An interprofessional internship model for training master’s level social work and counseling students in higher education settings

ABSTRACT

The mental health needs of college students are steadily on the rise, which compels mental health service providers and educators to explore innovative ways to provide more collaborative, supportive, and interdisciplinary service models of practice and professional training. Graduate programs in social work and counseling are at the crux of producing internship training programs to help accommodate the influx of students with persistent mental health concerns across a variety of needs and cultures. This article describes an interprofessional internship program structured and designed to meet the clinical training needs of master’s level students matriculating in social work and counseling who aspire to provide mental health services in higher education settings. The interprofessional internship training model proposes an innovative interdisciplinary approach to field education which may result in positive training outcomes and learning experiences for social work and counseling students. This paper discusses the model’s emphasis on individual and interdisciplinary group supervision, objectives of the internship experience, internship site criteria, and professional and personal benefits to pre-service social workers and counselors. Recommendations for training and limitations of the model are provided.     

Cross-disciplinary Collaboration and Health Promotion in Schools

Abstract

School-based social workers, collaborating with teachers, can contribute to the development of the skills, knowledge, and attitudes required for individuals to live healthy lives both in the short and long term. This article reports on a case study that investigated the effectiveness of the input of social work into a school-based health promotion model. Results indicated that cross-disciplinary collaboration was dependent on a number of factors: commitment to the value of cross-disciplinary collaboration, the clear identification and articulation of the expert skills and knowledge that each discipline brings to the collaboration, and on the effective negotiation of the contribution of each discipline's expert skills and knowledge to the collaboration. When these factors are embedded in a school's formal and professional arrangements, then cross-disciplinary collaboration is more effective. This research provides theoretical and practical lessons for those embarking on cross-disciplinary collaborations in the school setting.     

Better Listening: Paraphrasing and Perception Checking–A Study of the Effectiveness of a Multimedia Skills Training Program

SUMMARY

The authors describe a multimedia communications skills training CD-ROM for human service students and practitioners and evaluate its effectiveness with undergraduate social work students in Canada.     

The Assisted Living Residence: A Vision for the Future by Stephen M. Golant and Joan Hyde (Eds.)

Abstract

The employment prospects of older workers in Germany are widely endangered because of age discrimination. The main indicator concerning recruitment is that from the age of 45 on the difficulties in finding a new job rise extraordinarily and, accordingly, the duration of unemployment rises. Concerning further training, there is a lack of participation by older workers in vocational training and, additionally, they face numerous risks in the deterioration of their skills. Given the long-term implications of the aging labor force, employers must adapt their approaches to recruiting and training older workers to prevent a further loss of skills and knowhow. A comprehensive strategy for integrating older workers and overcoming age barriers in employment is required. To promote recruitment, job-placement programs should be linked more closely to companies and public programs should be targeted to older unemployed workers. To promote further training of older workers, the workplace needs to create a learning environment, introduce a greater variety of tasks, and develop training schemes.     

Training for Disaster Recovery

Abstract

This paper describes a range of training programs for social workers and other recovery workers following the Indian Ocean Tsunami of December 2004. These programs were developed and implemented by the author in Singapore, and with collaboration from Indonesian colleagues, in Indonesia. The content is outlined and the rationale behind the development of the programs is presented. The theoretical bases for the diversity of interventions are argued. A course module for both undergraduate and postgraduate social work education is also described, as inclusion of crisis and disaster recovery management in professional courses is necessary to prepare practitioners for their inevitable involvement in responding to emergencies.     

Entering Youth Justice: Comparing the Views of Human Services and Criminology Students

Abstract

The present paper explores how undergraduate students who are relatively new to the field of youth justice conceptualise their possible future work roles. The research compared the views of students who were commencing two undergraduate courses (subjects) concerned with working with young people. One course was taken by human services students and the other was taken by criminology students. Findings indicated that there were significant differences between these two groups in terms of their views about crime causation, as well as how they see the roles of youth justice workers. Students entered their respective programs and youth courses with differing professional orientations. The findings raise some intriguing questions at a time when universities and employers look to the potential benefits of “double degrees” and “joint degrees” that span supposedly complementary professional areas. However, contrasting beliefs about “troubled and troublesome” young people may resist easy accommodation within the same program of professional preparation.     

The Views of Social Work Students Toward Gay and Lesbian Persons

Abstract

Since it is estimated that 2.5 to 9% of men and 1.5 to 4% of women in the U.S. population are gay or lesbian, it is very likely that social workers will encounter gay or lesbian people as clients, co-workers, and/or supervisors. The Council on Social Work Education stresses nonjudgmentalism and acceptance as important social work values and requires that undergraduate social work students be exposed to content concerning gay and lesbian persons. This study was designed to examine the differences between the views of students choosing a social work major and students choosing other majors. Generally, social work students exhibited more positive attitudes than did students in other majors, even after controlling for personal attributes such as religiosity, gender, age, race, and political affiliation.     

Making Continuing Professional Development Relevant and Accessible in Regional Social Work

ABSTRACT

Continuing professional development (CPD) is an integral component of quality social work practice (Australian Association of Social Workers, 2013). Despite this, there is a lack of knowledge around the perceived needs and challenges of accessing CPD for rural and regional social work practitioners. This research explored professional development education needs and challenges for rural social work practitioners. The findings revealed an increase in complex cases in practice leading to the need for more training in mental health, legal aspects, and therapeutic interventions. Strong demand for CPD was evident, with a preference for face-to-face training instead of online modules. In the face of persistent challenges some innovative solutions were possible from a partnership between service providers, higher education providers, and the professional body to better meet the needs of the rural social work practitioners.

IMPLICATIONS

• Increasing complexity in rural, regional, and remote social work practice has placed extra demands on the knowledge resources of social workers.

• Continuing professional development (CPD) must be relevant and readily accessible to meet the needs of those who practice in these areas.

• Partnerships between agencies, higher education providers, and professional bodies, along with the use of technology can increase accessibility for rural, regional, and remote social workers.

     

Reciprocal Relationship Between Resilience and Professional Skills: A Longitudinal Study With Social Work Students

ABSTRACT

This study analyzed the relationship between the resilience developed by social work students and the professional skills acquired during their university degree program. A longitudinal study was conducted over 4 academic years. Participants were 73 social work students at the University of Malaga (Spain). The results show a gradual increase in the development of resilience and in the acquisition of professional skills among the students during the 4-year period. Panel model analysis shows that the two processes were stable and reciprocal throughout the social work training process. The results suggest that resilience had a stronger effect on professional skills than the latter had on resilience. In conclusion, resilience is a relevant component of university training of future social workers.     

Managing Risk in Community Care of Older People: Perspectives from the Frontline

Abstract

Since the mid-1980s, Australian governments have focused on expanding community and home-based services for older people. This has led to increased levels of dependency, vulnerability, and complexity to be managed in the community. Consequently, aged care services have had to develop mechanisms for regulating and managing these increased risks, and risk management has become more central to the practices of professional workers in this field. This paper reports on some findings from a large-scale study that explores the way risk management policies have been translated into practice by community-based services in Victoria, Australia. Drawing on interviews with 18 frontline and management professionals employed in community aged care, we found that these workers were wrestling with a diverse and new range of institutional risks beyond those encountered in the actual delivery of frontline care. We found that these workers experienced “risk” in four different contexts, which often created demands for contradictory or conflicting responses. Here we examine these “contexts of risk practice”: professional workers' relationships with their clients, relationships with other service providers, the unregulated nature of the home as a work environment, and community expectations about the management of risk. Despite tensions that frequently arose, workers expressed strong professional commitments to their clients and were motivated to find positive resolutions amid competing interests. We conclude that tensions experienced by workers were embedded in the structural dimensions of institutional relationships and the systematic absence of shared understandings of “acceptable” risks in the community care of older people, rather than in the failure of professional agency.     

Public relations supervisors and Millennial entry-level practitioners rate entry-level job skills and professional characteristics

An online survey was administered to 109 Millennial entry-level public relations employees and 56 supervisors regarding entry-level job skills and professional characteristics. The Millennial entry-level workers rated their job performance in the above average and average ranges. The supervisors rated six of the eight job skills and all 16 professional characteristics as significantly poorer than the Millennials rated themselves. The job skills of computer and social media skills were the only two items that did not generate a significant difference. The researcher outlines ways in which faculty, students, employers, and Millennial-aged employees can build learning communities that will help undergraduate students and Millennial workers develop proficient job performance and keep faculty up-to-date regarding current industry trends.     

Book reviews

This article reviews the development of an experiential learning exercise at Kingston University, designed to involve service users and carers in assessing students' readiness to practise. The new social work degree places increased emphasis on practice learning and equipping social workers with the knowledge, skills and tools for the job. This article draws out some of the strengths and advantages of involving ‘experts by experience’ in helping students to develop awareness of self, their impact on others and effective communication skills, ultimately promoting an understanding of reflective practice early in their training. It also acknowledges some of the problems and dilemmas in providing an equitable experience for all students. The students are provided with this learning/assessment experience as part of a module in the first year of the undergraduate social work degree programme and have to pass this element of the module, in addition to the academic component, in order to progress to level two.

The terms ‘service users’ and ‘carers’ and ‘experts by experience’ are used interchangeably in this article. The Steering Group at Kingston University, involved in the development of the exercise discussed, are aware of the power and impact of language and have expressed preference to being referred to as ‘experts by experience’.     

Overcoming Future Professionals’ Fear of Digital Storytelling

ABSTRACT

Digital storytelling assessments at university can develop emerging human service and social workers’ skills in contemporary social media production and related advocacy. Despite growing interest in digital storytelling in these disciplines, there is little support for developing the technical sides of the practice. This article shares key learnings from an Australian teaching and learning project used to develop a digital storytelling module for social work and human services students at university who are not filmmakers. Students across a range of courses undertook digital storytelling assessments using the module. A key finding was that students still experienced considerable fear but were able to turn that into significant personal and professional development. This article explores these and other key learnings from the project and offers tips for others wishing to implement digital storytelling.

IMPLICATIONS

• Emerging social work and human services professionals studying at university often exhibit fear and resistance to new tasks such as digital storytelling. Such students need to be supported to navigate that discomfort to achieve learning.

• Students can be supported using online modules that support the technical and creative sides of digital storytelling.

• This project found that students were able to develop confidence and skills in digital storytelling after completing this module and assignment.

     

The learning camera: A personalized learning model for online pedagogy in human services education

Abstract

This article describes the development of a personalized learning approach to human services online education that utilizes a “learning camera” as a metaphorical tool for undergraduate students’ development of knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for successful transition to professional practice. By highlighting students’ ongoing development as knowledge builders and constructivist learners, the online curriculum is enacted within each student’s area of interest and in their home communities. This “learning camera” model of online pedagogy for human services education is intended to serve as a resource for other institutions interested in praxis-oriented approaches to personalized online teaching and learning.     

Social Work and Interprofessional Education in Health Care: A Call for Continued Leadership

A report from the Interprofessional Education Collaborative and another from the Institute of Medicine cite working as part of interdisciplinary teams as a core proficiency area for improving health care. This article discusses the core competencies of interprofessional education and the essential role for social workers as leaders and facilitators of this practice. Educators will learn how to help students discover the knowledge, skills, and attitudes for successful interprofessional work. Specifically, this article has the following objectives:

1. Discuss essential elements of effective interprofessional practice;

2. Present exemplars of interprofessional education involving social work;

3. Identify the roles for social work in leadership, education, and practice in interprofessional education.

     

Implementation of a Mental Health Task Force in a collegiate-based emergency medical services organization

Abstract

Objective: A Mental Health Task Force (MHTF) was implemented in 2016 by a collegiate-based emergency medical services (CBEMS) organization to (1) improve mental health emergency response and to (2) address concerns for the mental health of CBEMS providers. Participants: Skidmore College EMS is a Basic Life Support First Response service staffed by volunteer undergraduate students. Methods: In coordination with faculty and staff, students in the MHTF developed trainings, peer support structures, community events, policies, and informational resources. Results: Sixteen students joined the MHTF within 1 year. Over 35 Skidmore College EMS members received training on mental health emergency response, peer-support, and self-care. Debriefing programs, mindfulness-based events, shift-length limitations, and access to informational resources promoted the mental health of Skidmore College EMS members. Conclusions: Implementing an MHTF is an innovative, student-led approach to coupling education on emergency response with programming that supports the mental health of CBEMS providers.     

Preparing College Health Professionals to Deliver Gay-Affirmative Services

Abstract

On every campus, there may be many gay students, faculty, and staff who might benefit from medical and mental health services sensitively developed as an integral part of the range of health services provided to the total campus. It is crucial to develop a cadre of providers from different disciplines who have a knowledge of gay lifestyles, developmental issues, and societal pressures. Staff must develop or heighten sometimes painful self-awareness engendered by empathic identification with a stigmatized minority. They must also conceptualize homosexuality as a relationship preference or lifestyle choice and appreciate the importance of same-sex attachments in normal development.

This paper reviews common presenting themes of gay patients and clients who rarely come for help to change their preference. The effects of homophobia on staff practices and attitudes are reviewed in the context of learned negative stereotyping in the larger culture. Heterophobic expectations of potential gay consumers are explored, including those of being diagnosed as deviant, mentally ill, or arrested libidinally. Suggestions are offered for the design and marketing of collaborative gay-nongay services and for service to older hidden populations. Individuals are encouraged to examine their own relationships to homosexuality and to experience new learning through enriched encounters with gays.     

“Ah Ha...” Learning: Using Cases and Case Studies to Teach Sociological Insights and Skills

Grounded in a thorough review of the relevant sociological and cross-disciplinary literature, the author makes a case for the value of using cases (also known as decision cases) and case studies in teaching undergraduate sociology students. Her thesis is that cases and case studies are under utilized teaching-learning tools in sociology courses at all levels. Cases and case studies can be especially relevant in practice and application-oriented courses and classes. The literature indicates that students who use sociological insights and tools to frame and analyze real-life dilemmas and situations develop a clearer grasp of concepts, theories, and practice issues as well as learn/enhance critical thinking, analytical, and evaluation skills. Although this article focuses on students as the targeted audience, practitioners can also use both cases and case studies in training or working with clients.     

Attitudes and Behaviors of Social Work Students Toward Lesbian and Gay Male Clients

Abstract

Since the requirement of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) to integrate theoretical and practice content about the oppression of gay and lesbian persons into the curriculum, few studies have assessed the effectiveness of various methods of incorporating the content. This paper reports the results of a study examining the effects of a panel presentation on social work students' attitudes, their anticipated professional practice, and the relationship between their attitudes and anticipated professional behavior. It also compares the results from the panel presentation with the results from other intervention methods. Results indicated that the panel presentation had little influence on the attitudes or anticipated professional behavior of students. Intervention methods integrated into the classroom setting influenced the attitudes and anticipated professional behavior of students significantly more than the panel presentation.     

An Evaluative Review of Outcome Research on Universal Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Programs for Higher Education Students

Abstract

Objective: This review is the first large-scale attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of universal promotion and prevention programs for higher education students on a range of adjustment outcomes. Participants/Methods: The current review examined 83 controlled interventions involving college, graduate, and professional students, with a focus on 3 main outcomes: social and emotional skills, self-perceptions, and emotional distress. Results/Conclusions: Skill-oriented programs that included supervised practice demonstrated the strongest benefits, thus showing promise as a successful mental health promotion and preventive intervention. In comparing different intervention strategies, mindfulness training and cognitive-behavioral techniques appear to be the most effective. Furthermore, interventions conducted as a class appear to be effective, suggesting the potential for exposing higher education students to skill training through routine curricula offerings. This review offers recommendations for improving the experimental rigor of future research, and implications for enhancing campus services to optimize student success in psychosocial—and thus ultimately academic—domains.