Betydningen af velfærdsteknologi i den kommunale socialpsykiatriske praksis – Et analytisk perspektiv på de forskellige formål og nye roller velfærdsteknologien online bostøtte medfører medarbejdernes arbejdspraksis

Abstract

Across the Nordic countries, welfare technologies are currently implemented in municipal services. The technologies are expected to improve the services. The article presents, based on a Science-Technology-Society (STS) theoretical approach, an analysis of the welfare technology Online screen visits, which is a video call between employees and citizens in the Danish social psychiatry services. The focus is on the experiences of the municipal employees. The analysis is performed with two analytical concepts: scenario and script. The aim is to understand the future scenario Online screen visits come with, and its script, which is negotiated and adapted in the implementation process. The analysis highlights the learning process that municipal employees go through when implementing welfare technology. The empirical basis is semi-structured interviews and participant observations of employees in three different municipalities. The results show that the employees experience foreseeable and unforeseen changes in their work practices as a result of Online screen visits. These changes are, however, not communicated clearly nor properly understood by municipal managers. The article argues for a new evaluation parameter, and that the new roles and tasks that welfare technology brings with it necessitate the development of technology competencies among employees.