Involving Service Users in Social Work Education, Research and Policy: a Comparative European Analysis

During recent decades a strong interest has grown in actively involving service users in social work education, research and policy development. Drawing on a major European Social Fund project, this book presents an overview of inspiring collaborative models that have proven their efficacy and sustainability. Contributions from service users, lecturers and researchers from across Europe provide detailed case studies of good practice, exploring the value framework behind the model and considering their added value from a user, teacher and student perspective. The book concludes with a series of reflective chapters, considering key issues and ethical dilemmas. Quelle: Verlagsangabe.

Based on the results of a European Social Fund project, this book critically appraises the benefits and challenges of involving service users in social work research, practice and education.

Front Cover -- Series -- Involving Service Users in Social Work Education, Research and Policy: A Comparative European Analysis -- Copyright information -- Contents -- List of figures and tables -- Notes on contributors -- Acknowledgments -- 1 Introduction -- Part I Collaborative models in social work education -- 2 The gap-mending concept: theory and practice -- Introduction -- Gap-mending principles -- Background -- Roles and concepts -- Enabling niches -- Equal status -- Co-production -- Institutional support -- Deconstruction and reconstruction -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- 3 Mending gaps in social work education in the UK -- Introduction -- Building positive relationships -- Summary of activities -- Getting started -- Housing -- Discussion points for mending gaps -- Female genital mutilation -- Discussion points for mending gaps -- Education -- Discussion points for mending gaps -- Safeguarding -- Discussion points for mending gaps -- Outcomes -- Conclusion -- References -- 4 Service users as tandem partners in social work education -- Introduction -- From poverty, the gaps theory and experts by experience to empowerment in an educational practice -- The four cases in short -- Collaboration in tandem at the Karel de Grote University of Applied Sciences and Arts -- University of Applied Sciences Louvain-Limburg -- Amsterdam University of Applied Science -- Utrecht University of Applied Sciences -- Overview of involvement in a diversity of teaching methods -- Results and added value -- Organisational conditions and obstacles in the evolution towards sustainable involvement -- Conclusion -- References -- 5 Service users as supervisors in social work education: mending the gap of power relations -- Introduction -- Power and inequality in social work -- Involving service users in social work education - dilemmas and problems.