Fabio Folgheraiter

Self‐help Groups and Social Capital: New Directions in Welfare Policies?

The paper discusses a national survey on social capital arising from self‐help/mutual‐help groups operating in the field of alcohol‐related problems and affiliated to a large umbrella organization—well known in the Italian welfare system. Comparison between subjects just beginning the group therapy process and those with long‐term participation in self‐help groups shows significant differences in many aspects of social capital: participation in the local community; proactivity in the social context; family, friends and neighbourhood connections; tolerance of diversity; value placed on life; and work connections. In general, people with long‐term experience of self‐help groups seem to achieve better scores in social capital than do younger participants, and compared with a significant sample of the Italian (general) population as well. This result seems to indicate that active engagement in their recovery by people experiencing alcohol‐related social exclusion may produce impressive improvements not only in their individual quality of life (more health, more trust, more self‐esteem) but also in their community inclusion and civic commitment: more social relationships in the family, neighbourhood and at work, participation in civic and voluntary associations, and in educational programmes, including social work education.

Relational Social Work: Principles and Practices

Relational social work engages with existing networks to enhance their resilience and capacity to resolve difficulties. It does this by addressing the identified problem, and by engaging, mobilising and developing both supportive and problem-solving networks. These networks can include family members, friends, teachers and any other significant actors who have a contribution to make. The participative approach offers a way of translating policies that aspire to social inclusion into practice.