Description
Egocentric Network Maps in Social Work
A successful everyday life, subjective well-being, health and quality of life are significantly influenced by social relationships and experienced social support. Social workers and social educators have therefore always supported their clients in the maintenance and development of social relationships. A variety of tools are now available to social workers for the collection and visualization of social relationships. In addition to genograms, sociograms, name generators and ecomaps, ego-centered network maps have been established in social work.
The variant developed at the FH St. Pulten is suitable as a diagnostic, consulting and research tool. The cooperative recording and analysis of the network structure and the attainable social support potential is the starting point for inclusion and health-promoting interventions. In the software version easyNWK, it also enables a mathematical analysis of relevant key figures. In 2005, it was first proposed by Peter Pantuzek-Eisenbacher in an analogue version. In 2011, a first digital version was published. Since 2021, we have been offering a modern and data protection-compliant solution with a web app, which is currently being extended by specific functions in an Erasmus+ project.
The ego-centered network map captures a person’s social relationships and presents clearly. In four sectors, relationships with family members, friends and neighbors, colleagues in school, education, work, associations etc. as well as professional helpers are mapped. The current close-distance relationship with the network contacts can be mapped using the three horizons.
In order to create a network, the connections between the network contacts are visualized. In the conversation, the available resources of social support and the (potential) social capital are collected in the network.
The network can be analyzed cooperatively in terms of its characteristics and qualities:
- How large and how networked is my network?
- What types of relationships do I maintain?
- What relationships can be developed?
- What relationships could tolerate a loosening?
- Who supports me emotionally, practically, materially?
- Who can I ask for advice? Who am I an important support for?
- How satisfied am I with my network?
- How would I like to shape my relationships in the future?
To create a digital network map offers a wealth of advantages. Among other things:
- The visualization is faster and easier than with paper and pencil.
- Contacts can be labeled easily and clearly.
- Notes can be documented directly in the program.
- Changes are easily possible.
- The evaluation runs automatically in the background.
- The digital network map allows different views, depending on the question of the cooperative analysis.
- Changes over time can be compared.