Project Theory and Practice of Social Work with Refugees
Breve Descrição
The main goal of the project is to fuse theoretical education with practical work with refugees, by combining the efforts of the department with OPU’s experience in the field. As a result new educational techniques can be developed which should better prepare future social workers for the work world. The project introduces students to social aspects of forced displacement, reception and integration of refugees into a host society. The project should also contribute to the professionalizing of state and non-profit institutions working with refugees and migrants.
Justificação e Objectivos
The main goal of the project is to fuse theoretical education with practical work with refugees, by combining the efforts of the department with OPU’s experience in the field. As a result new educational techniques can be developed which should better prepare future social workers for the work world. The project introduces students to social aspects of forced displacement, reception and integration of refugees into a host society.
Aspectos Chave
More than 50 students attended the Social Clinics so far and some of them found jobs in the refugee / immigration field. All of them gained good theoretical knowledge of specific work with refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants. It was an opportunity for students to learn about the work field with refuges in Czech Republic.
Metodologia
The originators of the project will provide both the theoretical and practical groundwork necessary to work with refugees. The course runs over two semesters and is optional for students in the first five years of study. Students receive a broad overview of the refugee field in the theoretical part in the winter semester. The lectures are given by specialists from a variety of backgrounds, and with national as well as international experience. All lectures are compulsory and an attendance rate of a least 80% is required in order the complete the course. Students receive a grade according to a concluding piece of work and a final test, which is designed by both originators. OPU prepares a recommended reading list, which is provided to the department prior to the start of the lecture series.
During the following semester students are first familiarised with social work both in the state-run Accommodation Centres and Integration Centres, in OPU’s Prague offices and in the offices of an NGO which specialise in the integration of refugees into Czech society. A total of 20 hours are allocated to this part of the course, and students are supervised by an experienced OPU social worker throughout this time.
Subsequently, students are able to choose OPU or any other state institution or NGO in which to gain hands-on work experience, amounting to a further 50 hours. Alternatively, students may opt to prepare a report on a specific theme, related to a particular group of refugees; in the course of this work they will receive free consultation from OPU staff and access to the OPU library. Confirmation of the conclusion of this work experience or research is signed by a representative of the department and the
Director of OPU. Any reports produced are placed on the web page of the Social Clinics. The time schedule for work experience is provided to students at the beginning of the semester. Students have to pass the preceding theoretical part in order to proceed to this part of the course. During this semester Social Clinics students will also join their counterparts in the Legal Clinics project for a joint seminar. Again an 80% attendance rate is required for this part of the course, and students have the opportunity to make up for any failure to participate according to the schedule.
Graduation of the practical part of the course is recognised as work experience by the department. The practical part is also optional, however, students, who decide to attend the practical part of the course, will have to meet all criteria of the practical part.
Actividades que levaram ao sucesso da Boa Prática
The project represents a continuation of the Social Clinics project which was successfully completed in the 2002/2003 academic year, with the financial support of OSF. Students of social work, senior members of the Philosophy Faculty, UNHCR and OPU have all expressed a strong interest in the continuation of the project, which was also welcomed by the refugee facilities section at the Czech Ministry of the Interior.
The second year of the project would draw on lessons learnt from the pilot project last year, the feedback of the students, the comments of the department and the evaluation of UNHCR as well as experience from the management of our Legal Clinics project, which has similar aims in law (on which OPU works with the Law Faculty and the law firm Linklaters). Approximately 40% of the graduates of the Legal Clinics project found employment in the refugee or human rights fields within two years of graduating from the first two courses of the Legal Clinics project.
Mais informações:
www.esotata.hu
