Managing or Mentoring? Reflections on the Role Modelling of Human Rights Within Australian Social Work Field Education

Social work has long espoused a commitment to human rights. However, neoliberal and managerial discourse presents challenges to enacting human rights informed practice within social work field education in an increasingly globalised and interconnected world. This article draws on auto-ethnographic experiences from three practitioners to examine the intersection between neoliberalism, social justice and human rights as it transpires within the Australian field education context. Current practice suggests that field education is driven by organisational needs rather than student learning needs. Such a process may hinder student learning and further marginalises students from disadvantaged backgrounds. By re-asserting a commitment to field education as a critical learning experience rather than a test of competency, social work educators can act as human rights mentors for emerging social work practitioners.