Christian social work

Internal working definition[1]  

Social work supports social change, conflict resolution in interpersonal relations and reinforcement and emancipation of people in order to fulfill their personal well-being. Social work, utilizing spiritual and sociological findings on human behavior and social systems, intervenes, where people come to contact with their environment. The UN and the Council of Europe principles of human rights and social justice are crucial for Christian social work as well as Christian norms conveyed by the Church and theology[2].

Commentary

Social work in its various forms focuses on diverse, complex human relations both to one’s own self, one’s own value orientation and social and natural environment. Its task is to make it possible for all people to fully develop their psychic, spiritual, physical and social possibilities, enrich their lives[3] and prevent failures[4], as well as strengthen and activate ecclesiastic and civic life environment in general to sympathetic conduct. Professional Christian social work is focused on realistic problem resolution and change inducing. Social workers qualified in this way are change agents and advocates in society and in lives of individuals, families and communities, to whom they serve to see their life situation realistically (to see), to evaluate their own possibilities of change or possibilities offered by the society on the basis of their willingness to change (to consider) and to draw appropriate practical individual or social conclusions (to act).

Values

Christian and social work is mutually interconnected system of values, theory and practice. Social work came from humanist and democratic ideas and its values are based on respect for equality, value and dignity of all people. Since its origins, more than a century ago, social work focuses on fulfillment of human needs and development of human possibilities. Christian image of God and human as well as the Declaration of Human Rights and Social Justice of the UN and the Council of Europe serve as a motivation and the grounds for social work activities. Sympathetic for the disadvantaged, social work tries to reduce poverty and emancipate vulnerable and humiliated people in order to strengthen their social engagement. The values of Christian social work are part of the Christian social theory (cp. the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church from 2004), as well as national and international ethic codes.

Theory

Methodology of social work stems from a systematic set of findings gained by research and evaluation of practice. Spiritual and sociological findings help us to recognize complexity of relations between people and their environment and human ability to be influenced and positively amend various influences at the same time. To be able to analyze complex situations and mediate personal, organizational, social or cultural changes, the profession of Christian and social work is based on theory of human development and behavior and the theory of social systems.  

Practice

Christian social work is focused on social barriers, inequality and injustice (advocacy function). It responds to crises and acute situations as well as everyday personal and social problems (aid function). It utilizes a variety of skills, procedures and activities connected with its general focus on human and his environment. The ways of intervention include psychosocial processes primarily focused on person and communities, as well as engagement in social policy, planning and development. It includes counseling, clinical social work, group work, social-pedagogical work and family counseling and therapy, community methods (community work, civic-social strategies, social-pastoral concepts etc.) and an effort to assist people to gain services and resources in their communities. The ways of intervention also include administration of institutions, organization of communities and engagement in social and political actions with impact on social policy and economic development. General focus of social work is common; however, priorities of everyday practice vary from country to country depending on cultural, historical and socio-economical conditions.           

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[1] This definition is based on the International Definition of Social Work by the IFSW from 2000.
[2] As described in the Deus Caritas Est Encyclic by the Pope Benedict XVI
[3] In terms of theology: to provide for fulfilled life despite of irreversible limitations.
[4] In terms of theology: to prompt for classical life dietetics and behavior led by virtues for one’s own well-being (bonum individuale) and common well-being (bonum commune).