Social Work Field Practice in a Foreign Country
As with all courses at Flinders University, the postgraduate Social Work degree has international students enrolled. Along with the learning provided through many intensive half year topics taught at the University, students are required to complete 2 field practicums, one for 60 days, the other 80 days.
Beside the two year degree the Social Work school has a Social Work Field Placement Service for Overseas Students that is gaining in popularity. Students enrolled in this program come to South Australia to complete their practicum requirements for the various social work degrees they are undertaking in their home country.
At any one time, the course may have students from, Sweden, Germany, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Britain or Canada completing their practice learning via either of the two programs. In most cases the students follow the same course structure and learning program as local students. Students from overseas go out into the field to learn about and practice social work, using a different language, in a different legal and social context, and in a very different culture.
Field education is the process of learning about social work in the real world. Students are required to develop a range of interpersonal skills and helping methods, experience a range of social problems of client groups, and develop beginning expertise in a range of professional interventions. Field placements are organised across a very diverse range of agencies, including, state, federal and non government welfare organisations, mental health and disability agencies, hospitals, community centres, health centres and schools.
"Field was a very valuable experience which I will always treasure" says Sanjana Subramaniam " it is the main reason why I did this degree." Sanjana was an international student from Singapore. She completed her first placement at Child and Family Youth Services and her second at Flinders Medical Centre. The challenges for Sanjana in her first placement were "quite overwhelming initially, as there is a new system to get used to. For example, the welfare system and the work culture is very different - all this besides the actual work." Sanjana was struck by the differences in the ways older people were treated, the poverty she observed, and "realising that there are terrible cases of abuse taking place."
Catherina Persson was a student from Göteborg University in Sweden. Catherina completed her field practicum in Adelaide at Family and Youth Services Enfield working with young people who were at risk, were offending, or under the Guardianship of the Minister. Catherina worked up to completing Social background reports for the Youth Court in South Australia. Completing a document to be used by the courts involves learning about a complex legal system, completing a full assessment of the young person, demonstrating knowledge about appropriate sentences to recommend and, for Catherina, completing the document in another language.
Both Catherina and Sanjana have reflected on the support they received from colleagues in each placement, who offered to teach, model, observe and guide them through their placements.
What hints would they give to a student planning to enrol at Flinders
to complete a field practicum?
"Be ready for a different system" says Sanjana. Keep asking
questions, and "make the most of the experience, it can be
applied to your country when you return to work there." Asking
questions is a key, says Catherina, "don't be afraid to ask
about things, ask ten times if you have to." The field educators,
university teachers, peers and colleagues are there for you. "Come
open minded to the placement, {and learn to know people from the
country, don't stay with people from your own country."? not
sure whether to include }
Students completing their field practicum through one of the Flinders
Social Work programs speak highly of the support, encouragement
and assistance given to them from teachers and peers at the University,
and colleagues and supervisors in their placements.
