| Author: | Kuo, Mei Chuan |
| Title: | Social workers as fundraisers : an exploratory study on their perceptions and capabilities in Hong Kong |
| Advisors: | Tsui, Ming-sum (APSS) |
| Degree: | DSW |
| Year: | 2019 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations Social work administration Social workers -- Attitudes Fund raising -- China -- Hong Kong Nonprofit organizations -- China -- Hong Kong |
| Department: | Department of Applied Social Sciences |
| Pages: | ix, 246 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Tightening of the budget and resource allocation has caused scarce funding support to non-governmental organisations and introduced managerialism. Discourse between social work practice, values and managerialism on the evolving roles and responsibilities of social workers has thus taken place. Yet, as important as the funding to social workers and their agencies, the subject of fundraising seems to remain under the radar to practitioners, educators and scholars in Hong Kong. Hence, this study aims to explore the perceptions and capabilities of social workers in frontline and managerial positions, on their growing requirements and responsibilities concerning the features of fundraising in Hong Kong. Furthermore, how social work practice and values influence social workers' conduct to raise funds will also be examined. The epistemological thinking of constructionism was embraced in this study and the qualitative research approach was adopted. In-depth semi-structured interviews in one-on-one settings were undertaken with a total of eighteen participants with social work experience from one and a half years to over thirty years. Nine frontline social workers and nine social work managers, from small, medium and large social service agencies composed the sample while other relevant information was gathered for reference and comparison from government documents, annual reports, journals and newspapers. The study found that the reason social workers conducted fundraising was to fill identified service gaps in helping vulnerable and disadvantaged people. Within this process, fundraising also brought in brand building and networking opportunities, especially for small and non-subvented units and/or centres who appeared to have a much more urgent sense and need for raising funds. Social work practice and values has also pushed social workers to seek alternatives instead of solely relying on subventions to maintain independence, autonomy and stability. Other push factors for social workers in fundraising were to secure social worker's jobs while trying to gather resources to serve needy people. Major difficulties and challenges in fundraising arose and resulted from social workers' limited understanding of fundraising and their evolving roles and responsibilities as frontline and social work managers. The study demonstrated that fundraising supplements the values of social work and is a means to help social workers achieve the end to help their service users. Also, common capabilities in fundraising were identified for social workers in frontline and managerial positions. However, different capabilities were also perceived for different positions: for social worker managers, the perceived capabilities were on a macro level, which was related to their overall managerial and services capabilities; as for frontline social workers, their focus was on service, promotion and personal capabilities. The above-mentioned profile of "Where Are We" indicated the perceptions of social workers toward fundraising. Deriving from this and given the significance of fundraising to social work practice, the study firstly proposed the elaboration of the meaning of fundraising in the social work profession for social workers' consideration and reference. Further suggestions were also followed to motivate and enrich the perceived capabilities of social workers. Subsequently, a sculptured theoretical and conceptual framework on social workers as fundraisers was presented to help social workers to reach the profile "What do We Hope". |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 991022346056203411.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 3.39 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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