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    "title": "SOCIAL SERVICE",
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    "verified_text": "in the modern state many social services are maintained by statutory authori- ties, and in great britain the term public social services has be- come a current phrase in official reports; nevertheless social serv- ice is still commonly understood as referring to voluntary work, and in this sense is employed in the present article. public health—in the field of public health voluntary agencies have done and are doing much to stimulate and support the work of public health authorities by the creation of enlightened public opinion through propaganda and the organisation of health exhibitidns, demonstrations, etc. in great britain bodies like the national council for combating venereal disease and the national league for health, maternity and child welfare are largely responsible for the growth of public opinion which has made possible the recent expansion of statutory services (sce venereal diseases). | in the united states voluntary bodies such as the american national red cross, american public health assn., american social hygiene assn. and national child health council, national committee for mental hygiene and the national organisation for public health nursing (see nursing) are hav- ing a similar educative effect on public opinion. in connection with housing and town-planning and other public health serv- ices, pioneer work and the formation of public opinion are char- acteristic tasks for voluntary initiative. mfuch modern social legislation presupposes for its effectiveness the willing co-opera- tion of the individual citizen, and an extension of the voluntary spirit of service can alone secure this. education—the task of voluntary agencies in education is narrowed by the development of public systems of compulsory education, but an extension of adult education (q.v.) is particular- ly the field of voluntary effort. not the least remarkable develop- ment of adult education in recent years is the rapid growth of a system of voluntary education in british prisons, which owes its achievement to a large band of men and women who undertake the work of teaching in their spare time. there are other fields in which a similar activity is shown. af0 indusiry.—the growth of the industrial welfare movement is opening up new opportunities for co-operation between em- ployers and employed in the development of better social facili- ties, and offers a new career for those who desire to take up social work as a profession. systems of vocational selection for young people leaving school and schemes for their after-care, which are being evolved particularly in great britain and the united states, owe much to the pioneer experiments of voluntary socie- ties, and even as they become stereotyped as state services they are likely to depend for their effectiveness on the voluntary workers associated with the public authority in their administration. recreation.—yrovision for recreation and opportunities for a good use of leisure are being recognised as of increasing im- portance, in view of the movement to reduce working hours. a strong public opinion on such matters as the need for open spaces and plaving fields has still to be created in many countries. the formation of the national playing fields assn. in great britain is evidence of progress, but the united states is ahead of any other country in this matter, development there being due largely to the pioneer work of the playground and recreation assn. and other voluntary associations with similar aims. the work of juvenile organisations such as the boys brigade, church lads brigade, boy scouts (q.v.), girl guides (q¢.v.), camp fire girls and of boys’ and girls’ clubs is profoundly important in this connection, for they provide training in the use of leisure at a time when, the discipline of school being lately removed, it is most needful. such bodies as the english folk dance society in great britain and the music school settlements in the united states and others promoting choral singing, dramatics and the practice of arts and crafts perform social services which are of great value, for the line between education and recreation cannot be drawn clearly. tue trend of recent developments unlike services provided under statute and administered under regulations, voluntary social service is essentially dynamic. it derives not from authority but from personal conviction, and while particular societies may stagnate and fail even to keep pace with the progress of knowledge, it is nevertheless generally true that progress in social provision 1s mainly due to voluntary effort which is the pioneer force, constantly experimenting with new methods and breaking fresh ground. the modern interest in prevention rather than cure is very noticeable, and is coupled with a new sense of “ community.” the vounger generation of those who are prepared to work for social betterment are inclined to think in terms of the community rather than of the individual; they are anxious to improve the conditions and quality of the social life in the community of which they are members; they want to work not for, but with their ncighbours; they are less interested in “‘ mopping up social messes ”’ than in preventing them. the quickened sense of community which resulted from con- centration on “ national ”’ needs during the world war has given new impetus to the movement for voluntary social service with society rather than the individual as its objective. the attention given to ‘‘ community organisation ’’ in the united states is an outstanding illustration of the new spirit. the 100,000 voluntary workers for the national savings movement in great britain are one example of the new forces which it is enlisting. this change of emphasis which is closely allied with current tendencies in the development of political ideals, is impressing itself on the institutions of voluntary social service. already two distinct types of voluntary agency are clearly distinguishable, although a great many occupy a midclle position. there is, first, the older type of social service typified by relief societies and orphanages, established to meet the special needs of particular individuals in distress. secondly there is a newer type of associa- tion aiming at the corporate self-development of a membership which is united by common interests and is selective only in that sense. eligibility for membership is not dependent on need, but on the desire to join ina common endeavour and a willingness to accept a common rule. -— o/ ex-service societies every former war produced voluntary societies to care for the needs of ex-service men in distress and the recent war is no exception: but whereas in former wars such societies have been of the older type, this time it is the ex-service men and women who have banded themselves together to help themselves. the british legion had in jan. 1926 a membership of approximately 1,000,000. its work is, broadly speaking, two- fold. on the one hand it raises vast sums by public appeal and other means for the relief of distress among ex-service men and women, and it provides them with a powerful advocate where their claim to public provision is in question. on the other hand the legion also aims at securing for its members the facilities for a good social life, through the organisation of clubs and institu- tions, provision for education, etc. here isa case in which (1) the old philanthropic work ts carried on by a body which is organised on democratic lines and which combines with it (2) the positive task of providing social amenities for its members. similar bodies of ex-service men are to be found in practically every other bellig- erent country, and all have a wider social purpose than the mere protection of self interest. rotary clubs and women’s institutes —there are an increasing number of voluntary organisations, doing work of great value, which are not specifically, or at least primarily, formed for that end. the rotary movement which is rapidly developing through- out the english-speaking world is a case in point, but an even more effective illustration is provided by the growth of post-war organisation among rural women. starting in canada, the wom- en’s institute movement under various names has grown with remarkable pace in great britain since the war. it is a landing together of women to secure the conditions for a better social life, not for themselves only, but for the whole rural community. the institutes are not only concerned with their own education, etc., but are increasingly interesting themselves in the social services of the villages. in this case the movement makes no appeal to philanthropy; in its early days its organisation was subsidised from state funds, but less has been needed each year as the movement grew and it is now (dec. 1925) very nearly self-supporting, with a membership of some 206,000 representing every class of countrywomen. finance.—in the past voluntary work was financed entirely from the gifts of the charitable—donations, subscriptions or en- dowments, and much 3s still financed in this way; but two other possible sources of income are now available and both are attrib- utable to the developments which have been noted. they are (a) membership fees and money raised by the corporate efforts of members—the more completely democratic is the organisation the larger will be the proportion of total income from this source —and (6) grants-in-aid from public funds. in great britain and in some other countries, co-operation between public authorities and voluntary agencies is not only personal but financial. it 1s dificult to estimate the ultimate effect of this development. acceptance of grant-aid must involve the acceptance of some measure at least of regulation, and freedom 1s the very life of voluntary enterprise—dependence on public aid may prove as damaging to the morale of an association as it is to an individual. there is great social value in the enthusiasm, faith and self- sacrifice which are expressed in the accounts of voluntary asso- ciations, where every shilling represents a voluntary contribu- tion of someone whose interest and sympathy have been enlisted. nevertheless provisions in social legislation for the grant-aid of voluntary work marks a growing recognition of its importance to the community and a growing sense of community responsi- bility. two significant developments are (1) the adoption of what are known as “ contributory schemes of finance” by the vol- untary hospitals of great britain, and (2) the growth of systems of “‘ central financing ” in the united states. hospital schemes.—the hospital scheme expresses a vol- untary assumption of financial responsibility for hospital finance by a large proportion of the community of potential beneficiaries and others interested in their social welfare; it involves a wide- spread organisation of local representative committees and is resulting in a co-ordination of hospital and allied services in dis- social service tricts where the scheme is well developed. for as soon as com- munity responsibility is accepted the isolated and completely independent position of a voluntary association ceases to be allowable; co-ordination with other bodies and other services becomes an obvious necessity (see elossprrats). central financing.—in the american schemes for “ central financing ” this need for co-ordination is fully recognised, and advocates of the system attach great importance to the co- operative programme- and budget-making which are involved. all the voluntary agencies in a town draw up their programmes and budgets for the coming year. these are then carefully co- ordinated by a central, representative organisation. after this has been done, one organised appeal is made for the total sum required (popularly known as the ‘ chest ’’)—the appeal being based on the whole programme of social effort for the community which is expressed in the combined programmes of the several participating agencies. it is demonstrable that in the first few years that followed the adoption of the system substantial in- creases were secured in (1) the amount raised and (2) the number of individual contributors. the new plan is making headway in spite of much criticism and some hostility. clearly it may save a waste of time and valueless competition between agencies, it may result in a better understanding of a community’s needs and a wider acceptance of responsibility; but it may also tend to im- pair the freedom of purpose and of action of the constituent agencies. the constitution of the co-ordinating body is vitally important. representatives of the participating agencies on one hand and of the contributors on the other, each claim a voice in the programme-shaping; at present there is considerable variety in the local organisation of the system and the “‘ balance of pow- er’’ varies in different cities. the trend of the movement is, however, unmistakably towards safeguarding the initiative and responsibility of the participating agencies. ‘‘ the basic motive of central financing,” say its advocates “‘ is not the mere estab- lishment of a better financial method, but the promotion of a definite community purpose.” thus the effect of a new outlook on the older type of voluntary agency is reflected in their acceptance of public grants in aid and of the “‘ regulation ” which goes with these, in the organisation of a contributory membership (in the case of british hospitals) and their increased willingness to combine in co-operative organi- sation and to co-ordinate their work with that of other bodies. rf the community spirit the movement to develop co-operation between social service agencies reflects the same growth of a community spirit. it is beginning to be recognised in the united states and in great britain that a council of social agencies, a council of social service, or of social welfare—the name is immaterial— 1s essential to ef- fective work. statutory authorities and voluntary agencies cover much ground but in the absence of any provision for systematic collaboration or ‘“ team work ”’ they often ignore each other’s activities and their efforts overlap or leave gaps unfilled. to secure the pooling and exchange of knowledge and concerted action a body representative of all agencies at work in a single locality is required, and it is to meet this need that these councils are being established. they are in the main consultative and advisory, but there are certain tasks which they are specially qualified to undertake on behalf of all their constituent bodies. the representative character of a council of social service en- sures ready access to information in possession of all its constitu- ent bodies, and its office is therefore a centre where reliable information is easily obtainable by every inquirer. the mainte- nance of a careful survey of social need and social provision is, further, a distinctive task which is best undertaken by a body qualifed by its constitution to survey the whole field. in great britain this movement is not confined to towns, but is expressed in the community councils which are being formed in country areas. its extension is the task of a national council of social service (incorporated) on which the principal government departments and voluntary organisations of a national scope are represented. in the united states the national social work sociology sre council and other important bodies are working for similar ends, and the annual meetings of the national conference of social work have done much, during the past 50 years, to spread co- operation and breadth of outlook among social service workers in the states and in canada. in this connection reference must be made to the work of an increasing number of trusts established by private benefactors for the promotion of social welfare. with a wide vision of their opportunities such bodies as the russell sage foundation in the united states and the carnegie united kingdom trust in great britain (to mention only two) are doing much to emphasise the inter-relation of different branches of work, both by direct action and by the assistance which they give to other voluntary bodies as agents in a carefully evolved pro- gramme. training of social workers.—the standard of technical equip- ment required of social workers has greatly increased as social services have grown and become more elaborate and as the sense of community responsibility supersedes satisfaction with hap- hazard and comparatively uninformed tinkering. a demand for scientific method in social work has led to the establishment of special training schools and of special departments in connection with universities, in great britain, united states, belgium, chile, czechoslovakia, finland, france, germany, italy, netherlands, south africa, sweden and switzerland. in these a study of the social sciences is usually combined with that of particular problems and some practical work in connec- tion with local agencies and institutions. allied to this demand for training is the increased attention that is being given to re- search and the study of social problems—a work in which several of the trusts referred to above are playing a valuable part. international co-operation—not only does the number of international conferences on social questions increase year by year, but several voluntary movements now function on an inter- national scale. the ex-service men’s organisations referred to above have their international federation—both the y.m.c.a. and the y.w.c.a. have an international organisation and work in many lands. the same is true of the red cross societies. in this international work national prejudices are forgotten in a com- mon desire to learn all that may help from the experience of others. a quickening of the social conscience in hitherto back- ward countries owes much to such international contacts. the limits of social service are not easy to define. the time is coming when the social purpose of industry and other pursuits will be more generally recognised, and clearly many of the prob- lems with which social service is concerned cannot be solved independently of these. it is of vital importance to any nation that the search for solutions should be resolutely pursued and in that search the voluntary spirit is the most powerful agent. if this be so the tendencies which have been noted are encouraging. (see also blind; boy scouts; child welfare; girl guides; hospitats; maternity; white slave traffic; etc.) (l. f. e.) bibliography.—m. e. richmond, social diagnosis (russell sage foundation, 1917); c. r. attlee, the social worker (1920); j. j. findlay, an introduction to sociology (1920); r. m. maciver, the elements of social science (1921); e. t. devine, social work (1922): s. a. queen, social work in the light of history (1922); f. w. black- mar and j. l. gillin, oudlines of sociology (rev. ed., 1923); j. h. tufts, aaa and t raining for social work (russell sage founda- tion, 1923); e * e. macadam, the equipment of the social worker (1925).",
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