Social policy practice preferences by social work students: Implications for macro practice education

Abstract

Abstract This article aims to discuss social work students’ choices of issues/needs for social policy practice and how those choices of policy issues can be employed to refine social policy education and training so as to better engage social work students and practitioners in policy practice. By employing reflective and secondary data analysis methods, the article looks at social policy practice assessments of social work students and identifies the chosen social issues/needs for setting the agenda, advocacy and policy analysis. The analysis shows a wide range of social issues/needs chosen by students for policy practice, without any particular pattern, and offers insights on how to design student-centred learning for policy practice assessments. It argues for the expansion of the knowledge and skills-base of the social work profession to create a balance between micro and macro practice. The reflective discussion suggests the implications for innovative ways of designing curriculum for macro social work education and preparing students for policy practice.