This article focuses on the results of self-funded quantitative research conducted by social workers working in the “refugee” crisis and social services in Greece (1). The research, among other findings, argues that front-line professionals possess specific characteristics regarding their working profile. Statistical methods in the research performed significance tests to validate the initial hypotheses concerning the correlation between dataset variables. On the contrary of this concept, in this work, we present an alternative approach for validating initial hypotheses through the exploitation of clustering algorithms. Toward that goal, we evaluated several frequently used clustering algorithms regarding their efficiency in feature selection processes, and we finally propose a modified k-Modes algorithm for efficient feature subset selection.

Homelessness affects diverse populations and contexts worldwide, but the responses from different countries vary significantly. The Greek experience underscores the complexity of homelessness, particularly in the absence of a comprehensive national counting system and policies that offer only brief, superficial relief rather than long-term solutions. This article is based on a doctoral research project that examines the role and practices of social workers in the social integration of people experiencing homelessness in Athens. Using a qualitative design, in-depth, walking interviews were conducted with (1) ten people experiencing homelessness, (2) 16 social workers in the field of homelessness and (3) five policymakers. This article focuses on data from the interviews with social workers and social policymakers, discussing their views and experiences of social work’s role in policymaking for homelessness. It is revealed that despite social workers’ constant struggle in advocating for people’s needs, their voices are ignored and unheard. The article concludes that by using the profession’s institutions and community coalitions, social work can advocate for inclusive processes in policymaking through which people’s and professionals’ voices and experiences will be both visible and heard.

Education in the mental health field allows the evaluation of factors that are shaped during the period of studies and thus affect students before their placement in a psychiatric setting. In particular, theoretical training, attitudes towards mentally ill people, the degree of preparedness, and the desire to pursue a future career in this field are important factors associated with mental health education. This study included 101 Greek undergraduate social work students who completed their clinical placement in the settings of the 1st Psychiatric Clinic of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) – Eginitio Hospital. By filling out the P/MHCPS scale, these students evaluated their placement experience on the first and last day of placement. Significant differences were recorded at the second measurement time point in terms of attitudes, course effectiveness, preparedness for mental health field, and negative stereotypes. The students’ theoretical background, degrees of preparedness and self-confidence, more positive attitudes, career interest in mental health, and satisfaction with the working environment are factors that enrich the social work students’ learning journey and confirm the positive impact of their clinical placement in the mental health field.

Engaging in critical consciousness has been central for anti-oppressive practice in social work education. This article presents reflections on migration and (anti-) oppressive social work practices based on a student-academic activist project beginning in the North-East (NE) of England. The project involved MA social work students and two academics from a NE university, organizing a series of events aimed at raising awareness in relation to the refugee crisis. In addition, the project crucially involved a study trip to Athens, Greece, where the discussions with frontline professionals, refugee activists and social work students were utilized as an opportunity for co-learning and anti-oppressive praxis. Using Freire's (1970, 1994) analysis for oppression and critical consciousness, understandings of social work across international boundaries and contexts of practice were developed, revealing the need for social work education to undertake a more activist and politicized approach.

Since the so-called ‘refugee crisis’ in 2015–2016, the hostile EU migration policies, the restricted access of refugees to welfare and neoliberalism have put social work in a rather difficult position. This self-funded quantitative research was carried out from June to August 2018 in Greece, addressing social workers working with refugees in various organizations, such as NGOs, public institutions and EU-funded projects. This article will present and discuss social work’s day-to-day practice with refugees and the social workers’ role as human rights defenders and claimants of social justice in the context of systematic violation of the human rights of refugees.

Continuous refugee crises have led to increasing numbers of social workers working in the migration field, yet the subject is under-represented in social work curricula in many European countries. This international research project aimed to investigate undergraduate social work students' opinions and feelings about social work practice and migration through photovoice in two Universities in Italy and Greece. Two focus groups took place and subsequently two events about social work practice with migration were co-organized for the whole student cohorts in each University with the participation of social work professionals in the migration field and migrants as experts by experience. Data were analyzed based on qualitative thematic analysis. The findings revealed that social work in migration field is an unknown, fascinating but also unattractive theme for social work students, resulting in shallow understandings and negative representations of the migrant identity as well as their own professional role. Several implications for social work education are highlighted such as the need to prioritize content on social work practice and migration as well as the value of using creative and participatory approaches in class, such as photovoice.

This paper reflects on the authors' experiences in doing transformative research in two countries of South East Europe - Greece and Bosnia and Herzegovina, during their doctoral studies abroad – United Kingdom and Finland. Within the neoliberal context of academia which celebrates ‘success stories’, research committed to change and action may not always be welcomed and may even be considered as a pathway to ‘failure’. Reflecting on this type of 'failure' and 'opportunity' through our personal stories, we debate how we can resist neoliberalisation in academia from within and promote an anti-oppressive and empowering place of hope and change.

Since 2015, social workers are in the 'front-line' of the so-called refugee 'crisis', facing a series of difficulties in helping effectively their users through a context of austerity, anti-immigration policies, racism and under-resourced social services. Whilst Greece is one of the 'entrance' countries in Europe, to the best of our knowledge, there is no current research in social work practice with refugees. This study was a self-funded, quantitative research project carried out from June to August 2018. The main research questions explored the professionals' profile and working conditions, the social work practice with refugees and the connection between social work and the anti-racist movement. This paper will discuss part of the findings in relation to the profile of professionals, the organisations' profile and their working conditions. The findings identify a series of difficulties for professionals in order to respond to the refugee population' surgent and uncovered needs. Placing the findings within the wider neoliberal context of repressive European policies, this paper argues that both refugees and professionals are affected by the politics of welfare as well as anti-immigration policies. These policies systematically violate human rights, rendering the role of social work crucial in the struggle for social justice.