Leadership in social work practice in Ecuador embraces strategiesfor the empowerment of rural communities

This qualitative study examines leadership in Social Work for the empowerment of rural communities inEcuador. Through a multiple case study using interviews, focus groups, and observation, "facilitative leadership"was identified as the core model. This leadership is exercised through active listening and systematic feedbackof information, prioritizing trust-building and local knowledge. The results demonstrate that empowerment isa multilevel process (individual, organizational, community) built through mediation strategies like stakeholderarticulation and the activation of endogenous leadership. It is concluded that the effectiveness of socialintervention depends on the professional’s ability to act as a facilitator, shifting the spotlight to catalyzecommunity agency and autonomy. The study underscores the need to train these competencies and designlong-term policies.