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The University of Hong Kong
Master of Social Work
SOWK6225 Fieldwork Placement I
Overseas Placement Summary Report
Name: Lou Hoi Yan Janice
Placement Agency: Wai Yin Society (Manchester, UK)
Manchester and her Chinese community
Manchester has had rich history since the industrial revolution. One of the world’s earliest
railways, and many great people had stayed in Manchester in their lives. Now she has
become the one of the largest metropolitan hubs in the UK, which consists of a mix of ethnic
groups. Ethnic minorities in UK mainly include Indians, Pakistani, Chinese and African
(Office for National Statistics, 2013). Chinese population takes up 2.7% of the total
population in Manchester, in which most of them live at city centre area and formed a
Chinese living community. Many older Chinese people came to the UK for better living, they
worked hard in the catering business, without mastering English and having much contact
with the local people. However, their second generation raised in the UK were relatively
easier to integrate into the local community.
About Wai Yin Society
Wai Yin Society was founded by a group of Chinese women in 1988. It mainly serves
Chinese clients especially women, but it gradually expands to other ethnic minority groups in
Manchester and North-western England. Now its clients include Pakistani, Indian, African,
and Polish etc, of both sexes. Through continuous development, it now owns three bases in
Manchester, the Swan Street Headquarters, Welcome Centre and Sheung Lok Elderly Centre,
providing a wide function of services, such as advisory, educational, social and health, to
young people, families, older people and people with mental health problems.
Brief Account of Work Assignments
Orientation and rotation among different service units were offered at the beginning of
placement. This period was quite important as I can identify own area of interest for the rest
of the placement period. I participated in various services at all three bases, such as providing
general advice, job-seeking assistance to the deprived communities, as well as assisting the
operation of the centre.
Casework
Clients ranged differently in terms of ethnicity, age, and their respective needs. For clients
with tangible needs, the intervention was more straight-forward in assisting them apply for
benefits and liaise with relevant departments. Others involved clients with chronic illness or
mental health problems. For example, I worked with a young university student suffering
from mental health problems. After a sudden psychotic breakdown, I escorted him to the
hospital and be seen by the mental health team. At last he was hospitalized and discharged
after 2 weeks. I did follow-up work and continued to provide support.
Groupwork
1. Carers’ support group
Chinese community in UK was mainly bonded by family ties. Many of them came to
UK to re-unite with their family members. The group met regularly to provide useful
information and updates to carers, and to discuss various issues, such as stress. As this
was an ongoing group, I was able to involve in the first 2 sessions. Contracting,
knowing each other, and a discussion of carers’ stress and responsibility were
completed.
2. Smartphone group for elderly
This was an educational group which covered various topics. A total of 6 sessions
were conducted. The group met once every week to talk about issues faced in their
daily lives involving technology, socialize with each other and practice using their
smartphones.
Projects / Programmes
1. First Aid training for elderly
Some older people at the centre were also carers of their significant others at home.
Therefore, it was useful for them to learn some basic self-help skills in case of
emergency. I facilitated this programme together with a trainer from British Red
Cross. I was responsible for teaching and interpretation, as well as pre- and post-
programme evaluation, as more than half of the participants could only understand
simple English. A total of 17 older people participated in the programme.
2. Day trip to Bury Market
Day trips were highly favored by service users. It provided an opportunity for older
people to be away from routine life. They enjoyed shopping for fresh food and had
fish and chips in the market.
Other learning opportunities
- Reception, telephone and intake duties
- Supported centre activities
- Provided job-seeking advices to new arrivals
- Agency Visit to Caritas
- Prepared agency response to the EU referendum
Needs Assessment
Needs assessment of clients were mainly done through direct communication. I was able to
meet many different service users at the centre. Many service users were over 55 years old
and cannot communicate in English. The language barrier may lead to other problems in UK
context. For example, unable to handle daily routines, thus reliance on external assistance and
isolation (Huang & Spurgeon, 2007). A decline in physical condition in old age also
contributed to social isolation and mental health issues. Therefore, the intervention goals of
casework were mainly to coordinate resources and reduce isolation.
Wai Yin partners with local universities and organizations in developing and further
improving her services. The preliminary results of a study on Chinese immigrants by
University of Sheffield showed that elderly generally lacked knowledge in technology, and
these people were more vulnerable to isolation. We had a meeting to discuss their needs and
came up with the proposal of the group.
Application of theoretical knowledge, practice model and intervention skills
For casework involving elderly, Wai Yin adopted a person-centred approach. The aim was to
encourage clients to discharge their feelings and so as to inspire their own selves to make
changes. As a student worker, I was able to apply interviewing skills, as well as showing
empathy and encouragement etc. In assessment, systems approach and Erikson’s theory on
psychosocial stages were useful in understanding clients’ needs. In intervention, I was able to
link up local medical resources in one case.
For groupwork, learning theory was generally adopted. The design of group aimed at
introducing more opportunities to members, so that they can have more choices and
confidence on how to be in charge of their lives. Through repeated trials, they were able to
master new skills.
Professional Development
The most rewarding experience of this placement was the opportunity to understand the
welfare system of the placement country, as well as clients’ needs as an ethnic minority in a
local context. I really appreciated the opportunity to be placed in Wai Yin Society in 2016, if
not I would not be able to witness the EU referendum and many other valuable opportunities.
As future social workers, we should have awareness towards macro issues that can affect
clients in long run.
I learnt the importance of positioning myself and setting service boundaries. For example, it
was quite common that clients became more and more reliant after receiving service. After
consulting my colleagues, I understood the rationale behind saying “no” to clients, and I
would think carefully before offering anything. Also, I learnt to be sensitive to both Chinese
and Western cultures. This was important in the mental health sector as different cultures had
different interpretation to mental health issues, and misunderstandings often occurred
(Yeung, 2004).
Personal Learning and reflection
The 10-week placement was really an eye-opening experience. Without a placement partner,
I used to handle stuff and find out solutions to problems independently. I became more eager
to reach out to my colleagues instead of staying in my comfort zone. Sometimes I faced
situations that challenged my own values. This process was tough yet beneficial as it gave me
a chance to reflect on my own preference and strengthen my resilience.
Going for overseas placement can be a double-edged sword. However, the encouragement of
my fieldwork supervisor and colleagues was always useful as I understood that it was normal
to feel struggled. I really appreciated my colleagues for being genuine in advising student
workers. Through day-to-day communication and cultural exchange with them, I was able to
learn from their philosophy as experienced social workers. After all I felt really grateful to
have this experience in my social work journey.
Reference
Huang, S., & Spurgeon, A. (2007). The mental health of Chinese immigrants in Birmingham, UK. Ethnicity & Health, 11(4), 365-387. Yeung, E. Y. W. (2004). Endurance: Improving accessibility to mental health services for Chinese people. Training manual / Resources pack. Liverpool, UK.
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