PRINCIPLES AND FOUNDATIONS OF THE SOCIAL SERVICE
Course unit partition: Cognomi A-L

Academic year 2024/25
1° year of course - Annual
Professor
Francesca MACI
Academic discipline
Sociologia generale (SPS/07)
Field
Ambito aggregato per crediti di sede
Type of training activity
Base
54 hours
of face-to-face activities
9 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in ITALIAN

Learning objectives

The course, which lasts one year and is located in the first year of the course of study, is divided into n. 2 six-monthly modules: the first aimed at introducing and covering the history of welfare and social service, and the second at outlining the professional "protagonist", the Social Worker.
The expectation is that, at the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Know the social service, its historical evolution and in the current context;
2. Understand the essential theoretical and methodological elements of the discipline of social work;
3. Analyze the fundamental elements of the Social Worker profession;
4. Acquire skills regarding ethical attention, creativity, knowing how to communicate, reflexivity, critical thinking, taking care of oneself, the relationship with diversity and that with the organization;
5. Consolidate theoretical knowledge and operational strategies to strengthen professional skills through a critical and in-depth reading of the new Social Worker's Code of Ethics (2020).

Prerequisites

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Course unit content

Based on the objectives set and the structure of the course, divided into 2 semester modules, the main contents can be summarized as follows:

MODULE 1 (I semester)
- "Why do we help others?" Prosocial behavior and altruistic behavior.

- Introduction to Social Work:
- History of assistance
- The welfare state in Italy, from birth to evolution
- The history of the Italian social service
- Objectives, functions and activities of the social service
- The theoretical and methodological bases, the main theoretical models for professional practice
- The values ​​and philosophical bases: values ​​and principles of social work
- The ethical dimension: the Social Worker's Code of Ethics

MODULE 2 (II semester)
The Social Worker, a key figure in the social service:
- Values, principles and attitudes
- The functions of the Social Assistant
- Work relationships, areas of intervention and duties of the Social Worker
- The skills of the Social Worker
- Self-care

Full programme

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Bibliography

1. "The social service. Tools, actors and methods", by Perino A., ed. Franco Angeli
Chapter 6 (pages 181 - 222)

2. "New Deontological Code of the social worker: professional responsibilities" - edited by E. Filippini - ed. Carocci Faber

3. "Social work: key skills", by Bertotti T., Fazzi L., Rosignoli A., ed. Carocci Faber, 2021
All chapters (pp. 11 – 213)

Other teaching material and slides to support the contents of the lessons, which will be published in Elly on the page dedicated to Teaching.
These texts and materials are to be considered mandatory in relation to the final exam.

Teaching methods

The teaching methodology will be of a dialogic-interactive type, alternating theoretical frontal LESSONS with PRESENTATION and READING of EMPIRICAL CASES.
The course will be supplemented by in-depth SEMINARS conducted by external experts, Social Workers or professionals from other Institutions belonging to the network of public services and the Third Sector.

Assessment methods and criteria

The method of evaluating the objectives achieved will take place through a WRITTEN exam (multiple choice quiz) with n. 30 questions, which will cover all the topics covered during the lessons, seminars and contents in the bibliography, aimed at evaluating the study and learning of theoretical / practical notions.
The test lasts 1 hour.
Each question is worth 1 point, for a maximum total of 30 points.
As regards grades, 30 points correspond to 30/Lode, 29 points to 30/30, 28 points to 28/30, and so on. The test is considered passed with a minimum of 18 points.
The student must answer all the questions. Each unanswered question will be counted as an error.
For Erasmus students and students with special needs, the duration of the test will be 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Other information

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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development

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