Contemporary and Sustainable Social Work

Assignment
Assignment Guidance – Reflective Essay

Please read the following assessment guidance carefully.
Learning Outcomes
LO2: Demonstrate a critical understanding of social work action at micro, mezzo and macro levels using new theoretical and research perspectives
LO4: Demonstrate skills in community engagement, inter-disciplinary and participatory project development, and reflection and self-awareness as a basis for continuing professional development
Assessment Task

Guidance Element 011: Individual critically reflective essay
‘In what ways can I contribute as a social worker to sustainability in contemporary society?’

Assignment Task: With reference to your understanding of the multi-layered role of social work in Sustainability, and to your contribution to the team project, critically reflect on the knowledge, values, and skills you have developed towards becoming a social worker with capability to work with individuals and communities towards addressing social inequality in health and environmental justice.

LO 2, 4
2500 words

To meet the Leaning Outcomes 2 and 4:

2. Critically discuss how the natural environment is linked to individual and community health/wellbeing, and how the eco-social paradigm (with its core focus on social/environmental justice and the common good) supports social workers to take concrete action.
Select the service user group you are working with on placement to describe how you would take concrete action at micro, mezzo, or macro level to support their health and wellbeing.
4. Drawing on your individual reflections and on your contribution to the team project – reflect on the skills you feel you developed towards:
• a participatory approach to engaging and working with communities,
• an understanding of the role of interdisciplinarity in sustainable problem solving and positive social change
• your professional development – what else would you like to learn next?

Guidance Element 011
This task is based on a process of reflection through which you observe your own learning during the module, and during your work on the team project.
Therefore, this assignment task is a critical reflection, and it is based on weekly/regular formative reflection. However, these are slightly different in form.
Consider adopting a reflective diary in which to note your aspirations, insights, any tensions you might experience, and the process of learning you are undergoing. You can also note any transformations you observe in your own development.
To use a systematic approach to your reflection, you could use Rolfe’s reflection model (2001) – (University of Cumbria), which guides you from observation and description (What?), through to analysis (So what?), and to critical thinking on implications and action (Now what?).

What? – a descriptive question
So what? – an analytical question
Now what? – an evaluative question

Essay component Points to consider
Title:
In what ways can I contribute as a social worker to sustainability in contemporary society?

Part A

(roughly 1325 words) 1. What role must social work play in Sustainability?

Critically analyse the role of social work in achieving environmental justice:
– drawing on the contrast between the neoliberal v eco-social paradigms
– outlining your understanding of the role of nature to health and wellbeing, particularly for marginalised communities and individuals
– outlining how social work needs to work towards the common good

2. How would you contribute as social worker to environmental justice?

Use your experience of direct work on placement (previous or current)
– give one or more examples of action you would take at micro level to support an individual or a family you have worked with to enhance their wellbeing along their life course.

Part B

(roughly 600 words)

What professional capabilities have you developed towards contributing to Sustainability in contemporary society?

Looking back at your learning during this module and at your contribution to the team project – what skills, insights and overall capabilities do you feel you have developed so far towards:
– Engaging and working with communities and individuals in a participatory way
– Understanding the role multiple knowledge and skills as assets for problem solving and for positive social change

What else would you like to learn next towards your social work role in sustainability?

References

(not included in the word count)
It is important to use in-text academic references to back your writing and reflection – the essay is both a personal reflection and an academic text which requires academic language and conceptual thinking.

Presentation style
• Number your pages
• Font: Arial 11
• Line spacing: 1.5
• Allow time to proof-read your final draft

I have also attached the previous assignment which was my contribution towards the group presentation. The presentation was done through video recording and then sent the video to the tutor