Intuition and role of social workers for development in underprivileged communities: A qualitative inquiry

Abstract

This study revealed that social workers of Bangladesh play a significant role in the development of underprivileged communities, particularly in remote contexts. To illustrate this relevance, a study was conducted to highlight intuitions and challenges these social workers face, especially those employed in NGOs. For achieving this objective, an exploratory study involving 12 social workers was carried out. The findings revealed that social workers with many years of experience justify their commitment through a strong professional identity, which appears to be diminishing among new social workers, who show weaker interpersonal engagement skills. New social workers tend to lag behind in their dedication to disadvantaged groups due to factors such as younger age, limited experience, job insecurity & lack of ownership, technology-driven alternative career opportunities, bureaucratization of services, and insufficient organizational support. It was found that despite facing various challenges, qualified social workers successfully engage community stakeholders through their positive attitude, sincerity, and strong sense of ownership toward their profession. Lessons learning from this study will be useful and thought-provoking for social workers and other key actors who contribute in this field globally.