Psychosocial work (3cr)

Evaluation scale

1-5

Objective

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to explain the concept of psychosocial work and define it as a practice in social work. Students will be able to name the interactive elements in psychosocial counselling. They will learn to apply an approach based on counselling and psychosocial interaction to case studies. Students will learn to recognize value conflicts and to evaluate their actions. They will learn to explain what a goal-oriented client work process involves and to apply the contents studied to drama. Students will also learn to define a client relationship and to analyse aspects of professional interaction and co-operation relationships.

Content

- Essential concepts and practices in social work
- The sociodynamic aspect of psychosocial counselling
- Goal-oriented social work process: planning, implementation and evaluation
- Good client service and recognition of client's need for services

Materials

- Rostila I. 2001. Tavoitelähtöinen sosiaalityö. Voimavarakeskeisen ongelmanratkaisun perusteet. Kopijyvä Oy.
Availability: http://tiny.cc/f5lmdx

-Peavy, V. R. 2000. A Brief Outline of SocioDynamic Counselling: A Co-Constructivist Perspective on Helping. Saatavana: http://www.sociodynamic-constructivist-counselling.com/documents/brief_outline.pdf

- Lecturer's material depending on the implementation of the study course.

Teaching methods

Lectures, group work, drama, visiting lecturers.
Alternatively: Familiarization with a client work quality system by experiential methods.

Student workload

78 hours

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Grade 1-2:
students are able to explain and define psychosocial work as a practice in social work. Students recognize client situations and interactive elements that call for psychosocial counselling and are able to analyse their actions and interactive skills from the perspective of psychosocial counselling. Students know the stages of a goal-oriented client work process and are able to apply their knowledge to drama.
Grade 3-4:
Students are able to compare psychosocial work and other social work practices. They know how to evaluate interaction in psychosocial counselling and the contributing factors and consequences from the perspectives of professional interaction and development of their interaction competence. Students are able to plan a goal-oriented client work process.
Grade 5:
Students are able to evaluate and justify psychosocial work in the context of social work practices. They know how to justify and evaluate an interactive approach to work and the means of psychosocial counselling from the perspective of professional ethics. Students are able to produce a case study on a goal-oriented client work process that involves psychosocial counselling and to analyse factors that affect the client work process.

Qualifications

Major part of the first year studies.