Example social work training dissertation topic 2:

Mentoring as a crucial component of social work training: A review

The role of the mentor is pivotal within social work training. Not only is the personal relationship and rapport between mentor and mentee important in the development of professional conduct but the mentor also acts as a ‘first port of the interplay between individual mentors and mentees can have a dramatic effect not only on what the mentee learns but also on their career development. Shadowing three social work trainees in two London boroughs this dissertation combines qualitative and quantitative research techniques to produce a dissertation that is not only grounded in accepted reasoning but also first-hand experience.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Ragins, B.R. and Cotton, J.L. (1999) ‘Mentor functions and outcomes: A comparison of men and women in formal and informal mentoring relationships’, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 84(4), pp. 529-550.
• Leung, Z.C.S. (2009) ‘Knowledge management in social work: Types and processes of knowledge sharing in social service organizations’, British Journal of Social Work, Vol. 39(4), pp. 693-709.
• Tsui, M. (2005) Social work supervision: Contexts and concepts. London: SAGE.