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Nonprofit organizations operating in civil society have become the main channel for social service provision in most neoliberal welfare economies. Social service nonprofits (SSNs) deliver essential services mainly to vulnerable and marginalized populations. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, SSNs have been at the frontline of dealing with its socioeconomic consequences. This paper focuses on the activities and responses to the crisis of SSNs in Israel. Interviews with SSN directors (N = 17) show that they dealt with growing demands for services due to the social implications of the pandemic, along with operational difficulties, such as deterioration in clients' condition, disruption in service continuity, and reduced funding and staff. Next to these difficulties, the findings highlighted the social innovations adopted by SSNs to maintain service provision, such as implementing remote service technologies, forming collaborations, and recruiting volunteers. Implications for the social services and policies are presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaders are coping with multiple challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and both individual and organizational resilience are critical to successfully manage this turbulent change. This qualitative study employed focus groups and online surveys to explore 25 directors' and managers' experience coping with the pandemic, along with organizational supports and resources, in three mental health/addiction agencies in Canada. Thematic data analysis revealed multiple individual and organizational challenges and opportunities, resilience factors, and supports. These results expand empirical research on resilience factors during turbulent change and are relevant for leaders coping with future crises. Leaders faced multiple individual challenges, including uncertainty, vulnerability, and fear, heavy workloads and difficult decisions, fatigue and stress; these may serve as a caution for future leaders facing unprecedented changes in human services. Organizational challenges included strained internal/external relationships, social isolation, difficulty balancing client/staff safety and service standards; they illustrate the struggle for leaders to balance competing organizational agendas during trying times. Opportunities included risk-taking and adaptability to rapid changes, innovation and creative solutions, internal/external collaboration with partners, leadership development and succession planning for longer-term sustainability. Leaders' individual resilience factors included development of enhanced self-confidence, collaboration, communication and problem-solving skills, compassion and empathy, humility, gratitude, hardiness, perseverance, and patience. Organizational resilience and sustainability can be nurtured through emotional connection and support, organizational culture and teamwork, clear communication, shared decision-making, clear values and mission, and work-home life balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As public child welfare agencies continue to experience high rates of workforce turnover and low rates of retention, employee mentoring and coaching has been forwarded as a potential mechanism to positively impact the workforce. Using a qualitative multi-method case study approach, this learning case describes an innovative statewide child welfare worker new employee mentoring program implemented by the State of Alaska Office of Children's Services. Drawn from the perspectives of key leadership, line supervisors, and other stakeholders responsible for the development of the program, results included broad support and observed supervisor and employee benefits. Implications of this learning case are relevant to both child welfare agencies as well as other social service programs considering development of mentoring programs and implementation of broad system-wide programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]