Practical field period: Community work and creative methods in social work (7cr)

Objective

Students will be able to supervise client groups and carry out projects.They will be capable of planning, implementing and evaluating community and group processes. Students will learn to apply creative methods and group and community work. They will gain experience of encouraging and activating groups or communities, of organising new activities and of collaborating with various partners. Students will recognise and take into consideration needs and resources of the target group.

Content

- Students will prepare an action plan with collaborative partners and implement and evaluate their project.
- Students will apply community work, group work and creative methods e.g. in client groups, social service units, residential communities or in work communities.
- Students will organise the activities in project form within deadlines
- The idea paper and project plan are to be presented to the supervising teacher before project start
- Project events will be documented in a study journal
- The completed project will be reported on and presented as agreed
- Students will be responsible for networking, financing etc. as the project requires
- This practical field period can be combined with the final thesis and it can be undertaken abroad

Qualifications

Study courses included in the study module
- Creative activities 1
- Creative activities 2
- Project work
- Community work
- Group work

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Assessment pass (grade 3)/fail:
Under the teacher's undervision, students plan and implement a goal-oriented client project in the social field using community work and creative methods. Students are able to justify the methods used (planning, implementation and evaluation of an action-based outcome). Students are able to supervise the group (peer group, therapeutical group or activity group) in a goal-oriented manner. They act systematically and critically in group situations, abiding by their own objectives. They are capable of flexible, systematical, creative and active supervision of groups. Students work in a responsible manner. They know where to seek counselling and peer support and reflect on and solve problematic situations together with others.

Materials

Practical training guidebook (in Finnish): Harjoitteluopas http://intra.epedu.fi/Opiskelijaintra-(SeAm k)/Sosiaali--ja-terveysala/Opintoasiat/Harjoittelu/Sosiaalialan-koulutusohjelma

Teaching methods

Introductory lectures, designing a plan, counselling sessions, practical training, assignments, feedback sessions