Abstract
Preparing students for service in social work requires investment in students, both professionally and personally, to ensure that they are ready to meet the demands of practicing social work in complex and challenging times. This banded dissertation examined what social work students need from social work higher education programs beyond the competencies in the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (CSWE, 2015) to be prepared to carry out the mission of social work. It focused on preparing students in the areas of culture, climate, and content: to meet the social service needs of marginalized and oppressed cultural communities; to practice in a conflictual and complex social climate; and to gain the knowledge needed to address the real issues of clients.
The first product is a conceptual paper focusing on culture and what Native American students have identified they need to be successful in higher education.
The second product is a research study using both a scholarly personal narrative and a thematic systematic review to identify the personal character traits in social workers that empower clients.
The final product is a teaching note with activities that teach baccalaureate students how to incorporate the elements of healing and resiliency into work with clients recovering from trauma. These three products suggest ways in which social work programs can enhance student learning to prepare students to be agents of healing and inspiration through the mission of social work in a changing social climate.