Study Guide

Objective

Learning objectives:

You understand how civil society works and what is the role of civil society in democratic societies. You recognize what the main challenges and future possibilities are in terms of citizen and community participation. You understand the theory and practice of community work as part of social and educational work. You recognize the ways to support communities in terms of social justice, equity, and inclusion. You can utilize and apply participatory methods and community work practices.

Content

Content:
-The basics of community work and community development, especially in the context of civil society
- Community work as a socio-pedagogical practice
- The concept of inclusion is examined in relation to civil rights, active citizenship, communities, social justice, and equity
- The participatory and inclusive working methods as an essential part of the community work approach, both in theory and practice

Location and time

The course is conducted online

The course starts in week 2 on 7th Jan with independent learning.

The main way to study is independent online learning. However, the course also includes an exploratory field task done individually or in pairs. The field task requires observing, participating and/or organising community work activities in a chosen organization/community work project.

In addition, the course offers the possibility of joint online work, where the basic topics of the course are deepened. Participation in the online contact work is voluntary but recommended.

Materials

Course materials can be found in the Moodle e-learning platform of the course

Teaching methods

Dear students, Welcome to the Community Work Course which will take place during the first period of Spring, between weeks 2-10. (7.1.-28.2.2025).
The course will be organized online in collaboration with Savonia students. The course is predominantly self-study but will include some online workshops and online tutoring as per the timetable.

The course covers the following topics in theory and practice:
- what is civil society and its role in community work
- the theory, objectives and meaning of community work and community social work in the social sector
- the role and methods of participation and empowerment at the community level
- Socio-cultural animation as an orientation for community work
- Methods and tools of community work for application in practice

During the course, you will be assigned an exploratory field task to be performed either individually or with a partner. You may choose to work with an association, educational institution or a social organization. The course will provide options and suggestions for completing your assignment. However, you may also choose to work with your workplace or network. Best of luck!

Employer connections

During the course, you will carry out an exploratory field task of community work community individually or in pairs. This activity can be carried out in various settings such as an organization or social work organization. The course will provide helpful suggestions and options for completing the assignment. Also, you are free to utilize your workplace or personal networks, if they offer options to explore and learn community work in practice.

Additionally, the course will have visitors attending.

Exam schedules

Completion of the course requires studying the teaching material on the course platform and completing assignments.

For the community work assignment of the course, each student prepares a poster that summarises what the student has learned about community work through theory and practice. The assignment will emphasise the research-based orientation as part of community work. The assignment will be presented and returned in week 9 (by 28 February).

International connections

The course supports internationalisation, especially at home. If agreed, the community outreach assignment can also be carried out as a study trip, if a suitable destination abroad can be found.

Completion alternatives

RPL procedure:
Previous education: it is possible to apply for substitution if you if you have completed a course in community work or community social work in higher education in English.
Work experience: You have more than one year of work experience in community work and/or development, with responsibilities for development work and strengthening community working practices. For example, you have implemented socio-cultural animation processes. An AHOT based on work experience requires a demonstration of competence.

If you feel that you have the competences described above, please contact the responsible teacher to assess the possibility of an AHOT.

Student workload

The course is designed to progress in steps at a certain pace, which should be taken into account when calendaring your work. A study manual has been drawn up for the course, which the student will familiarise him/herself with at the beginning of the course and which he/she will use for calendaring. The exploratory field task is scheduled for the turn of January and February, and it is advisable to reserve space in the calendar for its preparation and implementation.

Further information

The course is instructed in English, but it is not a language course. The aim of the course is to support students in using English in professional settings with ease. For instance, during online lessons, students can receive guidance in Finnish if needed. Additionally, the course materials include essential Finnish vocabulary.

It's important to note that the course does not evaluate the participants' English language proficiency.

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment methods and criteria

The course is evaluated on a numerical scale of 0 to 5. The assessment takes into account the course content and technical aspects. The content assessment criteria are aligned with the course objectives, while the technical criteria are used to monitor student progress. These criteria include timely completion of assignments and access to course materials in Moodle.