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. 

This Practice Insight focuses on Community Engaged Learning (CEL) approaches where the lecturer plays an active role alongside her/his student and community participants throughout the CEL process. The lecturer designs the module in such a way that they are present to organise and participate in activities so that students meet their learning outcomes and both parties can reach mutually beneficial outcomes.