Permeable Boundaries, Internalized Work: The Case of Care Work Professionals in Nonprofit Organizations in Israel

Over the last two decades, significant changes have occurred in the arena of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in many countries around the world. These changes include the growth, in size and importance, of both civil society and the nonprofit sector. At the same time, studies have documented women`s over-representation as employees in the nonprofit sector worldwide, including Israel. While women play a significant role in NPOs as employees, volunteers, and clients, there is insufficient knowledge about women employed by NPOs, and their unique working environment. This paper`s primary purpose is to encompass work experiences amongst NPOs professional careworkers in Israel. Forty in-depth interviews with women working as care work professionals (such as social workers and occupational therapists) in nonprofit organizations in Israel were conducted. Participant characteristics reflect geographical, religious, and ethnic diversity and job diversity - full-time and part-time jobs. Participants were asked about their employment experiences, struggles, and challenges. In 2020, The COVID-19 pandemic had burst into our reality, adding a layer of complexity to care work professionals` experiences. Findings shed light on the phenomena of permeable boundaries and Internalized work: boundaries between home and work become blurred continuously, which affect those women`s well-being, emotional, mental, and physical health. Internalized work plays a role in constructing a Neoliberal nonprofit employee.









Powered by Eventact EMS