Monash University Handbook 2010 Postgraduate - Unit

Synopsis

Students will be introduced to the specific role of social work in social policy analysis and community practice and advocacy. Areas covered will include the meaning and nature of social policy, the key trends and philosophies underlying the positions of the major political parties, the key theories and ideological perspectives in social policy, the link between social policy and the goals and actions of social work, the impact of social structure and social policy on welfare service consumers, the implementation of social policy interventions in everyday social work practice, ideological critiques of the welfare state, the role, strategies and effectiveness of lobby groups in social policy debates, the link between local and global welfare trends, the concepts of community and community work, and the role of community work skills and strategies in social work practice.

Objectives

1. Analyse the nature of contemporary social policy and social policy debates in Australia and internationally
2. Cite examples, both in the classroom and online, of the way political parties deal with policy issues, and describe the key trends and philosophies underlying the positions of major political parties;
3. Describe and apply key theories and ideological perspectives in social policy, social change and community practice
4. Identify the impact of social structure and social policy on welfare service users
5. Implement social policy interventions in their everyday social work practice
6. Articulate the concepts of community and community work.
7. Make informed choices about using community work practice methods based on contemporary community work research and practice wisdom
8. Demonstrate competence in a range of community work skills and strategies applicable to social work practice with communities

Assessment

1. A critical analysis of a current newspaper or popular journal opinion piece on a social policy topic by a prominent politician, journalist, or public commentator (500 words and 10%) (20%)
2. An analysis of public policy debates in an area of Australian social policy related to their placement field using the social policy literature (2000 words) (assesses objectives 3 and 4) (40%)
3. Written analysis of a practice example from field placement where community work skills were utilized or could have been utilized, with reference to the community work and social change literature (2000 words) (assesses objectives 4-8) (40%)
Students must pass all assessment tasks to successfully complete the unit

Chief examiner(s)

Associate Professor Philip Mendes

Contact hours

The unit runs for 8 weeks for on-campus students and 13 weeks for off-campus students.
On-campus students are expected to undertake 156 hours per semester study. Students are expected to use their study time to attend on-campus lectures and workshops, undertake weekly readings as set out in the Unit Outline, and to complete three assignment tasks. This unit will be taught in a total of 36 hours' contact time over 8 weeks following the completion of the second fieldwork placement (SWM5108) for full-time students.

Off-campus attendance requirements

Off-campus students are expected to undertake 156 hours per semester in private study, completing readings and other tasks as outlined on the Blackboard site in the off-campus Unit Guide, and to complete three assignment tasks. Off-campus students are required to attend a compulsory on-campus workshop for successful completion of this unit, where social work practice skills will be taught.

Prerequisites

SWM5100 Social Work: Leading sustainable change
SWM5101 Human Rights, Ethics and Law Contexts for Social Work Practice
SWM5102 Critical Social Work 1: Individuals and Families - context and practice
SWM5103 Supervised professional practice 1
SWM5104 Critical Social Work 2: Frameworks for Practice in Health and Mental Health
SWM5105 Social Work Practice and Research
SWM5106 Critical Social Work 3: Community Engagement Group Project
SWM5107 Social Work Specialist Field Elective

Co-requisites

SWM5108 Supervised professional practice 2
SWM5110 Leadership in Social Work and Human Services

Prohibitions

None

Additional information on this unit is available from the faculty at:

http://www.med.monash.edu.au/socialwork/