Research oriented community social work education: lessons from LjubljanaIzobraževanje za raziskovalno usmerjeno skupnostno socialno delo: izkušnje iz Ljubljane

Abstract

The article gives an overview of teaching community social work in Slovenia, outlines the social context, the position of community social work within the curriculum and the importance of research in preparing and evaluating community field projects. Training students for undertaking proposed collective actions in a post-modern world of difference is a rather complex and long-term process which is hard to achieve in the framework of the recognized structure of a university study programme and in the existing context of social work practice. Students have to address concepts and issues of post-modern community work by researching within a broader social context and into community needs, and by establishing a ‘here and now’ working relationship with the community members. This method of teaching, alongside regular community social work, does not fit into the practice of the existing social services. Although the declared principles are to consider user perspectives, the users are subordinate to the professional power.