101109: Social Workers' Suggestions for Effective Rural Practice

About the Course:

Two focus groups of participants at a national rural social work conference answered the research question, “What are your suggestions for engaging in effective social worker practice in rural areas?” The participants offered specific recommendations for social work practice with rural people and communities. They supported these recommendations with illustrations from their experiences as social work practitioners in rural settings. Text data drawn from transcribed audiotapes of the focus groups were coded into open, axial, and selective data themes. While generalizability is limited, this small sample of social workers offered a glimpse of their views of rural practice. They offered practical, down-to-earth advice for rural social work practitioners within main data themes of community, connections, generalist practice, and diversity. COURSE SYLLABUS I. Background Literature II. Methods III. Results IV. Discussion and Summary

Journal/Publisher:

Alliance for Children and Families

Publication Date:

2007/Vol. 88, No. 2

Author

Joanne Riebschleger, PhD

About the Author:

Assistant Professor, Michigan State University

Recommended For:

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, psychologists, and other human services and behavioral health professionals who seek knowledge about rural social work practice. It is appropriate for participants with beginning and intermediate levels of knowledge about the topic.

Course Objectives:

1. Summarize current practices for practitioners in rural social work.

2. Identify practice recommendations within the main themes of community, connections, generalist practice and diversity.