Social workers during five decades The Experience of CIP in a Finnish Perspective Susanne Holmström

Background to the study CIP/Philadelphia in What had Finnish social workers learned from the program? CIF in Finland – network of different generations of social workers

When had they participated? The history of CIP The development of social welfare in Finland Reconstruction of the society

The survey/questionnaire 98 social workers 85 % answered The average age 32 years

Most participated in the 4 mth program, one third in the one-year-program Professional experience in Finland

Professional and Personal point of view Participation both professional as well as a personal point of view “An adventure” Developing of the professional identity The experience - huge impact on the participants’ professional and personal lives.

CIP History Three groups in accordance with the historical development of CIP (Glenn Shive 1993): The early CIP/ Henry B. Ollendorff and the Cleveland program The different affiliates taking form Post-Henry B. Ollendorff

The pioneers The participants’ description of the exchange - cultural exchange most important International understanding, cultural confrontation Professional exchange - new methods of community and group work

Period of professional profiling 1966 – 1979 High number of participants - social welfare and services developed in Finland Health care, mental-health care or subsidence abuse related fields Child- and youth field and the social workers working with subsidence abuse

New ideas and different methods of social work High expectations– the US had seemed to be the leading country in many areas. The level of American social work varied very much.

New groups of social workers the period of 1980 – 1993 Structural changes in social welfare and society - new professional interests. Social workers working with issues of unemployment or social benefits Earlier this group had represented an orientation that hadn’t been open to American influence in social work

Conclusions What you draw from the exchange experience depends on many factors The historical, structural frame Different demands in different eras Own motivation

Conclusions Confidence to manage in an international context Building stones for a development of both the professional and personal identity A process that continues through out their lives. Process of finding one’s own cultural belonging and professional identity

Conclusions The essential learning experience of the exchange program during all the different periods - the interaction itself the interaction between the participants, the interaction the participant has with the hosts and the colleges New perspective on the participants’ work and their professional context as well as on their personal cultural identity