Social work and homelessness: A critical analysis of practices and the role of social workers in the context of the reintegration of the homeless in Greece
Homelessness is a social phenomenon, which has lately been expanded due to multiple crises that have occurred in the recent years in Greece. The aim of this study is to examine the social phenomenon of homelessness and the social mobility of the homeless, through the perspective of social work and the role of professional social workers in combating the phenomenon. Social workers work with the most vulnerable groups of the population. They are being called upon to implement specific policies, while at the same time they are committed to professional values, such as those of advocacy, social justice and social change. In this context, the study will examine how and why people experiencing homelessness can get out of the homelessness condition and what is the role and practices of social workers in this process. The theoretical approach of the study will be implemented, based on critical social work, a theory based on the structural analysis of social problems and the emancipatory dimension of the profession. The research methodology will be qualitative, with the interview as the main research tool, thus giving the opportunity to explore in depth the views and personal experiences of the sample, while answering how and why individuals can get out of the condition of homelessness. The research will be conducted in collaboration with three sub-groups of the population: homeless people, social workers and employees of policy-making institutions, in an effort to approach the issue through a holistic prism and deepen in the current situation.
Keywords: Homelessness, Social Work, Reintegration, Social policy
Sofia Dedotsi (Supv.), Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, University of West Attica
Nikos Kourachanis, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Policy, Panteion University
Katerina Rozakou, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Anthropology, Panteion University
