Klaipėdos universitetas

This article is an analysis of the historical roots and ethical semantics of the social work concept ‘a marginal person, a client’ (the Greek words ξένος, ksenos and αςτος, astos). The question is relevant in modern social work in relation to the concept of ‘strange’ or ‘marginal’. The article analyses how the concepts ‘strange’, ‘other’ and marginal’ have re-entered the modern world from the Ancient world, as they were used in Ancient Syria (in the fourth century), Greece, and Medieval Europe. However, nowadays in social work theory they should be described anew using the discourses of social work and anthropology. The article explores the question of how to communicate with the ‘other’ or marginal person, based on reciprocity and internal solidarity.

Pastoral counseling has long history; its roots are found deep in the concept of “shepherding” (or care for the soul, poimenics) which originates in Christ’s approach to men. However, interest about various counseling methods today beyond the Church setting is called by expanding of the identity question of the social work profession. Currently social work is done in circles where meaning of religious issues rises above the average in society and clients express their wish to cooperate with social workers who care for their faith and religion. Also it should be noted that more attention is paid to the Church as an institution which is an important provider of social services for the needy, rejected, for orphans, risk families etc. Consequently, the task of the present article is to shed light on pastoral counseling content taking place in professional setting.

Social work theory and practice today follow a concept born in mid-19th century industrialised society; however, it is not the sole concept. Even since the fourth century, an alternative concept of caritative social work (CSW) has been known, and it is currently embedded in the European Social work model. The article shows the therapeutic potential of the concept of CSW based on the Judaeo-Christian model, which is based on the revelation of Biblical and patristic anthropology elaborated since the first decades of the Christian era (mainly in Alexandria and Antioch, ancient centres of learning). Today, with the Covid-19 crisis, and with European society undergoing traumatic experiences, described as alienation, unemployment, depression, etc, the therapeutic potential of CSW should be recalled by social work professionals. The therapeutic potential of CSW is revealed through an interdisciplinary approach. Patristic anthropology is an interdisciplinary approach showing ways to encourage human social activity, encompassing both personal and societal perspectives. The concept of deification provided by Judeo-Christian anthropology touches the ontological structure of man, and is described as a method for the proper conceptualisation of the complexity of the client’s problem, without ignoring its spiritual aspects. The potential of CSW is helpful for people in a society who are at risk to recover from setbacks.

The article deals with the profession of Caritative social worker, its legitimate status in Latvia, as well with historical roots of the profession and its methodology. It is based on the Judeo-Christian anthropological paradigm and is reflected in European guidelines for Social work development, stemming from the founders’ of the European Union concept of the Social stand of man and human dignity as spiritual subject.

Social entrepreneurship serves as one of the social techniques for the social cohesion of disadvantaged and marginalised groups in society, and therefore can be used as a practical method in the field of social work. Social entrepreneurship provides an operational platform for the renewal of people’s self-dependence skills, by learning to do things together, which is a relevant motivational aspect for socially marginalised people in solving their social and personal problems. Thus, the social cohesion of disadvantaged and marginalised groups of society by being involved in social entrepreneurial activities, and thus being placed in the sphere of the productive economy at the level of the community, contributes to the development of the local community, giving citizens the socially active status of being active protagonists in their destiny and their local community. However, the renewal of a person’s social functioning, achieved by involvement in social entrepreneurial activities, covers a person’s life holistically, starting with the person’s inner processes that lead to forming external social relationships. Therefore, the analysis of this process in the article involves taking an anthropological perspective on activating people’s inner resources and human potential in the activities of social enterprises, which also shows the dimension of social entrepreneurship as a tool for personal development. The aim of the article is to explore the phenomenon and practice of social entrepreneurship in the context of social work, where social entrepreneurship can be used as an innovative approach as a tool for the development of the community, and for the transformation on a personal level of practitioners and people involved in entrepreneurial activities.

Current transition from agrarian societies to industrial ones around the globe carries shift of values along with – namely, from Traditional to Self-expression. The shift has been described by analysts of the World Values Survey Association (WVSA). In much described Inglehart-Welzel cultural map of the world Baltic States are positioned somewhere in the middle between the poles. The article sketches dangers arising from one-sided over-emphasizing benefits of democracy and self-expression. Societies undergoing fast transition between their former experiences and current challenges testify frictions and they may be described as torn societies. The author uses the term “plastic man” coined by Martin Heidegger – in whom the changing part of personality is increasing whereas the steady side is decreasing. As sociologist Arnold Toynbee puts it, the man of today is a “man running away from God”, consequently, his plasticity takes over and man is not in position to control his own choices and his changeability. The article offers Christian anthropological view of man in his relations with God. The reminder refreshes knowledge of European Christian roots and challenges current social development.

The current global situation after Covid-19 presents the situation of youth in Europe as a synthesis for an international strategy of national youth policies instigated by the Council of Europe ‘Supporting Young People in Europe: Principles, Policy, Practice’. We look at youth policy as an initiative within other policy areas, which affect not only young people but all of society. The article presents the social and demographic situation of youth in the EU, and the state of play regarding welfare and poverty, education, employment, family issues, health and behaviour, and the future of youth in the EU.

History of professional Caritative Social work content reaches back to the beginning of Christian era. The content and basis of Caritative social work reveals the understanding of social dimension and general conceiving of human beings from the Christian perspective. Solidarity and cooperation, caritative attitude, the value of personality, fraternity made Christianity as principally a social religion. The mediating concepts such as subsidiarity, liberty, solidarity, fraternity and equality can be viewed of unity of human kind in Christ. Article deals with Christian heritage of Europe contributing to commonly shared worldview and reveals the role of Caritative social ministry as ethos of Eastern Orthodox Christianity against the Western subjective individualism. The spirit of egalitarianism is deeply embedded in the body and soul of Eastern Christianity. There is no place for race / social discrimination in Eastern Christianity despite of its highly hierarchical structure. Christians still should stay with their civil tasks and obligations through Caritative Social work since their vision of “the self” is social.