Alternative model for social work undergraduate training

ABSTRACT

Considering participation as a core element for Social Work practice, this article analyses engagement of Social Work students from a public participation perspective. Youth faces specific challenges nowadays due to the complexities of our contemporary society, among which, the new forms of participation in public life. Overall, participation as a dimension of democracies has to be rethought and Bologna process has made it possible through new participatory ways of interaction in the higher education sphere. A student engagement questionnaire was used. For a total known population of n = 153 Social Work undergraduate students at ISCTE-University Institute of Lisbon (Portugal), a stratified simple random sampling was applied with 95% confidence level and 4% margin of error, leading to a total sample of n = 120. Most of the participants are female (83%) with ages between 18–25 (81%). Results show different levels of student participation and forms of interaction with the university, among others. Differences arise when data stratification is applied according to the year of studies in which the participants are enrolled and their level of involvement in representative bodies. Implications for Social Work Education are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Undergraduate student
• participation
• engagement
• university
• social work training

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. Approved in March 2000 by the Presidents and Heads of Government of the European Union countries.

2. C 372/36 Official Journal of the European Union 20.12.2011.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pablo Álvarez-Pérez

Pablo Álvarez-Pérez holds an International Ph.D. by the University of Huelva (Spain) in the Department of Sociology and Social Work. Full-time Social Work Assistant Professor at ISCTE- University Institute of Lisbon teaching different courses at the bachelors, masters, and Ph.D. Social Work programs. He is an integrated researcher of CIES-IUL. His areas of interest are linked to Immigration (Interculturalism, Superdiversity, Mixed Couples, and Cultural Heritage in Children), Social Services, Community Development, Human Rights and Social Exclusion.

Jorge Ferreira

Jorge Ferreira is Assistant Professor of ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon. Researcher of CIES – IUL. Director of Social Work Ph.D. Program. Doctor of Social Work held at ISCTE - University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE- IUL), on the theme: Social Work Models and social Welfare for Children. Areas of Research: Theoretical Investigation (Epistemology, Theory of Social and interdisciplinary two knowledge’s) and Applied Research (Social Work Practice in Context Institutional, Community and Family within the Child / Youth, Family, Adult social vulnerability, system social protection, and social policies).

Maria João Pena

Maria João Pena holds a Ph.D. in Social Work, MA in Sociology and a bachelor degree in Social Work.  BA director in Social Work is also a professor at the master and doctorate program. She is a researcher in CIES-IUL (Centre for research and studies in Sociology). The research interests are in Theory and Epistemology of social work, social work practices with children and families, at school and in disability.