Open AccessInterdisciplinary Service-Learning: Building Student Competencies through the Cross-Cultural Parent Groups Project
Author(s) -
Michele Belliveau
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
advances in social work
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2331-4125
pISSN - 1527-8565
DOI - 10.18060/1268
Subject(s) - service learning , social work , immigration , context (archaeology) , cultural competence , community project , pedagogy , community engagement , medical education , service (business) , public relations , demographics , sociology , psychology , political science , medicine , social science , business , paleontology , demography , marketing , law , biology
Changing demographics and an emphasis on competency-based social work education call for innovative approaches to the delivery of curricular content. In an effort to introduce BSW students to the socio-political issues facing the local Latino immigrant community, a service-learning project was developed in collaboration with the Spanish Language Department and a local middle school. An analysis of outcomes from social work student evaluations showed that students engaged with the community and issues in new and unexpected ways. Through their engagement in a cross-cultural group project, students developed greater cultural competency, honed their group practice skills in an unfamiliar context, provided a needed service to the community, and raised their awareness about the working conditions of new immigrants as part of a developing framework for social action. Details and implications of the project as a means to build student competencies are described.