Category Archives: internet

Social media should be an essential part of new social workers’ toolkits

September 6, 2014   Carers, Depression, disability, internet, Social care

Digital media enables professionals to communicate more effectively with service users and each other

Claudia Megele, senior lecturer, Middlesex University, and head of practice learning, Enfield council

Guardian Professional,

As social media becomes more ingrained in society, so its adoption and acceptance in social work and social care will become more normalised. Photograph: Jens Kalaene/dpa/Corbis

From production and management of services to workforce development and community engagement strategy, local authorities and councillors are exploring the potential of digital media for co-production and enhancement of services. The fast pace of technology means greater and more powerful means of collaboration and transformation of services and the workforce.

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Loneliness becoming a modern epidemic

August 21, 2014   Carers, Featured Article, internet, mental health, Older care

Family carers can feel lonely?

You’re not alone – more and more people are suffering loneliness. Lisa Salmon reports on a growing and worrying problem

WE ALL have days when we feel slightly alone. Our friends are busy, the kids are away, nobody’s responding to your texts or calls. But this is very different to feeling deeply, inconsolably lonely. Loneliness is a growing problem, in a modern society that spreads people further and further from their family roots and compels them more and more to interact with technology rather than real people.

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Social work in Australia: virtual teams offer supervision

July 11, 2014   Carers, disability, Featured Article, internet, Older care, Social care

Technology offers an accessible and affordable way for rural and isolated social workers to connect, reflect and learn

Amanda Nickson

 
An old water-pumping windmill stands in front of an abandoned farmhouse in Gawler, South Australia. Photograph: www.corbis.com/Paul A. Souders

Social work practice in rural Australia faces high staff turnover, burnout and difficulties in recruitment and retention. A lack of supervision and professional development opportunities have been identified as contributing to difficulties.

My research describes the process of peer supervision in virtual teams in rural and remote Australia, based on a research trial over a 12-month period.

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