Client resistance in outreaching social work in Hong Kong

This paper reports the survey findings of a study on the outreaching social workers' perceptions of client resistance. In light of their social work practice 10th youth-at-risk in Hong Kong, resistance is generally recognised as a natural phenomenon in the counselling process and to a certain extent, is an obstacle to engaging in purposeful worker-client relationship as well as effecting behavioural changes. On Pipes and Davenport's (1990) classification, the respondents were more likely to classify client resistance as innocuous behaviours like missing appointments and refusing to discuss problems than disarming and proactive behaviours. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Social work, stress and burnout: A review

Stress and burnout for health care professionals have received increasing attention in the literature. Significant administrative, societal and political changes have impacted on the role of workers and the responsibilities they are expected to assume. Most writers suggest that social work is a highly stressful occupation, with stress deriving in particular from role conflict between client advocacy and meeting agency needs. This article reviewed the social work literature with two questions in mind: Are social workers subject to greater stress than other health professionals? What factors contribute to stress and burnout among social workers? We found that most of the literature was either anecdotal or compared social worker stress with general population norms rather than with stress levels of workers in comparable professions. Such empirical research as is available suggests that social workers may experience higher levels of stress and resulting burnout than comparable occupational groups. Factors identified as contributing to stress and burnout included the nature of social work practice, especially tension between philosophy and work demands and the organization of the work environment. There was some evidence that supervision and team support are protective factors.

A educação social em Portugal: novos desafios para a identidade profissional

A Educação Social surge, em Portugal, devido sobretudo à exigência dos sistemas de proteção social. Enquanto profissão, a Educação Social realiza-se no âmbito das ciências da educação, enquadrada pela Pedagogia Social. A Educação Social desenvolve-se pela diversidade de categorias profissionais e de perfis de competências e áreas disciplinares. O reconhecimento da identidade profissional dos educadores sociais portugueses depende, ainda, da polivalência dos contextos de trabalho e populações com os quais interage. A sua identidade profissional deve evidenciar o compromisso educativo do seu trabalho social, que supera lógicas de ação assistencialistas e se centra em lógicas de desenvolvimento e capacitação dos sujeitos. Neste artigo, é dado destaque à Pedagogia Social, enquanto saber matricial de referência dos educadores sociais. A Pedagogia Social constitui-se como a ciência da Educação Social, conferindo-lhe a própria especificidade da profissão. Por outro lado, o exercício profissional da Educação Social requer dos seus profissionais uma formação rigorosa, inicial e contínua, de forma a incorporar novos saberes e posturas para se adaptar a novos desafios e realidades. A educação social deve ser capaz de acompanhar as políticas sociais, participando permanentemente na negociação do contrato social. Partindo destes pressupostos, é dado a conhecer alguns desafios que se colocam à Educação Social em Portugal.

Aproximació a la figura de l'educador/a social com a tècnic/a de joventut en l'àmbit rural

Aquest projecte es posa en marxa l’any 2005 a partir de l’elaboració del Pla Comarcal, dels Plans Locals de joventut, dels Projectes Tècnics de joventut, de les Programacions d’activitats i d’accions concretes. Aquests instruments d’intervenció, en els seus diferents nivells, han de ser coherents amb el Pla Nacional de Joventut de la Generalitat de Catalunya, el qual regeix les línies d’actuació de les polítiques de joventut al nostre país. A grans trets, aquesta és una breu descripció del servei en el qual he dut a terme les meves pràctiques d’educador social i un dels motius pels quals he escollit fer aquest treball, ja que en un primer moment, no tenia la intenció d’elaborar un treball de fi d’estudis que tractes sobre l’àmbit de la meva plaça de pràctiques

The Farm, the city, and the emergence of social security

We study the social, demographic and economic origins of social security. The data for the U.S. and for a cross section of countries suggest that urbanization and industrialization are associated with the rise of social insurance. We describe an OLG model in which demographics, technology, and social security are linked together in a political economy equilibrium. In the model economy, there are two locations (sectors), the farm (agricultural) and the city (industrial) and the decision to migrate from rural to urban locations is endogenous and linked to productivity differences between the two locations and survival probabilities. Farmers rely on land inheritance for their old age and do not support a pay-as-you-go social security system. With structural change, people migrate to the city, the land loses its importance and support for social security arises. We show that a calibrated version of this economy, where social security taxes are determined by majority voting, is consistent with the historical transformation in the United States.

Conocimiento y utilidad del código deontológico del educador/a social en el colegio profesional de educadores/as sociales del País Vasco

En el Congreso de Toledo en 2007 se aprobó el Código Deontológico del Educador/a Social. Han pasado, pues, cinco años y se hace necesario indagar si el Código realmente orienta en la intervención del educador/a o es un documento más, que no resulta significativo para el trabajo educativo. Este trabajo se justifica, por tanto, en el intento de indagar la utilidad de esta “Guía Ética” y, también, desde la mirada dinámica del propio Código, valorar su modificación para adaptarlo a la realidad de la intervención socio-educativa, a los conflictos éticos de hoy en día. Por otro lado, se quiere abordar, desde la ética de la complejidad, cómo se pone o no en marcha en los equipos de trabajo, la reflexión ética propia de cada ámbito de intervención, si son conocidos y debatidos los valores que se pretenden transmitir. La primera parte del trabajo abordará una breve interpretación histórica del Educador/a Social en el País Vasco desde los años 70 del siglo pasado, hasta nuestros días. Para pasar a continuación a describir el proceso de creación de lo que fue denominado “Primer Esbozo del Código Deontológico del Educador/a Social” redactado en la Universidad de Deusto en 1996. Por su importancia manifiesta en la creación del Código, se explica el origen del mismo a partir del III Congreso del Educador/a Social que se celebró en Barcelona, conjuntamente con el XV Congreso Mundial de la AIEJI. A raíz de este Congreso, ASEDES (Asociación Estatal de Educación Social) encargó la creación de una comisión para la redacción del Código Deontológico del Educador/a Social. Se explica la construcción del Código a partir de la DECLARACIÓN DE BARCELONA (2001) y, también, se le describe, más adelante en el mismo capítulo. Para finalizar esta primera parte, se hace una breve revisión bibliográfica donde se recogen una serie de textos que, desde mi punto de vista, realizan aportaciones en referencia a la reflexión ética y deontológica y que se relacionan con la situación social actual. En la segunda parte de trabajo se explican los objetivos, hipótesis y diseño de la investigación, para, posteriormente, pasar a describir los resultados de los diferentes items del cuestionario. Finalmente, se realizan una serie de conclusiones-recomendaciones para mejorar el conocimiento y utilidad del Código Deontológico del Educador/a So

Proposta d’un mètode de deliberació sobre problemàtiques ètiques per a professionals del camp del treball social

Aquest treball es proposa analitzar els diferents mètodes existents en el camp assistencial per resoldre problemàtiques ètiques, per després proposar un mètode (nou o existent) de deliberació de problemàtiques ètiques, adreçat a professionals del camp del treball social. En el primer apartat de l’estudi s’exposa la definició del concepte de problema ètic en el camp del treball social. Seguidament es presenta una reflexió sobre la presència de problemes ètics en la professió de treball social. Posteriorment es realitza una justificació de la necessitat d’un mètode de resolució de problemes ètics per a professionals del treball social i d’una nova proposta, per exposar tot seguit els objectius del treball, amb les hipòtesis corresponents. En el segon apartat es realitza un repàs de les condicions necessàries per a la deliberació, entenent aquest concepte com a base per a aplicar qualsevol mètode d’anàlisi i/o resolució de problemes ètics. En el tercer apartat s’exposen i analitzen els mètodes de deliberació ètica més rellevants en medicina i treball social, després de dissenyar i aplicar ítems de valoració dels mateixos. En el quart apartat es proposa un mètode de deliberació sobre problemàtiques ètiques per a professionals del camp del treball social i es planteja una segona fase de l’estudi per implementar el mètode i aplicar-lo a casos pràctics. Per últim es presenten les conclusions del treball, i a continuació la bibliografia

Espiritualitat: heterodòxia i punt de trobada, un actiu per a l’educació social

El món occidental contemporani està desvetllant un interès creixent per les necessitats no materials de la persona, el que podríem anomenar interioritat o espiritualitat. Hem passat de la lluita col·lectiva i del compromís social al culte del jo, i es fa palesa la necessitat de tenir cura de la dimensió interior des d’una visió no religiosa de la persona, que ha de conviure amb les tradicions religioses que poblen les ciutats. L’afirmació que l’espiritualitat és una dimensió pròpia de l’ésser humà és cada vegada més acceptada per una majoria de persones. En aquest sentit, la religiositat, com a conjunt de creences que donen peu a una determinada visió de la vida, és una manera determinada de concretar l’espiritualitat. Aquest escenari afegeix al model bio-psico-social de les ciències humanes, sobre el qual s’ha basat la formació dels educadors socials, un quart pilar, el que fa referència a la dimensió espiritual.

Meanings and perceptions of patient-centeredness in social work, nursing and medicine: A comparative study.

Answering patients' evolving, more complex needs has been recognized as a main incentive for the development of interprofessional care. Thus, it is not surprising that patient-centered practice (PCP) has been adopted as a major outcome for interprofessional education. Nevertheless, little research has focused on how PCP is perceived across the professions. This study aimed to address this issue by adopting a phenomenological approach and interviewing three groups of professionals: social workers (n = 10), nurses (n = 10) and physicians (n = 8). All the participants worked in the same department (the General Internal Medicine department of a university affiliated hospital). Although the participants agreed on a core meaning of PCP as identifying, understanding and answering patients' needs, they used many dimensions to define PCP. Overall, the participants expressed value for PCP as a philosophy of care, but there was the sense of a hierarchy of patient-centeredness across the professions, in which both social work and nursing regarded themselves as more patient-centered than others. On their side, physicians seemed inclined to accept their lower position in this hierarchy. Gieryn's concept of boundary work is employed to help illuminate the nature of PCP within an interprofessional context.

Beyond the silence : institutional racism, social welfare and swiss citizenship

Cette thèse doctorale étudie le rôle de la citoyenneté Suisse et le modèle libérale de l'Etat social dans la production du racisme institutionnel au sein des services sociaux en Suisse. Cette thèse pose la question comment le régime de la citoyenneté Suisse rend possible et contraint les travailleurs sociaux à racialiser et discriminer leur clients avec des différences culturelles alors que les normes de l'aide sociale (normes de CSIAS) ne prévoient pas des traitements différentialistes selon la culture ou l'origine. Le modèle théorique du racisme institutionnel développé se passe sur une approche néo- institutionaliste et des ethnie and racial studies, prenant en compte le niveau individuel, collectif et institutionnel. En incluant ces deux approches, on dépasse le déterminisme des structuralistes dans les études sur le racisme institutionnel. Cette recherche qualitative montre que les travailleurs sociaux utilisent les ressources de la citoyenneté Suisse, de l'Etat social Suisse et leur expériences personnelles quand ils interagissent avec des clients. En plus, cette thèse démontre que le workfare logique en combinaison avec l'idée de l'assimilation culturelle rend possible la production d'un discours sur la nécessité de mériter d'être un membre de la communauté nationale et d'accéder à l'aide sociale. Cette compréhension néo-libérale de la citoyenneté renforce et légitime les travailleurs sociaux de racialiser et pratiquer la discrimination à l'égard de leurs clients et les rend incapable de développer une réflexivité critique. Toutefois, cette thèse montre également que les travailleurs sociaux produisent du travail social interculturel s'ils ont pu développer une telle réflexivité critique dans les institutions de l'aide sociale qui mettent en avant une conception "individuelle" de l'aide sociale.-Cette thèse vise à aller au-delà du silence qui constitue les débats publiques et la recherche sur le racisme au sein des institutions publiques en Suisse. - This thesis questions the role of the Swiss citizenship regime and the Swiss liberal social welfare model in the production of institutional racism in social services in Switzerland. Considering the absence of intercultural formal guidelines in the norms of social welfare (SKOS norms), this research investigates how the Swiss citizenship regime constrains and enables social workers to racialise and discriminate against their clients with cultural differences. This thesis develops a model of institutional racism, taking into account ethnic and racial studies and a neo-institutionalist approach on institutions, addressing the individual, collective and institutional level. In this framework, this thesis allows to overcome the structuralist determinism in the studies on institutional racism. Based on a qualitative inquiry, this research shows that social workers use the resources from the Swiss citizenship regime, social welfare model and their personal experiences when they interact with their clients. This study also shows that the workfare logic in combination with the idea of cultural assimilation enables to produce a discourse on deserving social welfare and earning membership to the national community. This neo-liberal citizenship understanding reinforces and legitimises social workers to racialise and discriminate against their clients and hinders them to develop critical reflexivity. However, this thesis also shows that social workers are able to produce intercultural social work when they could develop such a reflexivity in social services with an "individual" social welfare conceptions. This thesis aims to go beyond a persisting silence regarding public debates and research on racism in public institutions in Switzerland.

La mort en el món actual i el seu tracte des del treball social

Aquest treball és un aprofundiment teòric sobre la mort en la realitat actual i un anàlisi de com es tractada des del Treball Social. La mort forma part de la vida i vivim en una societat on hi ha la percepció de que es fa negació de la mateixa. A través d'aquest projecte he volgut esbrinar si aquest fet, es veu reflexat en els recursos amb els que els/les treballadors/es socials fan la seva tasca amb persones properes a la mort. La visió de la mort en l’actualitat té moltes definicions i també està lligada al fet de com s'ha viscut al llarg de la història

Evaluation of Teacher Education Programs by Students and Graduates

The purpose of this research was to do a repeated cross-sectional research on class teachers who study in the 4th year and also graduated at the Faculty of Education, University of Turku between the years of 2000 through 2004. Specifically, seven research questions were addressed to target the main purpose of the study: How do class teacher education masters’ degree senior students and graduates rate “importance; effectiveness; and quality” of training they have received at the Faculty of Education? Are there significant differences between overall ratings of importance; effectiveness and quality of training by year of graduation, sex, and age (for graduates) and sex and age (for senior students)? Is there significant relationship between respondents’ overall ratings of importance; effectiveness and their overall ratings of the quality of training and preparation they have received? Are there significant differences between graduates and senior students about importance, effectiveness, and quality of teacher education programs? And what do teachers’ [Graduates] believe about how increasing work experience has changed their opinions of their preservice training? Moreover the following concepts related to the instructional activities were studied: critical thinking skills, communication skills, attention to ethics, curriculum and instruction (planning), role of teacher and teaching knowledge, assessment skills, attention to continuous professional development, subject matters knowledge, knowledge of learning environment, and using educational technology. Researcher also tried to find influence of some moderator variables e.g. year of graduation, sex, and age on the dependent and independent variables. This study consisted of two questionnaires (a structured likert-scale and an open ended questionnaire). The population in study 1 was all senior students and 2000-2004 class teacher education masters’ degree from the departments of Teacher Education Faculty of Education at University of Turku. Of the 1020 students and graduates the researcher was able to find current addresses of 675 of the subjects and of the 675 graduates contacted, 439 or 66.2 percent responded to the survey. The population in study 2 was all class teachers who graduated from Turku University and now work in the few basic schools (59 Schools) in South- West Finland. 257 teachers answered to the open ended web-based questions. SPSS was used to produce standard deviations; Analysis of Variance; Pearson Product Moment Correlation (r); T-test; ANOVA, Bonferroni post-hoc test; and Polynomial Contrast tests meant to analyze linear trend. An alpha level of .05 was used to determine statistical significance. The results of the study showed that: A majority of the respondents (graduates and students) rated the overall importance, effectiveness and quality of the teacher education programs as important, effective and good. Generally speaking there were only a few significant differences between the cohorts and groups related to the background variables (gender, age). The different cohorts were rating the quality of the programs very similarly but some differences between the cohorts were found in the importance and effectiveness ratings. Graduates of 2001 and 2002 rated the importance of the program significantly higher than 2000 graduates. The effectiveness of the programs was rated significantly higher by 2001 and 2003 graduates than other groups. In spite of these individual differences between cohorts there were no linear trends among the year cohorts in any measure. In respondents’ ratings of the effectiveness of teacher education programs there was significant difference between males and females; females rated it higher than males. There were no significant differences between males’ and females’ ratings of the importance and quality of programs. In the ratings there was only one difference between age groups. Older graduates (35 years or older) rated the importance of the teacher training significantly higher that 25-35 years old graduates. In graduates’ ratings there were positive but relatively low correlations between all variables related to importance, effectiveness and quality of Teacher Education Programs. Generally speaking students’ ratings about importance, effectiveness and quality of teacher education program were very positive. There was only one significant difference related to the background variables. Females rated higher the effectiveness of the program. The comparison of students’ and graduates’ perception about importance, effectiveness, and quality of teacher education programs showed that there were no significant differences between graduates and students in the overall ratings. However there were differences in some individual variables. Students rated higher in importance of “Continuous Professional Development”, effectiveness of “Critical Thinking Skills” and “Using Educational Technology” and quality of “Advice received from the advisor”. Graduates rated higher in importance of “Knowledge of Learning Environment” and effectiveness of “Continuous Professional Development”. According to the qualitative data of study 2 some graduates expressed that their perceptions have not changed about the importance, effectiveness, and quality of training that they received during their study time. They pointed out that teacher education programs have provided them the basic theoretical/formal knowledge and some training of practical routines. However, a majority of the teachers seems to have somewhat critical opinions about the teacher education. These teachers were not satisfied with teacher education programs because they argued that the programs failed to meet their practical demands in different everyday situations of the classroom e.g. in coping with students’ learning difficulties, multiprofessional communication with parents and other professional groups (psychologists and social workers), and classroom management problems. Participants also emphasized more practice oriented knowledge of subject matter, evaluation methods and teachers’ rights and responsibilities. Therefore, they (54.1% of participants) suggested that teacher education departments should provide more practice-based courses and programs as well as closer collaboration between regular schools and teacher education departments in order to fill gap between theory and practice.

The social professions in Spain: past and present

This paper explores the relationship among the main three professionals who work in the social field in Spain: social workers, social educators and pedagogues. To contextualise the current situation with regard to these professions, the first section presents the most notable events in the history of the social professions. In the second section we present the main characteristics concerning the areas of work and the professional competences. In the third section we discuss some of the challenges related to the current training of these professionals

La cualificación profesional en educación social. El papel del Prácticum

Peer-reviewed

Aprendizaje social y personalizado: conectarse para aprender. Jubany, J. Barcelona. UOC, 2012 (ressenya).

Jordi Jubany, maestro, antropólogo, asesor TIC, bloguero activo y colaborador del diario Ara, nos explica cómo la digitalización y las conexiones personales nos ayudan progresivamente a desarrollarnos como seres sociales competentes, mientras aprendemos de forma individual y colectiva.