Social Work &Sustainable Development

ENSACT Joint European Conference26-29 april 2009

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Introduction

• Leuven University CollegeDepartment of Social WorkBelgium (Flanders)

• Small research project:‘Orientation of Social Work on Sustainable Development’(Financed by the Flemish Government)

Contact: jef.peeters@khleuven.be

Points of departure• Absence of ecological discourse and normative

principles within SW– environment = social environment– SD = environmental care (physical environment)

• Real connection between social and ecological problems

• Development of ecologically oriented practices in some SW-organisations

• First theoretical developments:– ‘ecological social work’ (USA–Canada: Besthorn, Coates)– ‘eco-social approach’ (Europe: Matthies, Nähri)

Contents

1. The challenge: transition2. Sustainable development (SD)3. SD and Social Work (SW)4. Projects5. Sources

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1. The challenge:transition into another society

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Transitie Ecol Econ (PTJONES) 6

LPR-report 2006: Global ecological footprint in 2003 25% above the carrying capacity of the earth

September 2008

Ecological ‘Overshoot’

Ecological Footprint / continent

Poor-rich: a growing gap

The actual consumption and production patterns are socially and ecologically not sustainable

Based on Carley & Spapens

With redistribution

• A more just redistribution of wealth without respect for ecological limits is not a good answer.

Just consumption and production patterns: not necessarily sustainable

Based on Carley & Spapens

The challenge

• Satisfaction of needs and creation of well-being for every world-citizen with maintaining ‘natural capital’.

• That requires:– dematerialisation of the economy– a just distribution of welfare– a new vision on well-being

• That means: transition into another society

Sustainable production and consumption:socially just, ecologically maintainable

quality of life

carrying capacity justice

power and participation

Based on Carley & Spapens

The question

How to arrive there?

2. Sustainable development (SD)

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What is SD?

Departing from the challenge:• BAU is impossible!• Sustainable development: a process of social

transition that doesn’t leave one domain of society untouched

• So the demand for a SD touches also Social Work (SW)SD: a new framework to look at SW

Complementary strategies

• Efficiency– Higher productivity of resources– Closing production cycles

• Redistribution of use of resources• Sufficiency

– Quality instead of quantity– Well-being as finality is more than material

welfare

SD: Brundtland definition“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

It contains within it two key concepts: – the concept of ‘needs’, in particular the essential needs of

the world’s poor, to which priority should be given; – and the idea of limitations imposed by the state of

technology and social organization on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs.”

(WCED, Our Common Future, 1987: 43)

Debate about interpretations of SD

Sourcet: Hopwood (2005)19

SD: a political concept

– SD is a vague concept: reflects the complexity of the issues at stake

– We regard SD as a political concept (cf. justice): different interest-based standpoints make up its content

– Result: many different conceptualisations, contents, definitions, agendas, representations and images …- e.g. 3P: people, planet, prosperity (profit)

– For SW? Which agenda, criteria, process?

Normative principles of SD meeting of needs respect for ecological limits common but differentiated responsibilities

(in the first place between nations) global justice intra-generational equity/solidarity intergenerational equity/solidarity

(typical emphasis within SD) active participation gender equality respect for diversity

(based on the WCED process)

3. SOCIAL WORK &SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

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Social Work‘The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work’

(IASSW & IFSW, 2001)

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Social Work

• General objective of SW : improvement of the well-being of people

• Ethical principles: human rights and social justice

• Emphasis on process • Central: participation and empowerment

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Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development Social WorkSocial Work

meeting of needsmeeting of needs enhance well-beingenhance well-being

respect for ecological limitsrespect for ecological limits absentabsent compatible: depends on concept of well-being: compatible: depends on concept of well-being: SW and SD both deal with the problems of our SW and SD both deal with the problems of our society society

common but differentiated common but differentiated responsibilitiesresponsibilities(in the first place between nations)(in the first place between nations)

implicit: follows from general principles of implicit: follows from general principles of fairness and attention for the possibilities and fairness and attention for the possibilities and limitations of peoplelimitations of people characterize also characterize also empowermentempowerment focus on difference between individuals and focus on difference between individuals and groups in societygroups in society

global justice global justice yesyes

intra-generational equity/solidarityintra-generational equity/solidarity yesyes

intergenerational equity/solidarityintergenerational equity/solidarity(typical emphasis within SD)(typical emphasis within SD)

compatible: depends on concept of responsibilitycompatible: depends on concept of responsibility(as differentiated: compatible with empowerment)(as differentiated: compatible with empowerment)

active participation active participation yesyes

gender equality gender equality and respect for diversity and respect for diversity

yesyes

Comparison of normative principlesComparison of normative principles

Jef Peeters 2008

Similarities between SW & SD

• Large similarity in the normative principles concerning attention for well-being, justice, human rights, diversity and participation

• Common characteristics:– Process-oriented – multi-level – multi-actor

Possibilities of SD for SW

“… the concept of sustainability is comprised of a two-fold possibility for SW …Externally, SW has a legalised possibility to demand that social aspects are taken seriously in the overall development of communities. Secondly, by applying criteria of sustainability SW can internally reflect on its own influence on the social environments of human beings. Especially the intra-generational point of view in the concept of sustainability leads SW to question the direction in which it is developing itself…” (Matthies 2001:134)

SW & SD

My thesis:

SW has the potency to promote the necessary holistic approach of the social, ecological and economical dimensions of the required social transition.

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SW & SD: strenghten each other • SW has to broaden its contextual vision to the physical

environment (cf. eco-social approach)– take into account the notion of bio-physical limits– meaning of the natural environment for well-being– attention for spatial planning and organisation

• SW can reinforce the social dimension of SD:– emancipatory focus – the bottom-up approach of empowerment and participation is a trump– strenghten the focus on questions of redistribution – promoting social economy

• SW can help widen the focus of SD on (basic) needs to other aspects of well-being, particularly those referring to new visions on a meaningful life (cultural aspect).

New theoretical frameworks

Crucial are among others:• An ecological world view:

– a real eco-social conception of SD & SW– ‘ecological economics’ can be inspiring

• A choice for participative practice theories– empowerment (instead of medically) oriented– social learning– participative research of eco-social context

• A new theory of well-being

Well-being• Redefining of a ‘good life’• Rethinking of ‘emancipation’

- relation to work and consumption- relation to different forms of participation

• From individualism to a relational idea of man: autonomy in connection

• Importance of natural environment• Relation/difference between happiness and

meaning of a life• Relation to time: “Time is meaning”

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GDP-growth and Life Satisfaction

Zie NEF, ‘A well-being manifesto for a flourishing society’, 2004

The current image of SD

SocietySociety

EconomyEconomy

The domain of SDThe domain of SD

EcologyEcology

SD as a ‘balance’ of 3 dimensionsSD as a ‘balance’ of 3 dimensions

An Alternative (holistic) Image

Society seeks a more Society seeks a more environmentally sustainable environmentally sustainable and socially and socially cohesive systemcohesive system

Economy Economy contributes contributes through through responsible responsible businessbusiness

Environment Environment is better is better protectedprotected and and improvedimproved

Action throughAction throughcollaborative collaborative governance, governance, innovation and changeinnovation and change

Source: Nigel Room

Advantages holistic image• More real i.e. more ecological world view• States the importance of maintaining ‘natural capital’• Joins the concept of ecological economics• Embeddedness of economy in society• Joins the contextual vision in the tradition of SW:

“Person-in-Environment means that a new multi-dimensional and holistic way of working can re-build connections between service users, decisions and politics in a given living area.” (Matthies 2001:141)

• Makes clear why ecological questions are also social questions

• The mediating position of the social sphere for social (and political) action

Headlines for practice

I ask attention for:

Building ‘social capital’Social learning

SW –practice: building social capital• For a fundamental transition a society needs a large

amount of resilience: - diversity and connectedness

• Everybody has the right to participate and contribute. That requires solidarity and social inclusion.

• Building social capital is both an objective and a part of a transition into a sustainable society.

• Central place of empowerment as a vision and as a practice(social-psychological capital)

Image of SW & SD: eco-social approach

Society seeks a more Society seeks a more environmentally sustainable environmentally sustainable and socially and socially cohesive systemcohesive system

Social Work Social Work contributes contributes through through empowermentempowerment

BuildingBuildingSocial CapitalSocial Capital

Inspired by Nigel Room

SD as a process of social learning

• Ways to unsustainability are mostly well-known as contrasted with ways to SD, which has to be explored.

• Solutions that at first sight look interesting, appear sometimes to be contra-productive or even riskful for people now or in the future.

• Therefore SD presupposes by definition a continuous learning process.

• Theory and practices of social learning are crucial in view of SW & SD.

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4. Projects

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Projects (1)Learning network SOWEDO

DHO Vlaanderen (Sustainable Higher Education Flanders) organizes learning networks of teachers in different domains.The thematic learning network ‘Orientation of Social Work on Sustainable Development’ brings teachers of schools of social work and some social workers from social organizations together for study, discussion and exchange of initiatives about SD. It was initiated by our project SOWEDO.

Website:

http://www.dhovlaanderen.be/index.php?gm=4G9JH56L3&lang=&view=46

Projects (2)KaDO: Framework for SD

VODO (Flemish Council for SD), the Flemish master-organization for NGO’s that work around SD, has written (in Dutch) a ‘Framework for SD’ for use in social organizations, together with the following Flemish partner organizations: Woman council, Work for refugees, Forum of minorities, Network of associations where the poor begin to speak, Youth council.

VODO (2008) KaDO: Kader voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling http://www.vodo.be/

Projects (3)Erasmus IP about SW & SD

3 Flemish schools for SW together with 7 foreign partner schools set up an Intensive Programme.This IP will give students from SW and related fields the opportunity to exchange and to learn about ecology and sustainability in a multidisciplinary context. Teachers in the IP-partnership are challenged to share and develop this new area during three consecutive years in order to gain expertise and to develop the principles of sustainability as a third source of social work ethics (next to Human Rights and Social Justice).

Contact: pieter.lievens@khk.be

Projects (4): Thematic Network EUSW Workpackage about SW & SD

In the informal sector many social movements and NGO’s have shaped and claimed the area of SW and SD but for professional workers in the formal and public sector many areas are uncovered yet. Achieving sustainability by applying methodologies of SW is a very new and innovative area of expertise.– A process of articulation across HEI’s European qualifying standards for

SW education and training in regard to SD. – A process of articulation across HEI’s universal principles of sustainability

in SW. – A process of sharing and developing methodologies of sustainability in

SW.

Contact: pieter.lievens@khk.be

5.Some Sources

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Sources– Peeters Jef (2008) ‘Conceptueel onderzoek SOWEDO’

www.dhovlaanderen.be/files/SOWEDO%20-%20conceptueel%20onderzoek.pdf

WCED (World Commission on Environment and Development) (1987), Our Common Future, Oxford: Oxford University Press (Brundtland) www.un-documents.net/wced-ocf.htm

Baker, S. (2006), Sustainable Development, London: Routledge. Matthies, A-L., K. Nähri, D. Ward (eds.) (2001), The Eco-social Approach in

Social Work, Jyväskylä: Sophi. Närhi, K. (2004), The Eco-social Approach in Social Work and the Challenges to

the Expertise of Social Work, Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä. http://dissertations.jyu.fi/studeduc/9513918343.pdf

Coates, J. (2003), Ecology and Social Work. Toward a New Paradigm, Halifax: Fernwood Publishing

Besthorn, F.: cf. http://www.ecosocialwork.org/

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48Beeld: http://wordpress.com/