【Social Work】 Do you need an internship to study social work? Where to go for an internship?
In Hong Kong, whether studying a Bachelor's Degree in social work or a Higher Diploma, students are usually required to conduct internships during their studies. Internship is an important stage for social work students to develop practical skills, study and work on real cases. Through internships, students can apply theoretical knowledge learned in the classroom to real-life situations and interact with cases, communities or organizations.
Internships are often a required or core component of a social work programme and often take up a considerable amount of time. Specific internship requirements and arrangements may vary by school or programmes. Here are some common social work internship organizations:
- Social Service Agencies: including social service agencies, community centers, rehabilitation centers, shelters and nursing homes, etc. These agencies provide different social services, such as family counseling, children and youth services, elderly services and rehabilitation services.
- Hospitals and Medical Institutions: Social workers also play an important role in hospitals and medical institutions, such as providing psychological support to patients and their families, assisting in arranging rehabilitation and nursing services, and coordinating community resources.
- Schools: The role of social workers in schools is to provide support to students and families, such as providing individual tutoring, assisting with learning and behavioral problems, and coordinating school and community resources.
- Government Departments: Social workers can also work in government departments, such as the Social Welfare Department, Home and Youth Affairs Bureau and Housing Department, and participate in the formulation and implementation of government social policies.
- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs): There are many non-governmental organizations in Hong Kong dedicated to social services and welfare, such as organizations focusing on children's rights, gender equality organizations, human rights organizations, etc.
Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) in Social Work offered by HKCT offers 900 hours of internship, including 100 hours of preparatory workshops for fieldwork + 800 hours of fieldwork experience, which allows each student to experience the integration of theory and practice in different fields such as services for young people, people with disabilities, the elderly and families. This will help students to gain experience and deepen their learning experience. Besides, Higher Diploma in Social Work also provides 820 hours of internship opportunities to equip students with industry knowledge and skills to enrich competitiveness for employment.
Through internships, students can gain practical experience, an understanding of the work of social workers, and the opportunity to collaborate and learn from professional social workers. Internships also help students make professional connections and learn about the latest practices and trends in the industry.
In general, while specific internship requirements may vary from school to school, social work majors in Hong Kong generally require internships to help students gain practical experience and develop professional capabilities before graduation.
HKCT social work-related programmes:
Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) Social Work (Year 1 Entry)
Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) Social Work (Senior Year Entry)
Higher Diploma in Social Work (Full-time)
Higher Diploma in Social Work (Part-time)
Diploma of Applied Education (Social Service)
Diploma of Applied Education (Civil Services Practices)
