Resources

The social work course has excellent resources in the people who use and provide social work services. The team works collaboratively with service user and carer organisations and partner social work agencies in S.E. Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Service users and carers

Service users are the people who use social work services. Carers are informal or family carers who support a friend or relative. Service user and carer representatives of two organisations work with the course team throughout the programme

• In the student selection process
• In teaching and assessment
• In course planning and monitoring

At level one service users and carers are particularly involved in the Issues in Communication unit where students practise their communication skills on them. On the Preparation for Practice unit they contribute to teaching and to the assessment of presentations.

Social work partner agencies

Practitioners and managers from a range of voluntary (eg Barnardos) and statutory organisations (eg Hampshire Adult Services) are also active participants in all aspects of the programme

• In the student selection process
• In decisions regarding students with CRB records
• In teaching and assessment
• In course planning and monitoring

At level one experienced practitioners are involved in the teaching and assessment of Preparation for Practice.

Lecturers from other courses in the University

The social work team brings in lecturers from other courses with expertise in law, housing and criminology. At level one, students are taught Introduction to Social Work law by a law lecturer and have input from housing and criminology staff on the Social Problems and Social Welfare unit. This unit provides students with the experience of inter-professional learning as they study alongside housing students and gain valuable experience in sharing knowledge, discussing social issues and negotiating policy solutions with another profession.