Sunday, July 3, 2011

ESN SPRING SEMINAR 2011

Pre svega, MORAM da kazem da mi je jako zao zbog duzeg odsustvovanja sa bloga, ali zbog nametnutih obaveza, poznanstva sa drugim ljudima i posvecenosti nekim drugim stvarima, nikako  da uhvatim vreme i sednem da pisem... Priznajem da je i mene uhvatila "letnja euforija" , pa sam u svakom trenutku provedenom na suncu sebicno uzivala, u bezbriznom opustanju, ne bi li osetila dasak letnjeg ocaravajuceg raspolozenja.
Pripala mi je velika cast da ispred Asocijacije centara za socijalni rad Srbije budem ucesnik ESN Spring seminara, odrzanog u Budimpesti, u periodu od 16 do 18 maja 2011. godine, organizovan od strane Ministarstva Nacionalnih Resursa, Nacionalnog instituta za porodicnu i socijalnu poltiku, SZOSZAK-nacionalne NGO, veoma aktivne na socijalnom polju u Madjarskoj, a sve to duguje zahvalnost madjarskom predsedavanju EU-om. I zaista, zelim da izrazim svoje zadovoljstvo ukoliko sam dala svoj skromni doprinos...Sigurno je da je vreme provedeno sa divnim ljudima Radetom Ceperkovicem i predivnom Magdolna Apró Bakai jedno neprocenjivo iskustvo, ucestvovanje na takvom seminaru vise nego vredno i korisno (zbog cega im dugujem zahvalnost do neba) i nadam se da je Asocijacija centara za socijalni rad Srbije predstavljena u najsvetlijem izdanju.
ESN (Evropska socijalna mreza) je nezavisna, apoliticna organizacija koja se bavi radom socijalnih servisa u Evropi. Sediste ESN-a je u Londonu, a sa radom je pocela 1998. godine. Na celu ove uspesne organizacije je John Halloran. Njena misija je da poboljsanjem kvaliteta rada socijalnih servisa, pomogne razvoj, podstakne promene i omoguci bolji zivot najugrozenijima u drustvu, da promovise socijalnu pravdu i socijalnu inkluziju ugrozenih pojedinaca i grupa. Akcenat delovanja je na lokalnom nivou, razmeni iskustava i zajednickom radu kako bi se izgradila efektivna Evropska i nacionalna socijalna politika. ESN organizuje seminare kako bi, svojim clanovima, omogucila priliku da se upoznaju sa izazovima sa kojima se svakodnevno suocavaju socijalni servisi sirom Evrope. Tema seminara u Budimpesti je: Socijalni servisi u Evropi: Inovativni odgovori u vremenu izazova. Potrudicu se da Vam u najkracim crtama prenesem o cemu je bilo reci i naravno svoje utiske. 
Tokom ova tri dana u Budimpesti, ucesnici (oko 120 njih, pola iz Madjarske a ostatak iz ostalih delova Evrope) su se slozili oko jednog, a to je da se svuda suocavamo sa istim problemima. Bez obzira na razlike u politickim i ekonomskim sistemima, drustvenom uredjenju, institucionalnim okvirima, socijalni servisi se suocavaju sa sledecim izazovima: rastuca nezaposlenost (narocito kod mladih), siromastvo, demografsko starenje i promena porodicnog obrasca, problemi finansiranja (u sredistu ovog pitanja jesu rastuci troskovi odrzavanja sistema), socijalna nejednakost, nepismenost, problemi starih lica, lica u izvesnom smislu onesposobljenih. Takodje, posledice ekonomske i socijalne krize se osecaju u svim zemljama, na razlicite nacine. Naslovi o kojima je bilo reci su: Kako socijalna i ekonomska kriza uticu na stanje u Evropi, organizacione promene i upravljanje resursima, investiranje u socijalne servise i socijalnu inkluziju, kako promovisati inovacije u lokalnim javnim servisima. Detaljniji izvestaj mozete pogledati OVDE!   
Na ESN grupnoj diskusiji, treceg dana, bili smo podeljeni u nekoliko grupa i polemisali o vec unapred datim pitanjima. Cini mi se da su zemlje Istocne Evrope u slicnom problemu: imamo slican socijalni servis, privatni sektor je malo zastupljen, ne postoje odvojene sluzbe, vec jedna ustanova koja se bavi svim poljima socijalnog rada, ostaci socijalizma su jos uvek prisutni a problem finansiranja nikada nije bio odsutan! Jeste problem finansiranja prisutan i u drugim zemljama, gde se provlaci kroz mnoge price, ali kod nas je, rekla bih novac glavni problem od koga se uvek prvo polazi. O socijalnim servisima u Centralnoj i Istocnoj Evropi (CEE) mozete pogledati OVDE!
Prenosim Vam delic atmosfere i druzenja! 






Sent Andreja


                           Do iduceg posta, pozdrav! J.J.






Tuesday, May 10, 2011

FPN od 2006...

Samo ću reći ovo: Asocijacija Centara za Socijalni rad Srbije > Dokumenta > Glas Centara - Informativni bilten Asocijacije > Glas Centara 30. mart 2011 > stranice 35, 36, 37.
Ili možete kliknuti OVDE i odmah preuzeti Glas centara u elektronskom obliku!




I još nešto: veliko hvala glavnom i odgovornom uredniku Radetu Čeperkoviću, koji je od 2003 godine najiskrenije posvećen jedinom stručnom časopisu u našoj zemlji! 


J.J.





Thursday, April 14, 2011

The position of social workers in Israel! Or העמדה של העובדים הסוציאליים בישראל‎

Why the Israel? I have recently read a very interesting article, entitled "The Miracle Called Israel". I was startled by development and progress of this country, by informations that it "was born" just over 60 years ago, and its "re-bitrh" after 2.000 years ago and many others very astonishing facts. Since this small country is world leader in medicine, technology, agriculture, military etc. i was curious about how this young country copes with some social issues... 
It can be noticed that there are two leading issues.
  • First, the social workers have been on strike for two months and, surprisingly, not to increase their pay, which is one of the lowest in Israel, but to improve the service that they give to the public. The biggest problem is the deficit of social workers. There are 7.000 social workers in Israel to serve 7 million citizens ( based on data from 2009 ). Each social worker has some 300 to 400 cases at any given time (as the case with us, and a few days ago text about this was published   in "Vecernje novosti"). Social workers do not have time to listen, with each client getting on average about five minutes a week. Those caseloads result in damage every day, and even death. That is why the social workers are asking for a 1.000 new positions. Reason for this is that for a long time Ministry of Social Affairs was not a desirable ministry, hence there was no minister at its helm. There is also concern that the finance minister's plan to lower taxes will make it even more difficult to find financing for hundreds of social-work positions. And to conclude: A significant increase in the number of social workers is not a luxury, but a fundamental need, perhaps even an existential one.   
  •  The second issue concerns the division between private and public sector. According to informations from the Social Workers Union, in 2011, there are roughly 15.000 active social workers in Israel, with 10.000 of them working in the public sector and a further 5.000 in the private sector. In the private sector, they earn even less. The pay scale has not been adjusted for more than 17 years, and roughly one in three social workers receives income support after being paid minimum wage. The struggle is directed against having the first and second class of social workers.
   As reported Israel National News, in March this year, social workers achieved an agreement, as a result of the repeated strike, and instead of a 40.5 hour work week, the work week would be 39 hours long. The pay hike would be cut correspondingly, to 22.5% instead of 25%. 
So, if you want to visit the only Jewish country on the world, watch out because you may stay there forever if they find out that you are a social worker! :)))
You never know! :)
                                                                                                                                                                   

Friday, April 8, 2011

Mariah Carey acts a "dowdy" social worker! .....Grrrrrr....!

There are few TV programs and series that show social workers at all! What is not so rare is way on which social workers are presented. I'm tired of showing social workers as dirty, petty and not attractive. Of course, in all films, soc. workers are badly dressed, ugly with the least possibility to be beautiful, cared, some of the best-dressed people you know. If they are not pretty as Mariah Carey in the movie, then they are certainly stubborn, old women covered with a million paper.
An example of this is surprisingly great transformation of beautiful singer and actress to so invisible social worker. So sorry! :P
 Notorious for her dedication to glamour, she has refused to travel without an army of beauticians and agreed to act in Precious. So it is somewhat unusual to see Mariah Carey, one of the world's most glamorous woman with a reputation as a diva, looking more dowdy than diva-like in shots from her gritty new movie" Precious", in which she plays a social worker. 
The film, originally called Push, is based on the novel Push by American author Sapphire and is set in New York in 1987. It tells the story of overweight, illiterate New York teen Claireece 'Precious' Jones (Gabby Sidibe) who falls pregnant with her second child aged 16. 
 "Carey, 40, who had to put weight on for the role, looks almost unrecognisable, sporting an unflattering blouse and jacket with scruffy brown hair".


Many social workers were criticizing Carey's appearance in the movie, because of the usual way of their presentation. 
 Let's drop prejudices and stereotypes of social workers. Here's how they look like!:)))
I love YOU girls! (Pictures of many other pretty colleagues were not available)
  

Milana Počuča 
Slađana Đorđević
Svetlana Miletić
moja malenkost, Jovana Jelenić
.
Koleginice i "par" kolega :))

Maraja Keri u ulozi "zapuštene" socijalne radnice! ....Grrrrrrrr...!


Socijalni radnici se, uopšte, malo prikazuju u TV programima i serijama što se ne može reći za način na koji su predstavljeni. Dosta je više prikazivanja socijalnih radnika kao zapuštene, neuredne i neatraktivne osobe! Naravno, u svim filmovima su predstavljene kao ružne, bez ukusa i stila za oblačenje i sa najmanje mogućnosti da budu lepe, negovane ili najbolje stilizovane osobe koje poznajete. Ako nisu lepe kao Maraja Keri u filmu, onda su sigurno zadrte starice zatrpane sa milion papira.  
Kao primer navodimo iznenađujuće veliku transformaciju prelepe pevačice i glumice u neprimetnu socijalnu radnicu. Poznata po glamuroznom životu, odbila je pratnju armije kozmetičara i prihvatila ulogu u filmu "Dragoceno". Ono što je neobično je to da, Maraju Keri, jednu od najglamuroznijih žena na svetu, sa reputacijom dive, vidimo više kao zapuštenu nego kao divu, na snimcima iz njenog novog filma, u kome glumi socijalnu radnicu.
Originalni naziv filma je Napad, zasnovan na romanu Napad, američkog autora Safir i radnja se odvija u Njujorku, 1987. godine. U filmu se govori o  nepismenoj tinejdžerki sa poremećajem u ishrani, Claireece 'Precious' Jones, u filmu Gabby Sidibe, koja je sa 16 godina ostala trudna sa drugim detetom. 
 "Četrdesetogodišnja Keri, koja je za ovu ulogu morala da se ugoji, izgleda tako da ju je veoma teško prepoznati, noseći jednostavnu bluzu i jaknu, ofarbana u braon, sa nesređenom frizurom".
Mnogi socijalni radnici su kritikovali njeno pojavljivanje u filmu, zbog već ustaljenog načina na koji se predstavljaju socijalni radnici. 
Hajde da razbijemo predrasude i stereotipe u vezi sa socijalnim radnicima!
Evo kako one izgledaju! Devojke - volim vas!(Slike mnogih drugih prelepih koleginica nisu mi bile dostupne) 
                                              
                                                                                                                   J.J.  




Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Novi Zakon o socijalnoj zaštiti!!!

 31.03.2011. godine Narodna skupština Republike Srbije usvojila je Zakon o socijalnoj zaštiti i obezbeđivanju socijalne sigurnosti građana, koji će omogućiti novčanu pomoć za veći broj socijalno ugroženih građana, a najugroženijima i veće iznose socijalnih davanja.
  •  Broj korisnika socijalne pomoći, kako je ranije najavio resorni ministar Rasim Ljajić, biće povećan za najmanje 80.000 korisnika, a zbog povećanih iznosa i broja korisnika izdvajanja iz budžeta biće veća za oko 70 odsto.
  • Zakon o socijalnoj zaštiti uvodi nove grupe korisnika koje su u praksi socijalne zaštite do sada bile nedovoljno prepoznate, kao što su žrtve nasilja u porodici, zlostavljanja, zanemarivanja i samozanemarivanja, trgovine ljudima.
  •  Takođe, predviđa i povećanje broja korisnika socijalne pomoći, veće novčane iznose za najsiromašnije, višečlana domaćinstva i razvoj usluga socijalne zaštite na lokalnom nivou.
  • Predviđeno je i da ustanove socijalne zaštite mogu otvoriti i privatna lica, ali uz prethodno licenciranje i redovnu kontrolu kvaliteta usluga.
  • Zakon predviđa i dalji razvoj i podsticaj hraniteljstva, kako bi što veći broj dece bez roditeljskog staranja napustio institucije. 

        Tekst predloga Zakona o socijalnoj zaštiti možete pogledati OVDE
J.J. 





Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Social Work: Low pay, high Stress!!!

...  High stress and a meager paycheck are just another day at the office...

A CNNMoney.com headline depicts social work and several related careers as “stressful jobs that pay badly.” 
I would like to call your attention to an article on CNNMoney.com highlighting the top 15 “stressful jobs that pay badly.” The number 1 job listed — social work. This article highlights one of the key problems in recruiting and retaining qualified individuals who will “step in when others step aside.” 
Social workers step in when everyone else steps aside to help people and families in vulnerable situations. They provide patients with education and counseling. Unfortunately, social workers are not deemed worthy of high pay. (Source: PayScale.com)
But that's not all! News Article ( CBS News), puts social work on top 10 depressing jobs list! It's probably not a huge surprise to find social workers near the top of this list. Because social workers work with people who are so needy, it can be hard to not sacrifice too much to the job, and it happens to burn out pretty quickly.
Maybe people are missing the point about social work. Nobody ever said that they were trying to get rich from being a social worker, but we do deserve to have a decent pay to live our lives. We are professionals. Yes, the history behind social work is charity organizations and helping the poor, but Social Work as a career has developed beyond this. 
Some days it seems too much to bear. If I’m going to be stressed- I’m going to get paid! And if I need to remind, i will!Do not let social work profession loses many very good social workers due to the state of the profession!
Being a social worker is a hard and difficult job but can also be the most fabulous job in the world. There are many good times in social work as well as bad and even sad. There are so many difficult decisions to make every day you are at work - everything is a dilemma.

My message to social workers is:
We are here as advocates, protectors, defenders. . . .we are given the honorable and arduous task of straightening the way. Let’s use our GREAT SKILLS to advocate for OURSELVES!!!
If you can’t fight for your self, then you DON'T have what it takes to be a Great Social Worker. 
Are you brave enough to defend our MIGHTY AND UNIQUE PROFESSION!!!!!

J.J. 

Monday, March 21, 2011

The first generation at Faculty of political science


Classroom 6 is full! Generation '87, those thirty, at the first sight students without worries, are talking about not so unsignificant topics. Someone loudly, someone by whispering, expresses his dissatisfaction, concern, and some look is wandering between students, asking what actually will they be after graduation? Some of them organized meeting with vice dean of the faculty, who is also the main for cathedra of social policy and social work. Nervous fuss colleague reminded all of them that then was the perfect opportunity to find out whether they would be social worker or politicologist of social policy and social work? Vice dean attempt to, persuade students in validity of Bologna, using demagogy past times, was at the disappointment of all us unsuccessful. Lack of knowledge or ignorance of vice-dean were fully expressed, when she answered on ours questions confusingly, ambiguously and unrealistic. Her concern was the obvious, because she promised then, that everything would be fine, everybody would go to master, get two degrees and find the job! For the first time then, they heard that on the fourth year they would choose between two modules: social policy and social work! They were told that the difference is in a just a few exams, but degree is the same -  politicologist of social policy and social work, instead of SOCIAL WORKER! This information divided students on those who would go on one of these modules. Young, unexperienced, separated students were going by the line of less resistence, perhaps even manipulated, and not realizing that, they missed the opportunity to defend the NAME of the profession of SOCIAL WORKER. And after protest in 2009., with presence of majority professors, situation was still unchanged! Disagreement of professors, about the name of profession social worker, was evident but obviously their own interests were more importanat than the future of this unique, and everywhere approved profession of social worker!
 How much delusions were told then, judge by yourself! First generation of  Bologna, praised by all professors and with a large number of those who graduated on time, received a certificate of graduation - politicologist of social policy and social work!!! Good and commended students were, during the registration at employment bureaus, faced with the fact that profession, as such, does not exist!
Degree disagreed with promises!
J.J. 

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Extraordinary Harper Lee!


"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view" (H.Lee)

  
Nelle Harper Lee (born April 28, 1926, still alive)




Allow me to introduce you a great lady, extraordinary, who is known for her modesty, only published book - To Kill a Mockingbird, best known for her 1960 Pulitzer Prize, and also winner of Presidential Medal of Freedom of the United States. Lee has also been the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, but has always declined to make a speech. She used to say: "Well, it's better to be silent than to be a fool". She is also one of my favorite writers! 
 She grew up in Alabama, the youngest of four children. As a child, Lee was a tomboy and a precocious reader, and was best friends with her schoolmate and neighbor, the young Truman Capote. Capote once acknowledged this: "Harper Lee was my best friend, lifelong friend".  Later, Lee was his crucial research partner for In Cold Blood. 
In 1949, a 23-year-old Lee arrived in New York City. She struggled for several years, working as a ticket agent for Eastern Airlines and for the British Overseas Air Corp. 
In the summer of 1959,  she completed To Kill a Mockingbird, wich was an immediate bestseller and won great critical acclaim, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961. It remains a bestseller with more than 30 million copies in print. In 1999, it was voted "Best Novel of the Century" in a poll by the Library Journal. Many details of To Kill a Mockingbird are apparently autobiographical. 


 "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Scout Finch, in To Kill A Mockingbird, Chapter 10)
Since publication of To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee has granted almost no requests for interviews or public appearances, and with the exception of a few short essays, has published no further writings. 


On November 5, 2007. at a White House Ceremony
  Lee was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush, which is the highest civilian award in the United States and recognizes individuals who has made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors".

The most popular essays by H.L. are:
 Until the next post,  
J.J.

I'm a social worker! What's your excuse?

     I'm studying social politics and social work at the Faculty of political science! Ah...I'm tired of writting this and can you imagine what is the reaction, when you say this sentance in one breath?

I'm a social worker! What's your excuse?
 You aren't sure that someone understand you? And how many times have you been in a situation that after this spoken sentence, you have the feeling that someone is pointing a finger at you, and yet he is the one who should be ashamed of his ignorance!!! Ok, reactions are not exactly as I was expected, and almost always, in order to continue our conversation, add another sentance: " I'll be a social worker"! 
But it's not the end of our suffering...Can you belive that after all of this, there are still people who simply do not know what "IT" means! Sometimes, I am amazed by human ignorance so musch that at that moment I'd rather just walk away! After their bold or careless questions, I'm the one who becomes confused and startled.
      Noooo..., I'm not a sociologist, nor I'll work in "social", and not that I have not where to get a job!
Let forgive those who doesn't know about this profession because of the reasonable grounds, but what about the rest of them, who doesn't informed at all, either misunderstand essence of this unique profession. That is alarming! Although, it can't be surprising, since we are living in country, where superficiality increasingly gets importance!
     Recently, I have found among my old stuff, lexicon-on which was written Jovana Jelenic II - 3. What I found interesting is the following...
When today's kids ask what they want to be when grow up, the least can you expect are answers like social worker, pedagogue, special education teacher, adult education teacher etc... It is foreign to them and they usually answer with socially attractive professions like doctor, teacher, singer, movie star...
But, in my lexicon, which was written exactly sixteen years ago, by handwriting that i havn't seen for years, handwriting which is completely unknown, but at the same time, mine, it was written social worker!
And here I am ... after so many years ... ready, proud and pleased!!!
I think social work choose me! :) 
                                                                                                                                                             J.J.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

15th March is World Social Work day!!!

  • Social workers have a crucial role to play in each national effort!
  • Social work is a noble profession and we, social workers, should be proud to have committed ourself to it!!!
  •  I would like to thank them for the work they do every day! 


I wish all social workers and social work students a great celebration of World Social Work Day 2011!!!

                                J.J. 

 


Monday, March 14, 2011

Let's not make the mistake again!

        In my previous post, I was explaining the difference between similar but completely different terms. But, I don't think I've mentioned this before... Well, just before this blog, I did some real introspection and came to the conclusion about how people used words without being aware of their meanings, or maybe it's just about that our language is full of language buzzword? In this article, I will explain another difference between, in my opinion, confusing terms.

Let's not make the mistake again... 

But before, just a quick note about a book I was reading not so long ago. It's about Nietzsche's moral philosophy, and the book is Thus Spoke Zarathustra. He is talking about herd or slave morality and contrary to that the master morality. I have to say that reading this book without the help and explanations of my professor M. Petrickovic would be more difficult, with much more effort and time. I am grateful to him for that. Here's a little paragraph that I think it is important to share with you:  

       "I teach you the overman. Man is something that shall be overcome. What have you done to overcome him? … All beings so far have created something beyond themselves; and do you want to be the ebb of this great flood, and even go back to the beasts rather than overcome man? What is ape to man? A laughing stock or painful embarrassment. And man shall be that to overman: a laughingstock or painful embarrassment. You have made your way from worm to man, and much in you is still worm. Once you were apes, and even now, too, man is more ape than any ape.... The overman is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the overman shall be the meaning of the earth.... Man is a rope, tied between beast and overman—a rope over an abyss … what is great in man is that he is a bridge and not an end."

Related to morality, I would like to make clear these following terms:
Morality (from the latin moralitas - manner, character, proper behavior) is a sense of behavioral conduct that differentiates intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good (or right) and bad (or wrong). A moral code is a system of morality (for example, according to a particular philopsohy, religion, culture, etc.)
Amorality can be determined as neutral or completely indifferent attitude individuals to morality. It is the degree of morality, which means still untouched by the phenomenon of moral. 
Anti-morality  means attitude  individuals or groups of people who don't recognize any moral, or to make it clear: moral is denied as an important and binding standards.
Immorality can be defined like moral category, which means the opposite of moral thinking and moral action.

J.J.