Diverse communities: implications for professional practice

Abstract

To create a postgraduate module using WebCT to encourage self-directed learning using the diverse communities in the City of Birmingham as a learning resource to develop anti-oppressive reflective social work practice.

The educational purpose of the project tackles the issues of preparing social work students to work in a team environment, develop the skills to interact and empathise with members of Birmingham’s diverse communities and to reflect upon and research the barriers that they face in accessing appropriate social work services. Through the delivery of this module the students will have the opportunity to develop professional abilities such as accurate recording, ICT, co-operative working, time management and report writing skills. By emulating as closely as possible “real world” issues and circumstances students prior to going out on their first assessed practice will have the opportunity to learn how to link issues of theory and practice, they will also be able to experience at first hand the realities of working with members of socially excluded communities.