Abstract
Social care work practice involves planning and delivery of quality services and supports to work with individuals with discerned needs to empower and work in partnership with them to assist them further develop, integrate and function within society. The individuals’, whether students or clients, emotional, social, physical, cognitive, and behavioural needs must be understood and met in a person-centred approach similar to that outlined by Rogers. Humanistic practitioners constantly keep the individual and their needs at the forefront of all interactions. A case study approach was adopted to ascertain if humanistic theories within a personal development module were relevant to social care work students, social care workers and practice education supervisors. Overall, 41 interviews were convened and thematically analysed. The findings proclaim, humanistic approaches are effective, and they provide a good conceptual framework from which to work. The implication for social care work learning, social care work practice and practice education placements is that those participants value the insights residing in the unconscious and relying on non-directive, optimistic outlooks focusing on the individuals’ worked with ability to bring about positive changes in their own lives and that these individuals strive for self-actualisation. The humanistic philosophy upon which person-centred approaches reside allows for Personal Development groupwork and Social Care Work practice to develop a climate where the expression of attitudes and behaviours are encouraged. Individuals are assisted with developing their capacities for constructive changes and exchanges; individuals are empowered to achieve personal and social transformations.
Presenters
Geraldine MaughanLecturer and Researcher, Applied Social Sciences, Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, Kildare, Ireland
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Past and Present in the Humanistic Education
KEYWORDS
HUMANISTIC THEORIES, SOCIAL SCIENCE PEDAGOGY, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, STUDENTS, SOCIAL CARE
