Social Policy and practice

The current study aimed to expand our knowledge regarding social work students' willingness to engage in policy practice (EPP). A theoretical model integrating the Big Five personality framework with the 'Civic Voluntarism Model' (CVM) was examined, using a sample of 160 social work students in Israel. Findings revealed a moderate level of EPP willingness. Among the CVM predictors, political skills, political knowledge and political interest were significantly positively associated with social work stu-dents' EPP willingness. Among the Big Five traits, extroversion, conscientiousness and openness to experience were significantly associated with EPP willingness. Path analysis showed that political skills were the strongest predictor of EPP willingness and that political skills and extroversion had a direct effect on EPP willingness. The significant mediation paths demonstrated the dynamics by which the study predictors interacted in explaining 49 per cent of the variance in EPP willingness. The study concluded that the examination of a model incorporating the Big Five personality traits and modified CVM predictors provided a comprehensive understanding of EPP willingness and, therefore, should be adopted to explain social workers' actual engagement in policy practice.

Für Sozialarbeitende ist die Beförderung des sozialen Wandels zur Herstellung sozialer Gerechtigkeit zentral für das Selbstverständnis ihrer Arbeit. In diesem Band werden theoretische und konzeptionelle Analysen zur Bedeutung politischer Praxis in der Sozialen Arbeit dargestellt. Dazu werden nach konzeptionellen Beiträgen Ergebnisse verschiedener quantitativer und qualitativer Forschungen vorgestellt. Anschließend werden Beiträge zu praktischen Umsetzungen politischer Sozialer Arbeit diskutiert.