La situación laboral y profesional de las y los educadores sociales en la Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia

Abstract

This thesis aims to know the current state of Social Education in the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia, analyzing the main advances and setbacks of the group in its professionalization process. To this end, it answers the following questions: what are the working and professional conditions of social educators in their different work scenarios? And to what extent do they contribute to consolidate the process of professionalization of Social Education in the Region of Murcia? This thesis is organized in three main parts, each one with its respective chapters, plus the bibliographical references and the necessary annexes as corresponds to all canonical research. The first part, built as the theoretical framework of the study that we carry out on social educators, is divided into five chapters traversed by analytical and historical paths or methodologies that try to base our search: after the inescapable formulation of goals, general and specific objectives of the thesis, we delve into the conceptualization of the theoretical building that we try to build, such as the notions of profession and professionalization, given that the state of a profession - Social Education - is explored, as well as formalizing the model that we have considered more complete to study the professionalization processes of the aforementioned profession and the evolution of its professionals in their work scenarios, which has prompted us to contrast our theoretical adoption with other views on the professionalization of professions. Relevant for this theoretical construction has been, to a large extent, the contribution of sociological and historical currents, with their respective authors of reference, who have studied the professions more carefully. The fifth chapter recreates, looking for comparison, the contribution of some works that have been concerned with the profession of Social Education and its professionals. The second part of our thesis, following the line of development of the last chapter of the previous one, of four chapters, from six to eight included, deals with the empirical framework from which the labor and professional situation of social educators in the Community is explored. Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia, focusing on two groups: professional colleagues who work in the public sector and, on the other hand, in the third sector or on their own, presenting the phases that comprise it, the instrument that has been used, the modifications of substance and form that are made to the items that are taken from another instrument, sample and population, application of the samples. And, of course, the analysis of the information obtained related not only to the general data but also to the type of work of the professionals, the functions, tasks and climate in the workplace where they work, the important issue of the training received as well as the practice and experience of educators today. Data that, in contrast to those obtained in a study with similar objectives, from 2004, allows, in this work of results, to identify, rather than determine, the current situation of social educators in our community. The third part, dedicated to extracting the conclusions and limitations of the research, occupies chapters nine and ten of the thesis. Finally, with the bibliographical references, the index of tables and figures, plus the essential appendices: those that provide knowledge of the instruments used to understand the modifications made to update ours, as well as those other appendices that account for the information collected in order to achieve the objectives that defined and justified the exploration carried out.