An exploration of social workers' role in remunerative vocational training: Caring, controlling, or contractual?

Abstract

From supervision and on-the-job training to emotional support, career counseling, and life planning, social workers' contributions to young trainees in remunerative vocational training (RVT) are important. However, their contributions have rarely been discussed in the literature. Consequently, five in-depth interviews were conducted with social workers and agency administrators from five state-sponsored NGOs in Hong Kong to examine the role of social workers in RVT. This study examines the experience of RVT and the construction of the social worker role from a social work perspective that has rarely been discussed. Narrative inquiry is used to analyze and understand the stories told. The findings suggest that tensions arise in this atypical worker–client relationship because of the simultaneous incorporation of caring, controlling, and contractual elements. Arranging appropriate resources at the policy level and establishing a supportive working environment at the agency level are recommended to relieve the burdens of over-worked practitioners.