This fully revised new edition of Becoming a Social Worker is made up of entirely new stories. Providing a ‘glocal’ frame of reference, the book describes the personal and professional narratives of a diverse range of people working in social work in the UK, what brought them into the field and what has kept them in it ever since.
The lively accounts reveal what it is like to be a social worker in a range of practice settings today and, at the same time, demonstrate that commitment and passion remain at the heart of social work. Some contributors will be recognised as people who have played a key part in shaping social work over the years; they provide insights into how the profession has developed over time. Other contributors, less well known but no less interesting, give a vivid account of the ongoing challenges that social work education and practice face, and the values that underpin social work. Social work is a demanding and difficult job that goes largely unseen within society. We only ever hear about social work and social workers when something goes wrong and a vulnerable adult or child is hurt. Becoming a Social Worker sets out to change that – to make social work visible, so that those considering a career in the caring professions across the world can make an informed choice about whether social work is the career for them.
It is relevant for all induction courses at the beginning and prior to coming on social work programmes including all relevant HNC and HND courses as well as preparation for practice courses on all undergraduate and postgraduate social work programmes.
Introduction
Viviene E. Cree
Chapter 1 - My Darkness, My Light
Ahmina Akhtar
Chapter 2 - Social Work: A Profession That Chose Me
Avril McIvor
Chapter 3 - Becoming a Significant Person
Bethany Morgan
Chapter 4 - Becoming a Social Worker in Northern Ireland
Brenda Brady
Chapter 5 - Putting Families First
Brid Featherstone
Chapter 6 - My Journey in Social Work: Reflections from an Intersectional Lens
Claudia Bernard
Chapter 7 - Social Work: A Calling
Helen Birtwhistle
Chapter 8 - Social Work Education: Taking the Scenic Route
Joe Duffy
Chapter 9 - How One Social Worker Made a Difference
Karen McAlister
Chapter 10 - "It can be done; it must be done; so do it"
Kevin Owens
Chapter 11 - Using Your Privilege as a Social Worker
Lakshmi Ajay
Chapter 12 - A Social Work Career in Wales
Neil Thompson
Chapter 13 - The Caring Social Worker
Oluwatoyin Adenugba-Okpaje
Chapter 14 - Navigating Social Work Education and Practice as a Gender Variant Practitioner
Rupert McCranor
Chapter 15 - Purpose and Passion: a Journey in Social Work
Ruth Allen
Chapter 16 - Social Work: A Relationship-Based Profession
Sally Holland
Chapter 17 - Being a Specialist Palliative Care Social Worker
Suzy Croft
Chapter 18 - African Values in Western Social Work
Tafadzwa Kangara
Chapter 19 - My Journey into Social Work in Three Stories: Identity, Growing and Creativity
Tarsem Singh Cooner
Chapter 20 - Becoming a Social Worker and a Client: My Lived Experiences
Tess Hutchinson
Chapter 21 - Cultivating a Better Future
Tim Walker
Chapter 22 - A Road Less Travelled
Tony Wright
Chapter 23 - Social work: A Glocal Profession
Viviene E. Cree
Biography
Viviene E. Cree worked as a community worker, social worker and was latterly Professor of Social Work Studies at The University of Edinburgh. She has researched and published widely on social work topics. Scottish Association of Social Workers (SASW) awarded her their Lifetime Achievement for Social Work in 2018.
