SOAD4001 Human Rights Based Social Work Practice

This topic brings into sharp focus two cardinal values of social work - social justice and human rights. It applies critical/analytical approaches to these ideals, their history and related philosophical and political debates within a global context. The topic examines the limitations and potential of rights based frameworks in policy and practice. The outplaying of these discourses within social work theories will be linked with social work practice alongside individuals, families, groups organisations and communities. The topic offers key materials and learning experiences to assist students to apply rights based practice frameworks in social work.

This topic aims to assist students to build links into theory and practice with two ideals of social work - social justice and human rights. It develops critical/analytical approaches to these ideals, their history and related debates within a global context. The topic identifies the limitations and potential of rights based practice frameworks in policy and practice. The outplaying of these discourses within social work theories will be linked with practice alongside individuals, families, groups organisations and communities. The topic offers key materials and learning experiences to assist students to apply rights based practice frameworks in a range of settings.

Students will:

• Build links from human rights discourses and instruments to social policy, human services systems and community development
• Explore global and local understandings of social justice and human rights connected to concepts and measures of inequality, oppression, discrimination and disadvantage
• Develop perspectives and skills to advance an integrated approach to social justice and human rights within social work theory and practice
• Experiment with some applications of their learning

1. Obtain and evaluate a wide range of resources related to human rights discourses, social justice and social work
2. Be familiar with the history of the development of international human rights instruments, related discourses and debates, and their impact in Australian social institutions
3. Apply a critical/analytical approach to guide them in the human rights aspects of social policy analysis and their future social planning and social work practice in a range of settings
4. Demonstrate a capacity to build links from their growing conceptual and knowledge base into rights based social work practice frameworks
5. Reflect on their learning as they develop professional competencies in anti-oppressive practice, especially inclusive team work, creative problem solving and project design