Social Work in Disasters - Courses at the University of Stirling 2023/24

Thinking of working in emergency and disaster interventions? The University of Stirling, has courses for social workers interested in studying to engage communities in meeting today’s emergencies sustainably.

Disasters, whether ‘natural’ or (hu)man-made are increasing in frequency and impact, affecting more people and causing more infrastructural and environmental damage. These include climate change, health pandemics like Covid-19, tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, extreme weather events like floods, droughts and wildfires, chemical spillages and others.

Humanitarian aid workers, emergency workers, social workers and health-related professionals are amongst the professionals intervening in emergency and disaster situations to develop individual, group and community resilience and rebuild communities. They learn to understand and use concepts like risk, vulnerability, resilience and sustainability to enable victim-survivors to mitigate risk; prepare themselves to survive better catastrophic events; develop resilience before, during and after disasters; rebuild equitable and inclusive societies; devise preventative and adaptative strategies to promote long-term survival with sustainable community reconstruction; and engage effectively with the media.

The programme includes a field-based learning opportunity in agencies that support people in emergencies to learn about operating within an ethical, social justice framework that includes environmental justice and human rights. It also considers diverse agencies and experts from different professions, government officials and other stakeholders working at local, national and international levels. The programme prepares you to work as a culturally sensitive, reflective practitioner in humanitarian-based disaster settings.

For more information contact lena.dominelli@stir.ac.uk