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Challenges, Opportunities and Resilience in Contemporary Practice
Views:164This paper examines the evolution of social work as a profession within the context of changing socio-political landscapes. Through critical analysis of historical developments and contemporary challenges, it explores how neoliberal ideologies have fundamentally transformed the conceptualization of "the social" and consequently altered the practice and perception of social work. The research investigates the tension between technical-managerial approaches and relationship-based practices in social work, highlighting the profession's struggle to maintain its core values amid political and economic pressures. The paper argues for a re-politicization of social work practice as essential for its continued relevance and effectiveness, proposing a framework that reaffirms social work's commitment to fostering meaningful human connections and addressing structural inequalities. This analysis contributes to ongoing scholarly discourse on the future direction of social work in increasingly complex and polarized societies.
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A hatalom szociális munkásától a szociális munka hatalma felé
Views:1241In this paper I review the power relations relevant to social work and social workers. At the birth of the profession, an enlightened absolutist political power structure created great freedom and creative opportunities for social workers to contribute to alleviating social crisis. Social work was willing and able to meet these needs. The above-mentioned power orientation created a particular professional manner of operation by applying improvised solutions, by „dispatching” of clients to other public services, by the brokering of information and resources. In this set-up, the importance of power of clients, especially over social workers were marginalised. All this has contributed to a serious crisis in the sphere of social work when political power has become more confrontational and has sought to resolve social issues by force.
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Infokommunikációs technológiák használata a szociális munka gyakorlatában
Views:560The article examines how the growing use of ICT affect social work practice, from online counseling to community work and advocacy. I will discuss the changes required of social workers; what kind of skills, competencies and literacy they need to ensure high quality, professional, value driven, and ethical practice. The question to be answered is: what difficulties are presented when integrating technology, and what can be done to assist both practioner and client to optimally achieve that integration. Examples of current and future utilization opportunities, as well as the strengths of applying new technology in social work practice will be presented. Weaknesses, limitations, contraindications and the potential pitfalls of technology usage will also be discussed. A short introduction to the Hungarian and the international professional policies, standards, guidelines and Codes of Ethics on ICT based social work practice and telemental health will be provided as a framework in which to consider these important questions.
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Utópia vagy apátia? Az alapjövedelem esetleges bevezetésének hatásai és következményei a mentális betegséggel élőkre Magyarországon
Views:390As a social worker I have been working with people with mental illness for nearly a decade. I sought out to link guaranteed basic income in this social group with general life circumstances, employment opportunities, social services and social work. I discuss guaranteed basic income as a social worker and not on the basis of published literature or calculations. I do not write in the usual way – by listing the well known pro and contra arguments. I am examining how guaranteed basic income could potentially improve the life of a disadvantaged social group – in this case people with mental illness.
In this study, I write whether the guaranteed basic income as an utopian idea is able to stir up stigmas. I am going to illustrate the main characteristics of people with psychiatric illness, their social perception, their chances of employment and their financial benefits by presenting four cases. Then, in the second part, I summarize the concepts and elements of guaranteed basic income and the possible consequences of introducing guaranteed basic income for people with psychiatric illness. Furthermore, I examine the issues around guaranteed basic income and services, and the role of social work as well.
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Szociális munka virtuális térben
Views:445The current health crisis we are experiencing because of Covid-19 pandemic has put social worker schools in a new, unexpected position. How can a practice-based training program be organized during a ‘lockdown’ period? How practical skills can be acquired if contact with field teachers, social services and target groups is limited? Assuming that the world will not be the same after the pandemic and that higher education institutions and systems will not be the same after the crisis, we believe that it is time to rethink the forms of work in the training of social workers and to develop practical techniques that suit better the digital generation of 21st century. In order to learn about innovations and good practices arising from the situation, we organized a focus group interview with 15 field teachers. In the course of our research, we sought to answer the questions: What new forms of practical training have been developed? What are the benefits of the online education? What would the field teachers keep from the currently experimented forms of work in the post-crisis period? The first results of our research prove that, contrary to expectations, the world has not narrowed but expanded as a result of the restrictions. With the intensive use of digital tools and forms of work, remote locations and target groups have become available, special knowledge elements have become involved in training, and new opportunities for the development of personal skills have opened in the social worker training. The crisis situation had a particularly positive effect on the emergence of training innovations.
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Kiszolgáltatottság, társadalmi hátrányok
Views:66This paper examines the life situation of homeless people within social security around the concept of Amartya Sen's capability approach. The analysed database is the 2023 “February Third” countrywide homeless survey, in which a total of 7,362 people living in homelessness were interviewed. The analysis of the survey presents the main demographic (age) and social (income, work capability, health status, reasons of becoming homeless, housing security) characteristics of homeless people, as well as the effects of the 2023 recession. One of the results of the data analysis – which primarily applied multivariate social statistical methods – is that it highlighted some contradictions present within the survey data. By understanding these paradoxes, it can be concluded that, on the one hand, there are social patterns of deprivation from resources (and consequently from opportunities), which accumulate; and on the other hand, these patterns do not form randomly. Thirdly, these patterns of disadvantage are not evenly distributed among homeless people. The research thus shows that different degrees of deprivation mark out distinct deprivational pathways.
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A szakmai identitás, mint a szociálismunkás-képzés egyik kulcskérdése
Views:1632Social worker identity development is a key to helpers’ effectiveness. Institutions of higher education have their own systems to assess knowledge and skills. Measuring attitudes, and emerging autonomy and responsibility remains a challenge, though the developmental level of these latter components are fundamental to the motivations and reflectivity of the practitioner. Identity Structure Analysis is a method to explore the main elements of professional identity, identity formation and dynamics. Our sample included 57 social work practitioners. Our results indicate that a degree in social work, research and critical thinking were considered of secondary importance as compared to continuous professional development opportunities. Self-awareness trainings and clinical supervision were identified as key training resources. Based on our results, curriculum development should include considerations on professional identity development. Continuing professional education, trainings, mentoring, and clinical supervision are essential resources for social worker practitioners during their career.
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„Mást tudnék csinálni, de hogy nem szeretném, az biztos!” Szociális munkások 2006-tól 2017-ig
Views:240How do social workers see their work, their calling? What changes did they go through, and how did they value these? To have an answer, I interviewed 13 social workers of a city in 2006 and in 2016 and 2017.
The interviewees have already changed their workplace and gone through other changes in their life, which they experienced differently. Most of them showed alternations in their attitude toward their work, one-third presented prolonged changes in their internal thinking and personality. They sense and follow changes in their profession, and in the society. Almost all of them think that they have the opportunity to find a new job either up to their circumstances or their personal qualities.
The outcome of this research can contribute to the general opinion about social workers’ career path, about which information is usually gathered during their studies.
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A serdülőkori X60-84 BNO-kódok és ami mögöttük áll: Ellátási hiányok a segítők szemszögéből
Views:342What is behind BNO codes? The paper focuses on adolescents with various forms of self-injurious behaviour, who often flounce between the health and social care systems while looking for a way out and on those professionals who often overcome competence limits to compensate service deficiencies and their disadvantages. Beyond the world of codes, the study aims to find answers from where young people can get help who are not in the professional’s horizon or even need additional support after their hospital treatment; also that in this mainly health care-related question what is the role of social work.