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10 May 2011 10:32:23
Social work academics and practitioners from across the country gathered at the University of Bedfordshire to learn about its innovative way of enhancing emotional resilience in social work students.
Emotional resilience, or the ability to bounce back when things become challenging and stressful, has become about a buzzword in the caring professions.
The importance of resilience to the wellbeing of health and social care employees has been demonstrated in a programme of research conducted by Professor Gail Kinman and Louise Grant at the University.
For the last three years, they have organised ‘Wellbeing Days’ that introduce student social workers to a series of techniques that encompass cognitive, psychological, physical and social factors, and which are developed to help build resilience.
Gail and Louise led the day-long event which was designed to show how the University helps protect and develop the emotional resilience of its students and how this method could be used across the country with students and qualified social workers.
Practical sessions and discussion demonstrated how techniques included in the ‘Wellbeing Days’ can enhance resilience. Delegates also participated in a workshop designed to demonstrate how peer coaching techniques can help social workers manage stress and enhance resilience.
Professor Kinman said: “We’ve been undertaking research that examines the individual factors that underpin resilience and how this vital quality can be enhanced at an early stage in social work training.
“Emotional intelligence and associated competencies, such as reflective ability and appropriate empathy, have been identified as key factors that predict resilience and, ultimately, wellbeing in trainees.”
Louise added: “The day went really well and it was useful to see how experienced social workers reacted to our research. There was a lot of helpful discussion and we hope that our findings can directly help develop the emotional resilience of social work students and qualified staff across the country. “
The team will shortly be setting up an international network of researchers and educators working in the health and social care fields in order to share based practice and disseminate research findings.
Latest news» 2011» May» Uni's social work experts show the way
