The perspectives of clients and social welfare workers regarding support programs offered by non-profit organisations in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

This exploratory study aimed to explore the experiences of low-income individuals and social workers with low-income socioeconomic support programs in non-profit organisations in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. A multiple case study approach was used the collection of information from 33 clients and 17 social workers across five different organisations. While all clients participated in individual interviews, 9 social workers participated in individual interviews and 8 preferred to participate in 3focus groups. Social work was a guiding framework for understanding these experiences by considering their alignment with social work principles and theories of empowerment and systems. The results of the present thesis revealed that the organisational practices of non-profit organisations strongly influenced these experiences. Further, at the macro level, results revealed a randomness and overlap in the social care services provided by non-profit organisations. This was caused by a lack of cooperation and networking between non-profit organisations, which prompted duplication between organisations for both services and clients, as well as age gaps in coverage, especially for individuals aged 18–35. At the macro level, non-profit organisations indicated that they suffer from many challenges that limit the efficacy of their organisational practices, such as inefficiency in specialised human resources, a lack of policies and poor financial resources. They also indicated that important decisions related to their clients and services distribution did not align with the principles of social work—especially justice. At the micro level, clients were dissatisfied with policies that did not account for individual differences and with the low level of professionalism exhibited by social workers who expose clients to discrimination, neglect and abuse. Clients also expressed their fear of general social care policies that limit their benefit from programs such as starting small projects. Concurrently, social workers revealed the challenges they faced due to administrative challenges in their organisations, such as their smaller numbers compared to clients, lack of support and tools, discrimination in wages and insufficient professional development, which made them feel exhausted. The present thesis concludes that reforms must be implemented at all levels to realign the strategies of non-profit organisations with general social welfare policies, as well as to achieve the desired goals of Saudi Vision 2030. The study also contributed to identifying the importance of developing social work in Saudi society in a manner that is appropriate to it by emphasising the importance of increasing organisational performance by applying appropriate organisational practices. These practices should follow the social work framework and focus on justice, empowerment, and equity. This thesis also stresses the importance of respecting the dignity of low-income individuals and prioritising the development of social workers, identifying their capabilities and creating an appropriate work environment that enables them to practice effective professional practices.