Collaboration in Social Work Field Education: A Reflective Discussion on a Multiuniversity and Industry Collaboration

ABSTRACT

Australia has seen an increase in social work student enrolments, resulting in increasing competition among universities in finding appropriate placements, all within a neo-liberal context affecting capacity of organisations to support student placements. To address this, a student placement program was developed by the Queensland Field Educators Network and a large government organisation, facilitated by three Queensland universities. This article provides a reflective discussion on the learnings from this initiative, focusing on the importance of collaboration to enable better access to placement opportunities and quality of learning opportunities for students.

IMPLICATIONS

• Collaboration between university field education programs can contribute to increasing placement opportunities for all students.

• Developing university–industry sector relationships can contribute to more consistent learning opportunities for students.

• Collaboration rather than competition among universities for placements is consistent with social work values, resisting dominant neo-liberal managerialist philosophies.

• Meaningful collaboration between the university and the social work field will involve investment, respect, and identifying mutually beneficial outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Field Education
• Collaboration
• University–Community Partnership
• Social Work Education
• Social Work Placements
• Student Placements

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Funding through Griffith University was used to offer external professional development training to support field supervisors and a shared venue for the induction program.