translated from Spanish: Why is Social Worker’s Day celebrated on December 10?

Social work is a career that promotes development, cohesion and social transformation; including the individual strengthening of those who are part of a community. There are also numerous fields of intervention in which to apply discipline. One of the fundamental pillars of this task is close collaboration with all the actors involved to bring about the necessary changes that lead to a satisfactory resolution. Previously in our country this work was celebrated on July 2. However, since 2012, social workers across the country have commemorated their commitment to the profession on 10 December, which coincides with Universal Human Rights Day. The reasons for the date change, as argued from the Argentine Federation of Professional Social Service Associations, are elementary: the old celebration had a religious origin that was not conducive to the current principles of the profession, since it had been proposed in 1961 by the social worker Marta Ezcurra, member of the International Catholic Union of Social Service, to pay homage to the Day of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary to her cousin Santa Isabel.This date had been ratified in August 1979 in Santiago del Estero, at the III National Meeting of Associations of Social Assistants, until April 14, 2012, FAAPSS issued resolution 1/12 amending the commemoration for December 10. In this way all the flow of workers is represented regardless of their creed. “December 10 is Universal Human Rights Day and the proposal to set this date as Social Worker’s Day in Argentina involves assuming a clear political and ideological position in our profession, placing the question of human rights as the central axis of our ethical-political project as a professional collective,” they argued from the Federation. 1. PreventionE seeks to anticipate the possible causes of both individual and collective conflicts. This can be done through intervention projects that allow to know the population context and social risk situations that arise, as well as the gaps and needs of the same context.2. Provide direct careAct with individuals or groups, whether they are at risk or already have a particular problem. The goal of direct care is to enhance individual capacities so that it is the same people who face and respond to everyday social conflicts.3 PlanTo carry out the interventions it is necessary to develop an action plan that has concrete objectives and makes explicit the analysis process, as well as the possibilities of accompaniment and evaluation.4. Promoting social promotion and insertionE seeks to carry out the necessary actions to restore or preserve self-determination and functioning both individually and collectively5. Supervise Social workers can carry out supervisions to accompany the people responsible for implementing a particular program, social policy or service.

Original source in Spanish