Pengetahuan gelandangan terhadap peranan dan keperluan pekerja sosial

Abstract

Bergelandangan menuntut individu yang terlibat menjalani kehidupan tanpa perlindungan kediaman dan kerjaya yang stabil. Di Malaysia, negeri yang direkodkan oleh Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Malaysia (JKMM) mempunyai masalah gelandangan adalah Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor Pulau Pinang, dan Sarawak. Masalah yang dialami oleh individu yang bergelandangan terdiri daripada kemiskinan, masalah mental dan fizikal, penyalahgunaan alkohol dan bahan-bahan lain, pengangguran dan kadar upah yang rendah. Kajian kualitatif yang dijalankan bertujuan mengenal pasti status pengetahuan gelandangan terhadap kewujudan agensi yang memberi khidmat bantuan berbentuk intervensi dan perkhidmatan kaunseling yang disediakan oleh pekerja sosial kepada golongan gelandangan khususnya di George Town, Pulau Pinang. Temu bual secara mendalam telah dilakukan ke atas 20 orang informan yang terlibat secara sukarela. Data yang diperolehi dianalisis menggunakan kaedah analisis kandungan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa golongan gelandangan mengetahui kewujudan agensi swasta dan kerajaan yang menawarkan khidmat bantuan kepada mereka. Namun, kajian mendapati informan yang ditemu bual memilih untuk tidak mendapatkan khidmat daripada agensi terbabit. Alasan mereka menjurus kepada tiada keperluan untuk berjumpa pekerja sosial, tiada kepastian pekerja sosial untuk membantu, tidak mengetahui cara dan kaedah untuk berjumpa serta belum bersedia untuk berkongsi masalah. Sehubungan itu, kajian yang dijalankan mencadangkan agar pekerja sosial dilihat sebagai satu profesion yang terbaik bagi mengendalikan isu gelandangan. Kompetensi yang ada pada pekerja sosial mampu memperkasakan golongan gelandangan ke arah kehidupan yang lebih baik dan sejahtera. Agensi yang menawarkan khidmat bantuan kepada golongan gelandangan perlu memastikan mereka mempunyai pekerja sosial yang terlatih dan berkemahiran tinggi dalam mengendalikan isu gelandangan, di samping dapat menyediakan pelan tindakan intervensi yang efektif dan akauntabiliti mengikut keperluan golongan gelandangan.

Kata kunci: akauntabiliti, gelandangan, intervensi, kompetensi, pekerja sosial, sokongan sosial

Homeless knowledge of on the role and needs of social workers

Homeless life is when an individual live without shelter and stable careers. In Malaysia, based on statistics reported by the Department of Social Welfare, the state which faced with homelessness issue are Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Penang and Sarawak. The problems experienced by homeless individuals are poverty, severe mental and physical illness, alcohol and other substance abuse, unemployment and low wages. The qualitative study was conducted to identify the status of homeless awareness on the existence of agencies that provide intervention assistance and counseling services provided by social workers to the homeless especially in George Town, Penang. In-depth interviews have been conducted on 20 volunteers. The data obtained were analyzed using content analysis method. The findings show that homeless people are aware of the existence of private and government agencies that offer them assistance. However, it was found that the informant choosed not to obtain the services from these agencies. The reasons given by them is there is no need for them to meet the social workers, there is no certainty of getting help from the social workers, not knowing how to approach and not ready to share their problems. In this regard, this study suggests that social workers are the best person to handle homeless issues. The competence of the social workers could empower the homeless to a better and fulfilled life. Agencies offering aid services to homeless people should ensure that they have trained and highly skilled social workers in handling homeless issues as well as providing an effective and accountable intervention plan according to the needs of the homeless.

Keywords: accountability, homeless, intervention, competency, social worker, social support