Remote Internships as a Path to Disability Justice in Social Work Field Education

Presenter(s)

Christie Moore, LCSW (she/her/hers)

Senior Instructor| Faculty
Oregon State University
Deborah Blumenthal, LCSW

Assistant Professor of the Practice|Field Faculty
University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work

This workshop explores how remote social work internships expand access, promote equity, and maintain competency attainment comparable to in-person placements. It examines the challenges of preserving skill development and relationship-building in virtual settings and highlights the growing necessity of remote options as innovative solutions in social work field education.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, attendees should be able to:

Upon completion, the participant will be able to examine key aspects for consideration when developing fully remote and hybrid internship opportunities within social work field education by focusing on the structural and logistical factors involved in designing remote placements that align with academic and professional standards.
Upon completion, the participant will be able to analyze how remote internships can remove barriers, expand accessibility, and promote equity for students and agencies by exploring how remote models can address accessibility and systemic inequities and increase opportunities for marginalized and underserved populations.
Upon completion, the participant will be able to assess potential challenges of implementing and sustaining remote internship models and identify strategies to address these challenges effectively by considering issues such as technological access, confidentiality, remote supervision, and strategies for overcoming these obstacles.