Unit Outline

Social workers acknowledge that we live in extra-ordinary times of uncertainty, disruption to the ‘business as usual’ and growing social, cultural, political, economic and environmental disparities. This unit equips you with intersectional analysis skills, theoretical knowledge and practice skills to understand, confront and respond to the multiple impacts of social injustice and human rights neglect and abuses. The unit begins by examining the contested nature of contemporary life and how history has shaped how social work has responded to social, cultural, economic and political problems. Through the prism of diverse knowledge relevant to the Australian context including First Nations perspectives and international frameworks such as the United Nations this unit examines the definitions and practices of social sustainability, social innovation and regenerative social work practice. This unit also uses intersectional and decolonising understandings of social work to develop students capacity to examine global and local contexts and identify how a social work response is ethically formulated and consistently aligned to sustainable and regenerative social goals. You can expect to engage with international and local case studies to decolonise your understandings of social sustainability, social innovation and regenerative practice and their relevance to contemporary social work. You can also expect to explore how to meaningfully engage with individuals, communities, and systems to trigger change focused on social sustainability and regeneration. Learning processes in this unit include self and collaborative critical reflection, mutual enquiry, group work, role plays, Yarning and dialogical discussions.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Reveal how discrimination, oppression, exploitation and inequality are maintained in systems and institutions using intersectional analysis.
2	Analyse how locally relevant social injustice and human rights issues are linked to global social sustainability challenges in social work practice.
3	Compose a statement of practice principles and values that are congruent with the decolonising agenda in social work and could inform social policy interventions focused on social sustainability goals.
4	Propose new forms of ethical activism in social work practice that progress the decolonisation agenda and that respond to global inequalities and injustices.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

This unit is subject to regular evaluation through the UTAS online student feedback system.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Reflection on learning 1000 words	Week 5	20 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 2:	Recorded Group Poster Presentation and self-evaluation	Week 11	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Written assignment 1800 words.	Week 13	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Reflection on learning 1000 words

Task Description:

During the first 4 weeks of semester, you will capture, examine and analyse in Writing your personal reflections on your learning experience in this unit.
In these reflections you will consider instances that have deeply and meaningfully challenged your understanding and your thinking about contemporary social work and social work practice.
Use these dot points to help you frameup your 1000 word written reflection:
• Write in the first person – this reflection is about you and your learning journey thus far.
• Explain how and why your thoughts and feelings about contemporary social work and social work practice are being challenged by the learning in this unit.
• Identify and Explain what connections you are beginning to see between social innovation, sustainability and regenerative social work.
• Make sure you demonstrate in your reflection the qualities of a critically reflective beginning social worker by critically evaluating your learning experience.
• Use the understanding gained from your reflections to identify the questions that have become important in your evolution as a social worker.

Task Length:

1000 words

Due Date:

Week 5 (26/Mar/2025)

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Please see Assessment details in MyLO	LO1, LO2

Assessment Task 2: Recorded Group Poster Presentation and self-evaluation

Task Description:

Recorded Group poster10-minute group poster presentation and self-evaluation

Assessment Task 2A: Video Recorded group poster presentation due: Wednesday 14th May (30%)
Assessment Task 2B: Self-evaluation due: Friday 16th May (20%)

Task Length:

10-minute recorded presentation and 1000-word self-evaluation. (Recorded group poster presentation 30% written self-evaluation 20%)

Due Date:

Week 11 (14/May/2025)

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Please see Assessment details in MyLO	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 3: Written assignment 1800 words.

Task Description:

This critical reflection is about critically examining how you understand the role of activism and leadership as key elements of innovative, sustainable and regenerative social work practice and, how you see activism and leadership applied in your own developing social work practice.
Use these dot points to help you frameup your 1800 word written reflection:
• Critically unpack your understandings of activism and leadership in social work by: discussing how you understand the role of activism and leadership in regenerative social work; and, by evaluating how activism and leadership contribute to the development of your own social work identity.
• Demonstrate critical reflexivity as a beginning social worker by identifying potential ethical dilemmas you might confront in your role as activist and leader.
• Explore what questions remain for you about the role of activism and leadership in innovative, sustainable and regenerative social work.

Task Length:

1800 words

Due Date:

Week 13 (30/May/2025)

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Please see Assessment details in MyLO	LO1, LO2, LO4

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.