Roni Kaufman

A University-Community Partnership to Change Public Policy

Abstract This paper describes a project aimed at promoting major change in government policy toward the growing problem of food insecurity in Israel. The project was initiated by Ben-Gurion University in collaboration with community service and social advocacy organizations. This joint action led to a dramatic change in government activity. The problem of food insecurity moved from a state of obfuscation to the establishment of a special ministerial committee mandated to develop policy guidelines for a national school lunch program. For higher education to contribute to the community, necessary preconditions must exist: Is the faculty committed to promotion of social change? Do the organizational and community environments legitimize university-sponsored activity for such purposes? Is the faculty competent to act effectively in the community and adopt strategies for political influence? Are there organizational mechanisms, action frameworks, and community contacts that enable collaboration for the purposes of social change? This case discussion uses the analytical framework developed by Taylor (1985) to evaluate the preconditions for action and the processes involved in facilitating university-community collaboration for promoting policy change.

Coalition Activity of Social Change Organizations in a Public Campaign

ABSTRACT This article focuses on the ways that various factors, conditions and processes affected the creation of different levels of activity found in a coalition of 19 social change organizations that conducted a successful public campaign for tax reform in Israel during 1987-1988. Eight of the organizations were active on behalf of widows and disabled people; five represented low-income neighborhoods; two promoted child welfare and two dealt with womens issues. Other organizations were the National Social Workers association, a senior citizens organization and a peace advocacy organization. Members attributed high levels of coalition activity among organizations to a combination of the following factors: an internal organizational situation which enabled organizations to invest resources in the joint activity; a representative with resources that fit well with the chosen coalition strategy; and conditions and processes on the coalition level that enabled, and even encouraged, the use of the organizations resources during the period of the coalition activity. The research finds how campaign coalitions that consist of a diverse group of social change organizations are developed and sustained. This knowledge can improve planning and operating of successful social change coalitions.

MICRO- OR MACRO-ORIENTATION? ISRAELI STUDENTS' CAREER INTERESTS IN AN ANTISOCIAL ERA

The growing interest in social work education in Israel over the past 5 years, despite its current social and political context, was the impetus for this study, which attempted to identify the practice orientations of 119 incoming BSW students in an antisocial era. Two distinct, equal-size clusters were found. Half of the students were micropractice oriented, indicating greater interest in working with individuals, couples, and families. The other half were macropractice oriented, more interested in working with communities and in policy-practice and social change activities. Conclusions and implications for social work education are discussed.

Transitions in First-Year Students' Initial Practice Orientations

This study investigates the impact of the first-year program on the initial practice orientations of 2 distinct, equal-sized clusters of entering BSW students: micro-oriented and macro-oriented students. Results indicate that the proportion of students reporting a micro-practice orientation increased from 53.2% to 62.4% between the beginning and end of the year, whereas the proportion of students expressing a strong interest in macro-level practice decreased from 46.8% to 37.6%. At the end of the year, students interested in macro-level practice were also found to be interested in micro-level practice, indicating their generalist practice orientation. The findings are discussed in the light of 3 different approaches, which together provide a deeper understanding of the factors associated with students’ professional socialization.

Food Insecurity Among Drug Addicts in Israel: Implications for Social Work Practice

ABSTRACT The intent of this article is to introduce the problem of food insecurity and hunger as a concern for social workers addressing drug addiction and the needs of addicts in Israel. This article discusses the results of a study comparing the food insecurity problem among addicts and non-drug addicts. Specifically, the objectives of this study were: (1) to conduct an analysis of the level of food insecurity in Israel; (2) to examine which individual characteristics are related to food insecurity among addicts and non-addicts; and (3) to better understand how food insecurity can be addressed in the context of social work treatment for addicts. Policy and practice recommendations are discussed.

Food Insecurity and Mental Health: A Pilot Study of Patients in a Psychiatric Emergency Unit in Israel

The objective of this study was to examine food insecurity among psychiatric patients and as a concern for mental health practitioners. Food security and psychological distress were measured among 113 patients hospitalized in a psychiatric emergency unit. Of 113 respondents 67 (59.3%) enjoyed food security and 46 (40.7%) lacked food security. Food insecure respondents showed a higher level of psychological distress than food secure respondents. A large proportion of in-patients may be suffering food insecurity which is negatively associated with their psychological well being. Mental health practitioners need to be aware of the potential association of food insecurity and mental distress among psychiatric patients.

Arts as a vehicle for community building and post-disaster development

Use of the arts in international aid is common in an ad hoc form, but it has not been systematically theorised or evaluated. The arts have the potential to be a culturally contextualised and sustainable intervention for adults and children in the aftermath of war or disaster. On the micro level, the arts are a method to enable the retrieval and reprocessing of traumatic memories that are often encoded in images rather than in words. On a macro level, they can help to reconstruct a group narrative of a disaster as well as mobilise people back into control of their lives. This paper researches a long-term project using arts in Sri Lanka following the civil war and tsunami. A central finding is the need to understand arts within their cultural context, and their usefulness in strengthening the voices and problem-solving capacities of the victims of the disaster.

Using arts-based research to help visualize community intervention in international aid

This article discusses the advantages of arts-based research specifically for high-context, culturally diverse, power-infused, and chaotic or diffuse research settings as often found in international aid. It points to the ability of arts to concretize abstract concepts and to situate them within specific socio-cultural locations, enabling powerless groups to self-define and to adjust resilience-enhancing interventions to their own perceptions. The arts-based method as an indirect form of communication is shown to be effective in changing stands of power holders and experts, enabling a dialogue that creates culturally sustainable aid. The model used in this article is demonstrated and discussed.

Job Security and the Perception of Unemployment among Immigrants Contribution of Government Policies and Cultural Factors

The article studies the occupational security and the perception of the economic situation of Russian immigrants in Israel and other Israelis. Similar rates of job security were found in the two groups. It is suggested that cultural factors and policies of integration of immigrants into the labor force affect these .ndings.

Peace as opportunity for social justice: Establishment of new social change organizations in Israel in the wake of the Oslo Peace Accords

The social work profession is committed to the promotion of peace and social justice. It is often assumed that peacetime enables diverting resources and attention to the promotion of disadvantaged groups. However, little is known about the mechanisms. This study of the Israeli experience following the Oslo Peace Accords suggests that one potential mechanism is the development of social change organizations (SCOs) in the wake of peace. Findings indicate growth in SCO establishment in the periphery and small towns, in vulnerable groups, and in the Israeli Palestinian (Arab) citizen minority group. Implications for social work are suggested.