The union times., 1944-12-23
Review Full Use Of
 City'sResources

Because 'sOcial work" still means charity" or ''relief'' to many, the services being rendered the community through social agencies are not correctly understood and consequently are not being used to their fullest extent, it was brought out at meeting of Hartford labor and agency representatives T h UT d a y night at the offices of the Hartford Community Chest.
 Work of the family service agencies was reviewed for the labor representatives at the meeting, third of a series of dis cussions being held under the joint sponsorship of the local AFL, CIO and the Council of Social Agencies, a Chest-sup- ported federation of nearly 100 agencies.
 The AFL was admitted to mem bership in the Council last week and action on the CIO- application is pending action at a general meeting of union members Mon- day. Thursday night spokesmen of both unions promised that their memberships would be urged to send fuller representation to fu- ture meetings being held under joint uniOn-agency sponsorship. RecreatiOnal facilities afforded by Council agencies will be discussed at the next meeting, Thursday, Jan. II.
 Perry B.. Hall, executive secretary of the Family Service Society, re- viewed the family service programs of his agency, the Diocesan Bureau of Social Service and the United Jewish Social Service Agency. He described the types of problems that might appropriately be referred to these agencies, pointing out that less IAAA tSA PSA NCht VI tllC NdoCS WCIC relief, and many of those sought only temporary relief
 "We don't pretend to have magic solutions to family and ipdividual problems" Mr. Hall said. But our workers have been trained to help people to help themselves and they know all the community resources that can be recruited to assist troubled people to solve their own problems"
 Cases where illness disrupts the home, need for assistance in the care of younger children, prob lems with adolescents, domestic difficulties are all matters in which an agency knows how help can be given, he said. It was emphasized by the agency representatives that, in addition to recognition of his own problems by the individual and his wish to solve them, it is important that the assistance of the service agency be sought vOIun- tarily.
 It was agreed by the union repre- sentatives that one of their main ob- jectives as active members of the Council would be to plan an educa- tional program to inform people of the agency work and to teach them how they may best take advantage of the many services which are SUD- ported for their benefit by community contributions and public funds. Edu- cational programs in operation under union auspices in other cities were reviewed. Where labor management committees have been formed, the in struction of committee members so that they can carry the information to the company workers was recom- mended, and union referral centers, instructive meetings for all union members and the traininc of union counselors were considered.
 The mutually beneficial aspects of the union-agency educational program were stressed by both union and agency representatives. It was pointed out that the Community Chest will gain added financial support from people who understand what services are being provided for them through their contributions and that people will benefit by knowledge that opens the door to all community resources.
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