Using Solution-Focused Coaching in Social Work Practice with the Long-Term Unemployed to Promote Their Well-Being

Abstract

Long-term unemployment, one of the challenges social workers face, produces a variety of non-monetary and social consequences. The helping professionals understand that interventions towards unemployed clients do not cover just the pure fact of their unemployment but that a holistic approach to the clients’ living situations is needed. This paper aims to promote well-being while implementing solution-focused coaching in working with unemployed clients in social work practice. The Reteaming coaching model is supported by two detailed case studies describing three key areas covered in the Reteaming process. Working with clients in both cases contributed to various elements of the client’s psychological well-being: positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement. The Reteaming coaching model can be used effectively as a suitable structured approach, mainly used in strength-based social work.