Open AccessSupport-nets: A participative Action-research into the Value of a Mutual Support Group to overcome Social Isolation.
Author(s) -
Jenny Zwijnenburg,
Tine Van Regenmortel,
René Schalk
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
social work and social sciences review/social work and social sciences review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.16
H-Index - 9
eISSN - 1746-6105
pISSN - 0953-5225
DOI - 10.1921/swssr.v22i2.1538
Subject(s) - isolation (microbiology) , social isolation , social support , action (physics) , participatory action research , social psychology , set (abstract data type) , social identity approach , social group , social identity theory , social engagement , psychology , sociology , computer science , social science , physics , quantum mechanics , anthropology , microbiology and biotechnology , psychotherapist , biology , programming language
Social isolation is a widespread problem with which community oriented social workers are increasingly confronted. Mutual support groups can be used by social workers to support socially isolated people. This paper reports on a participatory action research into the method Support-nets. In this method, a mutual support group is set up specifically for people that share the problem of social isolation. The aim of the study was to gain insight in how participants and social workers give substance to mutual support to overcome structural social isolation. Results show that in a Support-net, every participant is enabled to actively contribute. This makes participants feel that they are valued members of a social group. Based on this shared identity, people offer each other different types of social support, thus alleviating their isolation.