Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit will focus on the core social work objectives of working to achieve human rights and social justice. These concepts will be explored with particular attention to social workers working within a human rights and social justice framework with a range of communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other groups experiencing disadvantage. The unit will explore definitions of social justice as well as the principles of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights which the social work profession subscribes to, with particular reference to how the Declaration relates to the IFSW and AASW Codes of Ethics. Particular emphasis will be given to presenting human rights as an area of knowledge, values and responsibility leading to advocacy and action. The unit aims to provide students with the core knowledge, understanding and skills for practice as human rights and social justice professionals.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Identify the socially constructed nature of social...
Learning Outcome 01
Explain the concept and history of human rights an...
Learning Outcome 02
Explain the role of privilege, discrimination and ...
Learning Outcome 03
Identify the values, knowledge, and skills that so...
Learning Outcome 04
Discuss social work skills for social justice-orie...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
Human Rights and Social Justice
- Epistemology and philosophy of human rights
- Theoretical perspectives
- human rights
- social, economic and environmental justice
- prejudice, discrimination and oppression
- power and privilege
- Type of human rights
- economic
- social
- cultural
- Environmental
- Current human rights and social justice issues
- Social justice allyship
Emergence of Human Rights Conventions and Treaties
- Overview of UN Convention in the wake of the atrocities of WW2
- Context prior to the history of human rights treaties
- Social, cultural and economic catalysts
- Subsequent development of the various human rights treaties, conventions and declarations
Rights of Different Groups, such as:
- Rights of women
- Rights of LGBTIQ peoples
- Rights of refugees and asylum seekers
- Rights of people with disabilities
- Rights of children
- Rights of First Nations peoples
- Rights of patients and clients (mental health and physical health)
Skills and Strategies used by Social Workers
- Campaigns for human rights and social justice, including internet-based campaigns
- Advocacy
- Social activism
- Social action
Assessment strategy and rationale
The first assessment aims to assess students’ ability to identify a contemporary social justice issue and develop a persuasive argument to bring key stakeholders’ attention to this issue (LO5). It also allows the students the opportunity to demonstrate their growing knowledge of the human rights framework and apply it to their topic (LO2). The second assessment is a critical self-reflection and professional development task which requires students to think about their own prejudices and biases in relation to certain communities or groups (LO1, LO3), and asks them to develop a professional development plan to address these self-identified biases (LO4). This assessment task is based on the idea of self as a tool of social work practice and social workers as catalysts of social justice-oriented change. The final assessment task is a group assignment intended to develop students’ knowledge and skills in the area of social justice advocacy (LO1, LO4, LO5).
All three assessment tasks are designed to be authentic learning assignments and build on reflexive approaches that are elemental to social work practice.
Intensive and multi-mode assessment of this unit will be transparently equitable with on campus mode offerings as endorsed by the relevant Course Implementation Committee
Overview of assessments
Written assignment Enables students to write a ...
Written assignment
Enables students to write a persuasive short paper to bring attention to a contemporary social justice issue and connect it to the international human rights framework.
20%
Critical Self-Reflection and Growth Assignment ...
Critical Self-Reflection and Growth Assignment
Students will write a paper identifying and examining their biases and stereotypes about a marginalised community and develop a professional development plan to meaningfully address these biases or stereotypes.
40%
Group assignment – Part A Students work in smal...
Group assignment – Part A
Students work in small groups to identify a social justice issue of contemporary relevance and design a social advocacy campaign on it. Student groups will present their work in class and these presentations will be assessed in class.
30%
Group Assignment – Part B (Individual Reflection)...
Group Assignment – Part B (Individual Reflection)
Enables students to reflect on the group exercise and their contribution to their group.
10%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit fosters student-centred active learning and accommodates diverse student needs. It includes a combination of self-paced, online learning and real-time classes. Early and additional feedback on learning, and tailored support, are provided to facilitate students’ transition to university.
Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively in class discussions. Students learn to navigate Canvas and online delivery of assignments such as the Quiz.
Social work is a profession grounded in the application of knowledge of human behavior and society. Students need to work collectively, develop self –efficacy and demonstrate effective communication and inter-personal skills. These skills will enable them to meet the professional requirements outlined in the Australian Association of Social Workers Education Standards.
Graduate Attributes and the Practice Standards (ASWEAS, 2024)
This Unit has been mapped to the ACU Graduate Capabilities and the Graduate Attributes and the Practice Standards (ASWEAS, 2024) . The following table sets out the broad relationship between the Learning Outcomes, Graduate Attributes and the Graduate Attributes and the Practice Standards (ASWEAS, 2024).