5 Service users as supervisors in social work education: mending the gap of power relations
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Mette Fløystad Kvammen
Abstract
This chapter presents two projects in which service users are involved as supervisors of students in social work training at the University of Lund, Sweden, and the University of Agder, Norway. The chapter describes how both institutions relate to and try to solve dilemmas and problems connected to power, inequality and the creation of knowledge within the context of social work education.
Within social work education it is increasingly recognised that service users should play an active role in the development of education and knowledge (IASSW – AIETS, 2014). However, the many experiences of engaging and involving service users in education have also revealed several dilemmas and problems that need to be addressed. These dilemmas are mainly related to the fact that social work is an area defined by power and inequality in power, which affects social relations and the production of knowledge within that area.
Although the idea of service-user involvement in social work and social work education can be traced to different political and ideological discourses (Rae, 2012; Beresford, 2016), it is deeply rooted in a participatory and democratic discourse. Anti-oppressive practice and the willingness to change unequally distributed power are central to the involvement of service users in social work education as well as in practice and research (McLaughlin, 2009a, 2009b; Beresford, 2016; Beresford and Carr, 2012). The dynamics of power and inequality and their consequences thus become explicitly expressed key points, and we keep a critical focus on the identification of dilemmas and the different kinds of problems related to involving service users in social work education.
Abstract
This chapter presents two projects in which service users are involved as supervisors of students in social work training at the University of Lund, Sweden, and the University of Agder, Norway. The chapter describes how both institutions relate to and try to solve dilemmas and problems connected to power, inequality and the creation of knowledge within the context of social work education.
Within social work education it is increasingly recognised that service users should play an active role in the development of education and knowledge (IASSW – AIETS, 2014). However, the many experiences of engaging and involving service users in education have also revealed several dilemmas and problems that need to be addressed. These dilemmas are mainly related to the fact that social work is an area defined by power and inequality in power, which affects social relations and the production of knowledge within that area.
Although the idea of service-user involvement in social work and social work education can be traced to different political and ideological discourses (Rae, 2012; Beresford, 2016), it is deeply rooted in a participatory and democratic discourse. Anti-oppressive practice and the willingness to change unequally distributed power are central to the involvement of service users in social work education as well as in practice and research (McLaughlin, 2009a, 2009b; Beresford, 2016; Beresford and Carr, 2012). The dynamics of power and inequality and their consequences thus become explicitly expressed key points, and we keep a critical focus on the identification of dilemmas and the different kinds of problems related to involving service users in social work education.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- List of figures and tables ix
- Notes on contributors x
- Acknowledgements xix
- Introduction 1
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Collaborative models in social work education
- The gap-mending concept: theory and practice 11
- Mending gaps in social work education in the UK 23
- Service users as tandem partners in social work education 35
- Service users as supervisors in social work education: mending the gap of power relations 49
- Involving students with mental health experience in social work education 61
- The Living Library in social work education 73
- Creating a platform together for the voice of the service user: inspiration for organising an event together with service users 85
- Reflections on inspiring conversations in social work education: the voices of Scottish experts by experience and Italian students 97
- Joint workshops with students and service users in social work education: experiences from Esslingen, Germany 109
- Service users, students and staff: co-producing creative educational activities on a social work programme in the UK 117
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Collaborative models in research and policy
- The co-researcher role in the tension between recognition, co-option and tokenism 133
- Community of development: a model for inclusive learning, research and innovation 145
- Dialogue, skills and trust: some lessons learned from co-writing with service users 158
- Participatory pathways in social policymaking: between rhetoric and reality 170
- Experiential knowledge as a driver of change 183
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Reflective chapters
- Experiences matter equally 199
- Ethical issues in the meaningful involvement of service users as co-researchers 209
- Involving service users in social work education and research: is this structural social work? 224
- Index 238
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- List of figures and tables ix
- Notes on contributors x
- Acknowledgements xix
- Introduction 1
-
Collaborative models in social work education
- The gap-mending concept: theory and practice 11
- Mending gaps in social work education in the UK 23
- Service users as tandem partners in social work education 35
- Service users as supervisors in social work education: mending the gap of power relations 49
- Involving students with mental health experience in social work education 61
- The Living Library in social work education 73
- Creating a platform together for the voice of the service user: inspiration for organising an event together with service users 85
- Reflections on inspiring conversations in social work education: the voices of Scottish experts by experience and Italian students 97
- Joint workshops with students and service users in social work education: experiences from Esslingen, Germany 109
- Service users, students and staff: co-producing creative educational activities on a social work programme in the UK 117
-
Collaborative models in research and policy
- The co-researcher role in the tension between recognition, co-option and tokenism 133
- Community of development: a model for inclusive learning, research and innovation 145
- Dialogue, skills and trust: some lessons learned from co-writing with service users 158
- Participatory pathways in social policymaking: between rhetoric and reality 170
- Experiential knowledge as a driver of change 183
-
Reflective chapters
- Experiences matter equally 199
- Ethical issues in the meaningful involvement of service users as co-researchers 209
- Involving service users in social work education and research: is this structural social work? 224
- Index 238
