The Role Of Social Services In The Fight Against Poverty

The great economic crisis of 2008 experienced worldwide further widened the inequality gap in society. Thousands of people suffered its impact, leaving many families in a situation of social exclusion. This phenomenon, above all, was accentuated in the most vulnerable environments; The consequence was that the demand for social services in the fight against poverty increased notably.

Poverty has generally been associated with low income levels, and this has usually been measured through individual or household income. However, there is no universal or absolute criterion, but a relative criterion, referring to the moment in which the measurement is carried out and the average level of income in a given territorial area (Del Barrio, 2014).

We must understand, first, that the concept of poverty is multidimensional. There is no single approach to it, nor does it affect a single area. Therefore, we want to get a little closer and differentiate some important terms.

Poverty and social exclusion

Poverty, as we have said before, does not have a single definition or only one classification. This phenomenon can be measured in different ways (Del Barrio, 2014):

• According to the type of basic information used to measure it : objective or subjective.
• Taking into account the reference used to establish the poverty thresholds : absolute or relative.
• According to the period of time under study : cross-sectional (in a fixed year) or long-term / persistent.
• For the analyzes based on the impossibility of accessing basic consumptions : multidimensional deprivation.

For the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), poverty means the denial of options and opportunities to live a tolerable life. This program takes as a reference the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). This index was designed to reflect the deficiencies that people suffer simultaneously and collects both the incidence of these multidimensional deficiencies and their intensity.

The same happens with the term social exclusion. It affects individuals, people, and geographic areas. Therefore, it can be seen not only in terms of income levels, but also linked to issues such as health, education, access to services, housing and debt. Thus, the phenomena that derive from social exclusion include (Spicker, Álvares and Gordon, 2009):

• The resurgence of the homeless.

• Urban crisis.
• Ethnic tensions.
• Long-term unemployment increase.
• Persistent high levels of poverty.

The role of social services in the fight against poverty

There is no doubt that social services are a fundamental pillar of the welfare system. Professionals who work every day to give good care to users study each case. That is why they propose work guidelines adapted to each situation.

Although from social services there are different types of help to improve or alleviate the demands that are proposed to them, it is not so much about patching the problem.

For this reason, it is advisable to put aside paternalism and start working with the person so that they develop capacities that allow them to face both the present problem and all those that arise over time. From the field of social services we must try to educate the people who come to us, so that they do not fall into a continuous and chronic situation.

In general, you have to meet a series of requirements to be able to access the different types of existing aid. These grants can be aimed at:

• Mortgage or rent payments.
• Food aids.
• Social bonds for expenses derived from electricity, water …
• Expenses for paying bills.
• Guaranteed insertion income.
• Non-contributory pensions.
• Job search.
• Training.
• Organization and planning of family resources.

Thus, although money can be a great help, work with the users themselves should prevail. For this reason, developing individualized care or insertion projects, in which achievable objectives are sought, may be the best solution in the long term.

In this sense, let us remember the need to make people free and autonomous, capable of managing their own lives and providing a solution to problems.