Abstract
What are the critical ingredients that enable social work involvement in the empowerment of a secondary school community? Social work in schools has become a growing field of practice in New Zealand primary schools in the last 15 years. Social workers are less common in secondary schools and where they are practising, the predominant model for practice is casework or counselling. This paper presents a dialogue between a final year BSW student and a practice teacher who acted as an external supervisor during the student’s final placement. It highlights the process, activities and learning that occurred when a ‘loitering with intent’ community development approach was adopted by the student in a decile 4 rural secondary school with 500 pupils. Strength-based and social justice themes permeate the experience. Important insights are shared into key factors contributing to the success of the placement and to the sustainable programmes that endured after its conclusion.
Highlights
What are the critical ingredients that enable social work involvement in the empowerment of a secondary school community? Social work in schools has become a growing field of practice in New Zealand primary schools in the last 15 years
Social workers are less common in secondary schools and where they are practising, the predominant model for practice is casework or counselling
This paper presents a dialogue between a final year BSW student and a practice teacher who acted as an external supervisor during the student’s final placement
Summary
Charmaine Wheeler completed the Massey BSW in 2008, having moved to New Zealand from Britain five years ago. She has not practised social work since completing her degree as she is mother to Evie, born March 2009. Helen Simmons is a Professional Clinician in the Massey University social work programme. She has spent all her adult life working in social work and was the external supervisor for Charmaine’s placement. This paper was presented at the November 2009 APASWE Conference in Auckland
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