Poised for Change: Saskatchewan Undergraduate Social Work Students' Understanding of the Environment

Saskatchewan undergraduate social work students’ understanding of the environment and its relationship to Social work has primarily applied a person-in-environment framework to practice, which has evolved to almost exclusively mean the social environment. However, with the growing environmental crisis, social work can no longer ignore the natural environment and the impact it has on individuals and communities as well as the degradation of the environment itself. Despite the dearth of information on how to incorporate the physical and natural environment into social work practice, the literature beseeches social workers to address environmental concerns and issues. The research question within this study asks: What is Saskatchewan undergraduate social work students’ understanding of the environment? The purpose of this study was to explore undergraduate social work students’ understanding of the physical environment, including environmental issues, and their relationship to social work practice. A qualitative research inquiry using constructivist grounded theory methodology was used to explore this issue. A model was developed that represents Saskatchewan undergraduate social work students’ understanding of the environment and its relationship to social work practice. The model includes what is needed by students for their role as future social workers in addressing environmental concerns and issues and how this can be achieved in their undergraduate social work education. This thesis concludes with implications for social work education and practice regarding the incorporation of the physical and natural environment in social work education and practice.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Social Work (MSW)

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Social Work

Grantor dc:publisher

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Kominetsky, Kristy Dawn

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Chalmers, Darlene

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Novotna, Gabriela
• Watkinson, Ailsa

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org/10.82465/3879

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uregina.scholaris.ca:10294/8816