The meeting strengthened the link between training and practice in Social Work

On 19 November, the 3rd Meeting of Field Instructors, Supervisors and Social Work Students took place — a space for dialogue and sharing that brought together professionals, professors and students to reflect on the challenges and learning processes within the scope of supervision and internship guidance in Social Work. The event, held at Lusófona University – Porto University Centre, was a privileged opportunity to bring academia and professional practice closer together.

According to professor Eva Chaves, professor on the Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and one of the lecturers responsible for organising the meeting together with professor Paula Caetano, the aim of the event was “to strengthen the link between academic training and professional practice, contributing to the continuous improvement of internship quality”.

The programme included the participation of Cláudia Mónica, professor at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (Brazil), who addressed the theme “Supervision of Internships in Social Work”. This was followed by contributions from Carla Lopes, social worker at the Integrated Response Centre of the Northern Regional Health Administration, Porto Ocidental unit (CRI, Porto Ocidental – ARS Norte), and Luísa Lima, social worker at the Santa Cruz do Bispo Women’s Prison (DGRSP), who shared their experiences as internship supervisors. Second- and third-year students also contributed with testimonies and reflections on their paths and internship experiences.

During her presentation, Luísa Lima highlighted the current social crisis as the backdrop for internships and professional practice: “We are experiencing a major social crisis, with many challenges and situations that are difficult to work with. It is essential to believe that it is always possible to do better, even with limited resources.” She also stressed the importance of empathy, good judgement and the ability to convey values and examples to students. She emphasised that when students question practices and bring an external perspective, they help professionals rethink and improve their work: “Knowledge is constantly changing, and students are an asset in the field.”

Carla Lopes, in turn, described her experience as “rewarding because it forces you out of your comfort zone”. She explained that supervising internships allows one to develop skills and highlighted the importance of systematising practices to understand what is done in a professional’s daily work.

In an interview, Sofia Ribeiro, a graduate in Social Work, shared a message for students about to begin their internships. She stressed that it is natural to begin this process with expectations, but equally essential to maintain an open and flexible attitude: “to understand that we may arrive at our internship placement and things may not go as we expect. Therefore, it is important for students starting their internship to go with an open mind, to be prepared, proactive, dynamic, adaptable and, above all, empathetic.” The social worker also highlighted the importance of not giving up in the face of challenges, but instead finding creative solutions to transform difficulties into learning opportunities.

The 3rd Meeting of Field Instructors, Supervisors and Social Work Students reaffirmed itself as an essential space for reflection and sharing. By bringing together different voices, the event contributed to strengthening the connection between theory and practice, promoting training that is more aware, critical and adapted to the demands of the social reality of our country.

See the Event Photos on ULusófona’s Facebook Page

Image
Bruna Pereira

Image Editing
Gabriel Motta

Text
Bruna Pereira