New social work book gives students virtual experience

Monday, November 7, 2016

New social work book gives students valuable virtual experience

A new book from Massey University Press will help social work students make better informed decisions about where to do work placements, and which area of practice to pursue once they graduate.

Social Work in Aotearoa New Zealand – Exploring fields of practice is the latest offering by Dr Kathryn Hay, Dr Michael Dale and Lareen Cooper from Massey’s School of Social Work. The book, on sale from today, will be officially launched at Massey’s Social Work in Changing Times: Towards better outcomes conference held on the Manawatū campus later this month. The three-day conference is part of the School of Social Work’s celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Bachelor of Social Work, the first to be offered by a New Zealand university.

The book includes links to 37 video clips of social workers explaining heir fields of practice. QR codes and URL links appear at key points throughout the book, giving immediate links to the videos and other websites and resources. The book also includes graphics of social work theories and models, selected transcripts from the interviews and photographs of the social workers in their organisations.

Dr Hay says the book is designed to help social work students make informed decisions about where to undertake the minimum 120 days of field placement required during their study.

“Our book introduces students to five fields of practice in Aotearoa New Zealand. Based on the current policy and legislative climate in which social workers operate, it gives inspirational, up-to-date and unique insights into social work environments, including working with youth, youth justice, women’s health, community faith-based work and adult mental health. Together, the book and the accompanying videos allow students to get a real feel for life as a social work graduate.”

Dr Hay says the book is a unique and vital work for first and second year students. “It’s colourful, engaging, dynamic, and most importantly, relevant. This is a significant addition to the current literature available to students on social work practice in Aotearoa New Zealand, and provides a fresh approach to more traditional textbooks.”

About the authors:

Dr Kathryn Hay, co-author and senior lecturer at Massey University’s School of Social Work.

Dr Kathryn Hay is a senior lecturer and director of field education in the School of Social Work at Massey. She is also chair of the New Zealand Council of Social Work Educators’ field education committee, and secretary of the New Zealand Association of Cooperative Education. She is on the editorial board of the Asia Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education and Advances in Social Work and Welfare Education. Dr Hay is a registered social worker and a member of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers.

Dr Michael Dale has been a senior lecturer in the Social Work and Social Policy Programme at Massey’s School of Social Work since 2011. He is a registered social worker, and has 33 years’ work experience within the social services sector. He has worked for central government, local government and the non-government sector.

Lareen Cooper is a senior lecturer and Associate Head of School in the Social Work and Social Policy programme at Massey University’s School of Social Work. She has worked at Massey for nine years, and has an extensive background in health services management. She is currently a member of the Social Worker Registration Board’s Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal and is a registered social worker.

Social Work in Aotearoa New Zealand will be available from November 7 2016.

To order copies, please go to www.masseypress.co.nz

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