Disturbing whispers spread across social media about making
Social Work field internships optional. Even
more significant is the petition circulating to advance eliminating
field placements. There was even a thread about if we really need internships in my
dissertation class. Social Justice Solutions (SJS) posted an article supporting
internships with subsequent support from educators outside our profession. Why
is this even a question?
After reading all these articles and posts it occurred to
me, the reason for this push may be two fold. The first is lack of research on
efficacy about internships in the social work profession, but I covered this in
my response post on SJS. Here is an excerpt:
“There may be no quantitative research suggesting
the efficacy of field placements in social work, but if asked, there are
thousands of qualitative stories supporting the method. We only need to look at
other professions where field placements are as essential to the curriculum as
the content itself. Medicine, psychology, the sciences, and teaching, support
internships through research.
I do agree we need to research field placements in
social work as to “why” they are effective. Assessing standards of practice,
critical and creative thinking abilities, self-regulation, value and ethical
shifts, or diversity awareness have tremendous potential for research. There
may well be a day when every profession has a field internship to integrate
theory and practice.
One advantage missing in social work research,
present in the other areas I mentioned, is funding. As more resources for
research become available, the field of social work will blossom in their
pursuits of evidence based practices. Social workers have a focus on their
populations, and not research, partly because finances are not available to
make a livable wage. Research is not on the agenda if most of our profession is
a pay check or two away from our client populations.”
The second issue may be in the push to streamline education
into an online or blended format. Education has never been more accessible to
diverse populations. Adults now have access to earning a degree with flexible
time options for education. Now here comes the rub. In higher education’s push to increase
education options, has this been at the expense of quality education?
Internships are not convenient. They cannot be done online. Squeezing in a 16 or 24 hour
internship is difficult for anyone. Add full time work, kids, a partner, extracurricular
activities, and for some this is the formula for a superhero or a choice for a different field.
I empathize, I
do. In graduate school, I had a partner, a baby, worked part time, and some
months bills didn’t get paid, all to earn my MSW. We qualified for food stamps. I held 4 part time jobs, with
a partner and two children during my PhD. However, I still believe we cannot
afford to let go of internships. The benefit of my internship experiences
started the foundation of my practice. Even though it was 21 years ago, I can
still refer back to my internship for learning. I would not be the same
practitioner without my undergraduate and graduate field experiences. My
professional practice would not have the depth it has now.
For me there is no question about field practicums. I would
be a shadow of who I am professionally. I would not be the same person. Don’t compromise the profession for an easier,
softer, way.
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