Field social work programmes in neighbourhoods threatened by social exclusion

Host Country : Czech Republic

Place and date : Prague , 19. - 20.5.2005

Peer countries : Austria - Bulgaria - Romania - Slovakia - Spain - United Kingdom

Poverty in the Czech Republic has an important ethnic dimension, as the most visible group of poor people facing social exclusion are urban Roma populations. However, this does not necessarily mean that social work with Roma clients must take an ethnic approach. Instead, this programme focuses on 18 'socially excluded neighbourhoods' in Prague and central and northern regions of the country. Socially excluded neighbourhoods are geographically defined areas where several dozen families (representing 50-300 people) live usually in a single or several large tenement blocks. The target population - mainly, but not exclusively, very poor Roma families and households - are mostly long-term unemployed, fully dependent on social benefits, often indebted and threatened with eviction, and their housing conditions are poor. In general, they have very limited access to assistance from government institutions, which often deal with them repressively.

The Field Social Work Programme, which started in 1999, is run by People in Need, an NGO. It is funded mainly by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, but municipalities and private foundations also contribute to it. The operational budget for 2004 was 475,000 Euro.

In general terms the programme aims to support and develop clients' social competencies and thus their social mobility, and to prevent harm following from their social situation. The main approach is to include the clients in the solution of their own problems as much as possible. Where the clients are more motivated to take their own actions, their social competencies improve and their feelings of rootlessness and uselessness can be reduced.

Twenty-five streetworkers provide, among other services, social and legal counselling, social therapy (i.e. long-term case management), assistance in dealing with authorities and in understanding and using official documents. Fieldworkers also mediate with experts (for example with regard to crisis intervention, psychotherapy, medical doctors) and with other institutions and services (contact centres for drug users, civic advice centres, schools, hospitals, etc.). Since local Roma populations in Czech towns do not have a 'community' structure, but more one of clusters of unrelated nuclear families, the target group approach is individually and family-oriented. The social workers meet their clients in their environment - in their flats or in the street.

Social workers are continuously trained and supervised. Know-how and rules for service provision are laid down in a written code of practice. There is written documentation both on every contact with clients and on case supervision consultations. More exact evaluation tools, mainly brief questionnaires to be filled in by clients, are due to be implemented in 2005.

Agenda - | en |

Peer Review manager

Ms Thea Meinema ( NIZW )

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Field social work programmes in neighbourhoods threatened by social exclusion

Host Country : Czech Republic

Place and date : Prague , 19. - 20.5.2005

Peer countries : Austria - Bulgaria - Romania - Slovakia - Spain - United Kingdom

Peer Review manager

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