Social work education in Spain: evaluation and challenges for a new generation of social workers

ABSTRACT

The European social integration model was built on two main pillars: employment and access to the welfare state. European social work education was mainly oriented to training professionals in order to promote this inclusion through case management and the provision of benefits. This influence was very intense in the curricular content of Spanish social work programs. The new social risks and the European convergence in higher education have promoted curricular changes, but is it enough?. This paper aims to identify the content and limits of current social work education in Spain. To this end, a comparative analysis of social work education in public universities of Spain was performed. This information has been contrasted with professionals, teachers and social work students. The results evidence the gap of these contents with the real professional needs. This paper proposes several alternatives and approaches in new intergenerational methodologies and technological tools to train a new generation of social workers

KEYWORDS:

• Social work education
• community
• social inclusion
• intergenerational
• social policy
• social services

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Social Work Degree 2018–2019: University of Jaén, University Pablo de Olavide (Double degree Social Education and Sociology), University of Barcelona, University of Valencia, University of the Basque Country, University of Malaga, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, University of Girona, University of Alicante, University of Cádiz, Complutense University of Madrid, University of La Laguna, University of Granada, Rovira i Virgili University, University of Vigo, University of Valladolid, University of Castilla—La Mancha, University of Lleida, University of the Balearic Islands, University of Huelva, University of La Rioja, University of Murcia, University of Salamanca, University of Zaragoza, University of Oviedo, Rey Juan Carlos University (Occupational Therapy, Criminology, Labor Relations and Sign Language), Public University of Navarre and Distance University. Master’s Degree in Social Work 2018–2019: UNED; Autonomous University of Madrid; Complutense University of Madrid; Autonomous University of Barcelona and University of Girona, University of Barcelona, University of Lleida, Pompeu Fabra University, Rovira i Virgili University; University of Barcelona and University of Girona; Autonomous University of Barcelona (IGOP) with University of Girona, University of Lleida and University of Vic; Pompeu Fabra University, University of Granada, University of Santiago de Compostela and Public University of Navarre.

2. Conference of Social Work Deans and Directors of the Spanish University (conferenciatrabajosocial.blogspot.com), professional’s blogs such as fantova.net, mariajoseaguilaridanez.wordpress.com or pasionporeltrabajosocial.com and three interviews to last year students with practical experience.

3. The University of Murcia, the University of La Rioja, the Pablo Olavide University of Seville, the University of Barcelona, the University of Deusto and the University of Valladolid.

4. Available in: http://www.aneca.es/var/media/150376/libroblanco_trbjsocial_def.pdf

5. The search was conducted in Spanish. The corresponding keywords in English are: Community social work, Intergenerational, New Technologies, Inclusion, Innovation and Third Sector.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Begoña Pérez-Eransus

Begoña Pérez-Eransus ([email protected]) Associate Professor of social policy at Public University of Navarre. Her research lines focus on the study of inequalities and social servicies. She has a long research experience of 7 research projects, 5 as the main researcher and more than 16 collaborations with social entities and public administrations. She is the author and co-author of 45 scientific publications. Since 2015, she has been the director of the ALTER research team, a qualified group of national excellence and specialized in the study of poverty, inequality and social services. During the period of 2004 to 2012 she was the Vice Dean of Social Work. Since 2019 she is the Vice Chancellor of University Projection, Culture and Outreach of the Public University of Navarra.

Lucía Martínez-Virto

Lucía Martínez-Virto ([email protected]) Associate Professor of social work and social services at Public University of Navarre. Her research lines focus on social exclusion and social services. She has several extensive analyzes on social services, social work and inclusion policies. She has participated in more than 24 research projects and contracts, in 8 of them as the main researcher. She is the author and co-author of 40 scientific publications and has participated as a speaker in 15 international workshops. Since 2019 she is the Director of the Social Action and Equality area of the Public University of Navarra.