Activating Social Change: A Practical Guide for 21st Century Social Work

1. Revitalizing radical social work in 21st century: practical opportunities for social change Ana Miljenović, prof. Nino Žganec Study Centre for Social Work, Faculty of Law, Zagreb, Croatia

2. Radical ideas in social work • Existing since beginnings of social work • Further conceptualization in 70’s • Ideology, not reality of social work? • Revitalizing now days as a part of critical paradigm concerning global and multidimensional inequalities • How can social work promote, enhance and be involved in social change?

3. Practical opportunities for social work to be involved in social change

4. Demonstrative activities Aim: to raise public conscious on: - issue: its’ range, resource distribution, structural factors that influence - and action: promoting that change is possible, people have capacity and responsibility to act ˝public˝ includes politicians, experts, media, various stakeholders, population in general…

5. Demonstrative activities (II) • e.g. Festival for equal opportunities: • Organisedeveryyearbyallianceof NGO’s for peoplewith disability • In centre of Croatia capital city promotevarious aspectsoftheir creative life and rights

6. Cooperative activities AIM: Finding partners, exchanging resources and creating pressure • Widening and strengthening social partnership at all levels • Partners can be found among co-workers, social work clients, other professionals, media representatives, public agencies, scientist… • Various forms of collaboration: networks, alliances, coalitions, pressure groups • E.g. NGO’s in Croatia interested in gender issues built alliance and made significant public pressure

7. Formative activities AIM: have impact on social work students to profile themselves as social activists • transfer of specific knowledge and experiences about radical approach to social workstudents. • Stronger binding of social work education with the „real life“ of social work clients as an alternative to prevailing evidence basedepistemology in social sciences

8. Transformative activities • Direct impact on • Available resources and services • Changing legislative framework- Social workers have to be familiar with national and international legislative processes as well as possibilities to be actively involved • The most challenging activity? e.g. In Croatia, engagement of NGO’s for people with disability’ rights contributed to entering and ombudsman for people with disability institute

9. Conclusion • Social change is complex assignmentof social work • Itscomplexitycan influence on resistanceof social worker to getinvolved • Thus, proposed set ofactivitiescanbeusefulguide • Social work hascapacity to beinitiating and coordinating force anddevelop sustainable platform for further social activism

10. For further discussion: • Do you find radical paradigm relevant in today’s social work? • What are the real aims/possibilities/barriers for social workers in implementing radical ideas in their everyday practice? • Are there concrete examples of radical practice in your practical settings?

11. Thank you for your attention