De werkwereld van ontwikkelcoaches

As a result of a changing view of social reality over the last decades, the work of social work professionals and the interpretation of their core tasks have been subject to change. An example of such a change is the shift from the welfare state to the participation society (Keinemans, 2020; Van de Wijdeven, De Graaf & Hendriks, 2013). Partly as a result of the Dutch cultural-historical and social context, the participation society has been given a functional interpretation; the ideal of participation and integration is interpreted in terms of uniform equality (Claassen, Post & De Giorgio, 2020). The counselling method expected from social professionals has a technical focus. The functional interpretation and the technical counselling method create tension fields and have a counterproductive, polarising effect (Claassen, et al., 2020; Keinemans, 2020). The study brings together a number of elements from the literature concerning both the fields of social work and mental health care, which can contribute to an alternative interpretation of the ideal of participation and integration fundamental to the participation society, on the basis of which the tension fields and risks of the functional interpretation and the technical counselling method could be reduced and/or eliminated. It concerns an inclusive interpretation and an idiographic-relational counselling method.

The study aims to systematically describe the work world of a specific group of professionals – from the perspective of the professionals themselves – who are offering ambulatory counselling to clients with autism spectrum disorders at the intersection of the domains of (youth)care, mental (youth)care and welfare and who take a pioneering role because they practice their profession based on an inclusive interpretation of the ideal of participation and integration, and use a matching idiographic-relational counselling method. The corresponding research question is:

How do professionals who meet the characteristics mentioned in the objective describe their work world?

A pluralistic form of research has been conducted (Burck, 2005; 2011; Nolas, 2011). The data analysis based on the Grounded Theory was the leading approach within the study. The data analysis based on narrative and discursive psychology have been used as frameworks to find additional, enriching labels and categories. 15 development coaches are interviewed. The collective descriptive outline of the work world of the development coaches confirms that reflection on solutions for the tension fields experienced in the social domain requires a focus on the complex and dynamic nature of the social reality, social policy and social professions, including the consequences this entails for the professional practice of social professionals, the scope for development of their clients and the achievement of the ideal of social participation and integration (Ensing, Van der Aalsvoort, Van Geert & Voet, 2014; Keinemans, de Jonge, & Kloppenburg, 2014; Steenbeek, Van Geert & Van Moorter, 2003; Van Geert, 2008). In addition, the importance of reflecting on and making explicit ideological reference frameworks becomes evident, certainly with a view to resolving and/or adopting an alternative approach to the areas of tension experienced within the social domain. At an operational level, the outline can contribute to the evaluation and reflection of other social professionals on their work world and professional practice. At a policy level, the outline can contribute to thinking, knowledge-sharing and policy development with regard to the professional practice of social professionals.

Dissertation: http://hdl.handle.net/11370/20692fb5-b078-4dae-9de8-2caff9b3e943