![Sample our Health and Social Care journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5938/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Health-Social-Care.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
The gap-mending concept is an analytical tool that helps teachers and researchers in social work to reflect upon what, in their practice, increases, maintains or mends gaps between professionals and service user groups. The article suggests a theoretical background on how gaps in social work practice can be challenged. This includes theories about power and recognition. It then moves on to describe the development of gap-mending strategies in research and education at the School of Social Work at Lund University. Lund University was one of three partners that took the initiative to the international network PowerUs that has focused on gap-mending strategies in social work education. The authors have been working over 10 years in collaboration with service user participation in the education of social workers and in different research projects. In the article, they give examples of gap-mending practices and of challenges that they have faced. The first example is an experimental course that has been given since 2005 where social work students study together with students from service user organizations in a university course. The second example is an attempt to combat homelessness in several Swedish municipalities. Supported by researchers, the development project has been a collaboration between homeless groups, politicians and social workers.
ABSTRAKT
Konceptet gap-mending är ett analytiskt verktyg för att ge socialarbetare, lärare och forskare i socialt arbete stöd för att reflektera över faktorer i deras arbetssätt som förstärker och upprätthåller klyftor mellan socialarbetare och olika brukargrupper. I artikeln ges, med utgångspunkt i teorier om makt och erkännande, en teoretisk bakgrund till hur klyftor i socialt arbete kan problematiseras och utmanas. Därefter beskrivs utvecklingen av gap-mendingstrategier inom forskning och utbildning på Socialhögskolan vid Lunds universitet. Lunds universitet var en av tre parter som tog initiativ till det internationella nätverket PowerUs, som verkar för att utveckla gap-mendingstrategier i socialarbetarutbildningar. Författarna har samarbetat i mer än tio år med olika brukarorganisationer i socialarbetarutbildningar och i olika forskningsprojekt. I artikeln ger de exempel på gap-mendingstrategier och utmaningar som de har mött. Det första exemplet är en experimentell kurs på Socialhögskolan vid Lunds universitet, som startade 2005, där socionomstudenter studerar tillsammans med studenter från brukarorganisationerna. Det andra exemplet är ett försök att bekämpa hemlöshet i flera svenska kommuner, som har byggt på ett samarbete mellan hemlösa grupper, politiker och socialarbetare.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Ewa Stenberg at Malmö University Library for her proofreading.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Cecilia Heule is a social worker and a lecturer at the School of Social Work, Lund University. Together with Arne Kristiansen she initiated the Mobilization Course in 2005, a course that integrates students from social work education and students from service user organizations. She has also initiated the international network PowerUs. Her research focuses on gap-mending strategies in social work education and research.
Dr Marcus Knutagård is a researcher and senior lecturer at the School of Social Work, Lund University. He is currently working on a research project, implementing Housing First in Sweden. Another recent research project is The Moral Geography of Social Work Practice. The focus in this study is on place – more specifically – that certain locations are meant for particular categories of people, who are also excluded from other locations. One of his research areas is how social work practice is organized. He has also studied category formation in the field of homelessness. Together with a colleague at Lillehammer University College he has written a book on Innovation in social welfare and human services with a special focus on social innovations.
Arne Kristiansen, social worker and Ph.D., is a senior lecturer at the School of Social Work, Lund University. His research includes substance abuse, homelessness and service user involvement. Currently he is involved in a research project related to the implementation of the Housing First in Sweden and a research project on service user involvement in social work. He works closely with various service user organizations, which he involves both in social work education and in research projects.
Notes
1. The Bachelor of Science Programme in Social Work in Sweden is offered by 14 different universities and colleges. The programme consists of 7 semesters (210 ECTS) and leads to a professional qualification with the title ‘Socionom’.