Using a Community Development Approach to Reimagine Field Education During Covid-19

Authors

  •  Jo-Bentley Davey  Social Work and Human Services, James Cook University, Smithfield, Queensland, Australia
  • Helen Collingwood James Cook University,Queensland, Australia.  
  • Sandra Croaker Social Work and Human Services, James Cook University, Douglas, Queensland, Australia
  • Melissa Grentell Townsville Health District, Queensland Health, Queensland, Australia
  • Finola Rytkönen James Cook University, Queensland, Australia.  
  • Ines Zuchowski  Social Work and Human Services, James Cook University, Douglas, Queensland, Australia 

Keywords:

Covid-19, Field education, Research, Students, Collaboration, Community development

Abstract

This paper reports on an Australian online placement project that was put in place after face-to-face placements were stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020. James Cook University ( JCU) social work students were offered the opportunity to participate in an online Community Connectors Project (CCP) based on an Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) model to complete their placement. Twenty students participated in the CCP. The values and principles of ABCD guided the project and meant that students were encouraged and supported to lead and design smaller placement projects responding to identified community needs. This article is collaboratively written by students, field education staff and a community partner. 

Here we specifically report on the collaboration between one group of students and a community partner working together to develop a domestic violence practice guideline for a health setting. The article describes the context of the CCP, ABCD as a framework, the student leadership, the domestic violence project and the collaborative partnership. Our reflections consider students as knowledge brokers, challengers and enablers of collaboration and future research engagement. 

Author Biographies

 Jo-Bentley Davey , Social Work and Human Services, James Cook University, Smithfield, Queensland, Australia

 

 

Helen Collingwood, James Cook University,Queensland, Australia.  

 

Helen Collingwood is a Social Work Student with Social Work and Human Services, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia.  

Melissa Grentell, Townsville Health District, Queensland Health, Queensland, Australia

Melissa Grentell is the Clinical Educator at the Townsville Health District, Queensland Health, Queensland, Australia. 

Finola Rytkönen, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia.  

 

Finola Rytkönen is a Social Work Student at the Social Work and Human Services, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia.  

Ines Zuchowski,  Social Work and Human Services, James Cook University, Douglas, Queensland, Australia 

 

 

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Published

2021-03-24

Issue

Vol. 22 No. 2 (2021): Advances in Social Work and Welfare Education

Section

Full Articles

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Copyright (c) 2021 Copyright © Australian & New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Advances in Social Work & Welfare Education by Australian and New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research (ANZSWWER) is licensed under CC BY 4.0

 

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