Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)

Course Description Status: Approved

Course Description Version: 24/25.P.1.00

Description Period: 2024./25 academic year pavasara semestris

Study Course Accepted: -

Study Course Description

Social Work in Rural Community

Main Study Course Information

Course Code
LUSDK_191
Branch of Science
Social Politics and Organisation of Social Work; Sociology and social work
ECTS
3.00
Target Audience
Social Welfare and Social Work
LQF
Level 7
Study Type And Form
Full-Time; Part-Time

Study Course Implementer

Course Supervisor
Anna Broka
Structure Unit Manager
Liāna Deklava
Structural Unit
Department of Rehabilitation
Contacts

Riga, 26a Anninmuizas boulevard, socdk@rsu.lv, +371 67061575

About Study Course

Objective

To provide knowledge and develop an understanding about the social work in local environment – the provision and organization of social services in rural areas (community/ surrounding) of Latvia, taking into consideration the limited availability of social services and resources in a changing working environment and the interaction with people, their habits, living conditions.

Preliminary Knowledge

Bachelor's degree in health or social sciences, work experience in the social field.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1.Will acquire the common understanding and knowledge about rurality – environment, impact factors (habits, culture, socioeconomic environment etc.). Will be able to identify and apply the needs – assessment framework in rural community's changing environment in contextual settings of social policy and existing resources; will be able to use social functioning framework, quality of life, social capital, participatory and social innovation approach.

Skills

1.Will be able to assess the resources and availability of social services in the rural community; will be able to assess the existing rural community environment from comparative perspective (rural-urban analysis); will be able to analyze applied social work methods and tools; will be able to promote and implement social change.

Competences

1.Will be able to apply the knowledge and practice gained during the course for specific social work problem cases; will be able to offer on development-oriented solution and/ or use knowledge to promote the process of change and social innovations in rural areas.

Assessment

Individual work

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.
Individual work
-
-
Quality of life and impact assessment of rural community "x": community mapping.

Examination

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.
Examination
-
-
Define social problem x in rural community and analyse social policies that determine the social work agency and other social service provider's work, availability of resources and opportunities to interact in local rural communities while solving the social problem. Argue in accordance with the Governmental institutional settings (welfare, education, security provider's, social service agency and other social service provider's data/ information and/ or in accordance with identified social problem or existing research (statistical data, case studies etc.).
2.
Examination
-
-
Choose one social problem you are working on (or have worked on previously) in rural environment; perform self-reflection in accordance with available social work tools and describe critical reflection procedure you obtained. Describe, what kind of social work support tools have been used in order to obtain self-reflection and critical reflection in social work.
3.
Examination
-
-
Choose a social case and prepare an assessment of social functioning; after the social functioning assessment, choose appropriate social work methods and tools in order to solve a social case. Take into consideration the socio-economic environment of the local rural community - identify what resources and opportunities are available outside the social service department or other social service provider. Presentation shall be presented in class.
4.
Examination
-
-
Read the description of the given x case (available on intranet) and present the social work methods and tools that will be used to solve the social problem of the current case. What professional values and resources are needed to initiate a social change in an existing rural environment x?
5.
Examination
-
-
Choose a social case in a rural community; performs social capital assessment - what resources and empowerment tools are available in the community, identify community leadership, social networks. Prepare an intervention scenario based on the existing assessment and identify the social innovation that could result from such intervention. Presentation shall be presented in class.
6.
Examination
-
-
Choose one of the tasks and prepare a presentation: (a) prepare general assessment of the socio-economic environment of the rural community in X village and / or county; (b) identify the problem of aging and explain the use of available social work tools with reference to gerontological approach, explain with an example or case; (c) identify and explain general living conditions of other vulnerable groups in rural areas. Presentation shall be presented in class.
7.
Examination
-
-
Attendance and participation in lectures and seminars, independent research analysis; presentation of independent work and tasks.

Study Course Theme Plan

FULL-TIME
Part 1

  1. Social values and management of social change in rural communities

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2

  1. Rural environment and aging: gerontological social work approach

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2

  1. Social policy and social change: analysis of available social services and resources in rural area

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Unaided Work
On site
Other
0

  1. Social work instruments – professional values and management of change in rural environment

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2

  1. Social functioning and quality of life in rural communities

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2

  1. Self assessment and critical reflection in rural social work

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Unaided Work
On site
Placement location
0

  1. Social capital, social innovations and networking in rural areas

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
24 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam
PART-TIME
Part 1

  1. Social values and management of social change in rural communities

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2

  1. Rural environment and aging: gerontological social work approach

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2

  1. Social policy and social change: analysis of available social services and resources in rural area

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Unaided Work
On site
Other
0

  1. Social work instruments – professional values and management of change in rural environment

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2

  1. Social functioning and quality of life in rural communities

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2

  1. Self assessment and critical reflection in rural social work

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Unaided Work
On site
Placement location
0

  1. Social capital, social innovations and networking in rural areas

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
24 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam

Bibliography

Required Reading

1.

Bela B., et.al. Ilgtspējīgas attīstības sociālā dimensija – kā virzāmies pretī cieņpilnai dzīvei sociāli atbildīgā valstī. Ch. 2, Ed. Zobena, A. Inovatīvi risinājumi ceļā uz ilgtspēju: sabiedrība, ekonomika, vide. LU Akadēmiskais apģads, Rīga, 2018, 110-143.

2.

Bela, B. Sociālās inovācijas labākai dzīvei. Sociālās inovācijas: valsts loma to sekmēšanā pasaulē un Latvijā. Ch.3.1. Ed. Bela, B., Ilgtspējīga attīstība un sociālās inovācijas. LU Akadēmiskais apģads, Rīga, 2018.

3.

Broka, A., Kūle, L., Kūla, E. Sociālā cilvēkdrošība: bērni un ģimenes ar bērniem Latvijā. Rokasgrāmata sociālā jomā strādājošiem. LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, Latvijas Universitāte, 2014.

4.

Gary Hart, L., Casey R. B. Defining Rurality. Ch.1. In Crosby, Richard A., et al. Rural Populations and Health: Determinants, Disparities, and Solutions, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2012, 23-37.

5.

Hodakovska-Migunova, J. 2017. Pašvaldību nodrošināto sociālo pakalpojumu attīstība un sociālais darbs Tukuma novadā. Sast. L. Vilka, Sociālais darbs: izglītība, pētniecība, prakse 2017. Rīga: Rīgas Stradiņa universitāte, 91-104.lpp.

6.

Melinda L. Lewis, Diane L. Scott & Carol Calfee. Rural Social Service Disparities and Creative Social Work Solutions for Rural Families Across the Life Span, Journal of Family Social Work, 16:1. 2013, p.101-115

7.

Robertson, S.L. The Role of Technology in Service Delivery for People with Disabilities in Rural Communities. Ch 4., In D.A. Harley et al. (eds.), Disability and Vocational Rehabilitation in Rural Settings, 2018, 59-76

8.

Stuart, H.Paul. Conceptual and Historical Foundations of Rural Social Welfare. Part I., Ed.T. Laine Scales, et al., in Rural Social Work: Building and Sustaining Community Capacity, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2013, 1-56.

9.

Zīverte, L. Kolektīvās rīcības nozīme kopienas sociālās drošības stiprināšanā: rīcībpētījums par Talsu novada fonda ieguldījumu iedzīvotāju iniciatīvu veicināšanā. Zin. Red. F. Rajevska, Valsts pētījumu programma "Nacionālā identitāte". Projekts «Nacionālā identitāte un sociālā cilvēkdrošība", Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2014.

10.

Wendel et. Al. Capacity Building in Rural Communities, Ch 12. In Crosby, Richard A., et al. Rural Populations and Health: Determinants, Disparities, and Solutions, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2012, 215-23

Additional Reading

1.

Reģionu attīstība Latvijā. 2010.

2.

Valsts reģionālās attīstības aģentūra. Reģionu attīstība Latvijā 2009, Rīgā, 2010.

3.

Nacionālais attīstības plāns 2027.

4.

Heron, B. Self-reflection in critical social work practice: subjectivity and the possibilities of resistance. Reflective Practice, 6:3, 341-351.

5.

Jessica E. Haxton PhD LCSW & Amy Z. Boelk PhD APSW. Serving Families on the Frontline: Challenges and Creative Solutions in Rural Hospice Social Work, Social Work in Health Care. 2010.

6.

Sandra S. Butler PhD & Nancy M. Webster MSW. Chapter 4: Advocacy Techniques with Older Adults in Rural Environments, Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 2004, 41:1-2,59-74.

7.

Gurid Aga Askeland & Jan Fook. Critical reflection in social work, Routledge: Taylor&Francis Group. 2009, 12:3, 287-292.

8.

Kaye, Lenard W., S. Butler. Gerontological Social Work in Small Towns and Rural Communities, Routledge, 2004.

9.

Tyrer et al. The Social Functioning Questionnaire: A Rapid and Robust Measure of Perceived Functioning. (IJSP), 51(3), 265-274.

Other Information Sources

1.

Issue Brief on Rural Child Welfare Practice. Child Welfare Information Gateway, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Administration on Children, Youth and Families Children’s Bureau, February 2018.

2.

Latvijas lauku telpas attīstība un tās iespējamie nākotnes scenāriji.

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