Ethics and the process of helping

A STORY OF WINNIE THE POO

Everydays life is disturbed

Trivial solutions will not work

Helpers are needed

Definition of the problem

Poo: the door is to narrow

Rabbit: Poo is too fat

BLAME THE VICTIM

Arrangement for the situation

Something unexspected new:

Time for watching the nature

„One man`s meat is the other man`s poison“

definitly:

!We need professionals!

„accidantial“ professionals

Specialist for medicineSpecialist for psychotherapie

Mulle is a specialist in digging and dynamite

Here you can see the „master of dynamite“

Shot firer

Social work:Imminent helpShort intervention

It does not work! Failure!

Long term projectto put Winnie the Poo on diet

„Hobbies“ of the Helpers

Owl: Pedagogy

Tell alcohol addicted the danger of alcohol

Pragmatism:

Harm reduction!!!

Arrange at the situation

Disrespect of dignity

New defenition of the problem

Maybe there is no problem – only ressources?

Do something to make the problem look nicer!

Use of brachial techniques can work

but

Problems can also increase

Unforseen dynamics emerge

Watch how Winnie the Poo…

flies to the next step of his biographie

Altered cicumstances – new involved ones

Here it is a colony of bees

So called „collateral demage“

A solution creates a new problem

After a succsessful intervention you feel empowered to solve the new problem…

…..a problem arisen by helping

No further cooperation with the client

Winnie the Poo will take care, thatmany a door will be too narrow

Thank you!

Conclusions

• User involvement

• Clients rights

• Respect the „real life“

• Anti opressive Social Work

• Dont try to change persons

• Focus on situations

• A good sense of humor

Questions:

1. In which way social work students should be trained to deal with ethical dilemmas?

2. What to you think is more importent: to work on an individual level or on a structural one?

3. What are your taughts about the story you have heard?