As a social work educator it is important to think deeply and carefully about the values and ethics that guide my teaching. The next generation of social workers at universities are wanting to know how to make a difference in the world. They tell me their main motivation is helping people who have experienced trauma, loss and injustice. Just what might really help people is what social work degrees are all about. For me, the ethic of love, which has informed all the great nonviolent social and environmental movements across the planet, is a central part of helping people.
In this podcast I show how love can be expressed in social work practice with examples such as the ability to be present and show empathy to the other person. This interlinks with the ability to listen deeply which comes from really caring about what the person is saying and what is important to them. Closely related is the ability to stand with people who have been harmed, treated unfairly and are discriminated against. Love for people means justice for them really matters. This commitment to enabling social justice is the other key ethic of social work. It involves knowing how to understand what causes injustice and how to partner with people to address the harm and unfairness. Holding hope when a person lacks hope and supporting a person’s dignity in dehumanising situations are needed for love to be experienced.
I hope you find my ideas useful in validating what you already do to practice love at work.
My most recent book - Broken-heartedness: Towards love in professional practice, published by Revolutionaries - details more examples of love practices for social work and other helping professions. It can be purchased at https://www.revolutionaries.com.au/books/p/bh
You can follow me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/drdyannross
This podcast is also available on You Tube by searching for the video with the same title.
Social work and love