The Friendly Visitor: Undeserving and Deserving Classes (Essay Sample)

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The Friendly Visitor
The friendly visitor concept is a decisive innovation in the development of early social work. The friendly visitor was considered an interesting blend of values representing conservative economics, social Darwinism, good intentions, Christian love and an upper class lifestyle. The main assumption was that the poor needed upper class role models to boost their moral uplift more than decent wages and secure housing largely was generously accepted by most people. This development restricted the society’s view of the poor and their needs.
The visitors would first investigate and study the relief applications, draw a line between undeserving and deserving classes and then treat them by making reference and provide them with friendship.
A major uproar has arisen over the use of untrained volunteers in the place of visitor. It was assumed that high status held by the volunteers made them preferable to paid and trained professionals. Volunteers were also able to contribute Christian charity and enthusiasm that professionals lacked. Friendly visitors however exhibited mean spirit towards the poor that blamed them for the circumstances that were mainly beyond their control.
Friendly visitors aided in the establishmen...