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Conference “Social Work and Social Welfare: Towards the Pragmatics of Re-institutionalisation”

March 25 @ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm UTC+1

The conference continues the discussion on the re-institutionalisation of social welfare and social work initiated by the organisers in 2024 (Disaster Preparedness Policy for Humanitarian Crises: A Social Welfare Perspective) and continued in 2025 (Social Assistance and Social Work in Times of Crisis: The Philosophy and Pragmatics of Re-institutionalisation).

Registration
🖊️ Registration via the FORM
Application deadline: 2 March 2026
After the registration period closes or once the participant limit has been reached, registered participants will receive an email confirming their participation in the conference.

About the Conference
A time of rapid social transformations—often broadly described as a “crisis”—is of particular importance for institutional forms of interpersonal help, which are subject to deformation, deprofessionalisation, and deinstitutionalisation.
Existing methods of social work and organisational forms of social Welfare require substantial revision. Such revision should be grounded in in depth, community based reflection by those directly involved in helping activities—specifically, in their knowledge developed through many years of professional practice, consistently rooted in theoretical preparation, ethical standards, and institutional resources.
Guided by professional expertise, attentiveness to the Other, and concern for the common good, it is necessary to rethink and reformulate three fundamental principles of helping practice:
  • • the meaning and principles of shaping relationships with people in need,
  • • the specificity of the organisation of social welfare as an element of public authority, and
  • • the binding national legislative and administrative solutions.

The conference “Social Work and Social Welfare: Towards the Pragmatics of Re institutionalisation” continues the discussion on the re institutionalisation of social Welfare and social work initiated by the organisers in 2024 (Polityka gotowości na wypadek katastrof humanitarnych. Perspektywa pomocy społecznej) and continued in 2025 (Pomoc społeczna i praca socjalna w czasach kryzysu. Filozofia i pragmatyka reinstytucjonalizacji). Its purpose is to critically reflect on the core characteristics of Polish social Welfare and social work, as well as to preliminarily formulate recommendations for strengthening the resilience of helping organisations in a society marked by crisis.

Conference Co-organisers:

The Kraków initiative is embedded in a broader international context through cooperation with the International Federation of Social Workers. The event is also organised in cooperation with Wolters Kluwer Polska.

On behalf of all those involved in the Kraków discussion meetings, I warmly invite you to participate!

Hubert Kaszyński
(Institute of Sociology, Jagiellonian University)

Conference Programme

9:30 – 10:00 Opening of the Conference

  • Maria Klaman – Deputy Mayor of the City of Kraków
  • Witold Kramarz – Director of the Municipal Social Welfare Centre in Kraków

10:00 – 11:10 Lectures

  • Tadeusz Gadacz (AGH University of Science and Technology): Five Concepts of Dialogue
  • Krzysztof Szwajca (Jagiellonian University Medical College): Foundations of a Benevolent Organisation: The Kraków Children’s Support Centre
  • Witold Kramarz (Municipal Social Welfare Centre in Kraków): Principles and Expected Directions of the Evolution of Polish Social Welfare

11:10-11:30 Discussion

11:30-12:00 Break

12:00-13:30 Discussion Groups:

  • Meaning and Principles of Shaping the Helping Relationship
    Moderators: Monika Oliwa Ciesielska (Adam Mickiewicz University), Katarzyna Ornacka (Jagiellonian University)
  • The Specificity of the Organisation of Social Welfare as an Element of Public Authority
    Moderators: Marcin Boryczko (University of Gdańsk), Mirosław Górka (Social Welfare Centre, Rybnik)
  • Strategic Goals for the Development of Social Welfare
    Moderators: Paweł Maczyński (Polish Federation of Social Workers and Social Service Employees Unions), Kacper Wcisło (Sociology Students’ Research Club, Jagiellonian University)

13:30-13:45 Break

13:45-14.30 Key Conclusions from the Discussion Groups

14:30-15:15 Conference Summary

  • Małgorzata Kossowska (Jagiellonian University)
  • Witold Kramarz (Municipal Social Welfare Centre)
  • Hubert Kaszyński (Jagiellonian University)
The conference will be conducted in Polish. After the conference, we will provide an English transcription of the recordings.

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