A Model for a Social Justice Hub for Social Work Education

Abstract

Social justice is a foundational principle in global social work, underpinning its professional
identity. Amidst global challenges rooted in neoliberal capitalism and colonial legacies, social
work’s commitment to justice is vital. While social work students typically learn about social
(in)justice theories, developing advanced skills in social justice practice requires an integrated
and experiential curriculum, such as field education. The Social Justice Hub at Curtin University
serves as a conduit for engagement with university resources, aiming to drive transformative
change towards a more just society. Social work students on field placement codesigned the
Social Justice Hub to create projects and innovations that are collaborative responses to enduring
social justice problems. The placement model addresses a gap in learning about community
building, project management and co-designing projects for social justice outcomes. This
paper describes the Social Justice Hub and its development as a field placement opportunity
for learning about social justice practice.