Silva, Betânia Oliveira da; https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8447-468X; http://lattes.cnpq.br/5527739130224648
Resumo:
The work of social workers in education has not been developed recently, it goes back decades,
but it has been significantly expanded in recent years, especially in student assistance at public
universities in Brazil. This dissertation focuses on the work of social workers in student
assistance at state universities in Bahia. The research was carried out at the Pro-Rectory for
Student Assistance (PRAES) at the State University of Bahia (UNEB) and at the Pro-Rectory for
Affirmative Policies and Student Affairs (PROPAAE) at the State University of Feira de Santana
(UEFS). Therefore, the object of this study is the work of social workers in the State Universities
of Bahia. It is linked to line 2 - Social Theory, Work and Social Work, of the Graduate Program in
Social Work (PPGSS) at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA). The question guiding this
work is: how is the work of social workers working in student assistance at state universities in
Bahia configured, focusing mainly on their profile and working conditions? Therefore, the
general objective of this study is to analyze the work of social workers in student assistance at
state universities in Bahia. The specific objectives are: to identify the professional profile of
social workers working in student assistance at state universities in Bahia; to identify and analyze
the working conditions of social workers in student assistance at state universities in Bahia; and
to identify and analyze the professional demands and responses constructed by social workers
working in student assistance at state universities in Bahia. According to the object of study, the
research was carried out with social workers from UNEB and UEFS using an online
questionnaire with open and closed questions about the professional profile, working conditions
and professional demands and responses in student assistance at the two universities, which was
applied to 06 social workers. The survey found that the activities carried out by social workers
are part of their private competencies, and that the institutions request them to carry out activities
that do not fall within the remit of Social Work. In relation to the lack of public tenders to hire
more professionals, low salaries and professional devaluation. In terms of professional demands
and responses, the social workers mentioned the most requested demands, financial aid such as
grants, emergency aid and the demand for psychiatric and psychological care. The social workers
rated the responses to their work positively, but they were critical of the implementation of the
student assistance policy at universities.