MIYAZAKI Masae

This study aims to examine the educational effects of collaborative field-based learning in the professional training of social workers. Since 2017, the authors have participated with students in community-based activities, including a dementia café organized by the Yamaguchi Prefecture branch of the Alzheimer’s Association Japan, and have explored the educational significance of experiential learning in real-world settings. With the implementation of a new curriculum in 2021 and the launch of the Mental Health Social Work Course in the Faculty of Social Welfare in 2022, the need arose to review and analyze these ongoing initiatives. Accordingly, group interviews were conducted with students who had participated in the dementia café, with the cooperation of the host organization. The analysis revealed that students learned, through direct interaction with people with dementia, their families, staff, and local residents, the attitudes and understandings required of social work professionals. Furthermore, observing and engaging with on-site staff functioned as a form of live supervision, deepening their learning. These findings suggest that field-based experiential learning is effective in cultivating human resources capable of fulfilling social roles within the community. Strengthening collaborative learning support systems between universities and practice settings will be essential for future educational development.