People are constantly deciding wether or not we will talk about certain topics in certain circumstances and express our points of view. Social values and norms play a great role in this, but they do not always correspond to the personal values and needs of the individual who expresses those views. The prevailing discourses on topical issues are largely created by the media and social networks, but the information can be very biased. Students of social sciences, especially students of social work, are thus repeatedly criticized for working with marginalized groups that are stigmatized and often undesirable in today's social climate. The profession of social work dictates competent work always for the benefit of clients, which requires knowledge, personal engagement and other attributes. It is precisely in the professions of aid, such as social work, that professional workers have sufficient professional courage to express their views clearly and advocate for vulnerable groups. I conducted interviews with nine future social workers who have had study practice and engaged in volunteering during their undergraduate studies in various fields. In addition to expertise, they have also gained many experience that all point to the fact that working with discriminated groups in society is undesirable, whether this is reflected through more subtle practices such as indifference, denial of existence and victimization, or through purely transparent hostility. The latter is also felt by future social workers themselves, but because of their personal engagement, emotion to social problems and professional courage, they mostly express their views in spite of considerable disapproval and intolerance. They think that they express their views more easily and more often than their peers, while suggesting which measures would contribute to greater assertiveness of young people in order to express their views more and easier. The focus is on the knowledge and the importance of educational institutions that can greatly contribute to greater understanding and openness; at the same time, the importance of the media, which should be more regulated and prevented unilateral reporting that reproduces discriminatory practices, and the legal stricter condemnation of hate speech.
|
