Abstract
Background: Various definitions of calling exist in the professional literature. In recent decades,numerous studies have explored its influence on those who experience it. Despite social work being widely perceived to embody this phenomenon, it has scarcely been examined among social workers globally and specifically in Israel.Aim: To determine whether social workers in Israel’s mental health field experience a sense of calling and to investigate whether, according to their perception, it is linked to their decision to study and work in this profession.Method: Through semi-structured interviews, fifteen social workers described what led them to choose social work as a field of study, what has motivated them to continue in the profession, and whether such motivation is connected to a sense of calling.Findings: Four distinct definitions of calling were identified, ranging from a religious perspective,where calling is a fundamental part of the worldview, to a secular perspective that rejects the concept of calling and criticizes the belief in it. The analysis revealed variations in the meaning attributed to the connection between a sense of calling and the decision to study and practice social work.Conclusions: Diverse definitions of calling portray a nuanced picture of the phenomenon. Unlike the conventional binary view presented in the literature, the study uncovers intermediate areas that encompass ambivalent feelings toward the sense of calling.Practice Implications: Understanding the complexity of calling among social workers and its association with motivations for practicing the profession may help mitigate attrition and burnout among social workers.
Translated title of the contribution | Sense of Calling Among Social Workers in the Field of Mental Health in Israel |
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Original language | Hebrew |
Pages (from-to) | 174-195 |
Number of pages | 22 |
Journal | חברה ורווחה: רבעון לעבודה סוציאלית |
Volume | מ"ד |
Issue number | 2 |
State | Published - 2024 |
IHP Publications
- ihp
- Social workers
- Mental health
- Vocational guidance
- Social service
- Orthodox Jews -- Relations -- Nontraditional Jews