Vital Profession to the Current Situation

World Social Work Day is celebrated and it is a perfect opportunity to understand why it is a key area that no state should withdraw from, especially in a pandemic context. In other words, the moment when historically vulnerable sectors have worse opportunities than others.

First of all, it should be understood that this is not a simple discipline. On the contrary, it encompasses several areas that adapt to a multitude of contexts. However, the main objective is to promote social change, solve people's problems and improve the sense of well-being of society as a whole.

This is especially relevant if we consider that, due to the economic and health crisis that emerged as a result of COVID-19, social work became vital. Similarly, the possibility of knowing people's needs and seeing plans to solve them, something that Social Work professionals can do. Let's get to know all its main functions.

Functions and Current Importance of the Welfare Projects

One of the most important functions of Social Work today is problem-solving, especially in this pandemic context. For example, this can be seen especially in the group of women in Latin America, where the specialized institution ECLAC proposed the creation of an emergency basic income for women.

The groups that carry out Social Work tasks investigated the situation of this group in Latin America, so they understood that the 13 million women in the region had an unemployment rate that dropped to 12%. They proposed a bond of US $ 120, equivalent to the poverty line.

At the same time, social work professionals determine the problems related to women who do not earn income from housework. This situation establishes that the number of hours of unpaid work increased due to the confinement of the pandemic. In particular, Latin American women dedicated a total of 25.7 hours per week, while in 2019 that figure was 19.4 hours.

Also read: THE MORE WHO DIE, THE LESS WE CARE?

Social work also covers families in nursing homes. Although the elderly are the most susceptible to complications from COVID-19, there is one aspect that many people forget: the emotional. Above all, think about the containment of those grandparents who lost much of their socialization due to the virus.

Professionals make social visits to the centers, where many older people have feelings of hopelessness in the face of the uncertainty of the pandemic. For example, social workers teach older people how to use different digital tools to reduce this feeling of loneliness, improving their interaction with the world.

This work of therapeutic accompaniment continues to be vital. For example, more and more older people have learned to use previously unknown digital tools, such as WhatsApp or video calls on various platforms. In this way, they can communicate with their family and loved ones, reducing the emotional crisis of being locked up in their homes or residences.

The Guardian notes that the role of social workers during the quarantine was, in a way, played by almost the entire society. At least a little, because rarely was such a great manifestation of empathy and solidarity seen, where everyone did their part to take care of others.

It was applied not only to friends, family, and acquaintances but also to all those who needed emotional support. In short, World Social Work Day teaches us that it is a very important discipline to contribute to the quality of life of human beings.