Goals of Social Welfare

Summary

This video discusses the goal of social welfare, emphasizing its role in meeting the social, financial, health, and recreational needs of individuals in society. It explores how social services fill gaps when institutions like the economy or family fail to address basic needs. The video also highlights the historical shift from rural support systems to modern, urban challenges, and outlines the various responsibilities of social welfare services, such as aiding the homeless, rehabilitating offenders, supporting vulnerable populations, and empowering individuals and communities to improve their circumstances.

Takeaways

• 😀 The goal of social welfare is to meet the social, financial, health, and recreational needs of individuals in society.
• 😀 Social welfare aims to improve social functioning for all age groups, regardless of wealth.
• 😀 When institutions like the market economy and family fail to meet needs, social services step in to help.
• 😀 In less industrialized societies, people relied on informal, direct support from family, neighbors, and churches for their needs.
• 😀 In the past, communities were smaller, personal, and interdependent, with people helping each other in times of need.
• 😀 In modern times, society has become more impersonal, with larger institutions and less connection to neighbors or extended family.
• 😀 Rapid societal changes have created new challenges like homelessness, higher crime rates, and environmental destruction.
• 😀 Traditional rural methods of meeting social welfare needs are no longer feasible in today's society.
• 😀 Social welfare services include supporting parentless children, treating addiction, addressing mental health, and aiding the disabled, among others.
• 😀 Social welfare also works to end discrimination, support veterans, provide child care, and offer vocational training to the unemployed.
• 😀 It also focuses on the development and well-being of individuals, families, and communities, addressing a wide range of social issues.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of social welfare?

The primary goal of social welfare is to fulfill the social, financial, health, and recreational needs of individuals within society, aiming to enhance social functioning across all age groups, regardless of wealth.

How does social welfare step in when other institutions fail?

When other institutions such as the market economy or family fail to meet basic needs, social services become necessary to provide support and resources to individuals or groups in need.

How have the methods of fulfilling basic needs changed over time?

In less industrialized societies, basic needs were often met in informal ways through family, neighbors, or the church. In contrast, modern society requires more structured and formalized systems of support due to urbanization and a shift towards impersonal institutions.

What are some examples of traditional support systems in rural communities?

In rural communities, if someone faced financial difficulty, their personal relationships with local storekeepers, bankers, and neighbors were often enough to secure help, as the community was small and everyone knew each other.

What factors have contributed to the need for social welfare services in urbanized societies?

The increase in urbanization, mobility, specialized work, and the breakdown of close-knit communities has led to less direct support from family and neighbors. As a result, social welfare services are necessary to meet individuals' basic needs in a more complex and impersonal society.

What are some of the social issues that social welfare seeks to address in modern society?

Social welfare addresses issues such as homelessness, high crime rates, recurring energy crises, terrorism, environmental destruction, and new social problems that arise due to rapid societal changes.

What specific services are included in the business of social welfare?

Social welfare services include finding homes for orphaned children, rehabilitating those addicted to substances, treating emotional difficulties, providing vocational rehabilitation, and supporting those in financial need, among other services.

How does social welfare contribute to combating discrimination and oppression?

Social welfare works to end all forms of discrimination and oppression by providing services aimed at supporting marginalized groups, including racial minorities, migrant workers, and those affected by systemic injustices.

What role does social welfare play in supporting children and families?

Social welfare plays a critical role in supporting children and families by providing childcare services, educational opportunities for children with disabilities, programs that enhance child development, and services for families impacted by disasters.

How does social welfare address the needs of vulnerable groups such as veterans and people with disabilities?

Social welfare services for vulnerable groups include providing rehabilitation for veterans suffering from PTSD or traumatic brain injuries, as well as offering vocational training and support for individuals with physical or mental disabilities.