Factors Influencing Social Work Activities in Livelihood Support for Sustainable Poverty Escape: A Case Study in Ba Ria City, Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, Vietnam

This article analyzes the factors influencing social work (SW) activities in supporting livelihoods for the poor in Ba Ria City, Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, with the aim of contributing to the improvement of sustainable poverty reduction policies. Based on a survey of 113 poor and near-poor households and in-depth interviews with five participants, the findings reveal that the implementation of livelihood support activities is relatively favorable (Mean = 4.03). Notably, the provision of policy information, vocational orientation and training, and resource mobilization are highly appreciated. The study identifies four key factors that influence the effectiveness of livelihood support: policy mechanisms, characteristics of poor households, the quality of social work staff, and inter-sectoral coordination. The research applies the Social Development Theory to emphasize the role of social work in empowering the poor through resource linkage and sustainable access support. Based on the findings, the article proposes solutions focusing on strengthening the social work workforce, enhancing policy communication, expanding credit support, and reinforcing inter-sectoral collaboration to effectively achieve the goals of sustainable poverty reduction.