Eco social work is one of the most contemporary areas in social work research and practice. But what exactly is eco social work, and how does it make a difference?

Eco social work in the age of climate change

Eco social work – also referred to as ‘green social work’, ‘ecological social work’ or ‘environmental social work’ – is concerned with how environmental issues affect people and communities. That means things like extreme weather events and climate change.

Social workers operate at multiple levels within practice. These include individuals and families, organisations, communities and all levels of government. This breadth of activity means social workers are well-equipped to address the effects of climate change on human wellbeing.

Dr Heather Boetto, Associate Professor in Social Work at Charles Sturt University, is a specialist in the eco social work field.

“Social workers often work on the frontline with people who are affected by environmental issues. We have practitioners working with families who can’t pay rising electricity prices due to poverty. Others deal with communities recovering from bushfire and drought. We also support people who are homeless by trying to find suitable shelter during extreme weather events, such as a heatwave.

“So because practitioners have been finding themselves increasingly engaged with these issues on the frontline, we’re finding that we need to transition the profession towards being able to better address these issues.”

Inequality of environmental effects

As the climate changes and weather becomes more severe, individuals and communities are affected across a range of areas, from the financial to the social and mental health aspects.

And as Dr Boetto explained, the effects of environmental disruption are not always felt equally.

“The values of social justice and human rights underpin our profession. We are starting to understand the disproportionate impacts of climate change on disadvantaged people. That could be in terms of disability, migration, refugees or homelessness. Firstly, any group that suffers disadvantage is often unable to prepare for an extreme weather event. Secondly, they are less able to respond to an extreme weather event. And thirdly, they’re less able to recover.

“And quite often, people from a disadvantaged background are located in areas that are more environmentally at risk. So it is important for social work to become more involved in this issue, as well as advocate and provide a voice for marginalised groups.”

Making a positive difference with eco social work

Awareness of the intersection between environmental conditions and human wellbeing is starting to become more prevalent in the profession. The Australian Association of Social Workers, for example, now has environmental sustainability embedded within the professional code of ethics. There is also an increasing amount of cross-border collaboration in eco social work.

This is because the issues around eco social work are increasingly common.

It does mean, however, that people who want to enter the social work profession will have opportunities. They can really make a difference by bringing innovative thinking and passionate advocacy to the table.

Preparing for change

And that starts with gaining a deep understanding of the topic during your studies, as Dr Boetto explained.

“These issues are going to become more and more prevalent. As a result social work as a profession is going to be in high demand.

“So here at Charles Sturt we want to prepare our students for this change. That’s why we embed sustainability across our courses. And its why we are also now offering a core subject on eco social work and practice as part of our foundational Bachelor of Social Work¹. We are also in the process of developing a disaster recovery subject – which will be useful across the human services.”

With dedicated subjects, leading researchers in the field and a unique perspective on the impacts of environmental change on rural and regional communities, Charles Sturt University is leading the way in understanding the human effects of environmental change.

Start your social work career today.

¹Cricos: 25195D