Workplace friendships among social work,counseling, and human service educators: Exploring the impact of sexual orientation and friendships in workplace empowerment

Workplace friendships are deliberate bonds between people in the workplace in which various degrees of confidence, care, emotional support, solidarity, honesty, and trust are shared. For lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) academics in higher education, such friendships may be particularly important as sources of social and institutional support. In this study, the authors examine the relationship between workplace friendships and workplace empowerment among a sample (N?=?204) of LGB and non-LGB educators in social work, counseling, and human services. The findings, taken from this sample of university educators, indicate that sexual orientation and workplace friendship opportunities can predict workplace empowerment. Implications of the study are that workplace behavioral health practice and research that supports LGB and non-LGB workers in developing meaningful relationships at work can positively impact the higher education workplace.     

Taking the measure: a participatory approach to measuring and monitoring psychological empowerment in social work practices

For years, the professional field has been searching for methods that could be used to chart the effectiveness of social services. Social workers report that their current systems for registration and measurement do not provide an accurate reflection of their practice. The measurement of client empowerment might offer an alternative method that could improve the evaluation of social services. This method links the need for measuring instruments to the paradigm of empowerment, which has shaped contemporary social work. A scale for measuring psychological empowerment was developed in consultation with social workers and people in poverty, based on validated and reliable measurement scales. It was subsequently tested in two Public Centres for Social Welfare in Flanders (Belgium). Results of confirmatory factor analysis indicate that the measurement model provides a good fit for the data and that the various latent factors are reliable and valid. We conclude that the factors emerging from the factor analysis reflect the three dimensions that form the concept of psychological empowerment: the intrapsychic, interpsychic and behavioural components. Results from the post-test survey indicate that this measurement instrument is promising, and that it could offer a response to current needs, although additional efforts are needed in order to improve the instrument’s handling.     

Retraining programmes in social work: career considerations,factors influencing the decision to study social work and professional preferences among students

The current study sought to examine the differences between retraining programme (RP) students in social work (SW) and mainstream programme (MP) students regarding career considerations, factors influencing the decision to study SW and professional preferences. RPs are similar to fast-track training programmes known in the UK, as they offer graduates from other disciplines a qualification in SW. This study was conducted among 125 SW students in Israel: 56 in the RP, where studying SW was their secondary choice (after graduating in a different academic discipline) and 69 MP students for whom SW was their first choice for a profession. Both groups were examined in their final year of studies. When choosing their profession, RP students attributed greater importance to considerations such as personal development, satisfaction and interest in treating people, while for MP students, working conditions were more important. In addition, RP students also preferred to engage in individual therapy and policy practice. Furthermore, there were several differences between the groups’ preferences regarding types of populations, services and sectors. Correlations were found between various preferences of populations, services and fieldwork training. Lastly, a higher percentage of RP students compared to MP students had expressed their intention to work as social workers once they complete their studies.     

Disabled people's access to social work education--ways and means of promoting environmental change

Disabled people are under-represented among social workers. It is argued that this results in lack of diversity in the workforce and in reduced opportunities to make service delivery more inclusive. An audit tool is outlined which can be used to identify barriers and strengths at DipSW programme, university site, agency site and individual student level to disabled people entering social work education. Completed audits could then form the basis of DipSW Programme Development Plans or curriculum plans for individual students, as required. Review mechanisms at the different levels would help ensure that attention to planning and action does not get lost. Assessment issues and aspects of the practice teacher/student/tutor relationships are also discussed. Disability equality training is seen as a central component of audit and provision. The need for proactive, not reactive, policies is made clear.     

The extent of family and school social capital promoting positive subjective well-being among primary school children in Shenzhen, China

This study aimed to examine, first, the extent to which variations in family and school social capital can be explained by child's differing socioeconomic and demographic background and school characteristics; and second, the extent to which family and school social capital in combination might be associated with variations in child subjective well-being in Shenzhen, China. This study was a cross-sectional survey design, using stratified random sampling. A total of 1306 sixth-grade primary school children and their parents were drawn from 16 schools, and a self-administered questionnaire was used. The results suggested that gender difference, the only child status at home and hukou status had impacts on family and school social capital accrued among primary school children in Shenzhen. There were also links between child's perception of connectedness to their parents, peers, and teachers, and their positive child subjective well-being.     

Citizenship on the margins: Citizenship,social work and social action

Drawing on a critical synthesis of the two main citizenship traditions, so as to construct citizenship as both a status and a practice, linked through the notion of human agency, the article explores citizenship's exclusionary and inclusionary sides within both a national and international framework. Within a national framework, the implications of citizenship's ‘false universalism’ are explored as the basis for a recasting of citizenship in a way that addresses the tension between universalism and particularity or difference. Within an international framework, a human rights perspective is introduced as a means of challenging citizenship's exclusion of nation state outsiders, most notably immigrants and asylum-seekers. This approach draws upon a multi-tiered conceptualisation of citizenship stretching from the local through to the global.

Some implications for social work practice and policy are then discussed in relation to support for active citizenship in deprived communities and anti-poverty action in which poor people themselves have a voice. This includes a brief consideration of political exclusion; the potential of self-help groups and community social work and development work; and user-involvement. The article concludes that citizenship offers social work a framework that embraces anti-poverty work, principles of partnership and anti-discriminatory practice and an inclusionary stance.     

Intentions to leave supervision among social work supervisors: contributing factors

The study shows the evolution of intentions to leave supervision among students’ supervisors in their first year of supervision. A total of 168 social work supervisors in 10 academic institutions in Israel, during their first year of supervision, answered the questionnaires at the beginning (October 2014) and end (June 2015) of their supervisors training course. The findings indicate that the most powerful predictor of intentions to leave supervision at T2 was intentions to leave supervision at T1. This interesting finding shows that the supervision course does not necessarily address the issue of long-term commitment to supervision, and it is crucial that more attention be paid to this issue. Furthermore, we also found a significant contribution of organizational climate at T1 and of role overload at T2. Practical implications challenge the current structure of supervision courses, in order to encourage students’ supervisors to retain their supervisory role over time.     

Part-time work and hurried adolescence: the links among work intensity, social activities, health behaviors, and substance use

The present study examines adolescents' part-time work intensity and its relation to participation in various activities as well as substance use. We consider mechanisms articulated in two theoretical perspectives on how high work intensity is associated with substance use: (1) the "time trade-off perspective," and (2) "the precocious development perspective." Nationally representative data were drawn from the "Monitoring the Future" project from 8th, 10th and 12th grade students (overall N approximately 380,000) to address our research questions. Work intensity was found to be linked to more time spent on unstructured social activities, but to less time spent engaged in sports, health behaviors, and school-related activities. Social time use and health behaviors were found to partially mediate the relationship between work hours and substance use. Overall, results provide evidence for a combination of both perspectives.     

A return to the worker role after injury: firefighters seriously injured on the job and the decision to return to high-risk work

This paper presents information on occupational choices and behaviors as described by the model of human occupation and the profession of occupational therapy. This project was designed to answer the research question, "Why do people choose to return to the same high-risk careers after sustaining a serious work-related injury?" Two firefighters from a New York metropolitan area were interviewed individually to explore their roles, especially the worker role, their injuries, and their decisions to return to the same high-risk type of work. The results indicate that a strong social support system from co-workers, and the motivation and enjoyment of the job were the common factors that influenced the two participants to return to their jobs.     

High job strain among social work managers and its relation to perceived work situation

The purpose of this study was to examine how middle managers within the personal social services in Sweden perceived demands, control and support at work. The study group included 402 frontline, second tier and third tier managers who have answered questions concerning their work situation and perceptions of their psychosocial work environment. Based on Karasek's demand–control model, a ‘high strain’ group was defined and analysed further. The results showed that this group experienced less support from immediate superiors, but no correlation could be found between high strain and other forms of support, such as courses on leadership, managerial supervision or networks. Organisational factors, such as municipality size, managerial level, number of subordinates and field of social work, seemed to be of little importance. Comparisons between the ‘high strain’ group and other managers showed that the high strain group spent more hours working with administration, that they to a lesser degree regarded budget responsibility as a way to exercise power in the organisation and that they had a more negative view on their organisation, especially concerning the possibility to influence decisions. They also had less confidence in the way the organisation was governed.     

Evidence-based practice in social work: perceptions and attitudes among Norwegian social workers

Although the concept of evidence-based practice (EBP) eludes precise definition, it is used as a trademark label to ensure that practice is based on science and thereby effective and of high quality. Proponents of EBP have proposed that both education and practice in social work should be transformed according to the principle of EBP. They attribute critical opposition to EBP to a lack of knowledge of what EBP is. In this article, we endeavour to clarify the concept and present results from a survey among social workers (N?=?2060) from Norway. The survey results show that although many have heard of the concept, few have precise knowledge about it. However, the more educated social workers are (master’s level), the clearer their opinions, both critical and non-critical. The results are discussed in relation to neo-liberal governance and development of social work.     

Personalisation,social justice and social work: a reply to Simon Duffy

This paper begins by defining what is meant by adolescence and reviewing the literature which indicates concern for the high rates of suicidal behaviour in adolescence. Possible explanations as to why adolescents harm themselves are considered, as is the contagious aspect of some suicidal behaviours. Extracts from three interviews conducted with young women in residential care who have engaged in self-harming behaviours are then considered. Links are made between what they say and relevant theory. The paper goes on to discuss the impact of suicidal behaviour in residential care settings. It concludes that it is essential to create time and space to think carefully about this complex and multi-faceted difficulty both for the adolescents themselves and those in the caring professions charged with the responsibility of trying to help them.