The Socialpod

"We look for the spark. We stir them up. We spread the fire." This is the slogan of the oranisation that i founded and run by social worker and faculty Tim Vermeiren. We have a sit down with him and two others to talk about what the organisation does, and why it is important that social workers also know something about starting and running an organisation to help with some of the social challenges they see.

In the studio:

• Tim Vermeiren, faculty at UCLL and founder of Erat
• Steinar Vikholt, international coordinator University of South-Eastern Norway
• Maren Kotzyba, student at Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences
• Jenni Hernelahti, Senior Lecturer in NGO and Youth Work, Humak Unversity of Applied Sciences

In this episode we invited two students and one facluty from St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences about their experiences from this IUW. Listen to their favorite workshops, and the best field visits!

And if you want to know more about iLab, please check out this link!

In the episode:

• Steinar Vikholt, international coordinator University of South-Eastern Norway
• Christine Haselbacher, Academic Director Social Work (BA), St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences 
• Elisa Eflinger, student at St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences 
• Sophia Heidbrink, student at St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences

Welcome to this episode where we are in the beautiful city of Leuven in Belgium! We are joining IUW 2024 that is hosted by UCLL - University of Applied Sciences!

In this first episode we will talk to the organizers and one of the students that is attending the IUW for some insights about the theme, the preparations and the different workshops! In future episodes we will also have a talk with lecturers and students for their experiences with the week!

In this episode:

• Tim Vermeiren, faculty at UCLL
• Anneleen Vandeven, Docent at UCLL
• Steinar Vikholt, international coordinator University of South-Eastern Norway
• Anja Pershaug Tinnesand, student at University of South-Eastern Norway

To know more about the possebilities to study social work in Leuven, please check out their homepage.

Why should social workers focus on "meaning"?

The most common answer students give to why they want to become social workers is ‘I want to help people’. In the global definition of social work this is described as engaging ‘people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing’. The perspective of bringing meaning into life gives an interesting way of carrying out this mission.

In Girona - Spain:

• Marika Curganov - International Coordinator - Hanze University of Applied Sciences
• Steinar Vikholt - International Coordinator - University of South Eastern Norway

"There's more to life than being happy" TED talk by Emily Esfahani Smith.

In her book "The Power of Meaning," Emily Esfahani Smith rounds up the latest research -- and the stories of fascinating people she interviewed -- to argue that the search for meaning is far more fulfilling than the pursuit of personal happiness.

International University Week 2024 is going to be held in Odense – Denmark, Jihlava – Czechia and Leuven – Belgium April 22-26th, and we have had a talk with two of the organicers of these weeks! Listen in on what the topics are going to be, and what is great about these locations!

In the Socialpod makeshift podcast studio on a terrace in Girona - Spain:

• Steinar Vikholt - SocNet98 coordinator at University of South-Eastern Norway
• Anne-Sofie H. Vedel - SocNet98 coordinator at UCL University College
• Raf Sondervorst - SocNet98 coordinator a University of Applied Science Leuven

You can read more about the upcoming IUW 2024 at the SocNet98 webpage

You can see this podcast as a video with subtitles here: Panopto 

IUW 2023 in Linz in coming to and end, and we made an episode where the students themselves could share their experiences, what they learned, and why they would love others to join future IUWs!

In the studio:

• Joan Tayeda Cassou, student of Universitat de Girona
• Mary Stawski, student of Ernst - Abbe Hochschule Jena
• Marius Andrè Dahl, student of University of South-Eastern Norway
• Steinar Vikholt, assistant professor University of South-Eastern Norway

Rocio Garcia from CSU-DH held a workshop named "Client Collaboration within Forensic Settings" at the IUW 2023 in Linz, and we had a talk with her and two of the students that attended the workshop to hear about their impressions. 

In the studio:

• Assistant Professor Steinar Vikholt  International Coordinator - University of South Eastern Norway
• Rocio Garcia, MSW, LCSW - California State University - Dominguez Hills
• Student Fynn
• Student Venessa

Is social work different from country to country, and to we see any trends in how social work is changing? In this episode we try to explore this with the perspectives from Austria, Norway and USA.

In the studio we are:

• FH-Prof. Mag. Dr. Christian Stark. Head of Studies Social Work Program - University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
• Prof. Phu Phan, MSW, PhD. Department Chair - California State University - Dominguez Hills
• Assistant Professor Steinar Vikholt  International Coordinator - University of South Eastern Norway

We are live at IUW in Linz at University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, and we had a sitdown with some of the people involved in this exiting week, both faculty and students!

In the studio we are:

• FH-Prof. Mag. Dr. Christian Stark. Head of Studies Social Work Program - University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
• Mag. Iwona Hunstorfer. Head of International Office - University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
• Assistant Professor Steinar Vikholt  International Coordinator - University of South Eastern Norway
• Student Helena Donner - University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
• Student Melissa Pfandlbauer - University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria

In this episode, you will listen to a recorded podcast episode that is made by two of our students that have taken a class called SoWGloW, Social work in a global world. Their assignment in the course is to make a podcast episode that shows that they have reached one of the learning outcomes in the course. 

We hope that you as students or teachers can be inspired by this episode to use podcasts as a form of assessment in other courses, and as an alternative medium instead of the typical written assignments.

Pleas enjoy this episode.