Hilfebedürftige Arbeitslose in der Fallbearbeitung: Trainer trifft Mensch (Case work with unemployed persons in need of support: Trainer meets human being)

This paper studies what significance activating social services have in the fight against poverty and long-term unemployment. It examines in what way subjective patterns of interpretation and behaviour, as well as ways of handling and processing a life of benefit receipt, have to be taken into account in the process of providing help. This is necessary if the goal of overcoming need via activation and a self-reliant lifestyle is to be both achieved and sustainable. In the eyes of the author, the success of SGB II activation strategies is not only dependent on the quality of the measures themselves but equally on the quality of the supervision relationship as well as on the willingness of the benefit recipient to cooperate and his/her motivation. The establishment of a trusting relationship between the service provider and the person being supervised is a prerequisite for social stabilisation and reintegration into gainful employment. In the working bond between advisory caseworker and benefit recipient, the latter's biographical experience and current living situation must be taken into account to produce the necessary concordance of perspectives 'without which the promotional and integration instruments are likely to come to nothing.' (IAB)