ORGANIZATIONAL AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE IN CENTERS FOR SOCIAL WORK: CASE STUDY - CITY CENTER FOR SOCIAL WORK BELGRADE
ORGANIZATIONAL AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE IN CENTERS FOR SOCIAL WORK: CASE STUDY - CITY CENTER FOR SOCIAL WORK BELGRADE

Summary/Abstract: The original concept of the social work institution has justified its name not only through providing direct social services to users and their families, but also through initiating and organizing various activities in local communities. This affirmative role of the centers for social work has contributed to quicker adoption of legal recommendations. Further development and organization of professional work in the centers for social work have been crucial in the realization of the stipulated functions. Since 1981, these centers have assumed the entire mediation process between spouses, and recently they have also included working with refugees and their families. Having in mind the pronounced crisis, it is necessary to introduce new methods and processes of work for the social service to function more efficiently. The centers for social work are increasingly becoming key institutions that provide support not only in the resolution of traditional social problems, but also in facing new challenges such as digital inequality, mental health, family violence and other forms of social crises. Such extension of activities also requires continued improvement of social workers’ capacities, adjustment of the work methodology and establishment of cooperation with other relevant institutions in order to respond adequately to increasingly complex needs of the users of social work services. The paper elaborates the fact that the centers for social work, due to technical, technological, economic, migrant and other changes, show that changes in the organization and functioning of their services are also justified. Apart from individual work with users and their families, it is also necessary to protect more individual users of social protection and to determine common reasons, besides personal ones, which have led to the need for protection and the application of social action at the level of local and broader communities. Moreover, it is necessary to affect the causes leading to a certain social issue and to prevent its further expansion. The analysis points to the need for strengthening professional and organizational capacities in the centers for social work, taking into account the increasing number of users and the scope of work. This includes a larger number of professional workers (social workers, psychologists, pedagogues), having in mind the newly-introduced authorities and increased complexity of jobs. There is an evident staff turnover in the centers for social work, partly due to the natural fluctuation caused by retirement, but also due to other reasons, which aggravates timely action and task performance within the legally prescribed deadline.

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