Community engagement: managers’ viewpoints

Abstract

Managers are invaluable for their support of fieldwork placement for social work students. This chapter examines factors that influence managers’ decision-making towards student placement provision, a role which has traditionally been overlooked in the literature. Understandings were gained from fifteen non-statutory managers gathered in a qualitative study in New Zealand. Māori and non-Māori managers were interviewed twice, with a three month interval between data gathering. Four themes of organisational, cultural, student and relational factors are considered for their influence on provision. Findings suggest the importance of student quality and their ability to make connections with local indigenous communities and reciprocity in relationships between educational institutions and social service agencies.