Ateneo - UPO

The course is divided into three parts: 1. The founding dimension of social work: the national and international definition and some characterising aspects. The professional action of the social worker: areas, subjects and functions. Some elements of research and elaboration of the systematic body of theoretical knowledge. 2. The historical dimension: from the foundation of the Social Service in Anglo-Saxon countries to the current orientations in the Italian reality. 3. The deontological dimension. From reference values to professional responsibilities. These contents area strictly linked and they will be analyzed enhancing their interconnections.

Required texts: Testi obbligatori: 1. Fargion S., Il servizio sociale. Storia, temi e dibattiti. Laterza, Bari, 2018, capp.: Introduzione, 1, 2. 2. Sanfelici M., Fondamenti del servizio sociale anti-oppressivo,2024, capp.:1,2,3. 3. Campanini A. (a cura di), Gli ambiti di intervento del servizio sociale, Carocci, Roma, 2016, capp.: 1, 3, 4,7,9, 11,12,14. 4. Allegri E., De Luca A., Bartocci M.C. Gallione S., “Diversamente esperti”: i cittadini-utenti nella formazione universitaria dei futuri assistenti sociali. Analisi di una innovativa esperienza italiana, in Prospettive Sociali e Sanitarie, n.3, 2017, pp.25-29. 5. Campanini A. (diretto da), Nuovo Dizionario di Servizio sociale, Carocci, Roma, Nuova edizione 2022; in particolare è richiesto lo studio delle seguenti voci: Assistente sociale, Giustizia sociale, Ordine professionale, Processo di aiuto, Servizio sociale, Servizio sociale di comunità, Storia del servizio sociale, Trifocalità. 7. Definizione internazionale di Social Work: http://www.eassw.org/global-social-work/17/gdsw-definizione-internazionale-di-servizio-sociale.html 8. CNOAS, https://cnoas.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Il-nuovo-codice-deontologico-dellassistente-sociale.pdf

- To provide the knowledge of the basic principles of Social Work, as a field of study and as a profession, with the awareness of the interconnections with the social transformation processes and the recent developments of the welfare system.
- To drive and better target the student in the learning process of the theoretical and ethical dimensions of Social Work, encouraging a critical approach to the evolution of the profession.
- To raise awareness in the students about the relevance of gaining a critical approach about the present mission of the profession and about the different levels where social workers act in the welfare system (with clients, within the organizations, in the community).

None

During the classes there will be workshops and occasional tests.
It is highly recommended to participate to all the course for a better understanding of the chosen field of study

Each student is invited to register to the course DIR page:
https://www.dir.uniupo.it/course/index.php
Each student is invited to register to the course DIR page:
https://www.dir.uniupo.it/course/index.php
Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/servicesstudents-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The assessment of learning will take place during the final examination -in written form- in the time of 60 minutes- in the usual appeal sessions.
The written test will consist of 3 open-ended questions aimed at assessing the student's ability to apply knowledge and understanding, to articulate reasoning based on the logical connection of learned concepts, and to argue. Further clarification will be provided by the lecturer in the first lecture of the course and posted on the DIR website.

The evaluation criteria cover completeness and relevance of content, formal correctness and lexical property, ability to use interdisciplinary knowledge for Social Service, citation of sources and authors.

Having taken (though not passed) this exam is preparatory to the 1st year Internship Workshop that will take place in the second semester.

In the first part the social and historical origins of Social Work will be explored - from its first developments in Great Britain and in the United States – paying main attention to the most recent developments in Italy within the welfare system. There will also be a focus on national and international definitions of Social Work and their theoretical principles. The second part of the course will analyze the deontological dimension of the profession from its core values to the everyday responsibilities. There will be a deeper analysis of the first, the second, the third and the fourth part of Italian Code of Etichs (professional autonomy, discretion, ethical dilemmas) focusing on the complexity of the relationship with the client. In the third part of the course there will be a first presentation of the areas of the welfare system where social workers mainly serve (protective service for minors, older people, disability, mental health, addiction).

This course aims to give the students the basic foundations of Social Work in terms of theoretical and deontological principles, in connection with a basic knowledge of the welfare system with its more recent developments. The student is also required to have a good understanding of the Italian Code of Ethics for social workers and to have started to develop a reflexive approach to the subjects he has learned. It is, lastly, very important that the student realize the significance of the connection between theory and practice in Social Work that will be experienced mainly during the training on field.