SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE POLISH SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SYSTEM. A FEW REMARKS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE SYSTEM

This article presents – in the context of the evolution of the Polish public social assistance system – the genesis and shaping of the personnel of this system, with particular emphasis on the place and role of social workers in this system. Attention was drawn to the direction of the evolution of the personnel of the Polish social assistance system: from the honorary activities of social workers in the times of the Second Polish Republic (1918-1939), through a mixed model of full-time social workers supported by a network of socially active local social workers in the times of the Polish People’s Republic, to professional social service, performing the regulated profession of a social worker in modern times. It also indicated how social workers were perceived in different periods of the evolution of the social welfare system and how the regulations of their legal status were assessed

Podmioty służby zdrowia w PRL

In the current legislation, the public tasks related with healthcare are performed by the healthcare entities. In the totalitarian and authoritarian Polish People’s Republic, the healthcare was functioning as a communist health and social welfare system. It was a centralised structure with the main role of the Ministry of Health. The article shows the most important regulations in the field of healthcare system entities in the Polish People’s Republic.

A Russian National Idea and the International System

Vladimir Putin and his governing team have operated out of a weltanschauung that offers a twenty first century Russian national idea that animates the Russian federal government’s post-1999 policy program. This article explores the Russian national idea, illuminating the syndrome of pillars that comprise it, and tying the national idea to the Putin government’s policy program. We apply an interdisciplinary case study approach, relying on a modified process tracing analysis, to identify the national idea and its direct relevance to policy making. The notion of a Russian national idea has long preoccupied Russian intellectuals and even officials, and we focus on Vladimir Putin’s thinking and the Putin team’s actions as a national idea emerged and drives policies. Putin’s Russian national idea is comprised of four pillars, the consolidated state, a functioning market economy, a re-established social welfare system, and Russia’s return as a Eurasian leader. We understand these four pillars as constituting a syndrome, signifying that these four pillars reinforce one another. In this article, we give attention to the fourth, international, pillar of the twenty first century national idea. We consider the Russian Federation’s return as a natural Eurasian leader, with a longer-term, historical notion of foreign policy honor that entails Russia’s continued long-term commitment to Eastern Slavs and Eastern Orthodoxy. We link the notion of national honor with a contemporary consideration of a so-called Russian civilization that is relevant to both domestic and foreign policy interests. We highlight various policies, domestic and foreign, that are inherently related to this Russian national idea, and while we acknowledge a complex array of policy successes and dilemmas, we posit an overall Russian Federation programmatic advance. The theoretical significance of our article rests with its exploration of a regime’s worldview and programmatic priorities in advancing policies intended to advance the society it governs. This article is guided by the judgment that the Russian national idea, as articulated by Putin and as applied in policies by the Putin team, merits our serious attention.

Llanes Escoda, Josefa

Josefa Llanes Escoda (1898–1945) was one of the early social workers in the Philippines. As a social worker she moved from the residual approach and initiated sustainable welfare programs. She was also an advocate for decent work for women. She was able to merge her role as a social worker and as a suffragist by mobilizing members of the National Federation of Women’s Club (NFWC) of the Philippines to educate women on the importance of the right to vote. During World War II, when the social welfare system was in disarray, she mobilized members of the NFWC to feed prisoners of war and other displaced persons. In her own way, she was a freedom fighter.

IZVORI PROFESIONALNOG STRESA I POTREBE U ZAŠTITI OD PROFESIONALNOG STRESA STRUČNIH RADNIKA CENTRA ZA SOCIJALNU SKRB ZAGREB

SOURCES OF PROFESSIONAL STRESS AND NEEDS IN PROTECTION FROM PROFESSIONAL STRESS OF SOCIAL WELFARE CENTRE ZAGREB PROFESSIONALS ABSTRACT Social Welfare Centre is a key institution in the social welfare system and professional helpers employed in it are daily exposed to professional stress. Although research practice dealing with professional stress and mental health of helpers started in the beginning of the 1990s, there is still a lack of qualitative research in this area. Therefore, a qualitative research study was conducted with the aim of describing the sources of professional stress and the needs in protection from professional stress of Social Welfare Centre Zagreb professionals. 11 focus groups were conducted, one for each branch of the Centre, and the total of 85 professionals employed by the Social Welfare Centre Zagreb participated in them. The results identified five sources of professional stress: characteristics of work with clients, working conditions, work organization, interdepartmental co-operation and co-operation with other branches, and co-operation with other institutions. Additionally, three areas of needs in protection from professional stress were identified: the need to improve material and technical working conditions, the need to improve material and safety position and the need for support. The research contributed to the identification of the sources of professional stress and pointed to the weakest links in the operation of social welfare centres on the example of the largest Croatian centre. Therefore, in order to better understand the stressful nature of the job and the needs of professionals employed in social welfare centres, the recommendation is to conduct more qualitative research studies in the future and to encourage usage of the results for positive changes in the practice. Key words: professional stress; social welfare centre; professional; working needs

The fundamental renewal of the social security system protecting interests of families with children

Subject. The social welfare for families with children is actively evolving in Russia. Its social and legislative framework is advanced as well, promoting the respective organizational, material and technological basis. The technology for assisting and supporting the said category is renewed. The fundamental renewal of social support practices for families with children depends on the adoption of the new social welfare legislation. Objectives. We analyze processes renewing the social welfare for families with children and articulate what specifically can be done to support them. Methods. The study involves a set of general research methods, including logic, systems, comparative, functional, statistical and sociological ones. Results. We determined how it is possible to shift from social servicing to strengthening reproductive and educational opportunities of families, especially young ones. This implies various aspects and mechanisms for assistance by type of family, their problems and needs. The article demonstrates the transition from socio-economic support to socio-cultural, socio-educational, socio-psychological servicing. The fundamental renewal of various social servicing practices was found to result in a growing role of non-governmental sector. Conclusions and Relevance. Implementing and developing a personalized servicing program, as a new simplified service procedure, is a promising step to enhance the efficiency and quality of social welfare services. In Russia, the social welfare system can be mainly updated by activating the social activity of profit-making and non-profit entities. Self-help, self-organization of families seem to be the most promising trends, as the social welfare system is being technologically reshaped.

Challenges of internationally educated Filipino social work professionals: implications for social work practice in Canada

This study explores the lived experiences of internationally educated, Filipino social work professionals during their integration into the Canadian labour force. The need to pursue this topic stemmed from the recognition of the barriers faced by internationally educated Social Work professionals as they embark on a social work career in Canada. This phenomenological, qualitative research utilized one-on-one in-depth interviews with four Filipino social work professionals who obtained education and professional experience in the Philippines. Participants have all resided within Canada for five to ten years, have had their credentials assessed, and have been registered with Ontario’s regulatory body. As an insider of this particular group, the researcher aims to identify the challenges they encounter to pursuing a Canadian social work career, which are limited by systemic barriers; a lack of connections; personal barriers; and a lack of knowledge regarding Canadian legislation and the social welfare system.

Challenges of internationally educated Filipino social work professionals: implications for social work practice in Canada

This study explores the lived experiences of internationally educated, Filipino social work professionals during their integration into the Canadian labour force. The need to pursue this topic stemmed from the recognition of the barriers faced by internationally educated Social Work professionals as they embark on a social work career in Canada. This phenomenological, qualitative research utilized one-on-one in-depth interviews with four Filipino social work professionals who obtained education and professional experience in the Philippines. Participants have all resided within Canada for five to ten years, have had their credentials assessed, and have been registered with Ontario’s regulatory body. As an insider of this particular group, the researcher aims to identify the challenges they encounter to pursuing a Canadian social work career, which are limited by systemic barriers; a lack of connections; personal barriers; and a lack of knowledge regarding Canadian legislation and the social welfare system.

Supporting Self-Employed Cancer Survivors to Continue Working: Experiences of Social Welfare Counsellors and Survivors

Few studies have investigated the support needed or received by self-employed cancer survivors to continue working. In Norway, the Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) is responsible for supporting people both practically and financially to continue or return to work following ill health. Social welfare counsellors (NAV counsellors) are responsible for guiding workers in their effort to return to work. This study aimed to investigate NAV counsellors’ experiences of supporting self-employed cancer survivors. We also report how self-employed people experienced the support they received from NAV during and after cancer treatment. We conducted individual in-depth interviews among seven self-employed cancer survivors and seven NAV counsellors with experience in supporting self-employed cancer survivors. The survivors experienced NAV as largely absent and considered that the support offered was not very useful. The NAV counsellors stated that self-employed workers are in a difficult situation and that regulations and means of support were primarily designed to fit salaried workers. While they felt they were supposed to function as an “employer” for the self-employed, they found this difficult because of lack of time, expertise and means for supporting self-employed. These findings suggest that the social welfare system in Norway is not adapted to support sick self-employed people appropriately.