The Art of Becoming Indispensable

Despite their academic preparation and lived experiences, new school social workers face a learning curve when moving from entry-level practice to proficiency. The Art of Being Indispensable: What School Social Workers Need to Know in Their First Three Years of Practice is the first book focusing specifically on the needs of new school social workers as they transition to this complex role. Each of the book’s 20 chapters features an academic scholar and at least one school social work practitioner; overall, there are 18 academics and 42 practitioners from 28 different states. The diversity of the authors’ experiences, representing all variations of schools and districts, ensures that the content is applicable to a variety of practice contexts. Each chapter addresses the challenges of a public health pandemic and the impact of racial injustice. There is a timeless quality to this text since every year, new school social workers are being hired, whether from master of social work and bachelor of social work programs or from the ranks of professional social workers changing fields and becoming school social workers. This indispensable guide will help new school social workers to effectively execute their roles and responsibilities.

Gray Clouds Over Ivory Towers

Black, first-generation doctoral students can be classified as those who belong to the African diaspora and come from families with parents who do not have bachelor’s degrees. Data shows that over half of Black doctoral degree recipients, across all fields, have first-generation status, and literature has shown that these students experience several challenges during their doctoral journey that their peers do not. This paper details six of these challenges for Black, first-generation research doctoral students in social work programs. These challenges result in educational disparities disfavoring these students, and, as such, social workers are compelled by our Code of Ethics to work against these forms of social injustice. This conceptual discussion uses Critical Race Theory and Social Capital Theory to explain the continued existence of these challenges, followed by recommendations that social work educators, academic institutions, and educational organizations can use to improve conditions for Black, first-generation social work research doctoral students across the country. If social work educators take this critical issue, its associated challenges, and the proposed recommendations seriously, they can begin to create safe and actively anti-racist and anti-classist academic environments that are conducive to the success of this student population.

Deepening the Learning

Graduate students of multiple racial identities in predominantly White institutions enter social work programs with a wide range of knowledge about and experiences of White Supremacy, particularly the ways in which structural forms of racism continue to inflict harm, block opportunities, and perpetuate wealth inequities. In addition, White students are often challenged to grasp the ways they have been socialized to participate in perpetuating White Supremacy. This wide range of knowledge and experiences makes it likely that students will experience a range of emotions and defensive resistance necessitating skillful pedagogical design and facilitation of class interactions. Intentional use of theoretical frameworks with experiential activities can deepen self-awareness and understanding of the systemic nature of White Supremacy (Okun, 2010). In this manuscript, four students and two instructors discuss their learning experiences within a course addressing White Supremacy for students of multiple racial identities in a predominantly White institution. Post-course dialogue amongst these multiracial authors identified six core areas of learning when examining intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural racism, cultural wealth of BIPOC peoples, and anti-racism actions. Two primary implications for education are: Weave conceptual frameworks with interpersonal experiential activities throughout the course design, and attend to interactional power dynamics during class meetings.

Integration of Faith and Spirituality in Social Work Education

This research systematically synthesizes the conceptual understanding, guiding theological, or denominational orientations, and the most promising pedagogical models for integrating faith and spirituality into social work education curricula. Accordingly, we reviewed published peer-reviewed journals in the last 35 years (1985-2020). This systematic review answers three main research questions: 1) What is the array of conceptual definitions of faith and spirituality integration in social work education; 2) Are there theological, and or, denominational orientations influencing the definitions, and integration, of faith and spirituality in social work education? and; 3) What are the available pedagogical models for integrating faith and spirituality into social work education? A conclusion is presented with implications for pedagogy, research, and policy in Christian social work programs

Ode’imin (Heart Berries): the experience of Indigenous academics in social work programs : engaging Indigenous identity and experience

[Para. 1 of Introduction] "Encourage people to learn their own indigeneity, whatever that is. And to be encouraged to go into that. That's part of their healing journey. And that is their responsibility in doing social work because they're doing that for their identity, for their space…" (Stacy). Social work has had a tenuous relationship with Indigenous peoples in Canada. Looking at various periods historically and currently, social work has positioned itself as an alleged ally of Indigenous peoples and yet it is a perpetrator of the horrific conditions and strife that Indigenous peoples face. Issues like cultural erosion, the breakup of families and language loss are all traced in part to residential Schools, 60's scoop and the millennial scoop- which social workers have and continue to play a role in executing (Alston-O’Connor, 2010). On one hand, the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) has prioritized "developing stronger connections with Indigenous social workers and communities to better support their issues and pursue shared advocacy goals" (CASW Reconciliation Hub, n.d.). However, Indigenous children continue to be overrepresented in child welfare institutions (Ontario Human Rights Commission, 2018).

Ode’imin (Heart Berries): the experience of Indigenous academics in social work programs : engaging Indigenous identity and experience

[Para. 1 of Introduction] "Encourage people to learn their own indigeneity, whatever that is. And to be encouraged to go into that. That's part of their healing journey. And that is their responsibility in doing social work because they're doing that for their identity, for their space…" (Stacy). Social work has had a tenuous relationship with Indigenous peoples in Canada. Looking at various periods historically and currently, social work has positioned itself as an alleged ally of Indigenous peoples and yet it is a perpetrator of the horrific conditions and strife that Indigenous peoples face. Issues like cultural erosion, the breakup of families and language loss are all traced in part to residential Schools, 60's scoop and the millennial scoop- which social workers have and continue to play a role in executing (Alston-O’Connor, 2010). On one hand, the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) has prioritized "developing stronger connections with Indigenous social workers and communities to better support their issues and pursue shared advocacy goals" (CASW Reconciliation Hub, n.d.). However, Indigenous children continue to be overrepresented in child welfare institutions (Ontario Human Rights Commission, 2018).

Applying the U.S. Model of Social Work Education Curriculum to Libyan Education

The Libyan government urgently needs a professional social workers’ mission to help decrease social problems that have emerged and been aggravated due to civil war and political conflicts. However, the present social work community in Libya cannot mitigate social problems or simplify social services effectively to meet people’s needs. Thus, teaching and learning methodologies need to be developed inside and outside educational institutions so that the challenges presently facing Libyan society can be overcome. The purpose of this paper is to suggest adopting an American social work curriculum experience in Libyan social work education according to Libyan ideology. The researcher depicts nine social work competencies (e.g., knowledge, professional values, skills, and professional processes and practices), as well as a set of behaviors that reflect social workers’ competencies that relate to the social work curriculum applied in colleges in the United States. The author’s goal is to encourage Libyan social work professionals to take advantage of this knowledge and these experiences to develop the Libyan social work education curriculum. This could ensure that graduates of social work programs are qualified to help people deal with social problems when they enter the workforce.

Applying the U.S. Model of Social Work Education Curriculum to Libyan Education

The Libyan government urgently needs a professional social workers’ mission to help decrease social problems that have emerged and been aggravated due to civil war and political conflicts. However, the present social work community in Libya cannot mitigate social problems or simplify social services effectively to meet people’s needs. Thus, teaching and learning methodologies need to be developed inside and outside educational institutions so that the challenges presently facing Libyan society can be overcome. The purpose of this paper is to suggest adopting an American social work curriculum experience in Libyan social work education according to Libyan ideology. The researcher depicts nine social work competencies (e.g., knowledge, professional values, skills, and professional processes and practices), as well as a set of behaviors that reflect social workers’ competencies that relate to the social work curriculum applied in colleges in the United States. The author’s goal is to encourage Libyan social work professionals to take advantage of this knowledge and these experiences to develop the Libyan social work education curriculum. This could ensure that graduates of social work programs are qualified to help people deal with social problems when they enter the workforce.