Participatory Social Work: Research, Practice, Education

Participatory social work raises anew the issues of credibility of knowledge, processes of its creation and use, the purpose of social work, and its relationship to politics. It has given the impetus to the emergence of participatory research teams or, in the more radical viewpoints, to the gradual de-academization of both the empirical and theoretical aspects of social work. In this book we focus on raising controversial issues to encourage debate, reflection and discussion concerning participatory social work with a special attention given to participatory research. As a collective monograph prepared by an international team of researchers, it should help social workers, social pedagogues, politicians, sociologists, policy makers, social activists, etc from different geographic and socio-cultural contexts to develop critical reflection on implications and consequences of doing their research, practice and teaching in participatory ways. “The book is the result of a longer discussion about Participatory Action Research (PAR) in different contexts. This book focuses on methodological and practical experiences of PAR in a more radical perspective. Not only opportunities but also pitfalls and challenges are worked out.” Prof. Dr. Gunther Graßhoff (the book reviewer)

Mariusz Granosik, Anita Gulczyńska, Małgorzata Kostrzyńska, Brian Littlechild – Here We Are: Our Journey to Participatory Research 7 Part I. Changing Communities through Participatory Practices 15 Geof Dix, Sue Hollinrake, Sara Spencer – Co-producing Community with Disabled Researchers and Citizens: the Challenges and Potential for Successful Collaboration 17 Witold Mandrysz – Participatory Budgeting: Action Research Procedures in Community Work 33 Chiara Panciroli, Francesca Corradini – Doing Participatory Research with Families that Live in Poverty: the Process, Potential and Limitations 47 Małgorzata Kostrzyńska, Monika Wojtczak – Participatory Response to Needs of People Who Experience Homelessness: the Example of “Homeful – Homeless” Box Project 65 Eliška Černá, Lenka Polánková – Empowering Community: Theatre of the Oppressed as a Tool of Homeless People’s Emancipation 85 Hilaria Soundari – Contemporary Scenario of Participatory Social Work Research in Rural India 101 Part II. Issues in Intercultural Participatory Social Work and Research 115 Rita Bertozzi – Empowering Migrant Youth through Participatory Approach in Social Work 117 Katarzyna Czarnota – Participatory Research with Romanian Roma Immigrants Living in Polish Settlements: Methodology, Results and Barriers 133 Davide Galesi – Ethnopsychological Consultation: a Tool for Strengthening of Partnerships in Multicultural Social Work 149 Marek Mikulec, Kateřina Glumbíková – Difficulties Faced by Researchers in Participatory Practices: An Example of Research with Roma People 165 Part III. Challenges Encountered in Participatory Research and Practice 179 Anna Jarkiewicz – Theory and Practice of Participatory Approach in Schools: an Example of the Future Youth Schools – a Forums Project 181 Alice Gojová, Kateřina Glumbíková – Dilemmas in Participatory Approaches to Social Work 197 Izabela Kamińska-Jatczak – Lines of Activity Addressed to Families: Limiting the Participatory Approach as with Casework Practitioners 211 Linda Kemp, Di Bailey, Adam Barnard – Doing Participatory Action Research: Reflections on Criticality and Social Justice from the Researchers’ Perspective 235 Mariusz Granosik, Anita Gulczyńska, Anna Jarkiewicz, Małgorzata Kostrzyńska – Challenges Faced by Social Pedagogy Academics in the Course of Participatory Action Research with Homeless People and Street Workers as Co-Researchers 253 Part IV. Participatory Issues in the Academic Education 275 Doris Böhler – Learning Together: Social Work Students and Service Users Reflect Critically on Their Diverse Life Experiences 277 Creating Links Group – “Creating Links”: The Involvement of Service Users and Carers in the Provision of Social Work Education in England 287 Magdalena Sasin – The Project of Artistic Workshops with Students: Achievements and Challenges of Participatory Practice in University Curriculum 303 Part V. Participatory Social Work – Current Debates 323 Peter Beresford – Radicalising Social Work: Involving Everyone; Including All Our Knowledges 325 Brian Littlechild – The Potential and Reality for the Inclusion of Service Users in Social Work 339 Marek Czyżewski – Pitfalls of Participatory Approaches 359 List of Contributors 369