Richard Pitcairn

Profile

Richard Pitcairn, Senior Lecturer in Social Work

I work almost exclusively on the social work degree, with a small percentage of my time in other programmes.

I teach modules on theories and methods, communication skills, and evidence-based practice as well as study skills and practice learning, and some individual sessions in a variety of subjects, so I think my knowledge of social work is generic rather than specialist.

If I do have a specialist area it would be in practice teaching and practice learning; in the last 15 years I have trained and assessed Practice Teachers for their Award, and been a practice teacher (and formally ‘Study Supervisor’) myself for about 100 students on eight different programmes.

I have also taken responsibility for training social workers for the Post-Qualifying and Advanced Awards.

I like working with individuals or groups - this is where I feel my skills lie.

I try hard to put across my strong commitment to social work as an important activity that “supports and assists people in every walk of life, protects the vulnerable, helps at times of crisis, respects as individuals those they care for, challenges injustice, and promotes the well being of others” (International Federation of Social Workers), and I am committed to improving and developing knowledge and skills in social workers of the future.

I really enjoy the supportive atmosphere that is at the heart of the BSc in Social Work programme here at Luton; students come from a variety of backgrounds – many not having experienced an educational environment for many years, but we try to support them in all the very hard work involved in achieving their ambition to become a social worker.

In the more distant past I worked with adolescents in Welwyn Garden City, where I was Deputy Officer-in-Charge and Acting Officer-in-Charge.

I’ve also done Freelance Training in Social Care for a number of years, mostly for Social Services, but also for other bodies, e.g. Health Services, Education, and voluntary agencies.

I started my social work career working in a home for adolescents in a little village on the Fife coast in Scotland.

It was the hot summer of 1976 and we spent most of the time on the beach, which was just off the back garden, and in the sailing boat and canoes that they had made themselves.

I was getting paid for having fun. I thought to myself 'If this is social work, then I'll do it'!

I went to Stevenage College in England and did my C.Q.S.W. between 1978-1980.

Other training since includes:

Family Planning Association Tutor Training 1985-1989.
Diploma in Counselling at Oakfield College 1991-1992.
Post-Graduate Diploma in Counselling UH 1992-1993.
CCETSW Practice Teacher Accreditation. 1995.
MA Social Work [Policy, Research & Evaluation] 1997.

I've done other teaching at odd times:

Tutor for I.C.S.C. at Ware College 1986 - 1988.
Occasional days on various subjects in local universities.
Tutor for the Family Planning Association 1986 - 1989; part-time, running 3-day courses on Sexuality & Personal Relationships, and HIV & AIDS Awareness.