Three of a kind: modern social work,

local social policy & citizen participation

In a modern, Western type of society, professional Social Work is an important instrument to cope with social problems and to deal with vulnerable groups in society. Together with their clients, social workers try to influence every day life circumstances of people in an ongoing effort to enhance the social quality of life.

To support and to facilitate this important work, local and regional governments have to develop and implement social policy, local social policy, in which objectives are formulated, target groups are chosen, priorities are set and resources are mobilized.

Local social policy, social work and active citizenship are “three of a kind”. They are connected with, and depending from each other. They are vital for society, because they create and maintain basic conditions for the further development of social quality, for cooperation and for democracy on the local level, in cities and towns.

With the help of a visual diagram, a “mind map”, I will point out the positions of the various actors on the local level, their mutual relations, how they are related with ongoing social developments and how they (can) contribute to the prevention and solution of social problems. 

With the current wealth and powerful technology of today, it must be possible to open perspectives on a better life for the many people all over the world who are not able to participate in society due to poverty, handicap, isolation, addictions and unemployment. We have to prevent social isolation and – even worse - social exclusion of large groups in society. Social Workers from the West should support their colleagues from elsewhere in building up modern social work, developing social policy, and stimulating citizen participation in their local communities!

There is much work to do in the social sector. It concerns meaningful work that especially can be attractive for youngsters, because it can give them a professional perspective and keeps them in their country, instead of going away. This is a nice, but realistic thought:  raising the social quality of life goes hand in hand with the creation of jobs!