Social Workers’ Conflict of Loyalty in the Context of Social Activism: The Case of the 2011 Social Protests in Israel

Abstract

This qualitative study examined the experiences of social workers who participated in the 2011 Israeli social protests. Data were collected through 1 focus group interview. The sample included 11 social workers employed in 11 social welfare departments throughout the country. Findings highlight the complexities and dilemmas experienced by social workers who protested against the system that employs them. Research findings contribute to the discourse regarding the conflict of loyalty experienced by public social workers engaged in social activism that targets the system that employs them.

Explaining the policy practice of community social workers

“…They will also have to develop the political acumen required to ensure that the support for their engagement in policy practice by the social service agency be maintained given the often sensitive nature of involvement in the policy formulation process. This will necessitate their learning on how to navigate the complexities and dilemmas that engagement in macro practice can entail (Makaros & Moshe Grodofsky, 2016). No less important, the representative organizations of social work need to advocate for incorporation of policy involvement as an integral and legitimate part of the job descriptions of social workers, in general, and of community social workers, in particular.…”

“…Policy involvement in different arenas is typically seen as a major path for influencing policies that better address the social sources of their clients’ problems; prevent conditions that limit human and social rights; and contribute to the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Recently, scholars have underscored the importance of social workers’ policy involvement in an era of neoliberalism (Makaros & Moshe Grodofsky, 2016; Reisch, 2016; Strier & Feldman, 2018).…”

Policy Practice Is Important But…Voices of Social Service Departments Directors

“…The political involvement of department directors can also serve as a model and example for their subordinate social workers and encourage their workers to engage in policy practice (Mendes 2007;Mosley 2013). A clear and detailed demand to engage in this field, and particularly a formal requirement that is based on official documents and job descriptions (Weiss-Gal and Levin 2010) or accompanied by concrete signs of legitimation, recognition, and compensation (Makaros and Grodofsky-Moshe 2016), provides substantial encouragement and can be an important way of increasing the involvement of social workers in policy practice. The role of the directors in legitimizing the involvement of social workers in this field is very important because without legitimation most of the workers would not deal with this field (Makaros and Grodofsky-Moshe 2016).…”

“…A clear and detailed demand to engage in this field, and particularly a formal requirement that is based on official documents and job descriptions (Weiss-Gal and Levin 2010) or accompanied by concrete signs of legitimation, recognition, and compensation (Makaros and Grodofsky-Moshe 2016), provides substantial encouragement and can be an important way of increasing the involvement of social workers in policy practice. The role of the directors in legitimizing the involvement of social workers in this field is very important because without legitimation most of the workers would not deal with this field (Makaros and Grodofsky-Moshe 2016). The research essentially highlights the importance of department directors working in collaboration and coordination with social workers in the field so that they can promote the best responses for service recipients.…”

“…Despite the perception of some service providers that social workers in social service departments can engage in policy practice, studies conducted in Israel indicate that this is not easy to do. Some studies have shown that directors and heads of staff have opposed the attempts of workers to effect change in policies (Makaros and Grodofsky-Moshe 2016). Other studies have shown that social workers who were employed in government organizations and engaged in policy practice usually did so independently and on a voluntary basis rather than as part of their formal professional activity at their workplace (Winter 2009).…”