Placement interviews at the interface of cultural diversity and standardised requirements
- Koeck, Clara-Maria, Ottmann, Goetz
- Authors: Koeck, Clara-Maria , Ottmann, Goetz
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Advances in social work and welfare education Vol. 20, no. 1 (2018), p. 108-121
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- Description: Field education placements permit social work students to gain practical experience employing the knowledge and skills they acquired in the classroom. Access to field education placements is dependent upon placement interviews during which candidates have to display their professional and personal suitability. Placement interviews are challenging for all students. For international students, they are particularly challenging as they represent a litmus test as to whether they have achieved a sufficient degree of cultural adaptation. To date, little attention has been paid to the way placement interviews are experienced by international students. This article addresses this gap. The article is based on a qualitative study involving semi-structured, in-depth interviews with five international students focusing on the way placement interviews were experienced, how students felt prepared for them, and the degree to which language proficiency, cultural difference, social connectedness, discrimination, and Australian workplace culture represented a challenge. The findings suggest that international students need be to better informed about opportunities associated with field placement and the often implicit requirements and expectations associated with it. The authors argue that they would benefit from targeted educational resources ranging from English language tuition to interview role play.
- Authors: Koeck, Clara-Maria , Ottmann, Goetz
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Advances in social work and welfare education Vol. 20, no. 1 (2018), p. 108-121
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Field education placements permit social work students to gain practical experience employing the knowledge and skills they acquired in the classroom. Access to field education placements is dependent upon placement interviews during which candidates have to display their professional and personal suitability. Placement interviews are challenging for all students. For international students, they are particularly challenging as they represent a litmus test as to whether they have achieved a sufficient degree of cultural adaptation. To date, little attention has been paid to the way placement interviews are experienced by international students. This article addresses this gap. The article is based on a qualitative study involving semi-structured, in-depth interviews with five international students focusing on the way placement interviews were experienced, how students felt prepared for them, and the degree to which language proficiency, cultural difference, social connectedness, discrimination, and Australian workplace culture represented a challenge. The findings suggest that international students need be to better informed about opportunities associated with field placement and the often implicit requirements and expectations associated with it. The authors argue that they would benefit from targeted educational resources ranging from English language tuition to interview role play.
Critical language awareness: A beckoning frontier in social work education?
- Authors: Clement, Chihota
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Aotearoa New Zealand social work Vol. 29, no. 2 (2017), p. 56-68
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- Description: Introduction: Effective social work practice is predicated on empowering, inclusive and culturally responsive communication, and yet, there appears to be very limited focus on language awareness, let alone critical language awareness, in contemporary social work education - both within and beyond the Australasian context. This gap is more worrying against a background where neoliberal and instrumental discourses (Habermas, 1969 O'Regan, 2001) have freely proliferated, and now threaten to colonise virtually all areas of private and public life (Chouliaraki and Fairclough, 1999). In response, this article advocates the inclusion of Critical Language Awareness (CLA) in contemporary social work education. Approach: This article initially maps the broad scope and historical emergence of CLA, before surveying its key political and theoretical influences. Findings: The key outcome is that CLA - as delineated - clearly shares significant overlaps with social work values, particularly: justice, equality and a commitment to anti-discriminatory and antioppressive practice (Dominelli, 2002 Payne, 1997). More importantly, CLA provides conceptual and analytical resources that promise to significantly sharpen students' abilities to recognise, question and ultimately challenge, oppressive discourses (Fairclough, 2011 Manjarres, 2011 Wodak, 2006). Conclusion: It is recommended that CLA strands be woven into existing social work themes and topics. The final part of the article offers some practical suggestions on how this could be done.
- Authors: Clement, Chihota
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Aotearoa New Zealand social work Vol. 29, no. 2 (2017), p. 56-68
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Introduction: Effective social work practice is predicated on empowering, inclusive and culturally responsive communication, and yet, there appears to be very limited focus on language awareness, let alone critical language awareness, in contemporary social work education - both within and beyond the Australasian context. This gap is more worrying against a background where neoliberal and instrumental discourses (Habermas, 1969 O'Regan, 2001) have freely proliferated, and now threaten to colonise virtually all areas of private and public life (Chouliaraki and Fairclough, 1999). In response, this article advocates the inclusion of Critical Language Awareness (CLA) in contemporary social work education. Approach: This article initially maps the broad scope and historical emergence of CLA, before surveying its key political and theoretical influences. Findings: The key outcome is that CLA - as delineated - clearly shares significant overlaps with social work values, particularly: justice, equality and a commitment to anti-discriminatory and antioppressive practice (Dominelli, 2002 Payne, 1997). More importantly, CLA provides conceptual and analytical resources that promise to significantly sharpen students' abilities to recognise, question and ultimately challenge, oppressive discourses (Fairclough, 2011 Manjarres, 2011 Wodak, 2006). Conclusion: It is recommended that CLA strands be woven into existing social work themes and topics. The final part of the article offers some practical suggestions on how this could be done.
Mental health literacy and stigma of Australian social work students : depression and suicidal ideation
- Authors: Jennifer, Martin
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Advances in social work and welfare education Vol. 19, no. 2 (2017), p. 125-138
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- Description: This article presents the findings of a study of mental health literacy and stigma of Australian social work students. The aim of the study was to identify levels of knowledge and attitudes and beliefs prior to, and following, course content on mental health literacy. The outcome of this study indicates an increase in knowledge development and reduced rates of stigma following mental health literacy studies. Even though relatively low rates of stigma were recorded amongst these social work students, the study findings do raise the question of what level of stigma, if any, is acceptable within social work education. This has broader implications for service delivery as stigmatising attitudes and beliefs of students and workers might cause harm and deter people from accessing mental health services.
- Authors: Jennifer, Martin
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Advances in social work and welfare education Vol. 19, no. 2 (2017), p. 125-138
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This article presents the findings of a study of mental health literacy and stigma of Australian social work students. The aim of the study was to identify levels of knowledge and attitudes and beliefs prior to, and following, course content on mental health literacy. The outcome of this study indicates an increase in knowledge development and reduced rates of stigma following mental health literacy studies. Even though relatively low rates of stigma were recorded amongst these social work students, the study findings do raise the question of what level of stigma, if any, is acceptable within social work education. This has broader implications for service delivery as stigmatising attitudes and beliefs of students and workers might cause harm and deter people from accessing mental health services.
Continuing professional development for accredited mental health social workers : an evaluative study
- Martin, Jennifer, Paul, Lauren, Robertson, Melissa
- Authors: Martin, Jennifer , Paul, Lauren , Robertson, Melissa
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Advances in social work and welfare education Vol. 20, no. 2 (2018), p. 129-143
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- Description: This article considers how the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) has responded to the recommendations made by accredited mental health social workers in the first national study on continuing professional development needs in 2010. The aim of the study was to ascertain the responsiveness of the AASW to the recommendations made so that members knew if their concerns had been listened to. A five-year timeframe was considered timely for such a review. An evaluative approach was used in August 2015 sourcing data from both public and private domains from 2010 to 2015 to identify, and not appraise or critique, how the AASW had responded to the recommendations in the 2010 review. This is in acknowledgment that there may be other reasons influencing changes made and that these may not be a direct response to the 2010 survey recommendations. The study found that all recommendations made in the 2010 review were responded to by the AASW. [Author abstract]
- Authors: Martin, Jennifer , Paul, Lauren , Robertson, Melissa
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Advances in social work and welfare education Vol. 20, no. 2 (2018), p. 129-143
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This article considers how the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) has responded to the recommendations made by accredited mental health social workers in the first national study on continuing professional development needs in 2010. The aim of the study was to ascertain the responsiveness of the AASW to the recommendations made so that members knew if their concerns had been listened to. A five-year timeframe was considered timely for such a review. An evaluative approach was used in August 2015 sourcing data from both public and private domains from 2010 to 2015 to identify, and not appraise or critique, how the AASW had responded to the recommendations in the 2010 review. This is in acknowledgment that there may be other reasons influencing changes made and that these may not be a direct response to the 2010 survey recommendations. The study found that all recommendations made in the 2010 review were responded to by the AASW. [Author abstract]
Suicide and intimate partner violence risk assessment and decision-making
- Kellie, Grant, Louisa, Whitwam, Jennifer, Martin, Jennifer, White, Terry, Haines
- Authors: Kellie, Grant , Louisa, Whitwam , Jennifer, Martin , Jennifer, White , Terry, Haines
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Advances in social work and welfare education Vol. 23, no. 1 (2021), p. 134-147
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- Description: This research explores the question: 'How do social workers and multidisciplinary mental health professionals perceive and understand risk and how does this inform decision-making and service provision?' In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with health and mental health workers employed at a major health service based in Melbourne, Australia. Participants were employed in hospitals, community health centres, and residential care facilities including specialist mental health services. Theoretic thematic analysis was used to identify seven dominant themes reported by study participants. These were: (1) establishing risk ownership (2) a hierarchy of fears (3) self-doubt and self-blame (4) organisational incident reviews (5) blame from client, family and society (6) the protective shield and (7) evaluating safety and meaning. The study findings have implications for further research and social work education on risk assessment, decision-making and appropriate social work responses. [Author abstract]
- Authors: Kellie, Grant , Louisa, Whitwam , Jennifer, Martin , Jennifer, White , Terry, Haines
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Advances in social work and welfare education Vol. 23, no. 1 (2021), p. 134-147
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This research explores the question: 'How do social workers and multidisciplinary mental health professionals perceive and understand risk and how does this inform decision-making and service provision?' In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with health and mental health workers employed at a major health service based in Melbourne, Australia. Participants were employed in hospitals, community health centres, and residential care facilities including specialist mental health services. Theoretic thematic analysis was used to identify seven dominant themes reported by study participants. These were: (1) establishing risk ownership (2) a hierarchy of fears (3) self-doubt and self-blame (4) organisational incident reviews (5) blame from client, family and society (6) the protective shield and (7) evaluating safety and meaning. The study findings have implications for further research and social work education on risk assessment, decision-making and appropriate social work responses. [Author abstract]
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