Human Relations Labs as a Required Part of Social Work Education and Training

Abstract

Human relations labs have increasingly become components of social work education and training programsand in many instances are required experiences for social work studentsand trainees. In this paper theauthor raises and addresses issues concerning (a) purpose, (b) ethical considerations, (c) format, and (d) core content of these labs. In an effort to operationalize solutions, a model human relations lab is outlined.Sensitivity group experiences are appearing more often as established components of the formal learning experiences of human service practitioners. Curriculum at schools of social work and social agencies' in-service training programs increasingly include some form of human relations lab as part of the educational and training process. The purpose of this paper is to raise some issues about human relations labs, to provide clarity, and to suggest solutions. The discussion will pertain to labs that are a required part of the educational and training experience.A number of factors undoubtedly contribute to the increased use of human relations labs in education and training. Since the 1960s social workers have recognized that a major objective of the profession is to humanize our social welfare organizations and make them more responsive to the needs of our clients (Brager