OBÓZ DLA UCHODŹCÓW - PERSPEKTYWA PERSONALISTYCZNEJ PRACY SOCJALNEJ
REFUGEE CAMP - THE PERSPECTIVE OF PERSONALISTIC APPROACH IN SOCIAL WORK

Summary/Abstract: Living in Europe, in times of globalization and development, it is hard to believe that it is here, at our doorstep, that we are witnessing unprecedented humanitarian crisis. Thousands of refugees are forced to stay in inhumane conditions, deprived of basic rights, without any perspectives for change of their situation. Current humanitarian crisis reveals deeper crisis of our European values, crisis of our humanity. We find ourselves, our societies facing important ethical dilemma. The article focuses on the essence and meaning of the work of humanitarian workers and volunteers, who off er basic help and support to people remaining in the camps on the Balkan Route. Basing on personal experience of volunteer work in the camps in Greece, Serbia and Slovenia, the author attempts to present the situation of refugees, as a group severely marginalized by the system that they have no influence on. Within the fences of the refugee camp the rule of law is defacto suspended and it may seem that other moral values get suspended as well. People in the camp are deprived of emergency aid and information. Surrounded by armed soldiers and police they are reduced to quotas, masses, and numbers. Under such circumstances, the human presence in the camp, manifested in empowering approach to refugees is most crucial, as it breaks the wall of indifference built between “us” and “them”. These are the values which are essential to social work. Th e article aims to show how they can be manifested and put into action through personalistic humanitarian work in the camps.

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