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Catholic Social Work Essay

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While reading through these passages addressing partnerships in development work, I could not help but think of Catholic Social Teaching and its call for solidarity in development work because we all belong to one human family. In fact, Edward DeBerri and James Hug describe authentic human development as involving “a commitment of solidarity with all people” in Catholic Social Teaching: Our Best Kept Secret (DeBerri and Hug 20). Therefore, when development organizations partner together, they are standing in solidarity with each other searching for ways in which to improve the well-being of others. However, these partnerships do not always stem from an altruistic place in search of solidarity. Rather, sometimes these partnerships are created out of convenience …show more content…

Instead, a focus shift needs to occur in which NNGOS think about development in terms of “what they themselves or their member constituencies can learn from the South” in order to create a mutual partnership involving “exchanges, listening and learning from each other” (Hoksbergen 11). Partnerships themselves must be created under mutuality especially so that SNGOs are able to take ownership out of the work being done. If not, decisions will be made by the NNGO because they hold the resources and funds. This in turn represents a decision-making structure that will “contain a limited number of view-points, experiences, and skills to draw on for analysis and problem solving” (Jantzi and Jantzi 308). Jantzi and Jantzi also note that when power differentials in development relationships occur, there can be negative effects on social dynamics and social capital which is essential to the empowerment of local communities. However, when SNGOs are able to take ownership and play an active role in decision-making, an energetic civil society will be fostered to ensure long-term successes and

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