Social Work: Beyond The Classroom

16/10/2025

Season 4 Final Episode out now.

Culturally Safe Aged Care for CALD Elders

How can aged care providers create environments where older people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds feel truly respected and understood?

In this episode of Beyond the Classroom, Levi (Master of Social Work student) explores the stories of CALD elders, including Mrs. Chen and Mr. Wong, to highlight the urgent need for culturally safe aged care practices.


With the new Aged Care Act commencing 1 November 2025, aged care providers will be required to demonstrate culturally safe care as a core responsibility. What does this mean in practice? How can we ensure dignity, identity, and cultural belonging are not lost in the aged care system?

Scan our QR Code below or go to your Spotify App and search for Social Work
Beyond the Classroom.

Check out Season 4 Episode 7

This is our final episode in our fourth season. Interested in knowing more then have a listen to all our episodes here:
https://tinyurl.com/SWBTC2024

16/10/2025

New Episode Release – Beyond the Classroom Podcast

How safe are young people online? With the Australian Government moving to raise the minimum age for social media from 13 to 16, this episode takes a critical look at what this means for youth wellbeing and the role of social workers in digital spaces.

Join host Sebastian with guests Theo and Muhammad as we unpack:
Key risks – cyberbullying, grooming, digital footprints, mental health
The Wakeley Church livestream case & eSafety Commissioner’s response
New legislation – opportunities and limitations
Cross-cultural perspectives from Vietnam, Pakistan, and China
What social workers can do – prevention, counselling, advocacy

This episode highlights the urgent need to balance protection and empowerment when it comes to young people and social media.

🎧 Listen now by scanning our QR code or searching up Social Work Beyond the Classroom on Spotify.

12/10/2025

Out today Episode 5 Child Protection in Australia

In this episode of Beyond the Classroom, Master of Social Work (Qualifying) students Muhammad and Theo explore one of the most challenging and important areas of practice: child protection. From legislation to lived experiences, they unpack how social workers in Australia navigate complex systems to protect children while empowering families.

Child protection is about more than removing children from unsafe situations. It’s about creating supportive systems, working collaboratively, and putting children’s best interests first—while striving for justice, safety, and cultural connection.

Scan our QR code or click on the link to access the episode.

Spotify Link: http://bit.ly/4h2Rv3e

09/10/2025

OUT NOW
Episode 4 Music and Social Work

In this inspiring episode, Master of Social Work students Lin, Ludwig, and Sebastian explore how music can act as a powerful tool in social work practice. From the emotional benefits of group singing to the role of music therapy in supporting mental health, we highlight how creative approaches can strengthen communities and empower individuals. Drawing on international research and local case studies such as the Sydney Street Choir, this episode reveals how music can bring healing, hope, and connection.


Scan our QR code or click on the link to access the episode.

Spotify Link: http://bit.ly/4mQ4gPX

08/10/2025

Out today

Episode 3: Deconstructing Rights and Power

Episode Summary

In this thought-provoking episode, we deconstruct how rights are shaped, contested, and sometimes reversed in political life. From the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the U.S. to the failure of the Voice referendum in Australia, and from anti-immigration rallies to alcohol bans in Alice Springs, the hosts explore how fragile rights can be when tied to courts, majority votes, or state control. Using insights from Foucault and critical social theory, the discussion examines what these events mean for social work practice, democracy, and justice today.

Key Topics

- Women’s Rights in the U.S. – From Roe v. Wade to Dobbs v. Jackson

- The Voice Referendum and Indigenous Recognition in Australia

- Migration and the ‘March for Australia’ rallies

- Alcohol bans in Alice Springs and everyday governance

- Deconstruction: questioning progress, democracy, and safety

- Implications for social work: independence, critique, and justice

Click on our link here for our Spotify Link: http://bit.ly/3IY8yXI or scan our QR code for instant access to Episode 3.

07/10/2025

Out today our second episode of Series 4.

What happens when social work meets entrepreneurship?

A new way of thinking emerges - one that blends compassion with innovation, and ethics with creativity, to reimagine how we serve communities.

In this episode of Social Work: Beyond the Classroom, we dive into the idea of social work entrepreneurship - a space where the values of social work meet the tools of entrepreneurship. We ask: what does it really mean for social workers to think entrepreneurially? Why does it matter now more than ever?

Together, we explore the opportunities and barriers of bringing entrepreneurial thinking into social work, and how it can expand our impact from individual casework to community-driven change. We also look at real-world examples like the Think+Do Tank Foundation, where innovation, creativity, and connectedness are transforming lives.

At its heart, this episode is about imagining a future where social workers are not only helpers, but also innovators - turning compassion into impact, and vision into lasting change.

Click on our link here for our Spotify Link: http://bit.ly/47dWSJG or scan our QR code for instant access to Episode 2.

03/10/2025

Intersect: Where diverse voices shape tomorrow

Episode 1: History of Social Work

Episode Summary

In this rich historical episode, our hosts trace how social work emerged from ancient philosophies, revolutions, and social reforms into the global profession it is today. Beginning with civic duty in Ancient Greece and natural law in Rome, through Enlightenment ideas of human rights and the Industrial Revolution, the conversation explores how these legacies shaped modern welfare and social justice. We also uncover the roots of social work in Australia, including the settlement movement, the founding of the AASW, and connections to international developments in the U.S., Vietnam, Pakistan, and China. The episode concludes with reflections on the AASW Practice Standards and what they mean for the future of social work practice.

Key Topics

- Australia’s welfare state and neoliberal transformations

- Ancient Greece, Rome, and the Enlightenment as precursors to social work values

- The Industrial Revolution and social reform movements

- The settlement movement, Jane Addams, and Hull House

- Social work’s professionalisation in Australia and globally

- Global perspectives: Vietnam, Pakistan, and China

- AASW Practice Standards and their ongoing evolution

And what is even more exciting about this episode is the music as it was written and performed by one of the students on the team.

Scan our QR code to go straight to the episode or click on this link:
Spotify Link: http://bit.ly/3Iu927X

03/10/2025

Beyond the Classroom is back with a brand-new season: Intersect – Where Diverse Voices Shape Tomorrow.

Our team of six has crafted an exciting lineup of episodes that bring forward fresh perspectives and thought-provoking conversations on the issues and practices shaping social work today.

We kick off with Episode 1, The History of Social Work. Did you know the very first International Social Work Conference was held in 1928? Or that Sydney still has a settlement house operating today?

Tune in to discover more about the roots and evolution of social work. New episodes will be released over the coming weeks—starting with Episode 1, available now.

25/07/2025

Season 3 Final Episode out now.

Reflecting across Cultures - What have we learnt

In this final episode of Beyond the Classroom, Luna, Ali and Ajai all meet to discuss with Fran their journey of learning and reflect on what we need to know when working across cultures.

It’s a dynamic discussion that revisits key learnings from earlier in the series, offering the team a chance to reflect collectively and share their growing knowledge. Fran joins the conversation to contribute her perspective as an Anglo practitioner, drawing on decades of experience in practicing with cultural humility. This episode will leave you thinking about the next steps we all need to take in building truly inclusive and culturally responsive practice.

Have a listen to Season 3 Episode 4 (FINAL) here:
https://tinyurl.com/y24j3u89

Have a listen to all our episodes here: https://tinyurl.com/SWBTC2024

Or go to your Spotify App and search for Social Work Beyond the Classroom or scan our QR code to take you to our episodes. Check out Season 3 Episode 4.

Podcast · Podcasters24 · A podcast series by a group of social work students, where they explore social work theories, share real-life placement experiences, and interview experts. Season 1 includes four episodes: looking at what is Radical Social work, the link between theory and practice for stu...

25/07/2025

Season 3 Episode 3 out now

Breaking Barriers, explores how caste, gender, migration, and culture shape social work, especially when working with Indian communities in Australia.
Ajai and Shravan bring valuable insight from a background in social work policy and cross-cultural systems in both India and Australia.

Have a listen to Season 3 Episode 3 here:
https://tinyurl.com/mvxxppwp
Have a listen to all our episodes here: https://tinyurl.com/SWBTC2024

Or go to your Spotify App and search for Social Work Beyond the Classroom or scan our QR code to take you to our episodes. Check out Season 3 Episode 3.