Practical training is essential while preparing for a career in social work. The quality of the practical training available depends on the providers, especially mentors in the field (also known as ...field mentors, instructors or field supervisors, hereafter referred as mentors). The satisfaction of a mentor is not only important for good mentoring but also for making them willing to mentor another social work student. Secondary quantitative data from the Centre of Practical Study at a Faculty of Social Work were obtained and analyzed using linear regression and structural models to answer the research question concerning what influences the satisfaction of mentors. The research showed that mentors are satisfied with the social work practice. Overall satisfaction rises with both the number of motives associated with the school and a better assessment of the student involved. Where satisfaction with elements of practice is an independent variable, overall satisfaction is best explained by satisfaction with the content of the practice, student motivation, self-initiative, and the mentor’s collaboration with the school. Understanding what makes mentors satisfied with a practical placement is important for improving the quality of practical training provided in social work. Satisfaction on a higher level can add to a mentor’s motivation to participate in the training of social work students. The sub-optimal (no financial and other compensation) system of mentoring in social work means that the factors to which social work schools in this area must pay attention are the content of the practice itself and the quality of the students. Key words quantitative research; field supervision; social work practice; social work education; skills teaching
This article is based on the premise that the Covid-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented experience in contemporary social work education, and that it presents unique challenges to all involved in ...practice teaching and require a comprehensive understanding of what has been termed as 'New Normal'. The results of a survey conducted in Slovenia are presented regarding the course of practice teaching before and during the Covid-19 epidemic, the provision of mentoring support in normal and emergency situations, and the challenges of mentoring in times of changed circumstances. The findings indicated that the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the practice teaching of social work students in terms of both the content and nature of mentoring, and that the students were less satisfied with their practice teaching than they were in the pre-Covid-19 era. Nonetheless, one promising finding was that mentors supported students in an adaptive manner; therefore, the students were consequently able to acquire the necessary practical skills.
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BFBNIB, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
Teamwork is not a new topic in social work. In a bid to further advance the field, this paper has three aims: to identify the factors most relevant to the definition of teamwork in social work, to ...define a team in social work and propose a definition of teamwork in social work, and to provide a typology that accounts for important aspects of teamwork in social work. The focused review (relying on certain aspects of a scoping study and systematic review) of 84 papers revealed four main factors of relevance to the definition of teamwork and team in social work: size, composition, aim (purpose) and the role (participation) of users. Definitions are given of team and teamwork in social work that are in harmony with contemporary concepts of social work like a working relationship (co-creation). A typology entailing three of four identified important factors is proposed while four types of teamwork in social work are illustrated with examples from a small European country.
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BFBNIB, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
Abstract
The article discusses the results of a research study on social work during COVID-19 in Slovenia. Governmental measures to prevent the spread of the disease have increased the need for ...assistance to various groups of people but at the same time limited their access to social services. The main research question was to what extent social workers and social services were able to reorganise and adapt to crisis conditions and how this relates to the role of social work in society. Data were collected using mixed methods: online survey and interviews with social workers. Content analysis and selective coding, thematic analysis and univariate descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. The analysis shows that the ability of social workers to respond to the growing and changing needs of people during the pandemic depended on the context in which they worked. Social work was perceived as more effective and responsive in social services where professional autonomy was assured and valued and where horizontal relationships existed between staff and management. The study contributed to a better understanding of the context in which the pandemic occurred and identified some structural barriers to successful social work that are internationally comparable and relevant.
This article presents a mixed-methods study ‘Social work during COVID-19 in Slovenia’, in which data were collected through an online survey and interviews with social workers. The aim was to examine the response of social workers in social work centres (SWCs) during the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of measures against the spread of the virus on social work, and their relationship to the role of social work in society. The measures taken in SWCs against the spread of the virus and the social context in which the pandemic occurred are related. The main findings were that, in SWCs where management was based on democratic negotiations and participation, staff were more satisfied than in SWCs with authoritarian management. Social work in Slovenia during COVID-19 was individualised and reduced to emergency contacts with service users. Social workers were excluded from national action planning, and social work engagement and visibility during the pandemic was higher in SWCs that were well-embedded in the local community. The lack of visibility of SWCs is related to the overall role of social work in society, where the needs of SWCs and their staff have been long overlooked.
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Na raziskovalno vprašanje, ali je timsko delo na centrih za socialno delo multidisciplinarno, avtorica podaja odgovorna podlagi preućene domaće in tuje literature ter kvalitativnih in kvantitativnih ...podatkov, pridobljenih zintervjuji med socialnimi delavkamis centrov za socialno delo (n=21) in z izvedeno anketo med zaposlenimi na centrih za socialno delo v Sloveniji ln= 197). Rezultati kažejo na vse pogostejšo uporabo izraza, multidisciplinarno timsko delo', ki se uporablja tudi v različnih zakonih in pravilnikih, je pa navedeni pojem zelo redko opredeljen. V članku je podan tudi predlog opredelitve timskega dela v socialnem delu, na podlagi primerjave s tujino pa sta predlagana v uporabo tudi izraza meddisciplinarno in medinstitucionalno timsko delo.
Inovacije so z vidika organizacijskih teorij, predvsem v profitnem sektorju, razmeroma dobro raziskane. Manj je znanega o inovacijah v neprofitnem sektorju. Avtorica s pomočjo analize PEST (na ...podlagi trenutnih razmer v Sloveniji) identificira dejavnike iz okolja, ki lahko zahtevajo spremembe v socialnem delu in socialnem varstvu ter preuči spremembe v normativni podlagi za inovacije v socialnem delu. Pozitivni premik v zakonodaji, vsaj pri obravnavi pomena inovacij v socialnem varstvu in torej tudi v socialnem delu je Resolucija o nacionalnem programu socialnega varstva 2013-2020, ki inovativnost omenja kot eno osnovnih načel izvajanja socialnega varstva. Pregled slovenske socialnodelovne literature pokaže, da je bilo napisanih malo tekstov, ki bi se eksplicitno ukvarjali z raziskovanjem inovacij (oz. njihovih značilnosti), še posebej inovacij, ki niso neposredno povezane z uporabniki, čeprav so v praksi socialnega dela inovacije razmeroma pogoste (in potrebne). Tako se avtorica ukvarja bolj s teoretskim in konceptualnim mankom. Prispevek (s pomočjo pregleda literature in dostopnih virov) predstavi trenutno stanje v Sloveniji in predlaga tipologijo inovacij v socialnem delu.
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