Från Novis till Mästare
En berättelse om socialarbetares yrkeskunnande
To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the worldThese words sum up my account of social worker expertise. How does one become skillful?a master?in the profession? I answer this question by exploring how social worker proficiency can be developed and grow with the help and support of supervisors, clients and colleagues. Development through professional supervision and in the encounter with clients is an essential part of the work. I also discuss what it means to be new in the field (a novice) in relation to being experienced (a master). For the novice, rules and regulations and clear-cut advice may be necessary in everyday work as well as in supervisory sessions; for the more experienced, dialogue and reflection become increasingly important tools.For this work I have collected material from my own professional life as well as from other experienced colleagues. Using social workers? own reflections along with the various situations and occurrences that arise in their work, I have tried to capture the complexity of many of the tasks and to understand how professionalism can be enhanced.My narrative contains reasoning on issues of trust, views of humanity and professional improvisation. I shed light on detachment vs. involvement with clients, practical hands-on knowledge and the importance of having been listened to. Might the ability to instigate trust be the most important tool in social work?