Summary

Social work’s (SW’s) presence continues to grow internationally, as evidenced by the increasingnumber of international conferences and organizations, and the rising number of collaborationsand partnerships between universities from different countries. While these opportunities haveincreased among educators and researchers, graduate students in particular have had feweropportunities to engage in such international collaborations. In response, during the summer of2023, our university initiated an inaugural course in Rome Italy, in which SW graduate studentsfrom three countries (Czech Republic, Italy, and United States) participated in a course focusedon International Responses to Trauma. Through this course, students learned from their fellowstudents, faculty, and SW practitioners from all three countries regarding how each countrydefines and responds to trauma from a SW perspective. In addition to the group learning, thestudents identified and researched a social issue related to trauma within their own country, andpresented to the larger group a program to address that issue. Through this experience,students and faculty members engaged in learning about diversity and psychosocial responsesin disaster situations (Theme 10) and also learned to appreciate and learn about ethno-cultural,religious, and national diversities (Theme 8). While study abroad programs exist at many SWprograms, this course presented a unique opportunity for all to truly engage in an internationalexperience, as they lived, socialized, and learned together during the course. In thispresentation, we will provide lessons learned for how other universities might createpartnerships aimed at developing a similar experience for their students to increase theirexposure to international learning opportunities. Such opportunities will serve to strengthen ourprofession, both within our own countries and internationally, as we help future social workersearly in their careers to think and respond globally to the social challenges that they will face inthe future.

Keywords (separate with commas)

social work education, international social work, international collaboration,

Summary

This abstract aligns with the conference’s sub-themes: Ethno-cultural, Religious and National Diversities8, and Social Service Workers’ Working Conditions16.\\ The\\ Joint University Council (JUC) International Sub-Committee (IC) works closely with the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), the European Association of Schools of Social Work (EASSW), and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW). The purpose of JUC IC is to identify international trends and priorities in social work education and the profession, focusing on promoting the internationalisation of the social work curriculum in the United Kingdom (JUC, 2023).Whilst the challenges of working conditions16 for international social work practitioners are becoming well-documented (Ravalier et al., 2022) the preceding challenges for education providers supporting students from overseas has received much less consideration. The benefits of cultural, ethnic and religious diversity8\\ in social work education are certain (Panagiotis, 2020;\\ Azzopardi and McNeill, 2016;)\\ with literature giving particular emphasis to the value of international elective practicum (Smith \\& Sharley, 2016). This paper focuses upon understanding the challenges of supporting overseas students in UK-based social work qualifying programmes. It presents key themes identified within a workshop comprised selected members of the International Sub-Committee in 2023. Academics affiliated with Universities that \\ observed a significant rise in the proportion of international students enrolled upon their programmes in the last 3 years, and who all hold membership to the IC. \\ Identified themes include challenges experienced in relation to admissions, teaching and learning pedagogy, practice placements, assessment, and pastoral support.Reflections from the workshop will be shared with the conference to promote broader dialogue on this important and emergent trend of increasing overseas applicants in university-based social work programmes. Implications for both the internationalisation of the social work curriculum in Higher Education, and wider implications for international practitioners entering the profession in the UK will be examined.

Keywords (separate with commas)

International Social Work, Higher Education, Social Work Education, Overseas Students, Challenges, Cultural Diversity

Summary

This is a 30 minute workshop.\\ People of Color are the global majority, and it is time that the US moved from teaching social work as if whiteness is the norm. In the US, the social work profession is overwhelmingly white. Studies have shown and what we have found is that White students aren’t gaining skills to become and behave in less-racist ways and BIPOC students aren’t building their critical consciousness or skills either. The social work curriculum is white-centered and depends on the few students who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) to tell and relive their individual stories of racial trauma so that white students will better understand their individual positionality and the harm that comes from the system of white supremacy. \\ Using racial caucus groups (also known as affinity groups) in which students meet and work through content and practice skills with students from their own racial/ethnic group allows all students to grow while lessening the harm to BIPOC students. We must implement bold teaching approaches like racial caucus groups so that we can have brave conversations in the classroom about theoretical and historical perspectives on racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination; enhance culturally competent social work practice; and develop and commit to social action strategies. In this workshop, participants will learn: 1) how to set up racial caucus groups, 2) why they are impactful, 3) lessons we learned from using the strategy, and 4) the challenges we face in using racial caucus groups in the current US political environment.\\ 

Keywords (separate with commas)

white supremacy, social work education, university, race, affinity group, caucus group, critical consciousness, privilege, trauma, skill development, teaching, social action, emancipatory approach, USA