The merging of knowledge and teaching about poverty through a participatory action project

Abstract

ABSTRACT It is known among social work educators that training students about human rights is not only a mandate of the profession’s governing bodies but a desirable goal. While the notion of giving voice to the marginalized is not new to social work and is assumed to be a critical element of social justice, it is not always clear how best to manifest this in pedagogy and practice. This article introduces a training model that incorporates human rights and social work values and ethics. Based on participatory action research by ATD Fourth World, an anti-poverty organization, this training is led by people with lived experience of poverty and of child protection services in the UK. As lay experts and co-creators of knowledge, they guide students to a deeper understanding of the multiple dimensions of poverty and the impact of social work on their lives. This training challenges the power differentials typically embedded in client-clinician relations and focuses on the values underlying social work. This article explores the content and process of the training and implications for the development of human rights education in social work.