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Social Work vocabulary · Community Work

Outreach

Meaning in social work, with examples

/ˈaʊtriːtʃ/nounCore term

In social work, outreach means: Taking services out to people where they are, such as on the street or in the neighbourhood, instead of waiting for them to come to an office.

In Turkish: ulaşma çalışması, saha çalışması, erişim çalışması

How it is used

Common in work with rough sleepers, young people, migrants and people who use drugs. Outreach workers build trust first and then link people with services. It is used as a noun and before other nouns: outreach team, outreach work.

Example sentences

  1. The outreach team visits the park every night to talk to rough sleepers.

  2. Most of the women we now support first met us through outreach.

Common collocations

  • outreach team
  • outreach worker
  • street outreach
  • community outreach
  • outreach work
  • community engagementInvolving local people and groups in identifying needs, planning services and making the decisions that affect them.
  • homelessnessNot having a safe, secure and suitable place to live, from sleeping on the street to staying in temporary or overcrowded accommodation.
  • engage withTo take part in and cooperate with a service or professional, for example by keeping appointments and working on the agreed plan.
  • substance misuseUse of alcohol or drugs in a way that harms a person's health, relationships, work or ability to look after themselves or others.

More terms: Community Work

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