Vito Flaker
V O L U N T A R Y W O R K : W O R K FOR O T H E R S A N D FOR O N E S E L F
Dr. Vito Flaker is associate professor at University of Ljubljana School of Social Work and Dean of the School.
Voluntary w o r k is an invention of the 20"' c e n t u r y and differs considerably f r o m charity of previ- ous times. It is n o longer t h e activity of the ruling elites b u t t h e participation, particularly of the youth, at solving some social problems. In Slovenia it has developed mainly as a r e s p o n s e to the contradictions of the professionalism and the bureaucratic operation of institutions in the field of social action. The activities called voluntary are manifold and have several dimensions. They may have formal or informal frame, they may be designed for actual p e r s o n s or abstract receivers of help, they may be organised as repetitive or as single actions, and they may be p e r f o r m e d for others or for oneself. One of the attractions of voluntary w o r k is precisely that w h a t is d o n e for others may also be w o r k for oneself. Voluntary work is still, despite being non-paid, non-professional and i n t e n d e d for the b e n e f i t of others, dominated by wage-labour. Yet, in spite of its instrumental and utilitarian dimensions, it also possesses an aesthetic and ethical one, if it mediates in p o w e r relations b e t w e e n e x p e r t s and users.
Keywords: w o r k in shadow, informal sector, wage, power.
Jože Ramovš
V O L U N T A R Y W O R K W I T H PEOPLE A N D FOR T H E P E O P L E
Dr. fože Ramovš, anthropologist and social worker, is Principal of the Anton Trstenjak Institute and Associate Professor at University of Ljubljana School of Social Work.
The p a p e r is an attempt at a w h o l e s o m e presentation of the m o d e r n voluntary social w o r k . It draws f r o m the author's insights o n social i m m u n i t y system of self-help and solidarity. In his view, voluntary w o r k is a specific m o d e r n f o r m of soUdarity, and to a great e x t e n t of self-help as well. A discussion on the p e r t i n e n t Slovenian terminology is followed by a p r e s e n t a t i o n and definition of post-modern voluntary work. Several dilemmas of professional help for p e o p l e in distress are extensively analysed, such as the pathology of w o r k i n g w i t h p e o p l e and f o r t h e m and the protec- tion against it. T h e specific voluntary organisational paradigm, as distinct f r o m the professional one, is p r e s e n t e d for all stages: in recruiting volunteers, in their training, in the p e r f o r m a n c e of voluntary w o r k and actions, and in c o n c e r n for maintaining the c o n d i t i o n of volunteers. The final part of the p a p e r p r e s e n t s several insights f r o m the rich e x p e r i e n c e w i t h voluntary w o r k in t h e field of social gerontagogy.
Keywords: voluntary work, solidarity, self-help, social i m m u n i t y system, professional hygiene.
Charles A. Elmet
I N F O R M A L CAREGIVERS O F O L D E R A D U L T S CAREGIVER B U R D E N A N D THE BENEFITS OF S U P P O R T GROUPS
Charles A. Emlet, Ph.D., LCSW, is Assistant Professor of Social Work, University of Washington Tacoma and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Social Work, School of Social Work, University of Washington (Seattle).
Informal caregivers, such as spouses, daughters and daughters-in-law, provide the vast majority of care to impaired elderly persons. The d e m a n d s of care giving can lead to various types of b u r d e n , including physical, psychological/emotional, social and financial. S u p p o r t g r o u p s for informal
caregivers have b e e n s h o w n to be effective in helping caregivers increase feelings of well-being, improve relationships w i t h care receivers, decrease depression and anxiety and ultimately lower rates of institutionalisation. Support groups may be professionally or p e e r led and may focus on specific disease processes, i.e., Alzheimer's disease, or be designed for caregivers of older adults in general.
Keywords: caregiver, b u r d e n , s u p p o r t groups, elderly.
Bojana Mesec
THE E M E R G I N G G E N E R A T I O N OF V O L U N T E E R S
Bojana Mesec, M. A., is research assistant at University of Ljubljana School of Social Work.
People and organisations are linked t h r o u g h n e w technology and n e w ways of c o m m u n i c a t i o n . They are a m e a n s of obtaining n e w knowledge and adopting new, better, faster and m o r e efficient techniques. But the change commits us to hard work. The use of n e w technology requests invest- m e n t in e q u i p m e n t , p e o p l e with knowledge, training, and last but n o t least, the will for progress.
Not-for-profit organisations, public and private, are very modestly e q u i p p e d f o r their work. The i n f o r m a t i o n media b r o u g h t about by globalisation has changed the o p e r a t i o n of b o t h profit and not-for-profit organisations, but d u e to their lack of m e a n s not-for-profit organisations have b e e n left behind. The only way for t h e m t h e r e f o r e is to accept the technological challenge o n the level achieved by the profit sphere. Not-for-profit actions must b e c o m e e n t r e p r e n e u r i a l to the e x t e n t that it will be able to c o m m u n i c a t e its social and h u m a n e ideas to the profit-oriented society on an equal footing, and react to its needs.
Keywords: virtual volunteers, virtual identity, community, n e w technologies.
Leonida Kobal ' G L U I N G W I T H PEOPLE'
AN A S S E S S M E N T OF T H E R A P E U T I C EFFECTS ON V O L U N T E E R S FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A T T A C H M E N T THEORY
Leonida Kobal, M. A., is a junior researcher at University of Ljubljana School of Social Work.
The a u t h o r p r e s e n t s some findings of the research on t h e r a p e u t i c effects in the volunteers w h o have attended the socio-therapeutic s u m m e r c a m p 2000, organised by the association for psycho- social h e l p and voluntary w o r k 'Odmev'. By getting involved in the c a m p that d e m a n d e d intense participation in relational n e t w o r k individuals reveal implicit, u n c o n s c i o u s models of establish- ing closer relations, w h i c h may be explained and distinguished f r o m the p o i n t of view of Bowlby's a t t a c h m e n t theory. The sources of attachment theory, the research of a t t a c h m e n t in childhood as the model of attachment styles in adulthood, and the significance of attachment theory for helping professions are discussed. O n the empirical level the author finds that the majority of volunteers, w i t h r e s p e c t to their dominating attachment style, s h o w e d positive or t h e r a p e u t i c shifts on and after the camp.
Keywords: socio-therapeutic camp, volunteers, personal growth, attachment styles, implicit rela- tional models.
Nino Rode, Melita Žontar V O L U N T A R Y W O R K W I T H A D D I C T I O N S THE CASE OF K R A N J CENTRE OF S O C I A L W O R K
Nino Rode, M. A., is assistant lecturer for research methodology at University of Ljubljana School of Social Work. Melita Žontar is a social worker employed at Kranj Centre of Social Work.
The a u t h o r s describe the work, position and the role of volunteers at Kranj Centre of Social Work.
The Centre's a p p r o a c h to addictions is interdisciplinary, w h i c h also d e t e r m i n e s voluntary work.
Volunteers have b e e n included in the Centre's w o r k w i t h addictions since t h e very beginning.
They have b e e n sought mainly amongst t h e students of social sciences and the humanities. The p r o c e d u r e s of selection, training and inclusion of volunteers at the Centre are described. The t r e a t m e n t of an addict involves the addict him/herself, his/her p a r e n t s (family), f r i e n d s and ac- quaintances, the therapist(s), former addicts, volunteers, the police, courts of law, and other actors.
The intent of therapists and volunteers is to change the behaviour of the addict in the direction that leads away f r o m addiction. The research c o n d u c t e d at the Centre tried to d e t e r m i n e h o w volun- teers and therapists define the role of individual actors in the process of getting off. It s h o w e d that due to t h e specific position of volunteers, there are differences b e t w e e n t h e m and therapists, w h i c h can be noticed in the significance attributed by each g r o u p to individual actors.
Keywords: YoXunlccrs, family, friends, therapist, f o r m e r addicts, courts of law, police.
Nika Cigoj Kuzma
V O L U N T A R Y W O R K OF S C H O O L OF SOCIAL W O R K S T U D E N T S
Nika Cigoj is a psychologist, assistant lecturer at University of Ljubljana School of Social Work, and member ofthe association 'Boetika '.
T h e task of t h e School is to see to the constant d e v e l o p m e n t of the profession, to follow its t r e n d s in t h e world, and to transfer n e w c o n c e p t s and m e t h o d s into practice. This is carried out w i t h t h e help of practice placements, practice tutors at the School, and counsellors o n placements w h o are social workers. All the participants are interacting and w o r k as a c o m p l e x system for the joint attainment of the aim - a linking of theory and practice. The p a p e r gives an estimate of the p e r f o r m a n c e on p l a c e m e n t in the academic year 2000-2001, based o n a questionnaire distributed to all the participants: students, tutors, and counsellors.
Keywords: social w o r k students, social w o r k methods, voluntary work, practice placement.
