Unit rationale, description and aim
Social workers are required to understand and respond to human experiences in the context of socio-political, cultural and environmental factors. In this unit students will be introduced to community development work as a method of social work practice. Students will develop advanced level capacities to identify, analyse and critically evaluate the role of social work in professional practice with communities in Australia and internationally. Through critical examination of various community projects, campaigns and initiatives, students will identify, and evaluate the theoretical foundations, methodological approaches, ethical considerations and values involved in social work with communities. The overall aim of this unit is to equip students with the requisite knowledge and skills in community work, to meet the profession’s commitment to wellbeing and social justice.
This unit is one of four social work professional skills units. To meet AASW accreditation criteria, 100% attendance is required.
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.
Explain contemporary community work approaches and...
Learning Outcome 01
Critically appraise the key theoretical principles...
Learning Outcome 02
Evaluate and reflect on the use of self and the in...
Learning Outcome 03
Design and evaluate community work practice drawin...
Learning Outcome 04
Critically assess the roles of social workers in, ...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
The Concept of Community
- The relationship between community work and social work
- Ethical issues in community work
- Differences between
- community development
- social development
- social action
- community organization
Contextualising Community
- Historical development of community work
- Community as arena for social policy
- Emerging and innovative initiatives in community practice,
Social Action
- Radicalism and community work
- Social movements and activism role of social media
Social Development
- Integrated development
- Concept of social planning
- International development and Aid programs
- Role of agencies
- Civil Society in Development
Community Organising
- Understanding community organisations
- Legitimacy
- Accountability
- Representativeness
- Engaging with a community, including in ways that are culturally sensitive
- Participation and power
- Identifying inequality and discrimination in communities
- Strategies for working together
Intersectional Community Development
- Understanding a community and self as practitioner
- Local and international communities
- Engaging and partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
- Engaging and partnering with communities experiencing marginalisation
Doing Community Work
- Models of community practice
- Capacity Building
- Asset-Based Community (ABCD approach)
Community Development Roles and Skills in Social Work Strategies:
- using the media
- lobbying
- funding
Evaluation in Social Work with Communities
- Program planning
- Evaluation in community organisations
Assessment strategy and rationale
This unit takes an authentic assessment approach allowing students to develop their learning and competency in social work practice with communities.
Assessment 1 (Reflective task) enables students to demonstrate their ability to evaluate and reflect on the use of self and the influence of personal values and ideologies on community practice.
Assessment 2 (Group presentation) enables students to participate in a simulated community project in a small group and present the project to their peers and educators. Students will demonstrate their critical appraisal of key concepts, theories and frameworks when working in communities.
Assessment 3 (Critical analysis) enables students to research, critically analyse and evaluate a community project on the basis of:
- The degree of community participation with particular reference to community strengths and social capital building
- The roles of social workers and/or other professionals involved
- The theoretical principles employed
- Ethical issues and considerations
To pass this unit students must demonstrate that they have met the attendance requirements, achieved each learning outcome and obtained a total mark of 50% in the unit as a minimum standard.
Overview of assessments
Assessment 1: Reflective Task: Students concept...
Assessment 1: Reflective Task: Students conceptualise a community work approach and develop their ability to evaluate and reflect on the use of self, personal values and ideologies on community practice.
30%
Assessment 2: Group Presentation: To enable stud...
Assessment 2: Group Presentation: To enable students to communicate key community development concepts applied to a community project. 30 minute presentation.
30%
Assessment 3: Critical Analysis: Two parts (Par...
Assessment 3: Critical Analysis:
Two parts (Part A) Identification of community project (Part B): Critical analysis of community project, applying key community development concepts and theoretical frameworks
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit involves 150 hours of a combination of lectures, online learning materials, interactive tutorials, simulation activities and independent learning. Learning activities include reading, individual research, reflective and critical thinking activities, small group and class discussions.
The unit adopts an authentic learning approach where students work in small groups to identify a community issue, plan a community work response and implement some community work strategies. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively in class and with simulated community project activities.
The simulated community project has been designed to ensure knowledge and skills for community development are synthesised, practiced and applied, preparing students for professional community work practice.
The unit has a prescribed attendance requirement deemed necessary to achieve the intended learning outcomes and skill development.
Students enrolled On-Campus are required to attend all on-campus classes.
Students undertaking the unit Online are required to attend a compulsory 5-day on-campus intensive.