Promoting leadership skills in field education:a university-community partnership to bring macro and micro together in gerontological field placements.
Social workers are being called upon to utilize a wide range of skills in practice including not only skills of working directly with clients, but also skills related to practice in organizations such as program management, inter-organizational cooperation, research and evaluation. This article describes an innovative geriatric field education program that prepares social workers with leadership skills in both direct service and management, and engages community agencies as both sites for student learning and as beneficiaries of their professional development projects. Case examples are provided and benefits and challenges to the model are discussed.
Mertz
Linda K P
LK
School of Social Welfare, University at Albany, Albany, NY 12222, USA. lmertz@albany.edu
Fortune
Anne E
AE
Zendell
Anna L
AL
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D017144:Focus Groups; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D017145:Models, Educational; D009518:New York; D011364:Professional Practice; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012947:Social Work / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D014495:Universities / Q000458:organization & administration*