Abstract

This article describes the implementation of a peer network for social work traineeship students pursuing or continuing careers in child welfare. Literature on the best principles and practices for online community building reviewed and an explanation of how these best practices were utilized to build the online community is provided. Initial program design is described as well as program developments that occurred over four years of the program. The article then examines how the program’s evaluation was carried out and reviews some of the evaluation data. The article concludes with a discussion about the successes and challenges experienced in building the peer network and how other social work or traineeship programs, or agencies, might use an online peer network to support social work students and professionals.

Highlights

  • This article describes the implementation of an online peer network for social work traineeship students pursuing or continuing careers in child welfare

  • Demographic data was available through the Stipend Student Inventory (SSI) for 232 of the 245 traineeships students who joined at least one of the peer network sites

  • It became evident during the course of the program that many traineeship students struggle to balance school, work, and family, leaving little time to participate in a peer network

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Summary

Introduction

This article describes the implementation of an online peer network for social work traineeship students pursuing or continuing careers in child welfare. Despite increasing use of online community platforms and social media in social work, concerns remain that social workers are not being adequately prepared to use technology (Giffords, 2009; Hitchcock & Battista, 2013; Kilpeläinen et al, 2011; Parrott & MadocJones, 2008; Perron, Taylor, Glass, & Margerum-Leys, 2010; Young & Delves, 2009) and that social work organizations are underutilizing these online tools (Baker, Warburton, Hodgkin, & Pascal, 2014; Edwards & Hoefer, 2010). Programs might require students to develop professional profiles on LinkedIn or create an online portfolio

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