UTILISATION OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY: UNLOCKING COOPERATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL WORKERS

Abstract

Today, digital technologies affect every aspect of our lives and transform the way we work, communicate, and collaborate. The field of social work can't avoid this change process. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that the use of digital technology tools in the fields of expert-client relationships, social work education, communication, and cooperation between colleagues and institutions is mandatory in the social work profession. This study examines the use of digital technologies in social work through remote collaboration and communication, cloud-based document management, online collaboration platforms, data analysis and visualization, social media, and online communities. In the rapidly changing world order, professional integration of digital technology tools should be made a part of the process in a fast but effective way. In this process, social workers have both personal and professional reservations about using digital technology tools that are not in widespread use. Social workers have doubts about the adequacy of personal competencies in the use of digital tools, as well as the problems experienced by clients in accessing technology-based tools, the size of the relationship to be established with the client in the use of these tools, and ethical concerns.This study aims to emphasize the importance of the contributions of developing digital technology for social workers for themselves, their profession, and their clients in practice, and to discuss the necessity of adapting the ways of working, communicating, and collaborating in the context of opportunities and risks.

Keywords

• Digital technology
• Social Work
• Cooperation

Dijital Teknolojiden Yararlanma: Sosyal Hizmet Uzmanları İçin İş Birliği Fırsatları

Abstract

Günümüzde dijital teknolojiler yaşamımızın her alanına etki etmekte, çalışma, iletişim ve iş birliği biçimlerimizi dönüştürmektedir. Sosyal hizmet alanının da bu değişim sürecinden kaçınması mümkün değildir. Özellikle COVID-19 salgını sosyal hizmet mesleğinde de uzman müracaatçı ilişkisi, sosyal hizmet eğitimi, meslektaşlar ve kurumlar arası iletişim ve işbirliği alanlarında dijital teknoloji araçlarının kullanımının zorunlu olduğunu göstermiştir. Bu çalışmada dijital teknolojilerin sosyal hizmet alanında kullanımı, uzaktan işbirliği ve iletişim, bulut tabanlı belge yönetimi, çevrimiçi işbirliği platformları, veri analizi ve görselleştirme, sosyal medya ve çevrimiçi topluluklar üzerinden incelenmiştir. Hızla değişen dünya düzeninde dijital teknoloji araçlarına yönelik mesleki entegrasyon da hızlı ancak etkin bir şekilde sürecin bir parçası haline getirilmesi gerekmektir. Bu süreçte sosyal hizmet uzmanlarının çok da yaygın kullanımda olmadıkları dijital teknoloji araçlarını kullanmada hem kişisel hem de mesleki çekinceleri de söz konusu olmuştur. Sosyal hizmet uzmanlarının dijital araçların kullanımı konusunda kişisel yetkinliklerin yeterliliği konusunda şüpheleri olmasının yanı sıra müracaatçıların teknoloji tabanlı araçlara erişimde yaşadıkları sorunlar, bu araçların kullanımında müracaatçı ile kurulacak ilişkinin boyutu ve etik kaygıları da mevcuttur. Bu çalışma, sosyal hizmet uzmanları için gelişen dijital teknolojinin uygulamada kendilerine, mesleklerin ve müracaatçılarına sağlayacağı katkıların önemini vurgulamayı ve çalışma, iletişim kurma ve işbirliği yapma biçimlerini fırsatlar ve riskler bağlamında uyarlamanın gerekliliğini tartışmayı amaçlamaktadır.

Keywords

• Dijital teknoloji
• sosyal hizmet
• iş birliği

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