Social Service: Its Meaning and Importance
Introduction: The concept of Social service has evolved through the ages. In this article, we will briefly evaluate the meaning and importance of Social service in modern context.
What is the meaning of Social Service?
Social service (also social work, social welfare) refers to activities to improve the quality of life of the disadvantaged section of the society. It aims at elevating the living condition of the poor, disabled, elderly, children, women, and depressed section of the society.
Social Service refers to the range of services provided by the government and private philanthropic organizations for the purpose of public welfare and social well-being including:
philanthropic assistance to the poor and depressed section of the society,
charitable healthcare services for disadvantaged people,
free medical facilities and childcare service,
facility of free education, food subsidies, etc. provided by the government,
support services to provide employment,
subsidized housing for the poor,
activities that promote equality between rich and poor, and between men and women,
the efforts and services provided by government, individuals, non-profit societies to stop or eradicate the prevailing social evils such as inequality, poverty, dowry, child labor, etc.
any support service to those in need of such assistance in their life.
Why Social Service is so Important?
Service to mankind is service to God. There are many people, who believe that ‘service to man is service to god?. They do not let a single day pass without doing some act of charity, however small it may be. The sense of social service comes out of kindness of the heart and depends largely upon character. Many wealthy people live selfless lives. They spend anything for the good of their neighbors.
Less fortunate members of the society are also human beings just like their more fortunate counterparts. People of means must come forward to render services to their less fortunate members of the society – wealthy men with their riches, young men with their energy, students with their intelligence and vigor, and men of talents with their ideas and plans.
In modern times, the idea of social service has changed. Life nowadays is much wider than ever before. It is far more complicated, too.
In some cases social service has revived an entire nation. The Red Cross Society serving the whole world, the World Health Organization, and many other similar organizations are remarkable instances of big social service institutions. They are serving the people of the whole world.
Students can never keep themselves aloof from their surroundings. Though the first and foremost duty of a student is learning, he cannot neglect his society. He should try to make it healthy, happy, and progressive. They can easily form social service organizations in their areas to protect people from social injustice, and help in sudden calamities, such as outbreak of fire, flood, famine, and pestilence. Click here to read more about students and social service.
