09681 - Social Work Methods and Techniques I

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students will know the basic elements of social work; they will be able to deepen the cultural, historical, theoretical and methodological aspects; they will have methodological knowledge about social intervention and action activities; they will be able to construct gradual connections and analyze the methodological structures that guide social acton; they will be able to adopt a basic knowledge on social service organization.

Course contents

Attendance to this course is compulsory. Students are requested to attend at least 50% of lectures in order to be admitted to the final exam.

The following topics: will be developed:
• The history of assistance: from charity to the integrated  service system.
• The social worker: from assistance to profession.
• Analysis of theoretical models in a historical perspective.
• The methodology in social work: the help process.
• The operational tools.
• A quick overview of legislation on social services.
A focus  on the various functions of the social worker in criminal services for adult and minors: will  be provided: how to intervene on the disease and the authors of crime, how to build and support aid projects, how to deal with other professionals and institutions. In relation to these aspects, the paradigm of restorative justice will be followed in order to introduce the following topics: the juvenile legislation, the prison system, the system of territorial juvenile and social services, the third sector and the mediation.
A number of case studies will also be considered in order to deduce the process implemented by social workers to deal with the situations presented and grasp the theoretical and technical references that guide professional action.

In addition to lectures on the topic, this course will consist on:

-  seminars on specific contents and topics about social service, with particular reference to the areas of intervention of social workers;

- interaction between students and experts and/or witnesses of significant cases;

-  showing of films for analysis works on the tasks of social workers in the current socio-cultural context.

This course attributes maximum importance to a direct involvement of students in practical activities coordinated by the teacher; further reading material will also be suggested at class.

Readings/Bibliography

Compulsory reading for the final exam:

G. Pieroni, M. Dal Pra Ponticelli, Introduzione al Servizio Sociale, Carocci, Roma 2007 (from chapter 1 to chapter 6)

B. Zilianti, A. Rovai, Assistenti Sociali professionisti, Carocci, Roma 2007 (fromchapter 1 to chapter 4)

Slides on the theoretical models of Social work (available on the teacher's webpage).

U. Ciaschini, Servizio sociale minorile e giustizia penale. Cornice istituzionale e dimensione territoriale, Carocci (collana Biblioteca di testi e studi), Roma 2012.  

 

Suggested reading for a more in-depth study:

F. Franzoni- M. Anconelli, La rete dei servizi alla persona, Carocci, Roma-

M. Dal Pra Ponticelli, Dizionario di Servizio Sociale, Carocci Roma

Nicoletta  Agnello Hornby, Vento scomposto, Feltrinelli, 2009

Niccolò  Ammaniti, Come Dio comanda, Mondatori 2006

Giuseppe. Berto, Il male oscuro, Rizzoli,1964

Massimo. Recalcati, Cosa resta del padre, Raffaello Cortina Editore, 2011

Franco. Basaglia (a cura di), L'istituzione negata, Einaudi, 1968

Stefano Catellani, Fort Apache, Bollati Boringhieri, 2003

Simone Cristicchi, Centro di igiene mentale, Mondadori 2007

Vanessa Diffenbaugh, Il linguaggio segreto dei fiori, Garzanti, 2011

Fabio Geda,  L'esatta sequenza dei gesti, Instar libri 2008

Matteo B. Bianchi, Fermati a tanto così, Baldini Castoldi, 2002

Annie Ernaux, Non sono più uscita dalla mia notte, Rizzoli, 1997

Donatella Di Pietrantonio, Mia madre è un fiume, Elliot, 2011

Maria Chiara Colombari, Ho sognato uno spazio morbido, Antigone edizioni, 2009

Romain Gary, La vita davanti a sé, Biblioteca Neri Pozza, 1975

Fabio Geda, Nel mare ci sono i coccodrilli, Dalai editore, 2011

Jean Pierre Boris, Per cercare fortuna altrove, L'Ancora ed. 2007

Giovanni Catti, Quando la mia vicina di banco pensa Rom, Fuori Thema ed. 1994

Pino Petruzzelli, Non chiamarmi Zingaro,  Chiarelettere, 2008

Marc Augè, Diario di un senza fissa dimora Raffaello Cortina Editore, 2011

David Leavitt, Il voltapagine, Mondadori, 1998

David Leavitt, Mentre l'Inghilterra dorme, Mondadori, 1993

David Leavitt,La lingua perduta delle gru, Mondadori

Suzette Mayr  MonoCeros, Miravigia editore, 2011

Michela Marzano, Vorrei essere una farfalla, Mondadori, 2001

I Ciotoli di Jonas, I nuovi adolescenti, ed. Di Girolamo , 2009

I Ciotoli di Jonas,Anoressia e bulimia, ed. Di Girolamo , 2009

Don Andrea Gallo, Non uccidete il futuro dei giovani, Dalai editore, 2011

Don Andrea Gallo,Come un cane in chiesa, PIEMME ed. 2012

Don Andrea Gallo,Federico Traversa, Io cammino con gli ultimi, Dalai editore, 2010

Teaching methods

Lectures with focus on case studies, practical exercises and group works.

Assessment methods

The final exam will consist on an oral talk. The aim is checking whether students have learned the book contents and if a global and organic view of the course topics has been reached. Students are not required to report mnemonic what they read but, through a personal language style, they are requested to show that they have elaborated and internalized the course topics. Students are also required to promptly answer the questions. They must show expression skills as well as the use of a specific language and professionally correct terms.

Teaching tools

Further material will be available on the teacher's webpage during the course.

Office hours

See the website of Teresa Raffaella Sirimarco