Social Work Activities Research Articles

Ações afirmativas, assistência estudantil e Serviço Social: uma análise a partir do perfil discente da UFSC e UFJF

O artigo apresenta uma análise do perfil dos estudantes ingressantes na universidade, por via de política de ações afirmativas, as demandas à assistência estudantil e a intervenção do assistente social neste âmbito. Discute os critérios do sistema de cotas, considerando as características sociais e econômicas dos estudantes ingressantes no ensino superior em duas universidades federais brasileiras, reconhecendo as desigualdades de acesso que foram impostas à população negra neste nível de educação (SANTOS; SOUZA; SASAKI, 2013). A pesquisa de campo foi orientada por uma abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa. Realizamos estudos bibliográficos e documentais, além de coleta de dados com questionário on-line aplicado aos estudantes bolsistas que ingressaram nas respectivas universidades pelas ações afirmativas e pela ampla concorrência. Mesmo não havendo diferenças de perfil dos estudantes a partir dos critérios das ações afirmativas, há uma diversidade de demandas subjetivas às quais a assistência estudantil e a atuação do Serviço Social ainda não respondem.

Romanian social workers facing the challenges of neo-liberalism

ABSTRACTWith a history of almost 90 years, professional social work in Romania once flourished up until World War II. The Communist Party disbanded the profession in 1968 and it was reinstated after the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. Within the context of the socio-economic transition from a centralised to a free-market economy, Romanian social policy and social work have evolved from a Marxist/socialist-type ideology, one that advocates for state intervention, to a libertarian/neo-liberal-type ideology, which promotes both state withdrawal from welfare provision and individuals taking responsibility for their own welfare. These two trends continue to co-exist subject to sometimes divergent forces such as international institutions and internal Romanian social pressures. Using a qualitative approach, we explore how Romanian social workers are adapting to the neo-liberal realities and identify three types of perceived challenges: 1. those related to regulation, 2. linked with collaboration in social work activity and 3. those related to the social worker-client relationship. Under neo-liberal pressures, the social worker's role of agent of social change becomes marginalised in daily practice, leaving little power to influence agency policies that negatively impact clients.

MARKETING RESOURCE OF INNOVATIONAL CHANGES TO MODERN SOCIAL WORK

The system of modern social work is influenced by the laws of functioning in conditions of market competition. Actual is the search for innovative approaches to the functioning and development of modern social work.Marketing of social work is a system for managing the market activity of social institutions. Of particular importance is marketing in the context of reforming the social sphere, when funding focuses on targeted assistance — meeting the social needs of specific citizens, and not for the maintenance of budget institutions.The application of marketing activities in social work creates conditions for more satisfactory satisfaction of differentiated needs of clients in social support and social security, for rational allocation of limited resources of the state in the system of social security and social protection of the population.Application of marketing technology in social work involves external and internal marketing support, the main indicator of which is the social effect, aimed at providing quality services to individual groups of the population. Marketing of social work deals with solving three issues: belief, social practice and social product.A special place in marketing activities in social work belongs to sponsorship and charity. The final goal of effective fundraising as a marketing technology is to establish long-term partnerships with individuals and organizations that provide assistance.The marketing tool used to promote social norms, values, behavior patterns, knowledge is marketing communications, namely, social advertising.The strategic goal of the efforts of PP technologies is to raise awareness among the public of the activities of organizations and professionals involved in social work, establishing media relations and raising funds for project implementation.The introduction of marketing in the practice of social institutions provides a perspective for their further modernization. The system of marketing information allows to plan and implement state policy in the field of social work in market conditions; to explore and develop methods for promoting social services to consumers and ensuring a high status of the institution of social work in society.

Privilege, White Identity, and Motivation: A Call to Action in Social Work

ABSTRACT Understanding how privilege is constructed and reconstructed over time is imperative to move toward a more just society. White fragility and tactics used to avoid race-based stress sustains privilege. The roots of Fragility are examined through the lens of three Whiteidentity theoretical models: the White Identity Development Process Model, the White Racial Identity Model, and the White Male Identity Development Model. Further, motivation theories are explored to tie privilege, White identity, and social work together cohesively. Recommendations for social work education, research, and practice are given for combating prejudice and racism.

Determination of Leading Sector Sukoharjo Regency: Location Quotient and Shift Share Estaban Marquillas Approach

The purpose of understanding the development of economic sector in 2012-2016 in order to develop and manage the potential of the region in Sukoharjo. The method used to analyze the leading sectors in this research is location quotient and shiftshare analysis of Esteban Marquillas. The result of the research shows that there are eleven sectors which are the basic sector ie. Manufacturing sector, Electricity and Gas sector, Large and Retail Trade sector, Automobile and Motorcycle Reparation, Transportation and Storage sector, Accommodation and Food Service Activities sector, Information and Communication sector, Financial and Insurance Activities sector, Real Estate Activities sector, Business Activities sector, Human Health and Social Work Activities. Economic sectors are having a competitive advantage as well as specialization namely in the sectors of the Manufacturing; Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles; Transportation and Storage; Information and Communication; Real Estate Activities; and Human Health and Social Work Activities. Sectors are having the highest three positive values are the sectors of Manufacturing; Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles; and Information and Communication.
 
 Keywords : Development, Growth, Shift Share Estaban Marquillas

The Correlations between Airport Sustainability and Indonesian Economic Growth

This study aims to analyze the correlation between airport performances with Gross domestic product-regional (GDP-regional) performance. This research uses quantitative research method with correlation study approach. Based on the T-Value Test Result, the T-value for the Airport Performance variable is 14,264. T-Value Test Results and compared with T-table equal to 1,976 (significant level 0,05) hence T-count> T-table so variable of Airport Perform predicted have significant correlation to GDP-regional. This means that good airport performance will either improve the performance of Water supply, Sewerage, Waste Management and Remediation Activities; Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles; Accommodation and Food Service Activities; Financial and Insurance Activities; Business Activities; Public Administration and Defence; Compulsory Social Security; Education; Human Health and Social Work Activities; Other Services Activities; Manufacturing; and Electricity and Gas, better.

More Than Place-Based: Viewing Geography on a Continuum and the Implications for Social Work Practice

Communities play an important role within the field of social work as the context within which specific social work activities occur. To date, much of the social work literature divides communities into the mutually exclusive, dichotomous categories of geographic and functional communities. The authors propose a new method for defining community that views geography on a continuum and suggests that membership within a community is moderated by place. The concept of place-moderated communities is applied to specific examples, and the application to social work practice is discussed within the context of community membership, community engagement, community rights, and community development efforts.

Reconciling economic viability and socio-ecological aspirations in London urban microfarms

AbstractFew scholars have investigated the economic viability of urban farms in industrialized countries. This study focused on urban community microfarms—small-scale organic market gardens committed to social work activities—in London. Our objective was to investigate the extent to which economic viability was (i) possible for urban microfarms in London and (ii) compatible with the other social and ecological aspirations of microfarmers. The simulation model MERLIN was adapted to London, based on 10 case studies. We analyzed the likelihood of viability—that is, the percentage of economically viable simulations (out of 1000 simulations)—of 192 different strategic scenarios of microfarms. Based on the modeling outputs, a collective workshop was organized with 11 urban farmers to discuss the possibility of reconciling socio-ecological aspirations and economic viability in an urban context. This is the first time that modeling and discussions with stakeholders are combined to explore the viability of urban agriculture. Our novel study shows that urban microfarms can be viable and that viability can be increased by focusing on short-cycle and high added-value leaf vegetables grown in high tunnels and sold at high prices to restaurants. Such strategies can lead urban farmers to make trade-offs with their socio-ecological aspirations. Costs can be decreased by taking advantage of community resources such as volunteer labor or agreements with local councils to rent land at a low rate. Social work (training, hosting community events) is a key condition to access these resources but entails more complex farm management.

Nature, Genetics and the Biophilia Connection: Exploring Linkages with Social Work Values and Practice

Social work’s notion of environment and its environmental responsibilities has always been narrowly defined. The profession has tended to either neglect natural environmental issues or accept shallow, ecological conceptualizations of nature as something other, quite separate from the human enterprise and/or outside the reach of social work activity. The Biophilia Hypothesis, first articulated by Harvard biologist E.O.Wilson in 1984, offers social work as a fundamentally different view of the person/environment construct and argues for a primary shift in the way the profession views its relationship with the natural world. This article traces the conceptual development of the Biophilic theory and reviews pivotal empirical evidence explicitly arguing for the essential Biophilic premise that humans have acquired, through their long evolutionary history, a strong genetic predisposition for nature and natural settings. It offers key insights and examples for incorporating Biophilia into social work’s values and knowledge base and how it may impact the profession’s practice strategies and techniques.

СОЦІАЛЬНИЙ ДИСКУРС У ПЕДАГОГІЧНІЙ СПАДЩИНІ ВАСИЛЯ СУХОМЛИНСЬКОГО

The article examines social discourse in the views of the outstanding Ukrainian pedagogue Vasyl Sukhomlynsky on the essence and content of social work in the school environment. The main directions of social work in school are determined by the outstanding teacher: a) social assistance and real children’ support (individual and group); b) humanistic orientation and the teachers' set-up on the social and pedagogical protection of students; c) the socialization of the student's personality; c) educationally didactic support of the social work organization; d) creation of a educationally social and cultural environment; e) organization of students’ rehabilitation as a result of different life circumstances; e) formation the teachers' experience and readiness to conduct social work activities with students V. Sukhomlynsky’ opinion that social assistance is a system of social measures in the form of promotion, support and services that the social service provides to the certain individuals or groups in order to overcome or mitigate life difficulties, support their social status and full-valued life in society was confirmed. The authors stopped on the analysis of identified by V. Sukhomlynsky priorities in social work with children. The pedagogue emphasized the attraction of social work not only to the pedagogical team, but also to parents, various social, socially cultural institutions and organizations. It has been proved that social assistance is mainly based on the capacity of one or another educational institution that provides the specific needs of students, and the consciousness of teachers as to this charity action. V. Sukhomlynsky insisted on the position of a controlled personality development process, although he did not deny the natural factors influence on the consciousness of individual in different situations. The scientist believed that the most active individual socialization occurs in the process of its activity, socially useful labor. He also argued that social work in school becomes effective in a well thought-out subject-subjective relationship between teacher and student.

THE INCREASING MODEL OF FAMILY’S SOCIAL SUPPORT AND CHILD WITH DISABILITY’S ENVIRONMENT

Social support from family and the environment is one of the important variables that can support the development of children with disabilities. The purposes of the research are to know, understand and analyze; (1) social support received by children with disabilities from the family and the child's environment before the implamentation of the model; (2) design and implementation of the family and environmental social support development model; (3) social support received by child with disabity from the family and the environment of the child after the implementation of the model. This action research has involved 21 informants, consists of eight mothers, three fathers, eight children, one aunt and one grandmother. Data collection techniques are through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, participatory observation and documentation study. The research results show that social support before the implementation of model from family and the environment already exists but is still very minimum. After implementation of the model, social support from the family increased in all aspects of social support, they are: in the aspects of instrumental support, informational support, emotional support, self-esteem support, and support from the surrounding environment. The process of action research involved the active participation of informants to engage in social support development models through social work activities at micro, mezzo and macro scope. Indonesia which has a social capital in the form of a strong sense of kinship, it becomes the basis of model development. Involving the family and the environment directly in developed model, it is result more optimal social support system that can be provided to their children with disabilities.

INNOVATIVE ACTIVITY OF A SOCIAL PEDAGOGUE IN A GENERAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

The author reveals the features of the activity of the social pedagogue in the general educational institution as an innovative activity that responds to the changing conditions of the present, strives to meet its requirements and is relevant for the Ukrainian education at the present stage of its development.A social educator - a specialist engaged in social work or educational activities, acts as an intermediary between educational institutions, family, labor groups, civil society, which organizes their interaction, unites efforts to create conditions for a social environment for the all-round development of children, adolescents, young people personality, their well-being in the micro-society. The fate of many people depends on his skill.The main content of the activity of the social pedagogue of the educational institution is the provision of the process of socialization of students in educational activities, the protection of their mental, physical, social and spiritual health, the promotion of a pedagogically appropriate and non-conflictual entry of the young person into the world of adults, preparation for independent life in society, prevention and pedagogical correction of defects and deviations in social development of personality.

Correction: Prevalence of abortion and adverse pregnancy outcomes among working women in Korea: A cross-sectional study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182341.].

The challenges, triumphs and learning from participating in an Australian social work students’ activist group

This article traces the emergence of a student activist group called the Social Work Action and Advocacy Network for Students at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia. The article exhibits three founding members’ experiences of working collectively to achieve emancipatory goals: showcasing achievements; grappling with ethical tensions of working within a group; and demonstrating students’ capacity to re-author the identity of social work in a way that positions activism as central.

Exploring Indian Surrogates’ Perceptions of the Ban on International Surrogacy

This study examined surrogate women’s perceptions on the Indian ban on international surrogacy. In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 surrogate women at a fertility clinic in Gujarat, India. Three themes emerged: (1) perceptions of the ban; (2) impact of the ban on surrogates, international couples, and fertility clinics; and (3) long-term economic results of surrogacy. Women stated that international surrogacy should not be banned, because it provides substantial economic benefits. They also noted that the ban affects childless couples and clinics by cutting off a source of income. This research provides recommendations for social work action.

Medical Social Workers' Actual Work Conditions and the Status of Insurance Fees for Social Work Activities in Medical Settings

Medical Social Workers' Actual Work Conditions and the Status of Insurance Fees for Social Work Activities in Medical Settings

Prevalence of abortion and adverse pregnancy outcomes among working women in Korea: A cross-sectional study.

ObjectivesTo investigate incidence and distribution of major adverse reproductive health problems related to various kinds of industries in Korea and to compare risks for major reproductive outcomes to assess maternal health in working and non-working women.MethodsWe requested claim data from the Korean National Health Insurance. We defined reference groups as (1) non-working women and (2) workers in the education field. Women working in each industry were compared with reference groups regarding rates of miscarriage, threatened abortion, preterm labor, and intrauterine growth restriction. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis, and age and income adjustment was performed.ResultsThe percentages of all adverse obstetric outcomes were higher in working women than in non-working women. Working women had higher and statistically significant adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for miscarriage in 18 of the 21 industries. The age and income-adjusted OR for miscarriage for all working women was 1.26 (95% confidence interval, 1.23–1.28). Business facilities management and business support services, manufacturing, human health and social work activities, wholesale and retail trade, and professional, scientific, and technical activities were major industries with higher adjusted ORs for adverse obstetric outcomes.ConclusionsWe confirmed that compared to non-working women, working women have a higher risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Thus, adverse pregnancy outcomes such as threatened abortion, preterm labor, and intrauterine growth restriction may be associated with working status. This exploratory study identified several industries where in-depth studies are required in future to improve occupational safety in women of reproductive age.

Frustrations or moving forward? Ukrainian social work within the ‘hybrid war’ context

ABSTRACTBased on interviews and desk review this paper explores social work activities during the on-going armed conflict on the territory of Ukraine with regard to theoretical framework of a multidimensional ‘hybrid war’. The study defines the key groups of war-affected population and looks at a variety of interventions during different stages of the warfare (2014–2016). The paper argues that during the armed conflict Ukrainian social services and social workers have been unprepared to act in emergency situations and political conflicts. A number of structural and ethical complexities have been identified, including value conflicts. The paper suggests possible ways of ensuring social work responses to the emergency situations during warfare within the context of the newly developed professional social work.

Let us try to make another social work possible …: a report on the Greek Social Work Action Network, 2008–16

Let us try to make another social work possible …: a report on the Greek Social Work Action Network, 2008–16

Social Work Postgraduate Education in Brazil: there is a stumbling block on the way

Abstract This paper discusses the Brazilian postgraduate background through the National Postgraduate Plans (PNPGs). They comprise five plans developed from 1974 to 2011, the latest one being in force until 2020. It presents a reflection about the development of postgraduate programs in Social Work aiming to understand how much the changes and present demands, of neoliberal approach and highlighted in the latest PNPGs, affect Social Work activities, especially concerning the continuous search for quality, excellence and consolidation of an ethical-political-professional project.