The European Social Network’s (ESN) mission is to inspire social services leaders to improve the lives of people in the community. A first step toward achieving this is to effectively navigate the complexity of the needs of the most vulnerable groups and determine how social services can respond adequately and sustainably.
The 34th edition of the European Social Services Conference (ESSC) aimed to reignite hope by reflecting on shared challenges and highlighting existing practices from Europe and beyond that bring us closer to our goal: a community where all individuals feel heard, included, and committed to their roles in society.
Empowering vulnerable neighbourhoods for social change
Daniel Millor Vela, Coordinator of Quatorze’s Asertos Programme in Alicante, Spain, shared the unique concept of “participatory architecture”, where designing the built environment goes beyond simply urban regeneration, to instead mobilising local individuals, associations, and institutions to ensure that solutions meet the community’s actual needs and to build solidarity and shared responsibility among its members. Through the implementation of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) model, which leverages local resources, capabilities, and existing strengths, Millor Vela and his colleagues are addressing the diverse challenges of neighbourhoods by “building collective power”.
Giving all children a fair chance in life
A sense of community is also what fuels the over 1,000 volunteers of Asociația Casa Bună, who ensure that hundreds of children living in extreme poverty across Romania can lead lives of dignity. This is achieved through the provision of basic items, such as food and hygiene products, clothing and footwear, and furniture and appliances for their homes, as well as support with their health, education, or vocational training. With no EU or national funding, the founder, Valeriu Nicolae, sustains the initiative primarily through his earnings as a communication trainer. What started as a weekend commitment is now proof that “doing good is contagious”.
Safeguarding children with experience of sexual abuse
Unlike Asociația Casa Bună, EU and national support is well established with regard to the implementation of the Barnahus model, which originated in Iceland and has since been widely adopted and adapted across Europe, including in Ireland. Targeted at children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse, this approach brings together child protection, criminal investigation, medical care, and therapy services to deliver timely, coordinated care. As highlighted by Gerard Brophy, Tusla’s Chief Social Worker, in order to reduce secondary trauma, “the child must be at the centre and services must come to them, not the other way around”.
Believing in people with disabilities’ capabilities
A person-centred approach is also key when supporting people with disabilities. Julie Beadle-Brown, Professor in Intellectual and Developmental Disability at the University of Kent, United Kingdom, has dedicated three decades to disability-related projects and feels strongly that people with disabilities can only truly be included in society if we expand our focus beyond needs to consider their goals, preferences, and skills, as well as people’s natural supports. She encouraged conference attendees to raise their expectations about what people with disabilities can do because “how people view them determines whether we can close the gap between rhetoric, policy and reality”.
