sociology
Svetlana Vorobjova, Postgraduate Student,
Academy of Public Administration under
the aegis of the President of
the Republic of Belarus,
Minsk
DEVELOPMENT OF THE
SOCIAL MANAGEMENT MECHANISM WITHIN THE SYSTEM OF SOCIAL PROTECTION OF THE
DISABLED
Summary The system of
social protection of the disabled in modern Belarusian society is analyzed on
the basis of scientific researches, normative legal documents as well as
official statistics. According to the
author the settlement of contradictions can be achieved through development of the
concept of social management mechanism within sociological theory.
Keywords: disabled, physical inability, physical inability models, social
protection system, the social management mechanism.
I. Introduction In modern Belarusian society, with its
highly valued ideological diversity and self-regulated social life, the
creation of truly fair society is the
main fundamental system task. Professor A.G. Shrubenko considers it as viable
multidimensional development of man, material welfare, personal happiness,
humane democratic relations, spiritual and social self-fulfillment of people,
their purposeful cooperative and efficient labour, the possibility to upbring
and educate their children [1, p.57].
II.
Problem definition Research objective is
the analysis and perspective development of system of social protection of
disability people in modern Belarusian society. Theoretical methods of research
– the analysis of literature and the official statistical account are used.
III. Results Referring
to the given definition of fair society and its main components we’ll try to
analyze the situation of such category of people as the disabled. Without any
doubts we admit the fact that the disabled people are most vulnerable economically
and legally. This vulnerability is caused by various social barriers for their
activity caused by the attitudes of the rest of society.
Historically,
the disabled were excluded from social relationships. In ancient society with
its religious world outlook disability was considered to be a contraposition to
“Man is God’s Analogy”. As a result disabled people were exposed to shame and
isolated.
Medical
(administrative) model in regard to the disabled was widely implemented into
public opinion throughout the development of health care and social welfare
systems. This model considered people with reduced capabilities as incompetent,
unable to be responsible for themselves, unable to work, requiring constant
care and sometimes dangerous for society. This model referred to as humanistic
also implied appropriateness of isolating disabled people in separate
specialized institutions - rest homes.
From
medical point of view the definition “a disabled person” was introduced. Thus, until
quite recently, according to law, a disabled person is somebody who needs
social support and protection being limited in his life activity because of
physical or mental defects. Limitation of life activity meant full or partial
loss of possibility or capability to live by oneself, transport oneself,
orientate oneself, communicate, control one’s own behaviour and work. [2].
In the last decade in native
science (as well as in all democratic community) the idea of abandonment from
paternalistic forms of support to disabled people dominates. The number of
laws, acts and decrees concerning people with special needs were passed. It
greatly influenced upon transition from a welfare mentality, shiftlessness to
fulfillment of one’s abilities, taking up responsibility for one’s life. There
were changes in the definition “a disabled person” fully complying with the
United Nations convention of the rights of the disabled. Thus, a disabled
person is a one with stable physical, psychical, intellectual and sensor
defects which while interacting with various barriers prevent complete and
efficient life activity on a level with other citizens. [3]. This definition is
based on considering disability as social phenomenon and it neither separates
the disabled from society nor exclude
them from some spheres, but this definition emphasizes their individual
peculiarities and necessity of searching ways of adaptation for their full and
efficient participation in public life on a level with other citizens. [4, p.16]
A
wide range of legislative acts, range and contents of guarantees and measures
of support for the disabled testify not only
social orientation of common and specialized law of the Republic of Belarus
concerning the disabled but at the legislative level a steady tendency of
forming approach and taking measures how to integrate the disabled into normal
life, how to involve them into participation in all spheres of life and how to
prepare society for mutual adaptation. This social idea is central in a new
model of disability.
At
the same time, having analysed statistical data, we will note that
paternalistic moods concerning the disabled people, being expressed, as a rule,
in isolation "not similar" on "ordinary" people, kept the
place and in modern Belarusian society. Existence of stationary establishments
of social service and number of people (Table 1) living in them testifies to
it. Moreover, there is a sequence by definition in houses boarding schools.
Таble 1
Residential social service institutions for elderly
and disabled persons
|
|
2000 |
2005 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
|
Number of nursing
homes for elderly and disabled (adult) therein: |
63 |
61 |
62 |
65 |
67 |
|
- beds(thous.) |
14,9 |
14,9 |
15,8 |
16,2 |
16,4 |
|
- residents (thous.) |
14,2 |
14,7 |
15,4 |
15,8 |
16,0 |
|
Number of nursing
homes for disabled children therein: |
9 |
9 |
9 |
9 |
10 |
|
- beds(thous.) |
2,0 |
1,7 |
1,7 |
1,7 |
1,8 |
|
- residents (thous.) |
1,8 |
1,6 |
1,7 |
1,6 |
1,7 |
At the same time we can’t but emphasize the positive
tendency in the increase of the working pensioners and disabled people who were
employed with the help of social welfare bodies during last two years. It is
also possible to observe that also the quantity addressed concerning employment
considerably grew [5] (Table 2).
Таble 2
Job
placement by agencies for labour, employement and social protection
|
|
Applied for job
placement (persons) |
Placed to jobs
(persons) |
|||||
|
2005 |
2010 |
2011 |
2005 |
2010 |
2011 |
||
|
Pensioners and
disabled |
9379 |
15288 |
17545 |
808 |
2927 |
4090 |
|
Employment of the
disabled depends on their educational background. It is necessary to emphasize
that recently in our country close attention has been paid to this question. Distant
education is being implemented into educational process. Among higher
educational establishments implementing distant educational programs it is
possible to name such establishments as Academy of Public Administration under
the Aegis of the President of the Republic of Belarus, Belarusian State
University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, Belarusian State University and
others. Every year 190-200 students with special needs study at Belarusian
State University. Approximately 50% of them are visually handicapped. So, it is
evident that the Belarusian disabled is a well educated group. In 2010 36
(mainly scholars) students with special needs graduated from Belarusian State
University. [6, p.43]
“Institute
of Labour of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare of the Republic of
Belarus” carried out a research concerning the conditions of the disabled
within the joint project of PROON and
the Government of the Republic of Belarus “Assistance to the Republic of Belarus
to join the convention of the rights of the disabled” in 2009. The conclusion
of that research was the following: in spite of successful instruction of the
disabled the rate of their employment is low. Out of 4608 disabled persons at
the age of 18 and older (living in households) only 792 (17.2%) are employed;
among them 54.7% are male and 45.3% are female. Among unemployed ones 17.2% got
primary education, 15% got basic schooling and 4.2% haven’t got any education
at all. At the same time among employed disabled 12.1% got career and technical
education, 34.1% got vocational secondary education and 19.6% got higher
education, what totally comprises 65.8%. The disabled aged from 25 to 30 are
more active in working activity, 50.4% of them are employed. [7, p.43-45]
Nowadays
territorial welfare social service centers are especially important. Their
importance causes no doubts. At various club activities people with special
needs have possibility to acquire such elementary domestic skills as cooking,
mending, and so on. Besides, at decorative and applied classes they are taught
to create pictures, applications and other things. But more important is that
they widen their communication horizons. It is considered as a new approach to
work with the disabled who suffer some mental disorders as a rule.
Apart from club
activities it is necessary to start organizing working places for the disabled
and their further employment. It goes without saying that lots of the disabled
work (for example, visually handicapped make sockets), but these types of work
are underpaid and do not require higher education.
Thus, basing on
theoretical and empirical data, we can see an interesting social situation: on
the one hand, the government takes up all possible measures to improve social
conditions for the disabled (laws are constantly being improved, new forms of
work are being implemented). But, on the other hand, there are still barriers
to full and efficient participation in life activities for the disabled. These
barriers are space, environmental, financial, economic, informative, emotional,
psychological, administrative and legal ones. [8, p.30-32]
The number of
native scientists take a stand in favour of the necessity to be guided by social
partnership policy. Its main mechanism is social procurement. Its implementation
is regulated by the law “On introduction of changes and amendments in some laws
of the Republic of Belarus concerning social service”. Social procurement is a type of social
partnership which concerns the questions of financing from the budget of
socially useful work of non-profit organizations and functions within state –
private partnership. It can contribute to closer interaction between the
government and social organizations what will provide further development of civil
society [9].
Thus, social
organizations of the disabled will be involved into providing different kinds
of services to society, but as a matter of fact they will be just executives.
The question of representation of the disabled in the government hasn’t been
settled yet. It means that all decisions concerning social policy for the
people with special needs will be made without their direct participation.
We think that comprehensive resolution of any problem
for any category of community should be carried out by the members of the same
community. In this case, only disabled can efficiently resolve all questions
concerning social protection of the disabled. So, we fully agree with S.V.
Lapina. She thinks that a perspective methodological trend corresponding to the
realias of social state is the conception of social management mechanism worked
out within sociological theory [10]. Social management mechanism is referred to
as an organized by law and particular social conditions social interaction between
running and run entities. That is, taking into account the data concerning the
disabled it is reasonable to study their educational background, experience of
work for non-governmental organizations, their health, proclivities and
abilities in order to involve them into active settlement of their own
problems. In connection with this it is necessary to analyze their current
potential starting from a tender age. It can the form of work with disabled
children in preschool facilities, schools, and further in institutions
providing career and technical, vocational secondary and higher education. At
any age it is possible to conduct games aimed at the development of leadership
skills of people with disabilities and their environment as well. In case of
older people lectures, discussions and various activities can be introduced.
The main idea of this work is to reveal the potential of every disabled person
and help maximally him to get involved into social relationships, to create
conditions for the fulfillment of his skills, to prevent his isolation. Then,
basing on comprehensive data it is possible to draw a conclusion about a niche
appropriate for him taking into account his proclivities, interests,
educational background, health. Social mechanism will be specific, and its
parameters will be determined in the process of sociological expertise of the decisions
being made. [11, p.4]
IV.
Conclusion Thus, within social management
mechanism, the disabled should be looked upon not as run subjects but first of
all as doers with special needs and with their own specific viewing of the
problems which is not always taken into account by officials (who are not
disabled) while implementing social policy. At the same time managers with
disability should be treated as usual people according to their educational
background, leadership skills, emotional stability, creativity and so on
(providing the lack of serious
restrictions, for example disease severity and so on).
Literature
10.
Лапина,
С.В. Социальное государство: белорусский опыт / С.В. Лапина // Международная
научно-практическая конференция «Социальное государство и инновационное
развитие». – Москва: МГУ, 21 апреля 2010 г.