Social WorkSocial WorkVirtual CampusVirtual Campus

The Curriculum Plan for Community Work from an International PerspectiveAnne Karin Larsen, October 2010

This presentation reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

WELCOME TO THESOCIAL WORK VIRTUAL CAMPUS

•http://video.fabulaz.hib.no/public/video/id/525/tag

Agenda

• Timeschedule• Study methods• Virtual Learning Matrial• Experiences from previous students• About Community Work• The Curriculum Plan

Time schedule

Start: 31 January 2010 slutt 7June 2011

Studenter fra 9 land i Europa kan delta.

Søknadskjema finnes på it’s learning (mappen internasjonalisering/e-læringsstudier

Søknadsfrist 1. Desember 2010

Study Methods• E-learning• Weekly Programmes• Task centred/solution oriented focus• Individually and group work• Reflection on learning • Collaborative comparative work• The course consist of virtual learning material: recorded lectures,

triggers, a virtual community case (video and blog) presenting different milieu.

• Chat, “café” (informal discussions forum), • Readings• Transparent portfolio assessment

Virtual learning material

Students’ experiences from previous courses• ‘The Green Park Virtual Community is nicely portrayed with the video and the blog, it really gives the

feeling that the place really exists.’ (Midway survey, M KHK 4)• A bachelor student stated:• “The theories offered insights that helped during my internship where I worked bottom-up. I also linked

my internship organization with the tasks we had. This link boosted my learning process”. (Final survey F UCM 3)

• Also the professionals appreciated the learning material:• “I am currently a social worker in a community development project. The situations were very similar to

what I faced every day. Actually the Green Park portrait very well the community where I work.” (Final SurveyM INH 8)

• Another student expressed:• “The practical part was great. The Green Park Community appeared totally real. Also, the Skype role

play made it more realistic. Furthermore I think it has been a great case for working, in my opinion, it could be a real situation.” (Final survey , M KHK 19)

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Community Work

Community work is a planned process to mobilize communities to use their own social structures and resources to address their own problems and achieve their own objectives. Community work focuses on participation and fosters empowerment, emancipation and change through collective action.

As community work is an ideological, theoretical and practical approach to social life and the risk of social exclusion, it is ideologically sustained by a basic trust in people’s ability to improve their life chances. Society is the outcome of collective action and is perpetuated and/or changed by action.    

Active citizenship

“... Participation and active citizenship is about having the right, the means, the space and the

opportunity – and when necessary the support--- to participate in and influence

decisions and engage in actions and activities so as to contribute to building a better society”

(Council of Europe 2003)

The Curriculum Plan

The course consist of several parts:

• Focus on different theories, methods and approaches from a comparative perspective

• Study, analyse and compare experiences from field visits/CW projects in their own country

• Make a project-plan for a CW-project based on a virtual community case

About “Community”

‘Community’ can be understood in different ways, as geographical areas, interest groups, organisations or institutions.

Community work rests on a basic democratic ideal, anti-oppressive practice, equality and solidarity with the affected individuals. It aims to generate and communicate new insights with a view to effecting change.

Community Work (CW) in an International perspective:

Background:• Post Welfare State• Vulnerable people at a greater risk

Social work can:• By doing CW promote active citizenship • As ”street-level- bureaucrat” gives important information about

peoples every-day life• Play an important role within CW

Competence Based Curriculum Plan

This course is competence based. That is an integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes, which means that a studentnot only requires knowledge, but knows how to use it andwhat kind of attitude is needed in a specific situation.

Competences:• Theories and Methods in Community Work• Cooperation• Professional Development

Expected learning outcomes

• The student is able to collect and analyze relevant information about communities and is able to report the findings.

• The student is able to see opportunities on macro-, meso- and micro- levels in communities and is able to create a plan for a community work project.

• The student is able to reflect on the understanding of a specific situation and is able to justify the chosen methods for community work.

• The student is able to reflect on his/her own continuing professional development.

Partners in SW-VirCamp Consortium from October 2010:

HiB: Bergen University College, Norway (coordinator) INH: Inholland University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands UCM: University of Complutense, Madrid, Spain ISMT: Miguel Torga University College, Coimbra, Portugal HSM: Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Germany HIBO: Bodø University College, Norway KHKempen: KHKempen University College, Geel, Belgium

Associated partners:HHJ: School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, SwedenHSM: Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, Germany