals Institutional Pension Service: The Role, Dilemma and Way out of Social Workers-Taking H Pension Welfare Institution as an Example

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Xinying Chen
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Government ◽  
Welfare Institution

With the intensification of the Chinese population aging trend, the demand for institutional pension is rising. As a delivery system of social welfare services, social work can promote the development of institutional pension services in China. In this respect, social workers should play the roles of service providers, demand and service evaluators, emotional and action supporters, resource linkers, resource and information managers in institutional pension, and promote the orderly progress of various services. However, through the case analysis of an H pension welfare institution, it is found that social workers and the H pension institution do not have a clear understanding of the role of social workers, and social work agency adopts “stocking” pattern for social workers, both of which lead to two dilemmas of role specialization and administrative tendency. In this regard, the following methods are proposed to solve the problem of role dilemma. The social work agency establishes long-term professional training mechanisms and incentive mechanisms. The H pension welfare institution needs to enhance its awareness of the role of social workers and give them more freedom to provide services. The government promotes the establishment of a sound incentive mechanism for the social work industry.

THEORETICAL BASIS OF PROBLEM OF SHAPING CREATIVE COMPETENCE IN FUTURE SOCIAL WORKERS FOR WORK WITH GIFTED CHILDREN

2019 ◽  
pp. 34-45
Author(s):  
Halyna Mykhailyshyn ◽  
Oksana Protas
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Theoretical Basis ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Gifted Children ◽  
Educational Establishment ◽  
Higher Educational

For effective forming of creative competence in future social work experts, we suggested using the creative approach to organization of educational process in a higher educational establishment, using the potential of different disciplines in the process of professional training. We clarified the main aspects of shaping of creative competence in future social workers in classroom and outside classroom, as well as main forms of the methodology of such training. The use of the mentioned approaches will give an opportunity to shape creative competence in future social workers for work with gifted children.

scholarly journals Emotional intelligence as a part of critical reflection in social work practice and research

2021 ◽  
pp. 147332502110247
Author(s):  
Mari D Herland
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Critical Reflection ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Social Work Research ◽  
Emotional Aspects

Social workers often experience higher levels of burnout compared with other healthcare professionals. The capacity to manage one’s own emotional reactions efficiently, frequently in complex care settings, is central to the role of social workers. This article highlights the complexity of emotions in social work research and practice by exploring the perspective of emotional intelligence. The article is both theoretical and empirical, based on reflections from a qualitative longitudinal study interviewing fathers with behavioural and criminal backgrounds, all in their 40 s. The analysis contains an exploration of the researcher position that illuminates the reflective, emotional aspects that took place within this interview process. Three overall themes emerged – first: Recognising emotional complexity; second: Reflecting on emotional themes; and third: Exploring my own prejudices and preconceptions. The findings apply to both theoretical and practical social work, addressing the need to understand emotions as a central part of critical reflection and reflexivity. The argument is that emotions have the potential to expand awareness of one’s own preconceptions, related to normative societal views. This form of analytical awareness entails identifying and paying attention to one’s own, sometimes embodied, emotional triggers.

Social Work's Evolution in the United Kingdom: A Study of Community Care and Social Control

2009 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 336-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. David Harrison
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Social Control ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Community Care ◽  
Social Changes ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Model Of Practice

Community social work was a model of practice that was advocated by many roughly from the late 1970s through the 1980s, in the United Kingdom. The approach faded as the field of social work and social services changed drastically in subsequent years. This study conducted in 2006 and 2007, follows up a 1984 study of community social work advocates to learn how the same people understood the changes that occurred over more than 20 years. A total of 9 of the original 30 participants discussed the important role of social policy and social changes that appear to have led toward more individualized, mechanistic, and often control-oriented services.

scholarly journals Practising social work

Social Work ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 97-114
Author(s):  
Guy Shennan
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Human Development ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Science Knowledge ◽  
The Social ◽  
Research Interviews ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Work Knowledge

The chapter considers changes and developments in the content of social work education under the three headings of social science disciplines, understanding human development and relationships, and theories, approaches and methods for practice. At the start of the period under review, social science knowledge (primarily from sociology and social policy) and human development theories predominated, but as their research base and published literature have expanded, theories and methods for practice have become more prominent. The contribution to knowledge from research conducted by social workers themselves is acknowledged, as is the contribution made by experts by experience, both directly and through research interviews. The prominence of sequences on law for social workers is noted. The chapter concludes by asserting that the broad partnership of interests which should determine the content of the social work knowledge base is threatened by Government's much-expanded role, but that most social work programmes continue to ensure a balanced curriculum.

scholarly journals The pas de trois of disability, dance and social work: dance/movement therapy as point of access for recreational dance

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geneviève Elitha Margaret Roots
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Hermeneutic Phenomenology ◽  
Movement Therapy ◽  
Logic Model ◽  
Pilot Program ◽  
Dance Movement Therapy ◽  
Dance Movement ◽  
Therapeutic Practice

Individuals with disabilities are left out of recreational programs at a much higher rate than individuals with no disabilities. Seeking to rid barriers created by inaccessible recreational dance spaces, dance/movement therapy (DMT) offers a potential solution. This research explores how DMT can inspire a model for accessible recreational dance spaces for individuals with varying abilities, how this therapeutic practice can translate into a recreational dance atmosphere, and the role of social workers herein. The research takes the form of a content analysis via hermeneutic phenomenology of a six-week DMT-inspired pilot program developed by the researcher, and is informed by critical disability and structural social work theories. Findings highlight the parallels between DMT and recreational dance, making possible their fusion to create a space for ‘everyone and anyone’, and emphasize a social work presence. A logic model resulted, guiding how accessible recreational dance programs may be designed, based on DMT.

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