What kind of social policy do social work students prefer?

Abstract

The goal of this article is to contribute to our understanding of the way in which students at the very beginning of their social work training view the sources of social problems and the way in which society should deal with these problems. This is part of an effort to determine the contemporary role of social change in the thinking of social workers in different national settings. Traditionally, social work has regarded social change as one of its primary professional objectives. Ever since the settlement houses were ®rst established in the late years of the 19th century, many social workers have indeed been actively involved in social action aimed at bringing about social reform for the betterment of deprived segments of society. These efforts ®rst took place in a period during which the term`welfare state' had yet to be coined and the notion of state responsibility for social protection for the poor was not widely accepted. Nevertheless, the conviction of these early social workers that social conditions were the prime cause of deprivation and poverty led them to actively seek improved social legislation and programs (Addams, 1910;Leighninger and Midgley, 1997).

A Case-based Collaborative Learning Model for Teaching Advocacy

“…From an international perspective, the view of social work students on the origin of social problems and the corresponding response to these challenges was compared across three countries (i.e., Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom; Weiss, Gal, Cnaan, & Majlaglic, 2002). The results of this study supported the idea that social action and action toward social change, though central objectives of the profession, are Social Work Education 1065 not practiced and do not represent a significant part of the skill repertoire of most social workers.…”

Personal values and support of welfare policy among undergraduate students in Israel

“…Welfare policy. The research apparatus employed in the study included questionnaires developed by Weiss, Gal, Cnaan and Majlaglic (2002). The questionnaire examining views on social welfare policy contained 15 items measured on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = don't agree to 5 = strongly agree).…”

Ghanaian BSW Students' Perceptions of Poverty and Social Welfare Policies in Ghana

“…Unlike the previous section where there have been a few studies examining social work students' perceptions of poverty, less work has been done examining social work students' perceptions of social welfare policies. However, a body of research examining social work students' perceptions of the role of government in addressing social issues in various societies does exist (Tam, 2003;Weiss, 2003Weiss, , 2006Weiss, Cnaan, & Gal, 2005;Weiss et al, 2002;Woodcock & Dixon, 2005). The results of these studies have been mixed with some groups supportive and other groups less supportive of the government intervening in social issues, such as the alleviation of poverty.…”

“…According to the International Federation of Social Worker Code of Ethics (IFSW) (2012), "Professional social workers are dedicated to service for the welfare and selffulfillment of human beings; to the development and disciplined use of scientific knowledge regarding human behaviour and society; to the development of resources to meet individual, group, national and international needs and aspirations; to the enhancement and improvement of the quality of life of people; and to the achievement of social justice" (p. 1). Despite this stated mission, evidence suggests that social work professionals across the world are distancing themselves from working with poor and impoverished populations and instead working with moderate income populations and populations with non-chronic emotional issues (Bullock, 2004;Clark, 2007;Hackett, Kuronen, Metthies, & Kresal, 2003;Limb & Organista, 2003;Ljubotina & Ljubotina, 2007;Weiss, 2005;Weiss, Gal, & Cnaan, 2004;Weiss, Gal, Cnaan, & Majiaglic, 2002). Contributing further to this issue is evidence indicating that social work students are more often being trained as micro practitioners specializing in counseling with an emphasis on psychotherapy with individuals, groups, and families (Asquith, Clark, & Waterhouse, 2005;Weiss, 2006) rather than macro practitioners specializing in policy practice and community organization with an emphasis on the political, economic, historical, social, and cultural understanding of populations, organizations, and communities (Jacobson, 2001).…”