This article provides a critique of civic engagement in the curriculum and attempts to articulate what we mean by high quality and sustainable civic engagement practices.  Community engaged learning initiatives do not act as a silver bullet for resolving community challenges or making the most of opportunities available. Students and academics cannot parachute into a community with the attitude of waving a magic wand before disappearing back to campus.

Providing social work services during COVID19 is a major challenge. For example, how to transition to remote service provision to children and families at risk, safeguarding older adults, services to homeless families, and child to parent domestic violence group-work. This article looks at the experience of the Online Social Work Practice initiative that was developed in response to the pandemic, working together with service providers and practitioners. 

The article focuses attention on the process of preparing students for their CEL experience so that they can maximize the experience but also understand the purpose of such initiatives and consequently what is expected of them. Here we delve into an example of how a UCC lecturer in prepares her students for their CEL experience.