Social Works
Do what you say & say what you do - Engage yourself - Take responsibility - Do you work well - Improve yourself
"Everything of value
is vulnerable" - Lucebert
Freedom & Democracy
In a society without freedom and democracy, a human life is of little value. This lesson from history has still to be learned by many people. From institutions and leaders of all religions may be expected that they respect freedom and democracy, support it if needed, and defend it if threatened. From all people, powerful or not, may be expected that they respect each other and take into account human rights as declared by the United Nations. There is still a lot to do and a long way to go.
Distance, gaps & bridges
Distance is not only a physical category, but also a social one. Being close in a physical way, does not mean that people are close socially, and the other way around. Neighbors can be strangers to each other, while foreigners, living far away from each other, can have close contact and know each other very well. Reality of every day life is full of variations. If social distance between people living close to each other, is experienced and/or defined as a hampering factor, as a problem, one talks about a "gap". And because gaps are not nice, even dangerous, they have to be "bridged". See here the practical, every day background of fashionable terminology like "social cohesion", "social exclusion", "social identity", "social isolation", "individualization" and of more acting terms like "social activization", "outreaching work", "inclusion", "citizenship" and "participation". They do not refer to something new, because they are new terms for old, known processes and solutions. "Semantische Erneuering" (semantic innovation) as one of my German colleagues used to say. Meanwhile we are all aware, very sharply at times, that the world (people and their environments) is rapidly changing, faster than ever before in history of mankind. New technologies of all kind (material, cultural, political, social, organizational) penetrate, shake and change every day life of all people. The heart of the matter is how to express, how to translate, these events and developments in appropriate words: in theories and concepts, and (at the active side) in approaches, organization forms and methods. It's a wrestling to find, develop and spread fitting terms. It makes life in modern times for many people intangible and confusing. And they respond to that in many ways, varying from beautiful artistic works, via consumerism and addictions to thrill seeking and horrible violence. The world is full of examples ..
Authoritairism
For many reasons some of us have a need
to subject themselves to others, and the other way round, to subject others to themselves. To fulfill that need people create "authorities". This is the recipe how to do that:
1. Distinguish between important positions and not important positions. Any criterion for this is arbitrary, but never mind (see point 6): take one.
2. Give people in higher positions more money, facilities and privileges, and people in lower positions less
3. Adjust your own behaviour to the position of others:
ignore or blame people under you, and praise and adore people in a higher position than your own.
4. Demand more from people in lower positions than from people in higher positions.
5. Make friends in higher positions, and adopt as much as possible their lifestyles.
6. Be opportunistic, not principal (but never admit that).
This is a recipe for promotion, not for happiness. It's necessary to emphasize this, because these things are mixed up often.
|
Life is short.
Time slips
through your fingers.
So don't waste
it.
Be nice to
people. Be useful in society. Respect the child in yourself and realize your dreams. |
Education
Projects
Social Work
. Zelfregie.com (G. Donkers)
Travelling
Various
Published this year (in Dutch):
"Introduction Social Work from international perspective"
Willem Blok: "Inleiding social work vanuit internationaal perspectief", HBuitgevers, Baarn, 2009. 128 blz. ISBN 9789055745944, prijs € 16,00 Aanvragen beoordelingsexemplaar: http://www.hbuitgevers.nl |
The founding of Schools of Social Work around 1900 was the first milestone in the professionalization of poor care and people education, resulting one century later in the qualified social workers of today, mainly operating in and from public financed institutions of care and welfare.
This book is a text book, in which I describe the state-of-the-art of social work, and the latest developments, from an international and societal point of view. In addition I give my view on the social position and functions of social work.
Social Work in Poland:
a helping profession in need - Willem Blok
In this article I report the most important outcome of a national survey in Poland into the position and working circumstances of Social Workers. 1162 Social Workers (ca. 4% of all workers in Poland) took part in it.
The article was published in Polish & English language. This version was published in SW&S News Magazine, March 2007
Market, Management & Profession
Social Business in the Polder - Willem Blok
In a policy document of the organized employers in the care and welfare sector in The Netherlands (the MO Group), directors and board members of care and welfare institutions present themselves as “social entrepreneurs”, managing their institutions as look-a like commercial companies. They are hardly criticized and there is not any countervailing power of significance. The workers are focusing on their own specialized professional fields and divided as a whole. Many government officials are in favour or do not bother. The relatively small number of intellectual workers in Dutch care and welfare are fragmented and pragmatic. From a democratic point of view this is a worrying situation. From a professional point of view the purpose and functions of professional care and welfare work are at stake.