Abstract
Project of the title: Transforming the Field Education Landscape (TFEL) partnership, uses the lens of global social work and academic collaboration to illuminate barriers and cultural nuances in social work training. The project itself created practicums for 29 students (April 2019–May 2022) and the Field Research Scholars Program for students and early career practitioners, allowed for compilation of writings in this book.
The introductory chapter provides a comprehensive review of TFEL and its confrontation of the pressure experienced by students, supervisors, and teachers in practicum learning. The four sections into which this book is divided, with noted inclusions of COVID-19 impact, include 16 chapters total. The main challenge of this review, or maybe the book, is that each chapter has a different focus, albeit interesting in and of itself, at times the connection to practicum, rather than general social work, reads forced.
Key note is that the focus on variances of social work is on how it is taught, practiced and experienced in countries around the world, with references to the United States (US) used mostly for comparison, or in reference to expected competencies, as developed by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the accrediting body of social work education in the US. That is not to say that the US is stated to be any sort of a standard to aspire to, but rather because the US socio-political climate has allowed for longevity of the profession, ergo allowing, or forcing, its development. In contrast, as presented in chapter four, is the lack of universally accepted curriculum, or social work supervisors able and willing to train new professionals.
The first section of the book: “Field education practice, research and theory” addresses some of the familiar, if not common discussion points, such as problematic lack of internship compensation, limited availability of social work supervisors and overall undervaluing the profession (which bears its own discussion), resulting in limited resources.
For US readers, I encourage a review of the Social Worker Equity Campaign which fights for improvement of working conditions, compensation and most recently, to amend the NASW Code of Ethics, and its expectation of free labor (disclosure: I am a member).
The second section: “Anti-racist and indigenous knowledge, methodologies and perspectives” includes reflective essays and case studies. Given the recent state of US politics, with book banning, assaults on reproductive and trans people's rights, to name a few aggressions, this section was particularly intriguing in discussions of social workers existing, and practicing, within corrupt and harmful systems. Not mentioned, but of note, is the current US discourse about moving away from using the word “field” as part of “practicum” education.
The focus of the third section: “Justice, advocacy and international social work” had one of the most interesting chapters about advocacy for access to drinking water in Pakistan, a real-life application of macro social work placement. It behooves us to be reminded of social work for person-in-the-environment, and the paramount basic needs that are not met, or are endangered given the climate crisis.
The final section: “New development and approaches in field education” discussed the application of virtual access to learning and social work necessitated by COVID-19 pandemic and lessons of access impacting people on continuum of abilities. The opportunity here lies in remembering that disability is not a fixed identity and accessibility is not a fixed given. This certainly is the moment to seize the flexibility and person-centered approach already built into social work practice and amplify it in other spaces.
This section includes a chapter on “Supporting spiritual competencies,” which uses the academic definitions around purpose and connectedness that are overgeneralized and therefore problematic in application. In the practical realm, the concept of spirituality is loaded with meaning and not unilaterally understood, or received as that of purpose. Given the harmful historical precedents, including those in social work practice, we may be due for reframing.
The last chapter's catchy title about “enhancement of brain potential” reminds us that integration of coursework material and practice is complex, and for some, even traumatic.
The book presents unique, albeit often subjective perspectives of how social work is experienced around the globe, with potential research and expansion of solutions to barriers, such as limited availability of solid internship assignments, and supervision in spaces where social workers are not the norm (in US, that's many macro placements). Regrettably, not all chapters can be highlighted and receive the deserved attention.
The internship component of social work education is in dire need of critical review; after our experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic, far reaching technology and growing world-wide inequality of resources, equity and access need more attention than ever. This collaborative perspective offers insight into the potential of revolutionary change social work can help enact.
