* have the ability to identify a person’s resources and need for help and in cooperation with the client be able to initiate different environmental therapy or habilitation and rehabilitation measures, give guidance in order to contribute to providing a high quality of life and the greatest possible degree of proficiency, and give basic nursing and care to clients who cannot do this themselves
* be able to handle medicines in a proper way
* have knowledge of the most common illnesses, including mental illness and problems, be able to recognize the most usual symptoms in connection with these and have the skills required to give basic nursing to people who cannot do this themselves
* be able to cooperate with family, other relatives and the local community in order to give the best offer possible
* be able to meet clients with respect and empathy and see equality as the basic prerequisite for performing their work
* be able to work in relationships characterized by pressure from different sources and conflict of interests, and to handle such conflicts while focusing on the client’s interests
* be able to work with people who have different perceptions of reality and to perform their work in multi-cultural environments
* have knowledge of other relevant occupational groups, be able to evaluate their own and others’ competence, and cooperate with different occupational groups
* be able to take part in professional development work, implement new ways of working on the basis of research and other professional innovation, and have an understanding of the importance of their own personal and professional development
* be able to document and evaluate their work and to develop its quality (Frame plan 1999 pages 5 and 6)


4. LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND TEACHING METHODS

The course of training for social educators makes great demands on the students. A broad and comprehensive scope of subjects must be integrated and processed in an independent manner. The education also entails development of the personal qualities of each student during the study through their encounters with inter-human, professional and ethical issues.

The teaching methods are a balance between self-study, group work, work assignments and lectures. Different forms of teaching will be used with the aim of preparing the student for a job situation which will require experience in different ways of working.

The teaching methods place emphasis on activity and challenge the students to independent activity, interaction, choice of values, attitudes, feelings, intellect and creativity. A major goal of the different ways of working is to help the students to be able to search for and make use of different sources of knowledge when working on tasks linked to the working field of the social educator.

Requirements to more student-controlled work and teaching forms will gradually be developed during the course of the study. One example of student-initiated teaching is the further study in the final year of study.