Suchergebnisse

The article presents a reading on the debates around the minimum income schemes (MIS) and the concept of poverty from the sociological point of view. It indicates the way in which the minimum income schemes have developed in Europe and what have been the common and distinctive elements according to their evolution over time, with particular attention to the role developed by the European Union. The Ingreso Minimo Vital (IMV) is described by comparing it with other experiences in other countries and analyzes its elements of strength and of weakness. ; Este artículo presenta una lectura sobre los debates en torno a los mínimum income schemes (MIS) y al concepto de pobreza desde el punto de vista de la sociología. Se señala el modo en el que los esquemas de rentas mínimas se han desarrollado en Europa y cuáles han sido los elementos comunes y distintivos según su evolución en el tiempo, con una atención particular al rol desarrollado por la Unión Europea. Se describe el Ingreso Mínimo Vital (IMV) comparándolo con otras experiencias en otros países y se analiza sus elementos de fuerza y sus puntos más críticos.

Il capitolo analizza il mutamento dell'interpretazione del fenomeno povertà e di come questo sia stato recepito e fatto proprio dagli assistenti sociali che operano quotidianamente nell'accompagnamento e nel sostegno di persone in condizioni di povertà, più o meno estreme. Alla luce di ciò si analizzano le misure del ReI e del RdC quali strumenti di contrasto della povertà, mostrando la centralità del ruolo degli assistenti sociali nella gestione attiva della misura, fedeli al mandato di advocacy che è loro affidato.

Il capitolo analizza l'esperienza di applicazione della misura del ReI da parte degli assistenti sociali italiani e il passaggio alla nuova misura del Reddito di Cittadinanza. Ci si sofferma sull'impatto delle misure nell'organizzazione dei servizi sociali, cui seguono considerazioni sulla valutazione delle misure di intervento e il confronto tra queste. Emerge che i provvedimenti intrapresi in campo di politica sociale per il contrasto alla povertà, hanno difficoltà ad attivare interventi capaci di coordinare la futura domanda di lavoro con l'attuale formazione della futura offerta di lavoro.

PurposeThe purpose of this article's research was threefold. Firstly, it aimed to investigate how social services professionals coped during the pandemic period by comparing their involvement in five different national contexts. Secondly, it analysed how these professionals have performed their duties according to the street-level bureaucracy theory. Finally, the third question examines social workers' strategies to guide their professional role when they may have had more discretion in their actions. The research also examined whether discretion has increased during this phase and, if so, how it has been exercised.Design/methodology/approachThis article is based on the findings of the project called "Theory and Practice of Social Work in the World in Times of Pandemic", which was funded by the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW). The project involved 11 universities across five countries in Europe and Latin America, including Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Spain and Sweden. The research was conducted over 24 months to analyse the practices and measures taken to protect vulnerable people by adapting social services during the extraordinary period of the pandemic. In addition, the research explored how the awareness of emergency arose among social workers and how it influenced the services delivered from the perspective of the street-level bureaucracy theory. In different countries, the level of resourcefulness of services has varied based on their recognition of the severity of the pandemic and the impact of the government's narratives. In some cases, these narratives have been conspiratorial or even anti-scientific. Additionally, there has been a reduction in the distance between professionals and clients, increased inequalities in access to services and a positive reassessment of the potential of new professional tools, such as digital social work, in establishing a trusting relationship.FindingsAs revealed in the interviews, the elements shaping this high degree of discretion among social workers can be classified into three levels: macro- and micro- (Saruis, 2015) plus a meso-level. Each level has four significant aspects. At the macro-level, these are legislation, public information, large associationism and integration of the social services-health system. At the meso-level, these are interpretations of role performance by managers technical equipment, self-organization and community action. The micro-level pertains to personal and family situations, emotions, ethics and social workers' direct relationships with those in charge.Research limitations/implicationsThis study investigated how social workers responded to the Covid-19 pandemic. The data gathered sheds light on their understanding of the situation, as well as the differences in experiences across the five countries studied. However, it is essential to note that the findings may not apply to all situations or countries. Nevertheless, this research serves as a stepping stone for future studies to delve deeper into the results and explore them in greater detail .Practical implicationsThe study highlights the crucial role of social workers as street-level workers in managing, negotiating and creating meaning in the interaction between professionals and the people they serve. This is especially relevant in Latin America. Additionally, the study emphasizes the significance of social workers as policy actors and the political nature of social work practice. The findings also underscore the importance of effective communication and collaboration between social workers, their teams and the organizations they work for. The sources cited in the study are Barberis and Boccagni (2014) and Cuadra and Staaf (2014). The research has also underscored the potential of social service workers to build networks and cooperate. Such networking can play a vital role in implementing their acquired knowledge. The study has, therefore, emphasized the importance of social workers being an integral part of the societies they serve. They need to continuously enhance their communication skills, using all the necessary tools to gain a comprehensive and updated understanding of the evolving needs of their clients. Integrating digital social work as a mode of service provision has emerged as a crucial aspect, especially in the three European countries observed. This approach has demonstrated its potential and is expected to continue being a part of services to some extent, even after the return to normalcy. However, it is essential to ensure that the accessibility and proximity of services are not compromised in any way.Social implicationsAn unexpected result was observed during the research: the pandemic circumstances have led to valuable reflections. These reflections can help in rethinking and recreating social services. Social workers have been given a unique opportunity to return to the essence of their profession and develop less bureaucratic and more humane ways of working. This experience has also enabled them to recover a closer relationship with the people they serve. To sum up, this study emphasizes that social workers, when given more leeway in their work, rely on cultivating and upholding relationships with other professionals, organizations and stakeholders to stay connected with the community they serve. This is crucial for ensuring the delivery of effective and sustainable social services.Originality/valueThe research employed a thematic analysis approach (Bazeley, 2007) to identify themes related to the concept of consciousness as derived from the field experiences of social workers. Additionally, an in-case and cross-case analysis method (Fereday and Muir-Cochrane, 2006) was used to connect themes related to individual experiences with those gathered from the overall experiences.