“I believe the world can be better”: Greek social workers discuss faith, coping, and motivation for working with refugees

This mixed-methods study draws from original data to examine whether and how faith motivates and sustains social workers serving refugees in Greece. Faith has proven to be a source of hope, coping, and motivation through difficult times. However, Greece, once a very religious part of the world, has become more secular and social workers have grown less dependent on faith. Instead, social workers working with refugees report that they rely on other motivating and coping factors, such as: belief in a better world, human rights, and witnessing clients’ successes. They report that having a reliable team and prioritizing self-care also help them stay in the field. Implications for social work educators are discussed.