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Summary: Letter writing was used as a qualitative research strategy to access the narratives of individuals living in rural poverty. Undergraduate social work students in a freshman seminar course were paired with participants of a local agency to engage in a letter writing exchange about life experiences. Community members who volunteered to participate in the letter-writing exchange were identified via their participation in services offered by a local, community-based agency that is situated in a rural community. In the fall of 2018, a sample of 20 community members and 28 students participated in two rounds of letter exchange. Findings: The letter-writing exchange was an effective way to collect data. The content of the letters enhanced students' understanding of the daily experiences of individuals living in rural poverty. Data collected demonstrated that social isolation remains a central concern among poor, rural residents. Letter writing supported a sense of personal connection between students and community members; these social connections may have attenuated the pain of social isolation that many community members experience. Applications: Narrative inquiry and the use of letter writing as a research methodology allowed us access to greater understanding about the lived experience of rural poverty. People living in rural poverty experience a layered isolation that keeps them separate from resources and each other. Letter writing provided connection and rich data that enhanced our understanding of this community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Treball Social is the property of Col·legi Oficial de TreballSocial de Catalunya and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In difficult times, people turn to poetry, reading, and writing for solace and peace. In emotionally intense and traumatic times, people use poetry to process and understand the lived eyepieces. The havoc wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the emotional and psychological well-being of individuals all across the world. Poetry has emerged as a savior in these difficult times. A phenomenon, "lockdown poems", came into existence as individuals all across the globe processed and shared their lived experiences of isolation, pain, and suffering through poems. In the present paper, students of a management program process and share their experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the subsequent lockdowns, and their community work experience. Poetry as a therapeutic and hope-building tool is discussed in the paper along with the original poems written by the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the cultural image of child and adolescent labour performed in the People's Republic of Poland in the years 1948–1989 as was presented in the literary fiction addressed to the young people. During the Stalinist period, literature officially condemned child labour on individual farms, but affirmed the labour of adolescent workers in state industry and construction. After the 1956 Thaw, the subject matter of labour was receding into the background, for several reasons. Nevertheless, the post-1956 youth literature also featured labour-related themes: community works, school cooperatives, work in family crafts, tutoring, and shady trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health emergency that we are experiencing has caught everyone unprepared. There are many changes that people and communities face. In this general climate of uncertainty, we can ask ourselves what social work can do to address this emergency and what role the community occupies in facing crises and building social well-being. This paper attempts to answer these questions by presenting an experience of unconventional practice placement. A project arising from the collaboration between a municipality and a charity organisation to address community problem-solving due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic emergency will be presented. The project aimed to develop actions to support the elderly in the community during the pandemic lockdown in Italy. This paper discusses the importance of collaboration and networking between public services, no profit organisations and civil society in general. It also highlights the important role of young people who, in the worst possible time of the emergency, took action by becoming volunteers and providing essential help to the elderly. This intra-generational exchange has allowed the community to respond positively in a moment of crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applied theories in social work are social constructs that evolve according to cultural, political and social trends. The history of community work in Europe after the Second World War provides an example of a family of practices that is constantly evolving, in terms of its integration into social work, its methods, and the political project that underpins it. While the development of broad-based and conscientising approaches were challenged by neo-liberalism from the 1980s on, community work practice is currently undergoing a revival based on community building and person-centred methods, under the influence of the new public management. This paper is based on a doctoral research conducted in six European countries, examining the relationship between social work and community work, and the various forms of community work across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Australian Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Australian Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present paper describes the strategy to mitigate and control epidemic contingencies in the backdrop of Kerala's Covid-19 containment plan. I have purposefully selected Kerala, the southernmost state of India, because of its globally acclaimed experience in efficiently managing the cases of coronavirus that were reported. Even tackling the Nipah and Zika virus cases in the pasts, makes it an exemplary unit of study. Moreover, the past experience of the state points to the fact that the containment strategy adopted is the result of an evolved practical approach. I came across certain innovative strategies implicating community mobilization like community kitchens, social surveillance, large scale production of face masks etc. by utilizing the hidden productive capacity of communities that extended from women self-help groups, youth clubs and even prison inmates. Moreover, the state's controlling and containing measures were mentioned by international media and agencies like the BBC and the World Health Organization (WHO). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay is a reflection about the COVID-19 pandemic from the vantage point of being on a sabbatical. As a result of the virus and global shut down, people are experiencing widespread suffering and economic devastation. The author, a professor, artist, and qualitative researcher advocates for a return to the profession's community-based roots and an activist pedagogy. Additionally, as an artist/teacher/scholar, the author discusses the potential and importance of art and storytelling in social work education with examples of the author's art created during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Community Correction Order, introduced in Victoria, Australia in 2012, provides a sentencing option that enables eligible offenders to serve their sanction in the community, with access to treatment or other rehabilitative activities. This paper contributes to a scant body of research investigating the specific needs of this group, their barriers to inclusion and the extent to which they experience the rehabilitative aspects of Community Correction Orders. It draws on survey data collected from 200 adults (137 men and 63 women) on Community Correction Orders in outer west metropolitan Melbourne and qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews conducted with a sub-set of 20 participants. Long-term unemployment, severe economic hardship, physical and mental health issues, social isolation and troubled personal relationships were common. While participants experienced the punitive aspects of Community Correction Orders, there was limited evidence that they were supported to address key issues that may be predictive of future offending. Support to re/engage in education, training and employment was a key area of unmet need and engagement in other therapeutic programs was low. Opportunities to enhance the rehabilitative potential of Community Correction Orders are discussed, with the paper highlighting that there is a need for rigorous evaluation of community work program activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores community-level action in relation to socially based climate change adaptations for vulnerable citizens—older people in particular. While awareness of risk and adaptation has increased in various institutions across Australia, the translation of awareness into action is limited, particularly in the area of socially based adaptive measures for the most vulnerable. Through content analysis of local government documents in two major Australian cities, this paper assesses the extent of action and identifies trends and strategies in relation to social adaptation. Findings indicate varying levels of action and some examples of "best practice," but overall, evidence indicates more effort is needed at the community level. The role of the social work profession in challenging and broadening discourse is also explored especially in terms of highlighting the social impacts of climate change in future policy development, community action, and initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pop-up design helps steer city regeneration and community revival. With this belief, Hong Kong-based social creativity studio One Bite Social launched the urban 'matching' platform 'Project House'. Using a tactical place-making approach, it pairs up vacant shops with local social groups facing spatial needs. The win–win results bring local exposure to pop-up vacant shops while providing marginalised community groups with adequate space for new social practices. Can tactical place-making become a tool to create space for place-based community development? What works, and does not work, at Project House, and why? How can Project House be applied to different contexts? By adopting a realist impact evaluation framework, this paper explores the potential of Project House, a first-of-its-kind tactical place-making initiative combining social work and architecture to create a new setting for a community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The community development concept has conceivable benefits both at micro and macro levels of development. Realistically, the developmental paradigm is seen as a model that is capable to transform the livelihood of most South Africans. To date, communities have been involved in various community work projects/programmes, for example, gardening, poultry, and piggery among other projects. However, there are numerous confounding variables which seem to interfere with the implementation of the derivative strategies designed to augment community development/community work projects. To further understand community participation in community work projects, the researcher conducted a study on community members in Alice who were part of a garden project that he facilitated during his community engagement commitment. The study followed an interpretive and descriptive design in which data was collected through in-depth discussions with 10 community members who were purposively selected from a garden project in Alice. The researcher then utilised thematic qualitative techniques to analyse the data. Qualitative methodologies helped tremendously in promoting a deep understanding of the factors underpinning the challenges encountered in community development. The findings revealed a lamentable resistance to community work programmes (CWPs), especially among young people and grown men. Unlike before independence, when people were sceptical about community development citing hidden colonial agendas, today's community members are simply not keen to participate in community projects despite their essence as sources of knowledge and income. On the contrary, grandmothers are enthusiastic about community development programmes, and their participation is far above that of youth and men. For the grandmothers who were part of a garden project in Alice, community work programmes have transformed their psychosocial well-being tremendously, as they get to interact with their peers and at the same time work to make ends meet. Ironically, this compromises their physical well-being considering their age and some of the tasks that they undertake. To this end, this paper suggests that community developers, organisations, and government institutions should stimulate collaboration and the inclusion of community members in the designing and planning of community development programmes as this will go a long way in promoting participation and transparency and curbing the challenge of community apathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the continuing debate about the relationship between social work and community work. We write about our collaboration as educators, one from a social work background and the other from a community work background and discuss the challenge of teaching community work to social work students in a way that is relevant for contemporary practice, and that embraces community work principles and values. Our paper explores Ife's framework of competing discourses of human services and discusses how it has helped us to articulate our thinking and teaching practice in the Irish context. For us, the framework integrates social work and community work within a community discourse that provides a language transcending disciplinary boundaries. This approach represents a means of familiarising students with the community work process and enabling them to take action on issues of social justice. The framework represents four competing models of human service delivery: the managerial, the market, the professional and the community. We discuss how we use this conceptualisation to teach and engage students in a process of critical reflection. The paper discusses methods we use to undertake this process, and the development of our teaching practice over the last two years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This facilitation guide has been created to assist practitioners to use the ‘Raising our heads above the clouds’ methodology from the Mt Elgon Self-Help Community Project. It first outlines the local values that this approach is built on. It then outlines the narrative assumptions and principles that underpin it before taking the reader through each of the steps of the process. The paper also includes stories from practitioners in Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda and reflections about how this approach fosters community economy through collective narrative practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Antipode is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The contribution that social workers make to communities is integral to the principles and values of the profession but is often ‘hidden’ and unacknowledged. This paper is an exploration of social workers' engagement with community work approaches in a range of settings in the Republic of Ireland, where managerialism and a climate of austerity pose particular challenges for social work practice. By exploring the findings of qualitative interviews with social work practitioners, the paper examines themes and issues that emerge in the context of their practice settings and considers how community work ideas are enacted in contemporary social work practice. These ideas challenge dominant discourses and emphasise a process of active engagement with communities to counter inequality and injustice and seek change at both community and societal levels. The concept of ‘creative activism’ is developed to explore the idea of critical practice and the different forms of collective action that social workers undertake. The use of these ideas to strengthen the links between theory, research and practice on a postgraduate qualifying social work degree is discussed. The paper seeks to re-emphasise the place of community work within social work research, theory, practice and professional education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to present concept of British authors T. Jeffs and M. Smith that highlights the importance of citizenship education in youth clubs. The paper describes the theoretical basis of this concept, furthermore its specific conception of youth work, which is focused on citizenship education, which aims to strengthen social capital of civic communities. The scientific aim of this paper is to bring the findings of Smith and Jeffs on positive impact of informal methods and methods of social work with communities in the field of youth work. The paper describes some characteristics of Jeffs's and Smith's methods of community work and informal education methods, which are commonly used in the field of citizenship education in youth clubs. The strength of the social capital of the Czech society is weakening. In this situation Jeffs's and Smith's concept of citizenship education can be inspiring for Czech youth work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, as elsewhere, The COVID-19 pandemic and related upheavals exacerbated problems like unemployment and domestic violence. Feelings of hopelessness, isolation and impotence became pervasive. Seeking ways to respond to the uncertainty, insecurity and discouragement that many young people were expressing, the author sought ways that stories of courage, care, hope and solidarity could be shared and acknowledged. Drawing on the ‘checklist of psychological and social resistance’ developed in Lebanon by David Denborough and Mohamad Safa, a conversation guide for Brazilian communities was developed. It can be used by professionals, but is particularly designed for use among friends, family members and colleagues. It can even be used for individual reflection. Through consultation with the Nelson Mandela Favela in Rio de Janeiro, and its young people in particular, the Fala aí checklist was refined to be accessible and culturally resonant as a prompt for peer conversations that sustain hope and connection. The Fala aí checklist is included in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary This paper describes the findings from the evaluation of a UK initiative which engaged social work students as community partners within an educational-based family intervention programme. Fourteen social work students in the first year of a BA (Hons) were placed in the programme to meet the volunteering requirements of their ‘Community Project’. By engaging with the community-based family programme at an early stage in their education, students experienced the benefits of interventions, focussing on sustainability, citizenship and parent participation. We describe the approach and discuss the evaluation outcomes to illustrate the potential of utilising co-learning with families in social work education. In taking up the role of community partners, students observed first-hand the value of incorporating horizontal relationships into their learning and experienced direct knowledge exchange with service users at an early stage in their training. Findings The findings suggest that this experience enabled students to connect with conceptualisations of macro alongside micro practice in their professional development as social workers. Further, connecting critical social theories with the direct experience of families promoted the learners own empowerment and conscientisation. Application This provided a means of embedding social work values and aspirations towards social justice in their future practice orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: This paper deals with the problem of spatial exclusion and presents a community work as a method used in social work that increases participants' capacity to improve their lives and facilitate social change for the benefit of disadvantaged groups. The objective of the qualitative research was to understand how individual actors of community work interpret the implementation of method. THEORETICAL BASE: The theoretical basis for research is social constructivism and an interpretative paradigm. METHODS: A qualitative research strategy was chosen to answer the main research question. The research method used was a case study and used the following techniques to obtain data: focused interview, meetings from the discussions about community work, and a published article of community workers. Data analysis was performed by analytically open coding. OUTCOMES: The research has brought several themes to light that deserve more attention. One of them is the fact that community work clients are understood as empowered during the process which brings situations interpreted as risks. SOCIAL WORK IMPLICATIONS: Conclusion of the article brings contemporary discussion perspectives of actors, especially representatives of self-government and residents over the method of community work, which can serve as a preparation for further implication of this method in socially excluded localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past few years have seen renewed interest in the radical social work tradition both in Britain and internationally in response to the highly negative impact of neo-liberal policies on people's lives and on the profession itself. While these perspectives are now beginning to be included within social work academic curricula, less consideration has been given within the international literature as to how they might also inform practice placements and field education. This paper outlines the findings of a small piece of qualitative research that explored the experience of one South African social work programme of placing a small group of students within campaigning organisations and social movements concerned with addressing structural issues. Based on interviews with the students, their practice teachers and agency representatives, the research addressed the extent to which students were able to draw on their teaching to make sense of these agencies and their role within them, as well as the particular challenges to which these placements gave rise. The paper concludes by suggesting that, while students undertaking such placements may require additional support and teaching in areas such as the understanding of trauma and critical political analysis, these findings suggest that this is an initiative worth repeating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to contribute to social capital research and its applicability to social work practice and social policy. It provides an examination of the complexity of social capital and strategies used to build it in local communities. Drawing on data collected from a large quantitative study collected in a rural city in Australia, experiencing rapid population growth, it reports on levels of social, civic, and community participation related to a range of demographic variables. Results highlight the significance of gender, life stage, socioeconomic status, and the influence of neighbourhood connected to different types of participation. Findings presented in this paper draw attention to the unevenness of participation in social, civic, and community life linked to key demographics. The author concludes by arguing that community-building approaches have some merit, so long as critical differences accessing bonding and bridging social capital are acknowledged, and opportunities to promote participation are facilitated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers seeking to address the relative disadvantage experienced by Indigenous Australians frequently find themselves working with complex social realities, including working in transdisciplinary teams with people of differing cultural backgrounds, values, and levels of education. Managing these complexities is critical to change, yet can be difficult to achieve. Theoretical frameworks can be used as tools to help the practitioner make sense of complex social realities and to plan and evaluate change. This paper presents a framework derived from a pilot initiative to culturally orient and build teams within a child and maternal health program for Indigenous Australian families. This framework, which closely aligns with empowerment theory, potentially provides a useful tool for social workers engaging with Indigenous groups, communities and organisations whether through policy, planning, research, or practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The place of community development within social work varies across nations and time. The tensions in the 1970s in the UK gave way to decades when social work has been dominated by issues relating to protecting and caring for individuals. We now have a resurgence of community development activity, bringing together varied disciplines such as urban planning and health promotion as well as social work. Within the UK there are now requirements for community development knowledge and skills within qualifying social work training. This paper reflects on experiences in promoting community development practice learning in social work qualifying placements within Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland. Issues are raised about the diversity and complexity of expectations on qualifying training, and the challenges that face universities, colleges and employing organisations in developing practice learning in this curriculum area. The prospects for improving community development learning within both qualifying and post qualifying education and training are considered particularly in the light of inter-professional and inter-organisational initiatives that put community development in the context of health promotion, housing, crime, poverty and other social issues that might be addressed at community level to improve the health and social well-being of citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal for Business, Economics & Ethics / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts und Unternehmensethik is the property of Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Psychology / Revista de Psihologie is the property of Romanian Academy Publishing House / Editura Academiei Romane and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article is principally concerned with case management and rurality in the Australian context. While there is substantial literature exploring case management across disciplines and across contexts, there remains a substantial gap in knowledge in relation to the role played by rurality in case management practice in Australia. An emerging body of knowledge associated with human service delivery in rural Australia under the stewardship of authors such as Alston, Cheers, and Lonne, offers valuable links between rurality and human services and draws attention to the specificity of rural work. However, there remains a gap in knowledge about how rural specificity impacts on case management practice in the political, cultural, and socioecological context that makes up rural Australia. Thus, the aim of this paper is to reflect upon contemporary knowledge of rural case management in the light of current literature and emerging trends, and to provoke interest in this topic as an area for further discussion and research. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Family Process is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)