Transcript WLFARE CHANGES IN ITALY AND SOCIAL ECONOMY AS A …

WLFARE CHANGES IN ITALY AND SOCIAL
ECONOMY AS A WAY FOR DEVELOPING SOCIAL
INCLUSION
Vincenzo Fortunato
Department of Sociology and Political Science
University of Calabria
Italy
Restructuring the welfare systems
in Europe
Crisis of the welfare state
• Work
End of full-time employment
Need for a new systems of social security (pension schemes)
Financial crises
• Family
Gender based division of labour
Different balance between paid work ond care work
Stronger citizenship of women
• Individualization process
Social priorities and new public
agenda
• New poors
• Social exclusion related to changes within
family structure and work flexible
organization
• New forms of juvenile discomfort
• Problems related to increased migrations
• New social risks
The Italian experience
Shift from welfare state to welfare mix
Market
State
Families
Third sector
NGOs
Community
The national law n.328/2000
• Decision makers (mix)
State
Non-profit organizations
• Targets
Individuals
Families
Communities
• How to work
New rules based on the criteria of “subsidiarity”
Co-definition of social interventions at local level
Evaluation procedures
Local plans (piani di zona) for macro-areas starting from their needs
The “negotiation model”
The mix (public and private organizations) is characterized by:
1. Reduced financial efforts of the State
2. Gradual decrease in direct State intervention
3. Significant increase the quantity/quality of tasks
allocated to private social field (social economy)
4. Formalization of non-profit organizations and
“professionalization” of people involved
5. Growth in the number of NGOs and people employed
within social economy
6. From government to governance
What do we mean by social economy?
Same subjects more definitions
• Non-profit sector
• Private non-governmental sector
• Voluntary sector
• Independent sector
• Philanthropic sector
• Third sector/ social private field
• Social economy or Economie social
Why do we need Social
economy?
Modern – post industrial societies have to cope with problems related
to the lack of “relations”
Need for “relational goods” that may only be “produced” by ad hoc
organizations different from the State and form the market
Non profit organizations which are deeply “rooted” within local
communities and know people needs
Balance between “Identity” and “organization”
What kind of organizations?
• Charity/voluntary organizations
• Social organizations
• Social cooperatives/ social enterprises
• NGOs
• Foundations
Table 1: Non-profit organisations in Italy - year 2003
Paid employment
Voluntee
rs
202,061
281,099
3,039,088
Social co-operatives
6,952
196,067
15,934
Foundations
3,088
56,145
65,432
26,403
43,600
968,000
170
–
1,526
Committees
3,832
1,813
39,224
Other typologies
7,861
146,571
94,009
250,367
725,295
4,223,213
Institutions
Social associations (cultural, recreational, sports
associations)
Charity organisations*
NGOs
Total
Some charity organisations are included among social associations.
Source: Istat (2005)
*
Table 2: composition and employment of Italian non-profit organisations – year 2003
Institutions
Activities
N.
Paid employment
%
N.
%
Volunteers
N.
%
Culture and arts
38,368
19.0
19,411
6.9
460,712
15.2
Sports
56,044
27.7
20,458
7.3
559,352
18.4
Recreation and socialisation
40,557
20.1
10,936
3.9
599,176
19.7
Education and research
8,307
4.1
50,427
17.9
59,670
2.0
Health
8,821
4.4
37,410
13.3
311,908
10.3
14,648
7.2
58,867
20.9
466,190
15.3
Environment
3,012
1.5
1,816
0.6
82,972
2.7
Economic development and social cohesion
3,244
1.6
12,400
4.4
29,540
1.0
Advocacy
6,532
3.2
11,480
4.1
206,459
6.8
Philanthropy
1,015
0.5
340
0.1
44,347
1.5
Co-operation and international solidarity
1,265
0.6
993
0.4
31,565
1.0
Religion
3,847
1.9
2,632
0.9
114,290
3.8
15,471
7.7
51,989
18.5
64,190
2.1
929
0.5
1,940
0.7
8,717
0.3
202,061
100.0
281,099
100.0
3,039,088
100.0
Social services
Business and professional
Other activities
Total
Key role of families’ and
friends’ associations
• Families give assistance to about 76% of
not self sufficient elderly people or
disabled (for an amount 75 billion Euros)
• Grandparents look after 50% of children
up to 2 years
• 40% of children up to 14 years
Social work and social economy:
professionals or volunteers?
• 725,295 paid workers of whom 60% are women
• 37,7 have a diploma
• 16,5% have a university degree
• 19,5 hold a professional qualification
Public or private: strengths and
weaknesses
• Public
- Defined working time
- Higher salary
- Long life employment – pension
• Private
-
Motivation
Working conditions/friendly environment/ lower control /involvement
Personal satisfaction
Flexible working time that allows people to combine family needs and
work expectations
- Facility of access and exit (mobility)
Conclusions
-
Italy as a caring society based on family and private non profit organizations that
directly provide social services
-
Decentralization: the new law 328/2000 moved from government to governance
-
community oriented approach: from individuals to communities
- Significant growth of social economy in terms of organizations, responsibilities, financial
resources, employment, outcomes
- Peculiarity of non-profit organizations that show a better balance between both
dimensions: solidarity (or identity) and service (or organization)
-
Greater orientation towards listening to the service users and their involvement as
opposed to private market organizations
-
Challenges and opportunities for social workers within social economy