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SP20131: Discrimination & empowerment in social work

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2014/5
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Social & Policy Sciences
Further information on credits Credits: 12
Further information on unit levels Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Assessment Group S: Coursework (100%) (CW 100% - Qualifying Mark: 40)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: This unit is for students on the BSc SWASS and ASS programmes only.
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
The unit will build on prior understanding of how some individuals and groups in society are marginalised and discriminated against, so that students can understand the way in which social work practice and social work organisations impact on these groups.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this unit students will have learnt: heightened awareness of discrimination and the part their values play in this; how to develop strategies for practice individually and collectively, personally and professionally, which will reduce service users' experience of discrimination and which enable them to take greater control of their lives; about power and how to use it to enable rather than disable vulnerable service users; how to value, recognise and respect diversity, expertise and experience of individuals, families and communities; how to challenge discrimination where they find it within social work organisations and in their practice with service users and others; how to evaluate practice using skills learnt elsewhere, e.g. personal reflection, service user feedback, supervision, group discussion, use of theory and recorded experience.

Skills:
By the end of this unit students will have learnt: to build upon their skills of critical analysis; more about collaborative learning with others; in the context of this unit and their social work placement (SP20021), how to explore a variety of relationships and environments relevant to their learning; to apply sociological and social policy knowledge to the analysis of complex ethical and practical issues; how to develop sensitivity to the values and interests of others; how to act, with others, to increase social justice by challenging discrimination at individual, institutional and structural levels; the importance of working in partnership with service users and carers to ensure that their practice is effective in meeting their needs, and does not replicate experiences of marginalisation.

Content:
Group rules for discussing challenging issues in a group setting; reflections on childhood and the experience of marginalisation; developing personal action plans; raising personal awareness and developing strategies in relation to racism, sexism and discrimination against children, mental health service users, disabled people, older people, people with learning difficulties and people diagnosed as HIV positive; the importance of the service user's voice in understanding about and evaluating social work practice; the social model of disability and the way it informs social work practice; ageism and its implications for social work with older people; understanding the ways in which homophobia and heterosexism isolate and oppress gay men and lesbians; the part intolerance plays in isolating people because of their religious or spiritual beliefs.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

SP20131 is a Designated Essential Unit on the following programmes:

Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • UHSP-AFB15 : BSc(Hons) Social Work and Applied Social Studies (Year 2)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2014/15 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2015/16 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2014/15.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.