module specification

This module introduces a range of relationship-based approaches to social work practice that aim to affect societal change through working with the individual. These approaches share a common underlying philosophy of seeing people as inherently valuable and full of potential. Rather than taking a deficit-oriented view of the individual, they go beyond individual cases by attempting to understand the systemic factors that influence people’s lives. In this module you will develop an in-depth understanding of social pedagogy, critical pedagogy, radical social work, poverty aware social work, and Ubuntu philosophy. Their origins and implementation across different countries and over time will be explored, along with newer applications in Britain.

The approaches presented are contrary to the Anglo-American individual casework tradition that emphasises people’s deficits. Through engagement with key reading, discussion, and reflection you will develop an understanding of the social pedagogical concept of Haltung (inner attitude, ethos) as the foundation for meaningful, relationship-based practice. The concepts and tools taught in this module are a powerful antidote to managerialised, target driven practice, allowing practitioners to effectively use discretion to connect with service users and effect change even in practice settings governed by neoliberal policies.

You will practice a range of communication and engagement tools that can be used across practice settings to work with children, young people, adults, and groups. These include active and creative methods, and making use of, and sharing your interests and experiences.

This module provides opportunities for you to:

• Develop an in-depth and critical knowledge base on how relationship-based approaches can be used to effect social change and promote social justice.
• Gain a deeper understanding of your professional values and role and how these can be used for advocacy.
• Develop practical communication and engagement skills to apply this way of working in any setting.
• Explore how to use your skills, interests, and personality to make connections whilst respecting professional boundaries.

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This module offers theoretical engagement with a range of international relationship-based practice approaches that aim to effect social change and the development of skills to apply these into practice. This is an interactive module where you are invited to actively contribute additional approaches and methods to the module, critically discuss the presented content, and apply it to your practice context.

The module will include the following topic areas:

• Theory and practice of relationship-based approaches that aim to bring about social change, including social pedagogy, critical pedagogy, poverty-aware social work, critical social work, and Ubuntu philosophy (LO1).
• Cultural and historical factors, welfare regimes, social policies, and their impact on social work (LO2).
• Processes of social inclusion/exclusion, marginalisation and mechanisms of power and oppression, and how these impact individuals and groups (LO2).
• Using these approaches to develop individual and collective strategies for challenging injustice and promoting human rights and social justice (LO2, LO3).
• The importance of involving users and citizens in decision-making processes and effective use of advocacy (LO3).
• Practical engagement and communication skills, including the common third (LO3).
• Use of self in practice and professional boundaries (LO3, LO4).
• Values and Haltung as the foundation for relationship-based practice for social change (LO4).

The learning and teaching methods on this module will include the following approaches:

• Critical engagement with the literature

• Small group and peer learning

• Personal reflection and reflective writing

• Interactive skills-based workshops: collaborative experiential learning

• Weblearn, video materials & other online educational content

The use of these approaches will be complemented by your active engagement with the learning process as you identify your own learning needs. You will be encouraged to engage meaningfully with these strategies through personal reflection and reflective writing, use of Weblearn, visual materials, and other educational content. You will be expected to access educational resources independently, and to work with peers outside of the formal teaching contact hours.

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

LO1: Compare different pedagogical theories and relationship-based approaches that aim to bring about social change through working with people.

LO2: Discuss the potential for, and limitations of using relationship-based practice and associated pedagogies to challenge injustice and promote human rights and social justice. 

LO3: Demonstrate a range of communication and engagement skills and methods and their application in practice.

LO4: Reflect on your professional values and Haltung and how they can positively contribute to empowering people.

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/4E1E9C18-9FB0-FF7C-A5F0-35DEE330D6F6.html