The School of Social Work launches the book: "Métodos, técnicas y documentos utilizados en Trabajo Social"

Métodos, técnicas y documentos utilizados en Trabajo Social?

Manual de Técnicas utilizadas en Trabajo Social

50^th anniversary of the creation of the first School of Social Work in San Sebastian

01 July 2008

The book launch ceremony was attended by Cinta Guinot, Coordinator of the School of Social Work, University of Deusto, San Sebastian campus),Javier Elzo (sociologist, researcher and writer) and Charo Ovejas, Diploma Graduate in Social Work, sociologist, researcher, teacher, and currently director of the School of Social Work at the University of the Basque Country (EHU/UPV), who pointed out the two objectives of this book:on the one hand, to serve as a reference resource and support tool for the daily work carried out by professionals in the field of social intervention and on the other hand, since the book contains reflections that make it something more than a simple collection of techniques, it seeks to explore in greater depth those issues arousing greater interest through the updated bibliography included in each chapter. Apart from helping to improve professional practice, this book is also useful as teaching and learning material for university students, since each of its chapters deals with contents in a transversal way, all of which are essential in the educational programme of Social Work students.

In addition, this year the 50th anniversary of the creation of the fist School of Social Work in San Sebastian (1958) will be celebrated (since 2002 it has formed part of the San Sebastian campus, University of Deusto).The first School in Spain was created in 1932 in Barcelona.If we make a brief historical review, the social worker degree was officially recognised in 1964, but the teaching level was lower than the existing level in the rest of the world, where these studies were recognised as higher and/or university education.In 1981, these studies became part of the university. The new diploma in social work was created and, in the case of the School at the San Sebastian campus, they were offered in 1985. In 1982, the associations of social work graduates were created, and in 1988, social worker qualifications were recognised as equivalent to the diploma in social work.

Ten authors have taken part in the making of this 258-page book:Ariño, M.Berasategui, A.Ferran, A.Gallo, L.García, I.Goñi, M.J.Izeta, E.Lizeaga, M.Pagola, J.Y Seco, M., and Cinta Guinot as its coordinator.The participation of this group of professionals has made it possible to have the contributions of a wide range of experts, both professionals in the field of social intervention and university lecturers.In this book, each author?s style has been respected and, therefore, the document shows the wide range of existing options in the professional practice, while at the same time following a coherent classifying scheme that allows to include the different methodological tools for professional use.

The book is divided into six chapters, which include the different methods, techniques and documents used in Social Work practice such as:conceptualisation of techniques, communication and interrelationship, social research, planning techniques, organisation and management, assessment, and finally, documentation describing techniques and methods of a qualitative and quantitative nature.The School of Social Work is confident that this book, now extended and updated, may continue to be reading material of interest to professionals and of educational use for all those approaching the study and application of Social Work techniques.