@article{994a09b1ef3b49a1839f92082cd5d978,
title = "Making a difference for the future: the views of Educators by experience about their involvement in social work education",
abstract = "The involvement of people with lived experience of social work intervention is a crucial aspect of social work education and is firmly embedded in social work programmes within the UK. The benefit of such involvement by {\textquoteleft}Educators by Experience{\textquoteright} for students is well documented. For example, learning directly from people with lived experience can help students to develop their knowledge and skills. However, the benefit and impact of involvement for Educators by Experience is less well explored. This qualitative project aimed to understand why people with lived experience choose to become involved in social work education and how they felt about their involvement. 12 semi structured interviews were undertaken and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed the motiva-tions for people{\textquoteright}s involvement as well as a range of benefits that people experience as a result of this work. The paper highlights the support and ongoing work that is required in order to support the meaningful involvement of Educators by Experience in social work education.",
keywords = "Educators by Experience, expert by experience, identity, involvement, service users and carers, social work, social work education",
author = "Sarah Lonbay and Toby Brandon and Steve O'Driscoll",
note = "Funding Information: The involvement of people with lived experience of social work in social work education has been a requirement in the UK for several decades now. Social Work England (the governing body) requires that Educators by Experience (EbE) be involved within admissions and that {\textquoteleft}social work courses must be governed resourced, and managed using effective and transparent processes in collaboration with employers and people with lived experience of social work{\textquoteright} (Social Work England, , emphasis added). This means that it can be argued that EbEs should be involved in all aspects of social work programmes, including programme design and development, admissions, teaching, and assessment. Such practices are now firmly embedded within Higher Education Institutions (in the UK) who run social work programmes and courses within England are financially supported by funding from the Department of Health and Social Care to HEIs delivering pre‐qualifying social work programmes (though the funding is limited and has not been increased, despite rising costs). Despite this funding to support involvement, other required resources are not always readily available within HEIs and there is little guidance on how to meet the requirements to involve people in these ways. Additionally, funding is provided per HEI, rather than per course meaning that those who offer both pre and post graduate social work education experience additional budget pressures. As such, there is considerable variation across HEIs about how they use this funding (and in many places the funding is not available). There is also variability in the interpretation of EbE involvement across different institutions, affecting the quantity and quality of this involvement. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.",
year = "2024",
month = nov,
day = "16",
doi = "10.1080/02615479.2023.2257722",
language = "English",
volume = "43",
pages = "2357--2372",
journal = "Social Work Education",
issn = "0261-5479",
publisher = "Taylor & Francis",
number = "8",
}