向水深處划去：從陳怡吟的書寫看社工的靈性修養

社工源於西方基督教會的慈善組織，但在百年追求「科學」地位的專業化歷程中，社工專業已然失去原本探討靈性議題的空間。過去近30年福利國家危機之後的新右派改革，社工所依附的福利制度被管理主義所主導，被標準化流程與績效指標所嚴格規訓的社工，愈來愈不容易在工作中感受到與他人、自己，以及超越界有更深刻的關聯，也因此興起一波討論靈性與社工的風潮。本文試圖藉由一位女性社工員長達四年的日常書寫，一方面勾勒當代臺灣社工員在日益去人性化的制度中所面對的挑戰；另一方面試圖理解社工是如何在助人工作中修持自己。文末試圖提出建構社工靈性修養的方向與策略。

關鍵字

靈性修養；社會工作；管理主義

並列摘要

Although the social work profession has its roots in Western Christianity, the spiritual element of social work has been lost in the pursuit for professional status through integrating itself with scientific disciplines. The recent years, however, there has been a growing awareness of spirituality and renewed interest in spiritual formation as social workers increasingly long for a meaningful connection with others, self and the world. Such longing has become even greater as managerialism has taken hold of the restructuring of the welfare state the past twenty years. This paper tries to explore the spiritual dimension and challenges faced by social workers by analyzing the text of a daily journal of one (female) social worker recorded over a period of four years. Through these personal narratives the author aims to outline the degree of how dehumanizing the contemporary social welfare system in Taiwan has become. Suggestions are considered on how to foster spirituality and the spiritual formation of social workers.