Poor single mothers: using Delors’ pillars of education in social activation services

Abstract

The aim of this article is to determine the effect of social work provided by social activation services to poor single mothers in the Czech Republic. Using the method of quasi-experimental research design, the study analyses the activities of the social activation service during the years 2017–2019. As defined by Delors, the pillars of social work with impoverished mothers in our study were conditioned by a cognitive-behavioral and a task-oriented approach. It was found that through long-term social work with poor single mothers, skills related to the pillars Learning to Be, Learning to Know, and Learning to Live Together could be developed. The finding of no statistically significant development of respondents’ work skills associated with the Learning to Do pillar proved to be a noteworthy outcome. The research highlights the work of the social activation service in the Czech Republic, while it also outlines the significant challenges involved in working with poor single mothers. The paper proposes the development and institution of a new service dedicated to developing employment skills, by which the reduction of the negative impacts of the poverty on single mothers might be achieved.

Keywords:

• single mothers
• poverty
• Delors’ pillars of education
• social activation services for families with children
• quasi-experimental research

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Univerzita Tomáše Bati ve Zlíně [grant number RO60211011025/2120].

Notes on contributors

Radana Kroutilová Nováková

Radana Kroutilová Nováková obtained a doctoral degree in Anthropology at the Faculty of Education at Palacký University after graduating as a Teacher of Education in Social and Health Care for Secondary Schools at the same institution. She currently works as an assistant professor at the Department of Pedagogical Sciences at the Faculty of Humanities, Tomas Bata University in Zlín. At present, Dr Kroutilová is involved in research focused on socially excluded families. Regarding pedagogical activities, her expertise lies in the field of social work with families in their natural social environment. She is also one of the editors of the journal Social Education.

Jana Martincová

Jana Martincová obtained a doctoral degree in Education at the Faculty of Philosophy at Masaryk University. She currently works as an assistant professor and researcher at the Tomas Bata University in Zlín, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Pedagogical Sciences. Her research focuses on pedagogical aspects of development through adult, higher education and social education. Regarding pedagogical activities, her expertise lies in the field of social science research methodology, adult education and social educator internships. She participates in many projects focusing on education.

Helena Skarupská

Helena Skarupská currently works as an assistant professor at the Department of Pedagogical Sciences at the Faculty of Humanities, Tomas Bata University in Zlín. She is the chairwoman of the faculty's academic senate as well as a member of the university senate. She is also a representative in the Council of Universities of the Czech Republic. She holds a doctorate in Anthropology from the Faculty of Education at Palacký University. Her work concerns many aspects of socio-cultural diversity, with a primary focus on identity, entity and social exclusion.