Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Strategic Leadership in Social Work Education pp 1–12Cite as

Challenges and Future Directions for Social Work Education

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 546 Accesses

Abstract

Recent times have witnessed a growing interest in thinking about leadership in social work – the who, the what and the how. The general focus has been on skill development; elite narratives, both historical and contemporary; and issues of practice leadership. But what of the leading edge of social work education? How can we conceptualise leadership within the academy and leading out beyond the academy for engagement and impact? This introductory chapter speaks to social work education’s responsibility for visioning and shaping social work futures through education and training and for modelling alternatives and sustainable futures through leadership enactments and enabling students to grasp leadership strategies. It is a call to look beyond the challenges of daily operational practice and engage in a dialogue about how we might influence ways of doing things differently. It provides an overview of chapters in the book.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Aga Askeland, G., & Payne, M. (2017). Internationalizing social work education: Insights from leading figures across the globe. Bristol: Policy Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Austin, M. J., Regan, K., Samples, M. W., Schwartz, S. L., & Carnochan, S. (2011). Building managerial and organizational capacity in nonprofit human service organizations through a leadership development program. Administration in Social Work, 35(3), 258–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coffey, D. S. (2017). Political leadership in social work education: A reflection. Advances in Social Work & Welfare Education, 19(1), 127–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Connolly, M., Williams, C., & Cooper, L. (2017). Special edition: Critical leadership and innovation in social work education: Editorial. Advances in Social Work & Welfare Education, 19(1), 5–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crisp, B. R. (2019). Social work education: Moving the profession into the future. Australian Social Work, 72(1), 3–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/0312407X.2018.1535606.

  • Donovan, J., Rose, D., & Connolly, M. (2017). A crisis of identity: Social Work theorising at a time of change. British Journal of Social Work, 47, 2291–2307.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Elpers, K., & Westhuis, D. J. (2008). Organizational leadership and its impact on social workers’ job satisfaction: A national study. Administration in Social Work, 32(3), 26–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson, I. (2017). Hope over fear: Social work education towards 2025. European Journal of Social Work, 20(3), 322–332.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson, I., & Lavalette, M. (2005). Another world is possible’: Social work and the struggle for social justice. In Globalisation, global justice and social work (pp. 213–230). London: Routledge.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher, E. A. (2009). Motivation and leadership in social work management: A review of theories and related studies. Administration in Social Work, 33(4), 347–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gellis, Z. D. (2001). Social work perceptions of transformational and transactional leadership in health care. Social Work Research, 25, 17–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gutman, C., Kraiem, Y., Criden, W., & Yalon-Chamovitz, S. (2012). Deconstructing hierarchies: A pedagogical model with service user co-teachers. Social Work Education, 31(2), 202–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holosko, M. (2009). Social work leadership: Identifying core attributes. Journal of Human Behaviour in the Social Environment, 19(4), 448–459.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howard, A., & Williams, C. (2017). Succession and success: New generation capacity building in social work education Australia. Advances in Social Work and Welfare Education, 19(1), 10–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, M., & Wearing, M. (2016). Organisations and management in social work: everyday action for change. Los Angeles: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kania, J., & Kramer, M. (2011). Collective impact. Stanford Social Innovation Review. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/collective_impact.

  • Kjellberg, G., & French, R. (2011). A new pedagogical approach for integrating social work students and service users. Social Work Education, 30(8), 948–963.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawler, J. (2007). Leadership in social work: A case of caveat emptor? British Journal of Social Work, 37, 123–141. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bch404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lymbery, M. (2005). United we stand? Partnership working in health and social care and the role of social work in services for older people. British Journal of Social Work, 36(7), 1119–1134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moriarty, J., Manthorpe, J., Stevens, M., & Hussein, S. (2015). Educators or researchers? Barriers and facilitators to undertaking research among UK social work academics. British Journal of Social Work, 45, 1659–1677. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcu077.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monroe, J., & DeLoach, R. J. (2004). Job satisfaction: How do social workers fare with other interdisciplinary team members in hospice settings? OMEGA Journal of Death and Dying, 49(4), 327–346.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orme, J., & Powell, J. (2007). Building research capacity in social work: Process and issues. British Journal of Social Work, 38, 988–1008. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcm122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peters, S. C. (2018). Defining social work leadership: a theoretical and conceptual review and analysis. Journal of Social Work Practice, 32(1), 31–44. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2017.1300877.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rank, M. G., & Hutchison, W. S. (2000). An analysis of leadership within the social work profession. Journal of Social Work Education, 36(3), 487–502.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reisch, M. (2013). What is the future of Social Work? Critical and Radical Social Work, 1(1), 67–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reisch, M., & Jani, J. S. (2012). The new politics of social work practice: Understanding context to promote change. British Journal of Social Work, 42, 1132–1150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharland, E. (2013). Where are we now? Strengths and limitations of UK social work and social care research. Social Work and Social Science Review, 16(2), 7–19. https://doi.org/10.1921/300316206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spitzer, W., Silverman, E., & Allen, K. (2015). From organizational awareness to organizational competency in health care social work: The importance of formulating a “profession-in-environment” fit. Social Work in Health Care, 54(3), 193–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, W. P. (2016). Leadership in social work: Where are we? Journal of Social Work Education, 52(sup1), S51–S61. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2016.1174644.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tafvelin, S., Armelius, K., & Westerberg, K. (2011). Toward understanding the direct and indirect effects of transformational leadership on well-being: A longitudinal study. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 18(4), 480–492.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tafvelin, S., Hyvönen, U., & Westerberg, K. (2014). Transformational leadership in the social work context: The importance of leader continuity and co-worker support. The British Journal of Social Work, 44(4), 886–904.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, I., Bogo, M., Lefevre, M., & Teater, B. (Eds.). (2016). Routledge international handbook of social work education. Abingdon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teater, B., Lefevre, M., & McLaughlin, H. (2016). Research activity among UK social work academics. Journal of Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017316652002. Accessed 2 Oct 2016.

  • Thompson, N. (2015). The authentic leader. London: Macmillan International Higher Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tolleson Knee, R., & Folsom, J. (2012). Bridging the crevasse between direct practice social work and management by increasing the transferability of core skills. Administration in Social Work, 36(4), 390–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Ewijk, H. (2018). Complexity and social work. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webber, M., Shaw, I., Cauvain, S., Hardy, M., Satka, M., Kaariainen, A., & Yliruka, L. (2016). Back to the Future: The role of the academy in social work education. In I. Taylor, M. Bogo, M. Lefevre, & B. Teater (Eds.), Routledge international handbook of social work education (pp. 370–381). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wimpfheimer, S. (2004). Leadership and management competencies defined by practicing social work managers: An overview of standards developed by the national network for social work managers. Administration in Social Work, 28(1), 45–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Global, Urban & Social Studies, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Charlotte Williams

  2. School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Marie Connolly

  3. Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Alexandria, VA, USA

    Darla Spence Coffey

Authors
  1. Charlotte Williams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marie Connolly
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Darla Spence Coffey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Charlotte Williams .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia

    Marie Connolly

  2. School of Global, Urban & Social Studies, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Charlotte Williams

  3. Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Alexandria, VA, USA

    Darla Spence Coffey

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Williams, C., Connolly, M., Coffey, D.S. (2019). Challenges and Future Directions for Social Work Education. In: Connolly, M., Williams, C., Coffey, D. (eds) Strategic Leadership in Social Work Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25052-2_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25052-2_1

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-25051-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-25052-2

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation