Feminist community social work during COVID-19

Abstract

• Summary: Young women who experience distress and social exclusion have little access to social resources. During emergencies such as pandemics, their suffering from poverty, emotional distress, and lack of aid increases. “The Women’s Courtyard” is a social service operating in three Israeli cities: Jaffa, Netanya, and Haifa, specifically designed for young women and girls, mainly Arab Muslims and Ethiopian Jews, who experience extreme distress and social exclusion. It maintains an “open space” and offers a variety of activities and pro-bono employment counseling, welfare, health, and self-advocacy services, as well as food, company, and a place to belong. Our research aimed to convey the challenges encountered and strategies employed by service users and providers at The Women’s Courtyards during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our methodology, combining grounded theory with critical research approaches, consisted of semi-structured interviews with young women and staff from the three Courtyards. • Findings: During the pandemic, the Courtyards functioned as safe and stable spaces. A major finding points to the crucial role of the community networks the Courtyards had generated before COVID-19. • Applications: The discussion will focus on the strengths of creating a community of stable and strong social networks for services that work with women in extreme distress. Constructing a strong social network, a network of volunteers and a web of public and NGO organizations may act as a community safety net in times of acute crises.