Practical field period: Empowerment methods in social work
| Structure Type: | Course |
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| Code: | KF08EVS0310 |
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| Level: | Bachelor |
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| Credits: | 6.0 points |
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| Teacher Team: | Järvi, Helena |
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| Language of Instruction: | Finnish |
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Course Implementations, Planned Year of Study and Semester
| Curriculum | Semester | Credits | Start of Semester | End of Semester |
| SOSALA-2013 |
4 autumn |
6.0 |
2016-08-01 |
2016-12-31 |
| SOSALA-2014 |
4 autumn |
6.0 |
2017-08-01 |
2017-12-31 |
Learning Outcomes
Together with clients and other actors, students will be able to bring to notice factors that cause social exclusion, inequality and injustice in their field placement. They will learn to analyse these factors using concepts of empowering social work and, based on their analysis, plan and carry out a field practice which aims at a change in one of the marginalisation practices. Students will learn to apply methods and perspectives of empowering social work. They will learn to describe and evaluate structures, interests and conflicts of pressures associated with the empowering approach to work, apparent in their own work, in the placement and in the professional practice of Bachelors of Social Services.
Student's Workload
156 hours of student's work (30 hours for planning, 96 hours for field practice, 30 hours for writing the report).
Prerequisites / Recommended Optional Courses
The study course "Critical and radical social work" has to be completed before this practical field period.
Contents
- Supporting the client or the client group in identifying, analysing and in bringing to notice needs for change
- Applying empowering principles and approach to work in client-worker interaction, in practices of organisations and in community actions
- Professional social work methods in empowerment
Recommended or Required Reading
Practical training guidebook (in Finnish): http://intra
Mode of Delivery / Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Practical field period individually or in pairs. This period can be connected with the final thesis and it can be undertaken abroad.
Assessment Criteria
Pass (grade 3)/fail:
Students focus on a socially excluded group or on a group with little power, justifying their choice using concepts and principles of empowering social work. Supervised by their teacher, students are able to produce ideas, plan and implement a field practice, whose objective is to bring about change in some marginalisation practice. Students try out in practice some method to support the agency and to make heard the voice of individuals or groups living in the margin and with little power. Students try out in practice their skills in doing things differently, in questioning current views and practices and in bringing about change. They are able to critically analyse and evaluate the practical field environment and their own actions and role as professionals in the social field.
Assessment Methods
Participation in introductory lectures, the practical field period and report.
Work Placement
See objectives of the study course.
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