Religious Values

Bill Cleary is an other guest teacher that we could heard during two days. He talked about the influence of religion on professional thinking. The power point that he gave us, starts with two questions: in which way does religion influence our concept of “education” and in which way does religion influence our concept of social work. At first, the class was a little complicate because in my country, Spain, there are religious institutions of course but by the time, there are less.

In Catalunya, were I live, there are also religious institutions but I had never been in contact so it is a little bit difficult for me to know in which particular way they work.

I know that in many countries, the religion takes a big place. In class we could talk concretely about the situation of Denmark and Ireland. I also could learn the difference between “social work” and “social education”. In Denmark the concepts are mixed but in Ireland are speared.

Its interesting to learn how any country understands the education and all that includes it (concept, values, professionals, etc.)

I also learned that there are many different social professionals between countries, who have a different name but their task its more or less or the same, etc. For example, in my country I'm studying for to be a social educator and here in Denmark is understand us a pedagogue. My study takes 3 years, including 4 months in a practical placement. In contrast, in Denmark the study takes 3 and a half year, includes 15 months work in a placement.

An other point that we have been talking about which I think it's very important, was the different personal approaches to social work. The teacher presented us 4 ways:

A vocation: to help humanity. Motivated towards the others/others.

A mission: to set a goal and achieve it. Motivated towards oneself.

A career: to develop skills and knowledge and to earn money. Motivated towards oneself and ones family.

A family tradition: to keep up a respected family tradition. Motivated towards ones family.

He ask us if we could choose one based in our personal experience but personally I think that I can't chose only one, I chose all of them.

I really like to be in contact with the others and help them us much us possible with whatever.

I would really like to change a lot of things of this live, like poverty, the equality, etc. but I know it's so difficult.

I want to develop my skills and increase my knowledge for to be more competitive

My parents support me in my decisions so if I want to study one degree or an other its my choice.

"Social policy and social work practice in Europe"

It was nice and really really interesting spending the time with two Danish boys and a friend of me, talking about the issues that we can find when we work as a professional like us, pedagogue and social educator.

Through the conversation we could find some similarities and contradictions between Denmark and Spain. We found that the figure of pedagogue and social educator, has some difficulties that we have to work and compete with.

For example we can work in a institution which some points of its philosophy or the way the staff work, we can't understand or we don't care. For example I have been working in a Children Home and in some cases was difficult to treat the child in a way that I wouldn't have chosen. About the staff I also have had some different views about our work but we could talk and met in the same point. I think that this international course is teaching me a lot about this. We are a lot of people and more over, we come from lot of different countries, so also, different cultures.

I'm strengthen my knowledge about the ways of see the life, ways of work and ways of communicate. I think it's fantastic this course in that way because in our future job and also in live, we are going to share experiences with a lot of kind of people so we have to have this experience for to be more flexible, competent and opened mind. Being with people from all over the world, not only because of the culture but also for the personalities that this culture can create.

The most different point that we found between of both countries was that in Denmark, if you want to get a job you have to present your criminal letter. In one way I think it's fantastic because you have to be secure if the staff its good but on the other hand, for example, one of the boys, was living in a squatter house. I can't believe that this is considered like a crime.

I think that's another way of live and why a man/woman who lives in a big an fancy house can be non-competitive for to be a pedagogue?

Connecting this conversation with the guest teacher Richard Lee Stevens, I would like to write about some of phrases that he mentioned in class: Is not enough be a social worker or pedagogue, you have to be real, respect yourself, your own experience and then, you can get in dialogue with people.

I'm really really agree with him. It's not enough study a degree or some kind of courses. In one hand, of course they can help you in your work but on the other hand, if you don't feel it, I think it's very difficult or impossible to get in real dialogue with somebody.

Many times I think that it's better to know yourself, your capacities, abilities and also, without less importance, your disabilities. Like Richard said, is also important to know your resources, which ones you can access or not.

I think that it's important because you have to offer to the other person, a realistic way. I mind, I can't tell him/her that I'm going to help him/her when I don't know if it's going to be possible or not, depending on myself or an external factor. How he/she is going to believe in us? I hope that us a professional, I never promise something impossible or not sure to other person. I don't want that he/she feels betrayed!

More over, I would like and I hope to have the feel inside me that the person who I work with is going to improve, solving his/her problems, etc. I hope to be quick, look after for the reasons, effective, etc.