Let’s try to change ourselves first. An action-research on experiential learning with social work students

ABSTRACT

The article presents an innovative learning activity in social work education. A number of young social work students were asked to ‘try to change themselves first’, starting with a concrete goal of personal change. Fifteen students were accompanied in the direct experience of taking charge of changes within themselves to prepare them to support others’ life improvements in the future. Through focus groups and online diaries, qualitative research was conducted to understand the educational benefits of the activity. Findings show that in trying to change themselves, the students gained basic insights into the key principles of social work practice. These results could inspire social work educators to promote creative opportunities for experiential learning for social work students to stimulate them to become effective and ethical guides for others’ improvement.

KEYWORDS:

• Change
• social work education
• experiential learning
• qualitative research
• relational social work method

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elena Cabiati

Elena Cabiati is a Social work researcher. She teaches Methodology of social work and Intercultural social work.

Fabio Folgheraiter

Fabio Folgheraiter is full professor in Social work at the Catholic University of Milan. He is coordinator of bachelor's degree and master's degree programs in Social work and he is leader of the Relational social work research group.