Journal:Tiltai
Volume 92, Issue 1 (2024), pp. 163–180
Abstract
The early beginnings of Christian caritative social work against a Biblical and Ancient Greek background have been well explored in literature. The methodological approach, the use of theological analysis of social work approach to the client, opens the doors to the positive identification of burning issues in the practice of modern social work. The Christian world-view has always put personal responsibility and involvement on micro, mezzo and macro levels in focus, and the realisation of personal potential in social functions is revealed by the application of the Trinitarian view of God in Christianity. The theological approach to the analysis of the meaning of social work, its mission and mechanisms, focuses on the crossing of both the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the Christian faith as a practice, and puts forward service to the needy and the poor, solidarity with outcasts and marginal people, support and encouragement, as following in the footsteps of Christ. By that approach, the essence of caritative social work is discovered: personal engagement versus estrangement, community resources versus individualism, mutuality versus ignorance. The innovative discourse inviting the disclosure of possible personal transformation dynamics has an impact on the positive solution of the client’s social problems within the community, especially during a humanitarian crisis. The methodological approach may also be helpful for the identification of stagnation in the social work profession.
Journal:Tiltai
Volume 92, Issue 1 (2024), pp. 181–192
Abstract
The article is devoted to the anthropologically centred supervision of social field specialists. The concept of supervision is based on the patristic anthropology of the Church, which is fundamentally person-centred in any professional activity. This approach to supervision is very modern, as it resonates with the current professional paradigm shift from a profession-centred approach to a person/client-centred approach. The article presents quantitative research, with the aim of showing the expediency of person-centred supervision from the attitude of social workers. It analyses the main methodological principles of person-centred (the author uses the term ‘anthropologically centred’) supervision, and their application in supervision: 1) the concept of a person; 2) the term ‘personality development’ or personality transformation; 3) the factor of high-quality communication or reciprocity.
Journal:Tiltai
Volume 92, Issue 1 (2024), pp. 193–218
Abstract
The authors analyse the empowerment of domestic violence abusers from the perspective of an intervention programme. They present the phenomenon of domestic violence in the context of complex legal assistance to a family experiencing violence, and theoretical and practical approaches to the application of behaviour-changing programmes. At the moment, the legal acts regulating the provision of such assistance in Lithuania are mainly aimed at ensuring assistance to people who have experienced violence, but the system of providing services to people subjected to violent behaviour is not established. In Lithuania, the Intervention Programme for Domestic Abusers has been approved for changing violent behaviour in the family. The programme is purposefully structured: it improves the skills of recognition of violent behaviour in the family environment by providing information on forms of violence and an analysis of violent situations, and modelling non-violent behaviour in the family. The experts who prepared the programme noted that the most important elements for its effectiveness are group work, long-term participation in the programme, the motivation of the programme leaders, and the ability to empower the individual to change his or her behaviour. The extension of the programme to institutions providing comprehensive family support services can be predictive of the effectiveness of domestic violence prevention.