A Look in the Mirror: Unveiling Human Rights Issues Within Social Work Education
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A Look in the Mirror: Unveiling Human Rights Issues Within Social Work Education Dana S. Smith 1
&
Angela M. Goins 1
&
Shahnaz Savani 1
Accepted: 1 November 2020 # Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
Abstract Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, this study explored the financial effect of the field practicum requirement on BSW students. This project was conducted at a mid-sized university in the Southwest region of the United States where current and recent field students responded to surveys and social work field instructors and faculty participated in interviews. The study describes financial burdens and reveals human rights issues affecting nontraditional and underserved students that have answered the call to a career of serving the most vulnerable in society. This study fills a gap in the literature and provides recommendations for further research and anti-oppressive approaches for the academy to employ in the education of future social work professionals. Keywords Field practicum . Mixed-methods . BSW education . Human rights . Implicit curriculum . Financial costs
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020), social work is a growing profession with job prospects for social workers expected to increase at a faster average than all other occupations. Social workers specializing in healthcare, mental health, substance abuse, child, family, and school settings will be in demand in the next decade (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020). Traditionally, social workers serve disadvantaged and vulnerable populations in society, confronting significant social challenges, for which they receive modest salaries (Barth 2003). Social workers require special qualities as well as good organization, communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills. As the demand for social services increases, more trained and skilled social workers are required to meet social needs (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020). In addition, appropriately addressing the social needs of multiethnic and multicultural communities requires educating future social workers who represent the diversity of those communities (Bouye et al. 2016). Social work education has made strides in preparing students to work with special populations by completing a required field practicum component in community agencies * Dana S. Smith [email protected] 1
Department of Criminal Justice & Social Work, University of Houston-Downtown, 1 Main Street, C.345, Houston, TX 77002, USA
(Hemy et al. 2016). Through these field placements, students gain hands-on knowledge and experience with marginalized populations and the systems that affect them as part of the preparation to become licensed social workers. While the students benefit from the experiential learning gained in the field, this learning comes at a high cost. Significant time and energy commitments along with the “juggling [of] multiple roles and responsibilities with field placement” are just a few of the costs and challenges experienced by students (Hemy et al. 2016, p. 215). C
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