Service Learning And Community-Based Partnerships: A Model For Teaching Macro Practice Social Work

Abstract

This article describes an innovative project that combined service learning and community-based partnerships to teach macro practice skills to social work students and citizenship skills to primary school students. The partners, a small social work program, several primary schools, and an internationally recognized civic engagement program, coordinated the project from 2003 to 2007. A formative evaluation of the project indicated that both primary school and social work students benefited from the experience. In particular, the project helped social work students develop a wide range of macro practice skills which, according to research, many graduates fail to acquire. In fact, students used knowledge and skills from all ten competency areas listed in the Council on Social Work Education’s (2008) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. The authors conclude that social work programs need to provide students with macro-focused, community-based, supplemental experiences, similar to this project, if programs hope to meet CSWE accreditation standards.