Teaching social work practice

The requirements of postmodern university education, in a global context, give a fundamental importance to practical work. Prospective social workers need to develop not only knowledge but also skills and values to conduct professional interventions for resolving or improving contemporary social issues. At national level there is a bill submitted to the Chamber of Deputies, which proposed to consider field training as length of serviceafter graduation. If such an approach will become law, social work graduates will have better access to the labor market thus eliminating bureaucratic employer conditionsto have years of experience.

“Social Work Practice” is the result of a unanimous desire of the teaching staff of the Department of Social Work from the West University of Timisoara. The completion of such a study is in agreement with the need for improvement of the quality of field instruction, achieving homogenous work procedures and evaluation.

Since the establishment of the department in 1992, practical training of our students has been a priority, through the rigor of the activities undertaken and we are honored to mention here the contribution of Professor Viorel Prelici, PhD,who laid the foundations of social education in the Western part of the country.

This volume has been achieved through the efforts of a team of teachers from the Social Work Department, Faculty of Sociology and Psychology from the West University of Timisoara. The authors wish to express their gratitude to the colleagues who have taken on the challenge to improve field training, bringing their contributions in completing this volume: Professor Ana Muntean, PhD, associate professor Alexandru Neagoe, PhD, and Eugen Bucur, PhD.

OPINIA CITITORILOR