Rundown 1_JulkunenWorkshopHongKong

Building knowledge development
structures and processes in practice what are our experiences? And what are
our future challenges?
Ilse Julkunen
Professor in practice research in social work
Helsinki University
12.12.2013 Hong Kong
Workshop on Practice Research in Social Work Practice
Department of Social Research / Social Work
Ilse Julkunen, [email protected]
www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto
2013-12-08
1
The Mathilda Wrede Institute
The Mathilda Wrede Institute is a research
and development unit in Helsinki at the
intersection of education, research and
practice with the aim for knowledge
development in social work. The activity
started in 2002.
• 
• 
It is built on a written agreement between
the university, polytechnics, Center of
Expertise and municipalities.
• 
The University of Helsinki funds the
professorship and lectureships, and the
Social Services Department has
established researcher socialworker posts
at the institute. The idea is that social
workers engage in two-year research
projects. The subjects of research are
agreed upon in the boards of the institutes
comprising the different parties involved.
Department of Social Research / Social Work
Ilse Julkunen
www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto
2013-12-08
2
But who was Mathilda Wrede?
Mathilda Wrede (March 8, 1864, Vasa - December 12, 1928) is
known in Finland as "Friend of the prisoners". She was an
evangelist, a baroness, but she is most known for being a precursor
in the rehabilitation of prisoners. Her father was the provincial
governor of the Vasa province. It was during this time she first
came in contact with inmates, that were sent to the governors
house to make repairs.
In 1886 she founded Toivola, a farm for unemployed, newly
released prisoners to work at. Henrik Wrede, her brother had
earlier spent three years in Siberia, evangelicing the local people
and Finnish criminals deported there.
Because of her social position she managed to get support for her
work among Europes nobility.
After late 1910(-20s) she started international work with refugees
and immigrants
www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto
2013-12-08
3
The tipping point of MWI
The foundation of the Practice Research professors at
Helsinki University and the Mathilda Wrede Institute and
the Heikki Waris Institute
..or not?
A process extending from the 80’s with university lectures,
the stumbling beginnings of research collaborations with
agency and university..
‒  The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend
or social behaviour crosses a threshold and spreads like
wildfire..
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How do we look at knowledge
creation?
Do we look at knowledge as knowledge
transfer or as co-production of knowledge?
For research to be useful it not only needs to
be credible but actionable as well
Knowledge cannot be apprehended solely as a
stocked market that can be transferred from
one person to another irrespective from where it
came
The starting point is that knowledge is created
through interaction with people when people
have the possibility to encounter
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5
Reflective and iterative
research process
Problem
formulation
Reflective
dialogue
Create
arenas
and rules
Practice
context
Evaluate
and validate
Shared
Knowledge
production
Relational based
knowledge seeking
Knowledge
creation
Boundary crossing
Brokers
www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto
Increased
wellbeing
Better
services for
the users
Values:
Participative approach
What are the ins and outs
of Praxis arena?
Individual
learning
• Situations:
• Practice – client encounters
• Teaching
• Experiences
• Competenses
Social learning
Shared
knowledge
Recruiting
personell is
easier
Ensuring the
competences of
practitioners
Organisation
R&D
Praxisarenan
Mathilda Wrede-institutet
• Workshops
and seminars
• Case studies
• Work processes
•Experiental learning
InterprofessionalityBoundary crossing
•Practice research, students,
projects, faculty thesis
Practice teachers
• Knowledge creation
• Innovations
• Transformative knowledge
•
Critical phases in PR in social
work– looking back
I. 
Developing the structures and culture for practice
research within the agency (2004-2008)
II.  Developing the knowledge production processes in
practice research (2008-2011)
III.  Developing the theoretical and comparative
frameworks of practice research (2012-
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Critical phases – looking
forwards
² Developing the practice research course tool –
Passion based learning in supportive structures
² Ensuring the support of middle managment
² Knowledge production and validation
² Identifying new boundary partnerships
² Context sensitive comparative methodological
approaches
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Ongoing doctoral studies
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
Participatory research on citizenship and learning
disability (Ann-Marie Lindqvist) PhD project
Knowledge development on early intervention in drug
abuse (Katarina Fagerström) PhD project
Boys’ perspectives in school and welfare work (Harry
Lunabba) PhD project published
Social workers´ agency in rehabilitation with elderly
(Ylva Krokfors) PhD project
Adoption counselling processes –a user perspective
(Pia Eriksson) PhD project
ITC and changes in welfare service processes (Raija
Koskinen) PhD project
7.  Dialogical orientation in working with youth (Eivor
Österlund-Holmqvist) Licentiate project
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