The Concepts and Value Base of Social Pedagogy - Essay Example

Social Pedagogy Introduction Social pedagogy is not a concept which is currently recognised in the UK at the present time. Social pedagogy is concerned with education, but in a wider sense than formal school-based learning (Petri, 2007). Social pedagogues are a special type of educator, also known as animateurs, who work in social care occupations. It is a concept which is commonly applied in many European countries. For example in German, around half of all social workers also hold a qualification in social pedagogy. In other countries, such as France and Italy there are more individuals which hold qualifications in social pedagogy than there are qualified social workers. This demonstrates the importance with which social pedagogues are regarded in these European countries. Social pedagogues may work in many areas such as youth work, residential care or various fieldwork settings. Many social pedagogues are also qualified in areas of art, drama or music, which enables them to utilise these skills in their work with individuals. Pedagogues usually work with children and young people, although the concepts have been successfully applied to other groups as well, such as adults and the elderly. The training which social pedagogues undergo in Europe is very thorough and consists of both academic training and training to develop the personal and practical skills of the professional. These skills are the underpinning foundation which allows the pedagogue to interact with the client in ways which are not usually achieved by traditional social workers following the practices frequently used in the UK. History The concept of social pedagogy can be traced back to the mid 1900s and the days of the German educationists such as Karl Mager and Adolph Diesterweg (Rauschenbach, 1999). The theories of pedagogy were first developed by educationists such as Paul Natorp. The theories were influenced by Plato, the epistemological and ethical ideas of Immanuel Kant and Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi's theory of education. During the 1920s Herman Nohl, another German educationist interpreted social pedagogy in terms of a theoretical framework for social work based on the hermeneutic philosophy of science that was dominant in Germany at the time. This approach came under criticism after the Second World War, leading to the development of new paradigms by Klaus Mollenhauer and Hans Thiersch. The main traditions of pedagogy at the current time are still partially based on these original concepts, although there have been developments made in each of the individual countries in which the concepts have been adopted. The concepts have not been adopted globally, but have been used successfully across Europe and in several other countries such as South Africa. Although the concepts have not been formally adopted in the UK and the US, there are still some issues in social work which are approached in a very similar way to the pedagogical approach. Some pedagogical movements have also significantly influenced social work activities and educational theories in the UK and US (Hmlinen, 2003). Theories of social pedagogy were heavily influenced by industrialisation and urbanisation processes, which created a multitude of social problems which had not previously been observed. Education was seen as an important factor in addressing these problems, for individuals, families and communities. This led to the development of social pedagogy as a system of organised activities. Value Base Social pedagogy is focused on promoting the well-being of the person as a whole, which also includes an educational function. The aim is to find educational solutions to social problems (Hmlinen, 2003). The education is not concerned so much with the traditional knowledge approach of learning, but more the social and moral aspects of learning, which is in keeping with the concept of developing the person as a whole (Vitler, n.d.). The concept determines that you can influence social circumstances through education. The particular value of social pedagogy is that it provides a unifying concept which can be used when working with people in formal or informal institutional settings. It also allows work to take place with people of all ages and abilities. The process of social pedagogy combines various approaches which in the UK are considered as separate entities, for example combining social work approaches with occupational therapy approaches, and even artistic therapy approaches such as art therapy and music therapy. This adds value from the perspective of the service provider as costs are reduced due to not having to fund various different departments to provide the services. There is also added value from the perspective of the client, as they must only interact with one pedagogue in contrast with needing to interact with various different professionals. This enables a stronger pedagogue-client relationship to be formed, which will be beneficial to both parties in the long term and is likely to lead to a greater success (Peter Sabroe Seminariet, n.d.). Value as a Model of Social Education and Care There are many aspects to the concept of care such as responsibility, connectedness and the 'desire to create well being in others' (Cameron, 2004). A caring relationship does not necessarily incorporate the concept of equality, and this is certainly not the case in traditional social work approaches. These approaches are primarily concerned with furthering the best interests of the child and creating opportunities for them to develop character and abilities. This would usually incorporate the promotion of well-being through the development of relationships, and also the development of relationships which would result in protection from harm. While there are similarities in the concepts of social pedagogy, there are also distinct differences. For example the concept of pedagogy actually promotes the development of relationships between the client and pedagogue which are on an equal level. Although there are distinct differences between the concepts of social pedagogy and social work, the two have grown together and may add value to the associated processes when used as a combined approach. In many countries such as Germany there are no longer any visible distinctions between the two, they are considered as one and the same process when addressing social problems. This is the reason why there are so many individuals who are qualified in both areas, as this enables them to adopt a thorough combined approach to any social problem which presents. The model of social pedagogy is particularly concerned with the integration of an individual into society, and should result in alleviating social exclusion if successful. Social pedagogy deals specifically with the processes of human growth which allow the individual to integrate into the systems, institutions and communities which are essential to their functioning. Pedagogy attempts to inflict overall society changes through changing individual. This change is achieved through the interaction between client and pedagogue, in which the pedagogue provides an educational model for personal development, construction of identity and human growth (Hmlinen, 2003). Cameron (2007) reviewed three separate studies into the effects of implementing social pedagogy approaches in social care. These studies suggested that implementing pedagogic approaches to social care would support children in developing their own self in relation to others. It was also found that attachment to an adult provided extra emotional security which aided in the development of the child in a stronger way than would be possible through traditional social work approaches alone. The studies also found that the use of pedagogues were more successful in addressing the needs of the individual. The studies which were reviewed also established that the concepts of pedagogy could be introduced in the UK relatively easily due to the overlap in the concepts of social pedagogy and traditional social work as we know it in the UK. Conclusions The concepts of social pedagogy are not currently recognised as a distinct concept in the UK, although the concept may be found to underlie the theory and models of current social work practice. The concept is found widely throughout Europe, and has been shown in these countries to successfully combine various professional roles which are distinct entities in the UK at the present time. The underpinning elements of social pedagogy lie in the promotion of the development of an individual as a whole through social education. This focuses on developing the individual along with the institutions and communities which they depend upon. Although there are differences between social pedagogy and the current social work practices in the UK there are also many overlaps between the theories and practices. This implies that it would be relatively easy to implement the concepts of social pedagogy in the UK. This would result in added value in social education and social care for both the care delivery institutions and the individual clients. References Cameron, C. (2004) Social pedagogy and care: Danish and German practice in young people's residential care. Journal of Social Work, 4: 133. Cameron, C. (2007) Social pedagogy and the children's workforce. Community Care. Retrieved on 2 November 2007, from: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2007/08/08/105392/social-pedagogy-and-the-childrens-workforce.html. Hmlinen, J. (2003) The concept of social pedagogy in the field of social work. Journal of Social Work, 3: 69. Peter Sabroe Seminariet (No date) "Social Education and Pedagogy" National Institute for Social Educators. Retrieved 2 November 2007, from: http://www.petersabroe.dk/main/05a_int/nyt_internationalt/engelsk_modul/english_pamflet.pdf. Petri, P. (2007) Foster care: A role for social pedagogy. Adoption and Fostering Journal, 31(1): 73-80. Vitler, K. (No date) Social Pedagogy - What's in it for us Retrieved in 2 November 2007, from: http://www.childrenuk.co.uk/chjul2002/chjul2002/social%20ped.html. Read More