Human rights at the heart of social work (education)! An appeal for a Human Rights-Based Approach
The Working Group Human Rights at the Heart of Social Work Peter Dijkstra, Clodagh Geraghty, Jeannette Hartman, Rudy van der Hoven, Jeroen Knevel, Michiel Lochtenberg, Didier Reynaert, Michel Tirions.
Human rights at the heart of social work (education)! An appeal for a Human Rights-Based Approach Turning words into action In 2016, a Working Group published a Dutch and English language manifesto entitled Human Rights at the Heart of Social Work (Education)! The purpose of this manifesto was an appeal for a human rights-based approach in social work education. The manifesto has been signed by over a hundred lecturers, professors, opinion leaders, advocacy groups in and around Flanders and the Netherlands. This manifesto was followed by several planning and sharing meetings and conferences in the Netherlands, the establishment of an active Facebook site, and a well-attended symposium in Paris as part of the 2017 EASSW conference, where our endeavour received overwhelming support. The consequence of all these activities is a vibrant, expanding (inter)national network. We have momentum, and we believe now is the time to turn our words into actions! This has led to an Action Plan which we are presenting to you.
The Action Plan and your feed forward The Working Group drew up an Action Plan containing pivotal steps we need to take to achieve interim milestones and the objectives. See the attached Excel file Human Rights at Social Work (Education) - Action Plan. We are now asking you for your input in three ways: 1. Are you interested in a cooperation with us to collaboratively achieve the objectives? If so, what involvement would you or your institution prefer? 2. Do you have any additions or feed forward for us to further specify the Action Plan? 3. We are considering an Erasmus KA2 application. Please let us know if you are interested in a collaboration. (The manifesto and the Action Plan are the basis of the proposal.) We would appreciate having your response by the 15th of February latest. We are also assuming that you would like to be part of an informal mailing list that we have developed in order to forward this initiative. If this is not the case, kindly let us know. Kind regards, The Working Group Human Rights at the Heart of Social Work: Peter Dijkstra, Clodagh Geraghty, Jeannette Hartman, Rudy van der Hoven, Jeroen Knevel, Michiel Lochtenberg, Didier Reynaert, Michel Tirions Contact us:
[email protected] and
[email protected] 15th of January 2018
Further explanation In this document, we explain the relationship between the manifesto and the Action Plan.
Part I - From plan to defined action The manifesto contains five pillars to effectuate the overall goal: Human rights are at the heart of Social Work schools. Every pillar is operationalized in the Action Plan. Each pillar is briefly described below.
1. Recognize human rights as both a socio-political framework and a framework for social practice. The most important goal for the recognition of human rights is that it will be evidenced in social workers practice. Working in a complex field of (local and national) governments, (global) organisations and a diversity of groups and individuals under different circumstances requires a firm centre of reflexion for carrying out social work in the ‘right’ way and applying a clear ethical framework. The political and economic discourse disturbs and distorts the vision of the social worker as a human rights-based professional. Basic physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs of people have priority over wider political and economic goals that may narrow the view of being human as only a voter or a hard worker. Life is more than to serve these demands. The social worker works on the basis of all 30 Human Rights presented in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international human rights treaties elaborated on this basis. These rights include people’s right to unite, to use the freedom of speech, to share a culture and the right to be recognized or to recognise another as a full human being with dignity. In daily practice at the grassroots level this ethos should be understood and acted upon as an inherent goal of all interventions, whatever the political or economic situation, wherever in the world. The realisation of Human Rights in practice can be found in the product and outcome of [dissemination]; knowledge; experiences and values. Promoting the human dignity of social workers and those they work with should be part of educating future social workers in accordance with the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) declaration of social work.1
1
Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work. Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance well-being.(This definition was approved by the IFSW General Meeting and the IASSW General Assembly in July 2014) (http://ifsw.org/get-involved/global-definition-of-social-work/).
2. Embed human rights in the social work curricula in an integrated and explicit way. A key rationale for embedding human rights values and standards in social work curricula is the formal NVAO (Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatie Organisatie) accreditation enlarged with human rights as a classifier for accreditation for a social work study in the Netherlands and Belgium. The NVAO is an external, formal instrument to force the cooperation between teachers, management and institutes to take Human Rights in consideration. This is the formal aspect of the translation of the intentions of the manifesto to the operationalisation of the curricula of social work. For this a monitoring instrument will be developed to collect information about the implementation of human rights explicitly within the curricula. The monitoring tool will address the general social work curriculum as well as curriculum related to specialisations in social work, such as youth work and community development. The tool can in part be implemented as a national and international survey for formal and non-formal education and composed by a working group of professional teachers. The survey tool will be pilot tested cross-nationally and will be used to monitor social work curriculum as well as national (and international) standards for social work education. The developers of this monitoring tool will be solicited through the other product and outcome of the planning scheme of the Ambassadorship, professional teachers of at least two members of each UAS of the 25 UAS of the Netherlands and Belgium, so a total of 50 members.
3. Learn how to use human rights as a framework for self critical and politicizing social work In order to understand how to use Human Rights as a framework a special logic is needed. Universities and Institutes have a lot of databases and information systems and social work has its own ‘canon of social work’. A complete historical overview of important thinkers and works of the social work profession exists and informs our current thinking. This special logic and framework will depend on the content and area of social work practice and the relevant Human Rights instruments. This logic has to be developed by experts on Human Rights, data analysists, library workers of the Universities and members of the social work profession. The logics purpose is to retrieve existing data and documents in a human right-based perspective for educational and curricula development goals. It should also facilitate future knowledge and articles be added without surpassing existing logics of libraries connected to the Universities of social work. This goal is stated as the Open Database (OD) project and outcome.
4. Work towards the professional development of lectures in the field of social work and human rights. For developing content in the social work curricula there is a need for books and training. In the Excel schedule this is called Medium and Train the Trainer. Through a parallel process, we intend to develop a ‘train-the- trainer’ course [with all the shareholders] and to select on behalf of the developed [OD logic] a list of existing and to be developed literature for social work education. This part will depend upon the input of the ambassadors as they work at the grassroots level and understand what will be practical for practice.
5. Initiate scientific research to boost the incorporation of human rights into the curricula of social work. Scientific research for Human Rights education in the curricula of social work can be initiated and supported by organising a sustainable international network. This special interest group will seek relevant existing and emerging research, secure finances for new research and seek evidence to validate practices related to human rights education and social work training. Such research will benefit from collaborations and cooperation between social workers at the bachelor or master level and or prospective social work trainers in a PhD process.
Part II - How to do it? Yes, we can, as a famous President stated! The 21th century makes it feasible to establish and operate viable networks that operate both virtually and in same space and time. The internet and all its advantages will be used to create common HUBs (groups of people working together on a product and outcome) where information and products can circulate for sharing and improvement. The ‘modus operandus’ comprises some basic rules as stated below. The ‘what’ is explained in the Excel schedule which references the expected and needed products and outcomes of the HUB’s. Dissemination will take place in different places, times and ways as stated and developed on the road.
The basic networking working rules are: 1. There is a working group Human Rights at the Heart of Social Work which monitors, initiates and communicates the developments according to the goals of the Manifesto the title of which is ‘Human Rights at the Heart of Social Work’. 2. Every member of the working group adopts a product/outcome of the action plan 2017-2021 and finds their counter partner for feedback and backup. In this way, we avoid that one person becomes solely responsible for the targets. 3. The logic of the ‘modus operandus’ will be developed at the beginning of the action plan (first semester of 2018) and will be evaluated at the end. The purpose is to define a logic of development and dissemination that can be used commonly in the separated processes. 4. After determining the logic and the feedback and adaptation of this plan the search for ambassadors will begin. 5. Every ambassador will be a professional educator working at one of the 25 Universities and (s)he will create he(is)re own optimal activities. No demands from outside will determine the ambassadorship, only the common purposes of the Manifesto. 6. Every ambassador will receive the support of the Working Group at any moment requested. 7. Knowledge and experience will circulate on two ways: a. Through books, articles and training materials b. Through meetings, (small scale) conferences or as an agenda point in existing meetings in organisations or network meetings (local or international). 8. The Working Group will organise a small conference every calendar year for sharing the developments, results and on-going processes. 9. All products will be shared with all registered members of the network for evaluating, using and suggesting ways to improve. 10. Everybody who is working as a professional social work educator and signs the Manifesto is considered to be a member of the network Human Rights at the Heart of Social Work. Members will be regularly informed about network activities and receive any developed content free-of-charge. Many thanks to our editors: Clodagh Geraghty and prof. dr. Felisa Tibbitts
Action plan Our objective/target: Human rights are at the heart of Social Work schools
Products/outcomes Accreditation
Monitor HR in SWE
2017
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
okt-dec
jan-mrt
apr-juni
juli-sept
okt
nov
dec
Peter
Jeroen Didier
Composing a WG;
Evaluation and testing
Monitoring
exploring monitor logic;
of draft monitoring
instrument ready
check monitor USA
instrument
(B/NL scope) Exploring options for d- Exploring options for d-
Open Database HR in SWE
Train the trainer
Ambassadorship (ambas)
Deciding on criteria &
Rudy
determining OD logic
Michiel
Collecting educational HR related material (content & didactic)
Dissemniate invitations for
Drafting of Action Plan
our small scale conference; announcement of UNCRPD ecourse
Medium (book e.g.) HR & SWE
material
material
(internationally)
(internationally)
material; drafting structure and content of TtT
50 ambassadors (2
First draft ready.
Adjustments, 2nd draft,
Acquiring feed forward
acquiring feed forward
among ambas.
among our ambas.
Keeping ambassadors
ambas of 25 UAS
(e.g. by asking for
(e.g. by asking for
each in B & NL)
feedback, feed forward,
feedback, feed forward,
milestone updates)
milestone updates)
Deciding what kind of medium we want to
exploring first ideas,
develop (book, teacher
material
Michiel
first concepts
guide book, toolkit,
(internationally)
Inventory of educational
(re)writing our own
(re)writing our own
(re)writing our own
educational material
educational material
educational material
ecourse, website, etc.)
Consulting experts on financing European projects fpur of our HR in SW(E) endeavour
Decision-making w.r.t.
Decision taken +
application for EU
who will be the
options for applying
subsidy + selecting
project leader and
for EU subsidies
preferred partners (EU +
who will be the
Inventory of
outside)
partners
Informing our EU network w.r.t.
Special Intrestgroup
Jeanette
milestones
ESWRA (samen met CA-
accomplished,
SD)
conferences,
ESWRA (april)
(symposia, conferences etc.)
Dissemination
contributions etc.)
Werkconfer. (march) TISSA (august) BPSW confer. FESET (7,8,9 may) HRE (december)
HRE (december) HDCA (september)
ABBREVIATIONS Ambas Ambassadors e.g.
For example
Fpur
For the Purpose of …
HR
Human Rights
MI
Monitoring Instrument
Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (Internal Quality Assurance)
OER
Open Educational Resources
OD
Open Database
R1
Round 1, etc.
SWE
Social Work Education
TtT
Train the Trainer
UAS
University of Applied Sciences (HBO)
UU
University (Research Universities)
WG
Working Group
w.r.t.
lecturers at UU/UAS
informed and involved
Jeroen
NVAO
educational material to support
Keeping ambassadors
Composing a WG;
Jeroen
Sustainable international network
Inventory of
informed and involved
Didier
Rudy
Finances
Collecting HR related
base medium (ICT);
Inventory of educational Inventory of educational
(fpur OER)
Peter
Michel
base medium (ICT);
OD Logic ready
With regards to/with respect to
Red cells = milestones Green cells==actions actionsto totake take Grey cells
With reservation, start
With reservation, start
writing the application
writing the application
(e.g. Erasmus KA2
(e.g. Erasmus KA2
project)
project)
Action plan Our objective/target: Human rights are at the heart of Social Work schools 2017 2019
Products/outcomes Products/outcomes Accreditation Accreditation
Monitor HR HR in SWE Monitor in SWE
2018 2019
jan-mrt okt-dec
2018 2019
apr-juni jan-mrt
2018 2019
juli-sept apr-juni
2018 2020
okt-dec juli-sept
2018 2020
okt jan-mrt
HR in SWE in SWE
Train the Train the trainer trainer
Implementation MI. Monitoring Composing a WG; Evaluation and testing Monitor R1 results UU/UAS = Collecting Processing data exploring monitor logic; of draft monitoring instrument ready (B/NL scope) data check monitor USA instrument (B/NL scope)
JeroenDidier Jeroen Didier
Developping MI for
Developping MI for
UU/UAS
UU/UAS international
internationalEU use
scope
material
(internationally)
Collecting HR related
First draft ready. Adjustments, 2nd draft, 10 TtT sessions material; draftingTtT sessions Performing TtT sessions Performing TtT sessions Performing acquiring feed forward completed (N=100) among ambas. among our ambas. TtT
HR related material Acquiring feed forward planning of TtT sessions program ready structure and content of (content & didactic)
informed and involved Dissemniate invitations for (e.g. by askingour forsmall scale conference; Michel Drafting of Action Plan Michel
Keeping ambassadors Keeping ambassadors
(e.g. by asking for (e.g. by asking for feedback, feed forward, feedback, feed forward, milestone updates) milestone updates)
ambas of 25 UAS
announcement of UNCRPD feedback, feed forward,
milestone updates)
Jeroen
Michiel
Keeping ambassadors Keeping ambassadors Keeping ambassadors informed and involved informed and involved informed and involved (e.g. by asking for (e.g. by asking for (e.g. by asking for feedback, feed forward, feedback, feed forward, feedback, feed forward, milestone updates) milestone updates) milestone updates)
informed and 50 ambassadors (2 involved informed and involved
each in B & NL)
ecourse
Deciding what kind of Composing a WG; medium we want to Inventory of Launch educational of the (re)writing our own (re)writing our own editing lay-out/design materialmedium exploring first ideas, develop (book, teacher educational material educational material (internationally) first concepts guide book, toolkit,
RudyJeroen Rudy Jeroen
Consulting experts on
Inventory of
the 30th of March
financing European
Decision-making w.r.t. application for EU
Decision taken + who will be the
subsidy + selecting project leader and options for applying 2019: Application projects fpur of our HR preferred partners (EU + who will be the for EU subsidies submitted in SW(E) endeavour Informing our EU
Jeanette Jeanette
Informing our EU Informing our EU network w.r.t. network w.r.t. milestones milestones accomplished, accomplished, conferences, conferences, contributions etc.) contributions etc.)
network w.r.t. milestones Special Intrestgroup ESWRA (samen met CAaccomplished, SD) conferences, contributions etc.)
Dissemination Dissemination
(symposia, conferences etc.) (symposia, conferences etc.)
ESWRA (april) ESWRA (april) Werkconfer. (march) Werkconfer. (march) TISSA (august) FESET (may)
EASSW (june)
TISSA (august) BPSW confer.
e.g.
For example For the Purpose of …
HR
Human Rights
MI
Monitoring Instrument
Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (Internal Quality Assurance)
OER
Open Educational Resources
OD
Open Database
R1
Round 1, etc.
SWE
Social Work Education
TtT
Train the Trainer
UAS
University of Applied Sciences (HBO)
UU
University (Research Universities)
WG
Working Group
With regards to/with respect to
Red cells = milestones Green cells==actions actionsto totake take Grey cells
With reservation, start writing the application
(e.g. Erasmus KA2
(e.g. Erasmus KA2
project)
project)
partners
Informing our EU
Informing our EU
network w.r.t.
network w.r.t.
milestones
milestones
accomplished,
accomplished,
conferences,
conferences,
contributions etc.)
contributions etc.)
BPSW confer.
HRE (december) HRE (december) HDCA (september) HDCA (september)
Ambas Ambassadors Fpur
With reservation, start writing the application
ESWRA (april)
ABBREVIATIONS
w.r.t.
(re)writing our own educational material
Werkconfer. (march)
FESET (7,8,9 may)
HRE (december)
NVAO
(re)writing our own educational material
ecourse, website, etc.)
outside)
Sustainable Sustainable international international network network
material to support
lecturers at UU/UAS
Collecting Announcement educational Train the trainer and
Peter Peter
With reservation,
Finances Finances
material
(internationally)
(fpur OER)
Didier Medium (book (book Medium e.g.) Didier Jeroen Michiel e.g.) HR & SWE HR & SWE
Inventory of
base medium (ICT); of OD Deciding on criteria & base medium (ICT); Launch educational Development of OD Development of OD Development of OD determining OD logic Inventory of educational Inventory of educational OD Logic ready (digital)
Rudy Rudy Michiel Michiel
Keeping ambassadors
Ambassadorshi Ambassadorship p (ambas) (ambas)
dec
Peter Peter
Exploring options for d- Exploring options for d-
Open Database Database HR Open
2018
novapr-juni
FESET (may)
2020
Products/outcomes Accreditation
Monitor HR in SWE
Monitor HR in SWE Open Database HR in SWE
2021
plan jan-mrt
2021
2021
apr-juni
jul-sept
Our objective/target: Human rights are at the heart of Social Work schools
Peter
NVAO accreditation
2017
2018
2018
MI for okt-decDeveloppingjan-mrt
Products/outcomes Accreditation
2020
Action okt-dec
juli-sept
Jeroen Didier
apr-juni
UU/UAS international
UU/UAS international
scope
scope
Peter
Jeroen Didier Rudy Michiel
2018 Monitoring
Developping MI for
juli-sept Instrument ready
2018
2018
2018
okt
nov
dec
(EU/International scope)
Composing a WG;
Evaluation and testing
Monitoring
exploring monitor logic;
of draft monitoring
instrument ready
check monitor USA
instrument
(B/NL scope) Exploring options for d- Exploring options for d-
Open Database HR
Train the trainer
in SWE
Train the trainer
(ambas)
determining OD logic
MichielPeter
Collecting educational HR related material
e.g.) HR & SWE
Medium (book e.g.) HR & SWE
material; drafting
TtT informed and involved
Michel
Michel
material
(internationally)
(internationally) Adjustments, 2nd draft, acquiring feed forward
Keeping ambassadors
among ambas.
among our ambas.
informed and involved
informed and involved
feedback, feed forward,
feedback, feed forward,
milestone updates)
milestone updates)
announcement of UNCRPD
each in B & NL)
Keeping ambassadors
milestone updates)
(e.g. by asking for
Deciding what kind of medium we want to
exploring first ideas,
develop (book, teacher
material
Michiel
first concepts
guide book, toolkit,
(internationally)
Inventory of educational
(re)writing our own
(re)writing our own
(re)writing our own
educational material
educational material
educational material
ecourse, website, etc.)
Rudy Jeroen
Consulting experts on financing European
Jeroen
projects fpur of our HR in SW(E) endeavour
Decision-making w.r.t.
Inventory of options for applying for EU subsidies
Sustainable
Decision taken +
application for EU
who will be the
subsidy + selecting
project leader and
preferred partners (EU +
who will be the
outside) Informing our EU
partners
network w.r.t.
ESWRA (samen met CA-
ESWRA (april)
TISSA (august) BPSW confer.
FESET (may)
FESET (7,8,9 may)
HDCA (september)
HRE (december)
HRE (december) HDCA (september)
ABBREVIATIONS Ambas Ambassadors e.g.
For example
Fpur
For the Purpose of …
HR
Human Rights
MI
Monitoring Instrument
Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (Internal Quality Assurance)
OER
Open Educational Resources
OD
Open Database
R1
Round 1, etc.
SWE
Social Work Education
TtT
Train the Trainer
UAS
University of Applied Sciences (HBO)
UU
University (Research Universities)
WG
Working Group
With regards to/with respect to
Red cells = milestones Green cells==actions actionsto totake take Grey cells
project)
SWE
ESWRA (april) Werkconfer. (march)
HRE (december)
(e.g. Erasmus KA2
project)
milestones
contributions etc.) conferences,
Werkconfer. TISSA (august) (march) BPSW confer.
(e.g. Erasmus KA2
anchoring of HR in
conferences, accomplished,
SD)
With reservation, start writing the application
network w.r.t.
accomplished,
Special Intrestgroup
Jeanette
With reservation, start writing the application
Europe-wide
Informing our EU
milestones
Jeanette
contributions etc.)
Dissemination Dissemination
(e.g. by asking for feedback, feed forward,
informed and involved
Jeroen
(symposia, etc.)etc.) (symposia,conferences conferences
lecturers at UU/UAS
First draft ready.
Composing a WG;
w.r.t.
educational material to support
Acquiring feed forward
Didier
NVAO
Inventory of
conferences etc.) conferences etc.) Keeping ambassadors Dissemniate invitations for 50 ambassadors (2 informed and involved our small scale conference; Drafting of Action Plan (e.g. by asking for ambas of 25 UAS
Rudy
international Sustainable international network network
material
(e.g. milestone updates, (e.g. milestone updates,
Didier Jeroen Michiel
Finances Finances
Collecting HR related
(content & didactic)
base medium (ICT);
Inventory of educational Inventory of educational
structure and content Keeping of Keeping ambassadors ambassadors
ecourse
Medium (book
base medium (ICT);
OD Logic ready
(fpur OER)
Peter
Ambassadorshi p (ambas) Ambassadorship
Deciding on criteria &
Rudy
EASSW (june)