{"id":493,"date":"2026-10-06T15:21:04","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T15:21:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/?p=493"},"modified":"2026-10-06T15:26:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T15:26:21","slug":"what-does-empowerment-actually-look-like-in-everyday-social-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/index.php\/2026\/10\/06\/what-does-empowerment-actually-look-like-in-everyday-social-work\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does Empowerment Actually Look Like in Everyday Social Work?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"493\" class=\"elementor elementor-493\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a13f24c e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a13f24c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-504c0c9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"504c0c9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Empowerment is central to the NEF project. But for social workers, the important question is not only how empowerment is defined. It is <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">how to recognise it and support it in everyday practice<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One way to look at this is through the role a person has within a social service: Is the person mainly receiving support and participating in activities designed by others? Or are there real opportunities to contribute, take responsibility and use their own abilities?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">At the ASSOC Day Centre, beneficiaries are regularly involved in practical activities developed through ongoing partnerships with the local community. Recently, for example, they prepared small items that will reach children in the community. This is only one of many such activities. The broader objective is to help beneficiaries develop practical and social skills that can support their inclusion in society and improve their opportunities to participate in the labour market.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The example illustrates an important principle: <\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">participation becomes more meaningful when people are given opportunities to contribute, not only opportunities to attend.<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It also raises a practical question for professionals:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cWhat can this person do themselves, and what support is actually necessary?\u201d<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Doing something for a person may be quicker. Supporting them to do as much as possible independently may require more time and adaptation, but it creates opportunities to use their abilities, take responsibility and develop autonomy.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This is the perspective NEF seeks to bring into professional learning: moving empowerment from an abstract concept into everyday professional decisions. Sometimes, a small change in how support is provided can help a person become more active, more independent and better prepared to participate in both community life and the labour market.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335551550&quot;:6,&quot;335551620&quot;:6}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6bd21a0 e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6bd21a0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31cebcf e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"31cebcf\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div 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https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-05.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-21ea349 e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"21ea349\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b0ac4d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6b0ac4d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-04-1024x576.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-495\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-04-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-04-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-04-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-04-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-04.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8f9191c e-flex e-con-boxed wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8f9191c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c25984f e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c25984f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0d6bee9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0d6bee9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-03-1024x576.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-496\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-03-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-03-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-03-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-03-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-03.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-62406ca e-con-full e-flex wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"62406ca\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b4255e9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b4255e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-01-1024x576.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-498\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-01-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-01-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-01-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-01-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Bertus-septembrie-01.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Empowerment is central to the NEF project. But for social workers, the important question is not only how empowerment is defined. It is how to recognise it and support it in everyday practice.  One way to look at this is through the role a person has within a social service: Is the person mainly receiving support and participating in activities designed by others? Or are there real opportunities to contribute, take responsibility and use their own abilities?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":496,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=493"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":505,"href":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/493\/revisions\/505"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nef-initiative.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}