Description
The project is needed because it addresses homelessness on the basis of the recent social change processes under a comparative perspective (Norway-Spain), which is unusual. The aim is to study the social changes that influence the homelessness to achieve the analysis of how these changes affect this social reality. To reach this aim, meetings with professors, researchers, and social workers, and the development of life histories with Spanish homeless people living in Norway have been planned. Through the transfer of knowledge and practices, this project will benefit implied institutions, homeless and society in general. The project partner is the University of Bergen which has a main role due to its connection with other social and research institutions. This project will reinforce the previous collaboration between participants focusing on specific aspects of Social Work, social exclusion and homelessness.
Summary of project results
This project focused on analysing, in a comparative perspective from Spa in-Norway, the processes the social exclusion. More specifically, it focused on the analysis of homelessness and its relationship with the processes of social change related to the socio economic recession that started in 2008. The scientific activity of the research had the intended to develop life histories with Spanish citizens who are in a homeless situation in the city of Bergen. In this regard, as it was reflected in the project, two life histories hove been done. The research started with the process of search and selection the informants taking in mind the variables considered in the doctoral work. For this reason, during the stay, the researcher has been volunteer in a social organization that work with people in social exclusion situations. Throughout the different point of views of that organization (users, volunteers, workers), the researcher was able to know the users and their trajectories and social problems. This was really important in order to find the paths that the researcher needed to interview. This also allowed for knowing the dynamic of social exclusion that exist in Norway, more specifically in Bergen. As a result of all the activity described, the researcher is preparing a publication from a comparative perspective Spain-Norway about the reality of social exclusion and social change processes in both countries, where she is analyzing the knowledge acquired. On the basis of the above, the main result -that at the sorne time was one of the main objectives to be achieved during the stay-, has been obtain sorne clues to understand the reality of social exclusion in other context than Spanish. In this sense, the researcher has expanded her knowledge about the dynamics of the Norwegian social exclusion processes; - the processes of social change that in this country are taking place and their effect on social inequalities; - the institutional and social mechanisms that the Norwegian welfare system has to serve citizens, especially those affected by exclusion situations; - and about how the social workers developed their work practices and the theoretical perspectives since which the professionals cope with their daily work.
Summary of bilateral results
One of the first actions taken by the researcher was present her doctoral work and the project to develop during the stay. In this sense, the researcher participated in a seminar in which she presented her research to the professors of the Department of Social Education and Social Work (Faculty of Health Social Sciences of the Bergen University College), and to the students interested. This made possible introduce the researcher into the Department, and more important, create a place for debate, criticism and enrichment of the research project. On the other hand, the researcher has participated in the seminars, courses and international conferences, which contributed to the visibility of the work done by partners. The broader result obtained through the institutional collaboration derivate of the stay, has been the possibility to increase the existing cooperation in the field of social work, and more specifically centred in some aspects of the Social Work practice like the social exclusion reality. This has led to intensify and strengthen the existing relations between the Faculties involved in the project, both as related to the professors and to their management team. The relationships between the Faculty of Social Work (University Complutense of Madrid) and the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (Bergen University College) have a long history of cooperation. This is especially true considering the activities and meetings that take place in the Department of Social Education and Social Work at the Norwegian University. The stay has allowed for increasing and strengthening the existing collaboration. In particular, it has carried out the suggestion to the researcher to participate in the course E-pedagogy for Teachers in Higher Education for the next year. The aim of this course is to promete and strengthen teaching skills, supervisory, planning and good practices in organizing e-learning activities in the context of virtual learning. In this way, the researcher could participate with a teaching collaboration in the SW-VirCamp Project which plays an important role in education, outreach and research of different aspects of Social Work, This is more important given that the SW -VirCamp Project is the basis of the solid relationship between both faculties.