The article discusses and analyses the role and activity possibilities of a social worker in the rural community. The role of a social worker in the rural community was researched through possibilities of social educational inclusion in order to ascertain the conditions of empowering activity, internal attitudes of community members in the aspect of empowering, collaboration level among different institutions. The results of the qualitative research performed at nine rural elderships of different districts in Žemaitija region revealed difficulties faced by social workers in rural areas integrating people into the active life applying educational means. The essential obstacles, which prevent rural people from opening for social – educational inclusion, include their conservative thinking, habit to live only on social benefits, their prevailing pessimism and apathy.