In a very short time the infection from SARS-CoV-2 spreads throughout the world, Italy is reached on February 21, 2020. The pandemic has significant health and social consequences as it disrupts daily life and collective identity by generating a fracture in the balance of each person. Therefore, the Social Services in Italy have activated initiatives to support and respond to the needs of frail people; they have strengthened already existing professional experiences by modifying, in a flexible way, their methods of intervention in a social innovation path. In this paper, we will present the first results of semi-structured interviews carried out with social workers from central Italy, from the health sector and local authorities, on the issues of their professional experience in the pandemic era, with specific focus on the organizational side and on the risk management issues. Among the most interesting results, the collected narratives have identified the social workers who, like small silent spiders, have slowly but inexorably woven the web that today allows people to ensure the continuity of emergency interventions. By reorganizing their services, they have implemented innovative forms of closeness to individuals, families and the local community by creating and strengthening social networks. In networking, social workers have a connecting role in creating links and synergies between various formal and informal resources in order to promote the well-being of the person. The modus operandi of social workers is constantly evolving, promoters of the change process, and architects of new best practices that shape, with new professional awareness, the social and historical context marked by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social services in Pandemic era. Voices from Italian frontier social work professionals

m. esposito
;
2021-01-01

Abstract

In a very short time the infection from SARS-CoV-2 spreads throughout the world, Italy is reached on February 21, 2020. The pandemic has significant health and social consequences as it disrupts daily life and collective identity by generating a fracture in the balance of each person. Therefore, the Social Services in Italy have activated initiatives to support and respond to the needs of frail people; they have strengthened already existing professional experiences by modifying, in a flexible way, their methods of intervention in a social innovation path. In this paper, we will present the first results of semi-structured interviews carried out with social workers from central Italy, from the health sector and local authorities, on the issues of their professional experience in the pandemic era, with specific focus on the organizational side and on the risk management issues. Among the most interesting results, the collected narratives have identified the social workers who, like small silent spiders, have slowly but inexorably woven the web that today allows people to ensure the continuity of emergency interventions. By reorganizing their services, they have implemented innovative forms of closeness to individuals, families and the local community by creating and strengthening social networks. In networking, social workers have a connecting role in creating links and synergies between various formal and informal resources in order to promote the well-being of the person. The modus operandi of social workers is constantly evolving, promoters of the change process, and architects of new best practices that shape, with new professional awareness, the social and historical context marked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021
978-9949-29-569-2
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Book-of-Abstracts Tallinn 2021.pdf

non disponibili

Tipologia: Versione Editoriale (PDF)
Licenza: DRM non definito
Dimensione 2.27 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
2.27 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11580/84841
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
social impact