SWH400 Critical Social Policy and Advocacy

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit provides you with a conceptual framework grounded in critical theory for exploring the philosophical, historical and critical practice dimensions of social policy and advocacy. The unit orients you to the broad policy issues of poverty, inequity and social exclusion to make sense of the impact on different groups. The critical approach prepares you for engaging in the analysis, design, implementation and evaluation of social policy and the devising of alternatives to formulate socially just policy responses. This unit prepares you for real world policy transformatory practice by extending on knowledge from early policy units to develop analytical and advocacy skills to influence policy decisions and communicate socially just policy alternatives through policy writing, research and advocacy.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Critically explain and evaluate the influence of diverse policy positions in the development and implementation of socially just socio-economic policy and egalitarian policy alternatives
2. Critically analyse and investigate the welfare state foundations and structure of government institutions, political processes and policy actors shaping the Australian policy landscape
3. Critically research and apply the conceptual framework and knowledge of social policy influences and advocacy to evidence strategies for communicating a persuasive argument in policy change processes
4. Apply policy literacy by describing policy as a contested sphere and collaborate as a team to influence policy decisions and change through advocacy, persuasive argument and alternative change efforts

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit engages you in your learning through a mixture of lecture workshops, experiential activities, student presentations and projects, and online technology to explore real world social policy and critical practice. Time is set aside for individual and collaborative group work, experiential activities. You are expected to engage in pre-workshop online activities prior to the workshops. Preparation will support your knowledge development and engagement in discussions as well as participation in experiential activities, which assist your understanding. In this unit, you will learn through the co-creation of new knowledge and research toward the critical the critical analysis of current social policy issues and the application of egalitarian, socially just alternative policy solutions relevant to practice.

This unit provides a number of opportunities to develop your career and employability. Fields and modes of social policy practice are explained. Emphasis is placed on social policy use of self as policy expert. Peer networking is made available through the on-campus, in-person lectures. Assessment 2 is authentic and involves making a policy submission to a policy decision-maker. Group collaborations offer opportunities to innovate with creative policy submissions that can ultimately be submitted to real-world government or parliament bodies. 

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Formative and summative feedback in this unit is provided to students across the semester in the following ways:

• informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation, group discussions, experiential activities
• formal: in writing, e.g. criteria sheets, written commentary in intensive lectures, unit materials or communication, peer interaction 
• direct: to students, either in written form or in consultation
• indirect: to the whole class.

Feedback will directly and indirectly relate to and inform your assessment pieces as well as the development of your critically oriented approach to professional policy practice.

Assessment

Overview

There are two pieces of assessment for this unit. Both involve developing policy literacy in influencing policy decisions and outcomes for effecting inclusive, sustainable and socially just change. Workshop activities are designed with an emphasis on applying critical conceptual framework in the planning for the assessment tasks. You will work collaboratively in project groups and individually.

Each assessment item is designed to measure your ability to apply the knowledge and skills stated in the unit learning outcomes.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Digital Poster

Based on insights from observations of parliament in action, you will develop a 3-5 minute digital poster (ppt recording or video) of the parliamentary process from a social justice orientation. In the digital poster you will explain the social policy issue being debated, policy actors, discourses and constructions, and competing viewpoints. You will also explain and critically analyse issues that relate to the development of policy, noting policy cycles, structure of the political institution and policy processes to evaluate the validity of the policy option being debated. The digital poster product simulates a public education and awareness tool for communicating policy information to broader public audiences. 

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Policy Submission

Assuming the role of peak body, agency or policy student representatives, you will work as a group of maximum four members to craft and articulate a policy submission for sustainable social change to a group-selected real-world decision-maker (Minister or select parliamentary committee). Student groups will work together in producing the policy document for real world policy submission. Groups will apply critical perspectives (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, diversity, inclusion, sustainability etc) to inform their policy recommendations. 

Strategies will be provided on Canvas and in class for your group to employ to promote group cohesion, problem resolution and productive collaboration. 

Part A Performance Presentation (20%).

In a workshop forum simulating discussion and feedback forums, your group will communicate your initial ideas as a credible and authoritative case for the new initiative or policy change; clearly articulating why the group's policy idea needs to be implemented in the current policy environment at this time. Peers are expected to engage in co-creating new insights (through questions and feedback) for integration in the group's policy submission. Each individual needs to present one aspect of the policy submission to the class for feedback. 

Part B Policy Submission (30%)

Following the performance presentation, your group will work collaboratively to produce an authentic real world policy submission with recommendations that can be submitted to the relevant real-world decision-maker (Minister or select parliamentary committee). You will integrate peer and academic feedback from the presentation forum into the submission. (Additional details published on LMS Canvas and discussed in lectures).

Students will receive a group mark for both Part A and Part B. Peer members who do not contribute to the group work task, presentation and/or final policy submission will be individually graded.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

Nil

Costs

Nil

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

McClelland, A., Smyth, P., & Marston, G. (2020). Social policy in Australia (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Recommended text(s)

Althaus, C., Ball, S., Bridgman, P., Davis, G., & Threlfall, D. (2023). The Australian policy handbook (7th ed.). Routledge.

Garrett, P. M. (2018). Welfare words: Critical social work and social policy. Sage.

Risk Assessment Statement

Students are advised that some content and experiences may be distressing. Appropriate measures will be in place for debriefing and closure.

Course Learning Outcomes

SW04 Bachelor of Social Work

1. Critique and apply coherent theoretical, practical and contextually relevant social work knowledge, skills and values, and cultivate a commitment toward meeting diverse clients and community needs. [Knowledge, Practice, Values and Disposition]
   Relates to: Digital Poster
2. Access, evaluate, and utilise relevant social work information that informs and assists in intra- and inter-professional communication in a range of contexts, through effective oral, written and digital interactions. [Practice, Knowledge]
   Relates to: Digital Poster, Policy Submission
3. Design a plan of action for working within socially progressive, anti-oppressive, culturally safe and ethical practice, that embody an autonomous and collaborative evidence-based orientation to social work, integral to the standards of professional social work practice. [Values and Disposition, Practice]
   Relates to: Digital Poster
4. Critically examine tenets of diversity and diverse perspectives in social work, and advocate for a socially just society and the promotion of human dignity that reflect different social, political, cultural and historical circumstances, on the beliefs, values and aspirations of various groups, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. [Values and Disposition, Knowledge, Practice]
   Relates to: Policy Submission

SW05 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)

1. Critically evaluate theoretical, practical and contextually relevant social work knowledge, skills and values and, as a change facilitator, meet diverse client and community needs that promote social justice
   Relates to: Policy Submission
2. Formulate and implement strategies using advanced knowledge and research skills to analyse, consolidate and synthesise social and practice evidence to generate solutions and to inform professional practice and decision-making
   Relates to: Policy Submission
3. Develop advanced knowledge, skills and values, to inform culturally safe communication and effective intra- and inter-professional collaboration and with a wide range of audiences and contexts, including accessing, evaluating and utlising digital health information.
   Relates to: Digital Poster, Policy Submission
4. Construct and implement strategies for practising collaboratively and independently, focused on socially progressive, anti-oppressive, culturally safe and ethical practice, integral to the standards of professional social work practice
   Relates to: Digital Poster, Policy Submission
5. Access, evaluate and utilise social work information to advocate for a socially just society and the promotion of human dignity and worth that reflect different social, political, cultural and historical circumstances, on the beliefs, values and aspirations of various groups, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations
   Relates to: Digital Poster, Policy Submission