Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - III. Constitution and Administration. Introd. by E. Hildebrand - 3. Local Government. Introd. by G. A. Aldén - Poor Relief. By Agda Montelius
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
300
III. CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION.
have undertaken to approach their less fortunate fellows in an intelligent and
friendly spirit, and to assist them by counsel and practical help.
One class by itself is made up of those associations which have for their
purpose something especially spiritual, such as missionary societies of different
sorts. Some of these, moreover, have a system of training missionary workers,
among the necessitous e. g., the Institute of Deaconesses, the Salvation Army
and others. In the performance of their work, they have found that spiritual
assistance must be combined with care for the bodily wants of those they desire
to reach, for their preaching cannot win hearers among those they allow to be
homeless, starving, and cold; and this fact has called into existence a number
of institutions besides those necessary for training purposes.
All this work for the necessitous, when done without one helper knowing
anything of another’s doings, tempted the less conscientious of the poor to
abuse good-will, and in the large towns it often happened that the same person
obtained assistance from public sources and from several private associations at
the same time. An unconscious extravagance in the disposal of means, to the
detriment of those really in want, was in this way occasioned, and, to make things
worse, no one in distress could under those conditions be permanently benefited,
one helper unconsciously pulling down what another was building up.
Following an example set in London, the Charity Organization Society
(Föreningen för Välgörenhetens Ordnande, commonly called F. V. O.), was founded
in Stockholm in 1889. Its mission is to secure in the capital collaboration,
irrespective of differences of religious or political opinions, between benevolent
private persons, institutions, or associations, and the poor law boards; and,
consequently, while striving to check mendicity, it strives so to concentrate and
regulate all available strength as to permanently improve, with a united and
systematic action, the condition of those who are in need of help. All who
feel interested in and who are willing to take part in such work have a
meeting-place at the central office of the Society, where persons in need of help
also apply. The members of the Society, moreover, send thither all applicants
for relief unknown to them, so that information may be obtained about them,
and the best mode of aid may be adopted.
The central office is assisted by persons of both sexes, who visit the homes
of the applicants, inquire into their circumstances, and write reports on each.
This contains all the particulars that can be furnished, and hence it is possible
to get an idea of what can and ought to be done.
In a dossier is noted down all the information from available sources about
the applicant, and all measures taken from time to time, and what friendly
observation has found out, so that a definite report and clear guidance can be
given to each person who has got an application from some one already
registered, and who is willing to help, but asks for advice how to do so.
The dossiers are registered, so as to be easily obtainable if they are wanted.
A register is kept of all benevolent institutions, funds, and associations, and
records of the various conditions under which they give relief, so that the office
can give advice and direction in case of need. A similar register is kept of
those assisted by the different associations, funds, and by the poor law guardians,
so that authorities may obtain information and no overlapping of assistance need
occur.
F. V. O. tries, by circulars, meetings, and lectures, to repress mendicity and
give charity in Stockholm a healthy direction; at the same time endeavours are
incessantly going on to elevate the self-respect of the poor and to encourage
them in self-help, e. g., by urging them to join a friendly society to provide
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
