מחזון למעשה: עובדים סוציאליים קהילתיים כיזמים חברתיים

Background: In the current era of social work, social entrepreneurship is a necessity. It is expected to provide innovative, creative, and long-term solutions to complex and persistent social problems. The question of how community social workers promote social enterprises is therefore more relevant today than ever.Aims: To examine the motivational factors and action strategies of community social workers for the promotion of social enterprises within the framework of the public welfare agencies in which they are employed.Method: A qualitative research project which included semi-structured in-depth interviews with 28community social workers.Findings: Community social workers are motivated by professional ideologies for social change as well as a perception of self-efficacy regarding the ability to influence the change processes.However, these motivational factors are insufficient in the absence of an organizational environment that encourages entrepreneurship. Action strategies that have the potential to promote successful social enterprises include community participation, coalition formation, developing a resource infrastructure, media use, and active involvement in policy arenas.Conclusions: A combination of individual and organizational characteristics motivates entrepreneurial behavior in social entrepreneurship. Successful social entrepreneurship in the framework of public welfare agencies depends on the ability of social workers to act in various ways to promote and implement social enterprise.Implications for practice: The findings of the study serve as an effective and innovative guide to address complex problems facing community social workers in public welfare agencies and may help promote professional training for social entrepreneurship in social work both in academia and the professional field.