7 Community mapping as a participative tool to enhance informal social support: possible pathways for practitioners
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Andrea Petrella
Abstract
In contemporary societies, informal social support is increasingly significant, particularly in child neglect and community studies. This chapter introduces community mapping (CM) as a tool to address social exclusion and foster inclusive communities, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
CM, traditionally used by anthropologists, sociologists, and planners, involves creating maps with local communities to share information about meaningful places and propose new solutions. Recent pilot projects in Italy have adapted CM for social and educational work, engaging families, civil society, practitioners, children and teachers in identifying important local places.
CM helps social work practitioners explore geographical and territorial dimensions, enabling families to find and share informal support resources. The tool facilitates the creation of maps that highlight social opportunities and support for daily needs like care, assistance and emotional support. The mapping process itself fosters network-building among participants, including parents from both vulnerable and non-vulnerable backgrounds.
The chapter outlines a pathway with ten key points for practitioners to effectively use CM, emphasising both the mapping process and its potential to improve local contexts through new initiatives and infrastructural changes.
Abstract
In contemporary societies, informal social support is increasingly significant, particularly in child neglect and community studies. This chapter introduces community mapping (CM) as a tool to address social exclusion and foster inclusive communities, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
CM, traditionally used by anthropologists, sociologists, and planners, involves creating maps with local communities to share information about meaningful places and propose new solutions. Recent pilot projects in Italy have adapted CM for social and educational work, engaging families, civil society, practitioners, children and teachers in identifying important local places.
CM helps social work practitioners explore geographical and territorial dimensions, enabling families to find and share informal support resources. The tool facilitates the creation of maps that highlight social opportunities and support for daily needs like care, assistance and emotional support. The mapping process itself fosters network-building among participants, including parents from both vulnerable and non-vulnerable backgrounds.
The chapter outlines a pathway with ten key points for practitioners to effectively use CM, emphasising both the mapping process and its potential to improve local contexts through new initiatives and infrastructural changes.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents ix
- List of figures and tables xi
- Notes on contributors xii
- Introduction 1
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Sense and Sensibility as epistemology for social work
- Reflections on the possibilities and challenges offered by a social model of protecting children 19
- The virtuous cycle of using supportive measures to reduce red tape and meet families’ needs 35
- The potential of practice research to advance a framework for protective support and supportive protection (PS-SP) with children, young people and families 51
- Rethinking the concept of institutionalisation in child protection 69
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Sense and Sensibility as practice
- Towards a collaborative and innovative practice improvement paradigm in child protection? 93
- Participative and Transformative Evaluation: children, families and practitioners as co-researchers through ‘reflective thinking’ processes 114
- Community mapping as a participative tool to enhance informal social support: possible pathways for practitioners 134
- The training of trainers as a way to share sense and sensibility in the P.I.P.P.I. programme 156
- Care leavers in the Italian child protection system: from action research to advocacy of more inclusive policies and relationships 174
- A mind for learning and innovation 191
- Communication as the backbone of intervention with group programmes in the child protection system: exploring challenges and tools 214
- Epilogue 231
- Index 234
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents ix
- List of figures and tables xi
- Notes on contributors xii
- Introduction 1
-
Sense and Sensibility as epistemology for social work
- Reflections on the possibilities and challenges offered by a social model of protecting children 19
- The virtuous cycle of using supportive measures to reduce red tape and meet families’ needs 35
- The potential of practice research to advance a framework for protective support and supportive protection (PS-SP) with children, young people and families 51
- Rethinking the concept of institutionalisation in child protection 69
-
Sense and Sensibility as practice
- Towards a collaborative and innovative practice improvement paradigm in child protection? 93
- Participative and Transformative Evaluation: children, families and practitioners as co-researchers through ‘reflective thinking’ processes 114
- Community mapping as a participative tool to enhance informal social support: possible pathways for practitioners 134
- The training of trainers as a way to share sense and sensibility in the P.I.P.P.I. programme 156
- Care leavers in the Italian child protection system: from action research to advocacy of more inclusive policies and relationships 174
- A mind for learning and innovation 191
- Communication as the backbone of intervention with group programmes in the child protection system: exploring challenges and tools 214
- Epilogue 231
- Index 234
