What I do I understand: Teaching community work in the Australian Capital Territory

Integrating Social Work and Community-Development Practice in Victoria, Australia

“…For example, it appears that CD subjects are increasingly taught by inexperienced sessional rather than core academic staff, and that only a small minority of social workers work in community practice (Allen-Kelly, McArthur & Roughley, 2001;Dixon & Hoatson, 1999). There currently appears to be only limited formal contact or cooperation between the two disciplines of CD and social work.…”

Teaching community development to social work students: a critical reflection

“…It is debatable whether the existing assessment framework fulfils the objective of developing practice-based as well as theoretical community development knowledge. A more ambitious project would involve organizing the students to develop and undertake their own community projects as suggested by Allen-Kelly, McArthur and Roughley (2001). For example, this might involve assisting a group of young people leaving state out of home care to develop a peer support network, or helping an indigenous community to introduce a child care collective.…”

“…The latter position tends to lead to the marginalization of community development within social work practice and education. For example, it appears that community development subjects are increasingly taught by inexperienced sessional rather than core academic staff, and that only a small minority of social workers work in community practice (Lee et al, 1996;Dixon and Hoatson, 1999;Allen-Kelly, McArthur and Roughley, 2001;Ife, 2001, p. 39;Maritz and Coughlan, 2004).…”