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Funding for homelessness services in Australia has traditionally been based on short-term contracts centred on specific outputs, rather than outcomes. However, social work research has suggested that lengthier projects with individualised responses are needed, and longer-term funding is required to align with this need. Consequently, social impact bonds (SIBs), a new method of funding programs for longer time periods, have emerged, shifting the focus away from crisis management and towards prevention by assessing service usage and savings associated with a reduction in service usage. This approach relies heavily on funding from the private sector and is conditional on services meeting specific outcomes within a time frame. It is important for social workers to understand this new funding model and its implications for social policy, as well as to critically understand its alignments with social work values and purpose. This article has reviewed literature on the outcomes of homelessness interventions and how these outcomes may inform SIB investment in future. IMPLICATIONS SIB funding has the capacity to facilitate longer term programs. SIB funding has the potential to address the largely individualised presentation and support requirements for people experiencing homelessness. Social workers need to understand SIB structures and their potential to leverage sustainable longer-term funding, but also understand tensions such as how SIBs contribute to the movement of social welfare funding towards a more neoliberalist model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes activities and strategies hybrid businesses use to enhance environmental wellbeing, including a mix of modelling, education, stewardship, collaboration and nature connection. It is based on a multi-case study focusing on three hybrid businesses. Observation indicated there were benefits for both the natural environment and to people involved with the organisations, suggesting caring for the environment and for people can occur concurrently. Activities described could be adopted by social workers interested in increasing environmental wellbeing and justice, including a focus on the environment in social work and promoting the implementation of an alternative social-economic world system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological crisis, marked by the Anthropocene epoch, is having a major impact on the global ecosystem, and the consequences are predicted to become increasingly severe in coming decades. The turbulence and uncertainty of the crisis means social work must begin planning, reflecting and reorientating. The first half of the article contextualises the climate crisis within neoliberal capitalism, whereas the second half proposes alternatives for social work practice that attempt to exist outside these structures. We have argued that social work should have a greater focus on developing an eco-social transition which means engaging with alternative economic systems, intentional communities, community gardens and localism. These approaches can practically espouse the profession's values whilst beginning to conceptualise a response to the climate crisis that operates outside neoliberal capitalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the fourth industrial revolution, and in higher education it will fundamentally transform the work of academics and higher education administrators. AI will also have several implications for students, including a reconsideration of what sorts of skills and knowledge should be taught and developed in the academy to prepare students for digital working lives. As social work educators, we have begun to wonder what the implications of AI in the academy will have for social work education. For educators, there are implications for pedagogy that go well beyond the introduction of new digital tools that merely integrate into existing teaching models and practices. This is because AI will not simply add to existing teaching modes and practices, but will fundamentally transform teaching and learning. Drawing on recent literature and research into in AI and higher education, this article explores possible future implications for social work education. We identify the transformative and disruptive potential of AI in higher education, and consider how this intersects with the ethical and relational side of social work as a profession. Implications for social work education are canvassed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to understand the extent, range and nature of social work research activity after natural disasters and to identify the implications for future research and practice. A Scoping review methodology framework was used search of three databases: Web of Science, ProQuest and Informit was conducted to identify relevant studies between 2000 and 2018. Selection of studies was based on empirical research about social work and natural disasters and/or authored by social workers. Study selection found a total of 38 relevant articles. Charting the data was conducted and the following areas of focus were summarised: (1) interventions relating to psychosocial care, aid work and community work; (2) the effects of disasters on people and mediators of these effects; (3) social work education and challenges in disaster relief; and (4) measuring mental health outcomes of people who have experienced a disaster event. This scoping review has established that there is a range of social work literature focused on natural disasters that primarily examines social work interventions, the effects of disasters and social work education. Future social work research and practice needs to focus on the types and timing of interventions that promote positive recovery following natural disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disasters pose fundamental tests to human resilience not only for physical survival but also on socio-political civility. Internationally, armed conflict remains a significant problem for human security causing humanitarian crises, such as forced migration and food shortages. Globally, there is an increasing recognition that disasters have moved from random events of nature to an increased consciousness that human activity has escalated the frequency and severity of climate catastrophes such as wildfires, famines, storms and rising sea levels. Alongside communities, social work has a critical role to play in preparing and responding to disasters and working with people to rebuild, maintain and achieve their hopes. This article broadens social work's orientation to hope beyond the therapeutic 'installation of hope' by including emancipatory hope in the context of disasters and recovery. Drawing from Braithwaite's work, this article describes a framework for practice, which advocates for the strategic integration of cognitive change (aligned with Snyder's view of hope) and structural change (aligned with emancipatory hope) that social workers could mobilise before, during and after disasters. We argue that whilst social workers must build individual psychological hope, this cannot be done without structural change and advocacy to enable viable pathways for achieving hopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic have been catastrophic internationally, with alarming rates of cases and deaths, as well as travel bans and countrywide lockdowns. While many industries are experiencing the deleterious effects of Covid-19, international surrogacy is facing enormous ethical challenges resulting from the pandemic. Drawing on the first author's reflections on research with Indian surrogate mothers, coupled with contemporary literature, this paper highlights the impacts of Covid-19 on surrogacy in India, particularly regarding the strict lockdown laws intended to protect civil society. This paper discusses the serious issues facing key actors involved in surrogacy, including surrogate mothers and commissioning parents. Focus is given to the psychological impacts on newborn babies caught in a liminal space as a result of lockdown laws. The authors conclude with reflections on the role of social work in protecting women and children in international surrogacy, particularly during a pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hope has dynamic features that look to the future and motivate people. Yet despite being synonymous with social work, psychological terms have tended to define hope's perimeters. Its role in social work is often heralded, yet its unique, critical and temporal role has not been well mapped in social work theory. This article explores the use of hope in social work practice. A conceptual framework highlights the richness of hope, its application in social work practice and its position in social work relationships. The implications for direct practice, further research and professional education are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supervision is recognised as one of the major determinants of the quality of service to social work clients, the advancement of professional development and social workers' level of job satisfaction. However, educational and supportive roles of supervisors have been constrained by administrative obligations. It is envisaged that the future path of supervision will be a new form of organisational learning. This paper aims to integrate supervision with three other kinds of organisational learning: mentorship, consultation and coaching. A typology of organisational learning is presented and the implications of an integrative organisational learning practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media and other online technologies have transformed communication between social workers and service users, with many practitioners engaging and working with clients through social networking sites. While there are numerous ethical issues associated with online practice related to confidentiality, dual relationships, and boundary crossing, there is lack of clarity about how to deal with such issues. This article uses a case example to develop a nuanced understanding of ethical issues and ethical behaviour in online spaces. We argue that social workers need to link their knowledge of the complex interplay between discourses that underpin daily practice like those related to power, permanency, authorship, audience, embodiment, and professionalism to social media created spaces. In doing this, social workers must retain their commitment to ethical values and critical reflective practice. We conclude with recommendations for education, research, and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

INTRODUCTION: This paper explores a reform to worker relationships at the frontline of the Australian income support and government service provider (Centrelink). Reform involved social workers providing guidance to customer service workers and working closely with them in order to improve interactions with people seeking assistance. METHODS: A case study traced reform in two Centrelink offices over one year, and included semi-structured interviews and observations with social workers and customer service workers. A thematic analysis highlighted the nature of changes to worker relationships over time, and how new relationships supported new organizational practices. FINDINGS: Customer service workers initially reported both anxiety and excitement, expressing admiration of social workers' skills and knowledge. Over time, they emphasised the inspiration and interpersonal support social workers provided them, how this helped them deal with difficult situations and was missed when not available. Social workers' initial scepticism around demands on their time and challenges to their professionalism gave way (in part) to a sense of influencing and guiding workers towards more humanising interactions, although some concerns and organizational tensions remained. CONCLUSION: Guidance to other workers is a form of leadership which fits well with social work's relational, supportive potential. Tensions in the welfare context mean that providing guidance is both rewarding and challenging, taking social workers on an adventurous journey involving adversity and (self) discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers write a lot and their writing has a major impact on people's lives. The complexity of their writing task arises because they must deal with confidential client information while usually writing for multiple audiences. This means that social work students must achieve more than the basics of technical writing skills. The purpose of this article is twofold. First, after reviewing the literature on the importance and challenges of writing well in social work (and having hosted a number of writing workshops for social workers and human services practitioners), we argue that the development of students' writing skills must be framed within the social, political and ethical professional circumstances in which students will be working in the future. By teaching writing skills through the lens of the profession's ethics and values, students will be instilled with a greater understanding of the importance of writing. Second, we propose a model of ethical professional writing which integrates three essential elements that must conjoin in tandem: reflective mindfulness of the client-centred focus of writing responsibilities; a sound understanding of the values and principles of the social work and human services professions as highlighted in the unifying themes in various codes of ethics; and competence in compositional, rhetorical and technical writing skills. In particular, this article focuses on the second element of this model which is concerned with having a sound understanding of the values and principles of ethical professional writing. We conclude that this framework will promote writing competence and benefit clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores an engagement process undertaken by Australian government social workers in one disadvantaged locality prior to the introduction of federal “teenage parent” welfare reforms. The focus of engagement was to learn about young parents’ experiences and aspirations, and to draw on this to inform policy implementation. Findings from engagement, and how engagement between social workers and young parents impacted local policy implementation are discussed, including the subsequent development of family friendly school options. The authors suggest that problematizing early parenting may itself be “risky,” and may obscure opportunities for building on the parental role as a source of inspiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transgender community represents a highly marginalised portion of the Australian population, frequently experiencing discrimination, social isolation, and harm. This review explores literature informing Australian social work with transgender people. It highlights the importance of generating a transgender-positive discourse within Australian social work to effectively engage with and advocate for individuals with nontraditional gender identities. Key themes emerged from reviewing the literature related to the medical model, the mental health of transgender people, interdisciplinary and alternative transgender literature, minority status of transgender people, existing social work approaches to transgenderism, and Indigenous transgender literature. The views of transgender Australians are largely absent from the literature. However, the Australian transgender community's emerging voice and political activism highlights the potential for collaboration to play a significant role in the process of building a working knowledge base for social work. Based on the identified gaps in literature, in this paper we call for continued progress in developing a theoretical and practical knowledge base that incorporates the lived experiences of transgender Australians. We argue for the development of an approach to practice that is responsive to gender diversity. Highlighted in the review are the conditions that promote greater engagement with the transgender community. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Based on a social intervention research study into mentoring with women from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, this study considers some of the key differences between traditional workplace and community-based mentoring when used as a social work intervention. The study involved 18 women who participated in a preparation-for-mentoring groupwork program for 12 months. Eleven of these participants were then matched with a mentor and supported in this relationship for a further 12 months. Qualitative analysis points to three key factors likely to enhance the success of community-based mentoring relationships: (i) relational qualities, such as trust, engagement, and authenticity; (ii) mentees' readiness for change and ability to overcome adversity; and (iii) mentors' practical assistance with tasks and overcoming obstacles. Social workers implementing a community-based mentoring program need to be mindful of the importance of these factors in order to ensure that mentees are supported to engage effectively in any mentoring relationship and overcome structural, community, and familial barriers that may adversely affect them. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Social work clinicians across health care settings are uniquely positioned to disseminate valuable practice experience, thereby contributing to knowledge development within their field of practice and across disciplines. Unfortunately, practitioners tend to shy away from writing and research, and are often reluctant to publicly disseminate their expertise through peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. To better support health social workers in scholarly endeavors, we developed and implemented The Writing Series Project in southeast Queensland, Australia. This article reports on the development, programmatic challenges and practitioner feedback that offer insight into the benefits and pitfalls that we encountered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The machinery of income support can have considerable influence in people's lives, creating opportunities for social work but also tensions: access to vulnerable people, but not always on their terms. This paper argues that the challenge to social work is about more than holding on to professional discretion. It considers how social workers can influence service delivery approaches to work more relationally, pursuing a more equal involvement of clients, and recognising the complex interactive context of social and community life. The authors trace the development of such an approach within the Australian Government human services delivery agency Centrelink in Logan, Queensland, and briefly consider a parallel innovation in Newcastle, New South Wales. The authors suggest that grounding a large institutional social service agency in the realities of client and community experiences has mutual benefits, creating a more humanising, cooperative space, and displacing inefficient and sometimes tragic cycles of misunderstanding, confrontation, and disconnection. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]