Question

what is the role of volunteerism in the evolution of social work and social welfare in the United States?

Answer 1

In the early 19th century, there was move by the states towards taking responsibility for distributing relief from towns and counties to the poor, the mentally ill, and on child relief. However, government responses proved largely insufficient or ineffective in addressing growing social problems. It was at this time that several private benevolent societies and non government organizations emerged as the predecessors of modern social service agencies and they began to play an increasingly proactive role in this regard and propagated an ideological position of social volunteerism. The roots of US social work can be traced back to this perspective which was largely due to the efforts of the upper-class women and men in church-based and secular charitable organizations. With the emerging social problems brought in first by the increasing economic disparity due to the surge of immigrants who constituted the indentured labour in the US society, and then the change in lifestyles brought about by the Civil War, there was an increasing awareness about the need to address the consequences of poverty, urbanization, and immigration. These untrained proto-social workers, known as "friendly visitors," organised themselves into social groups to help poor individuals through moral persuasion.

Gradually over the decades, social work moved beyond the realm of the parlour meetings of upper middle class housewives and clergy and involved greater advocacy and street activities. Thus, the initial volunteerism of American Samaritan groups culminated in the formalised field of social welfare, and today social workers comprise the largest percentage of professionals working in areas ranging from mental health, family and child care, environmental protection to socioeconomic justice.