Ethical considerations for international social work and humanitarian work

Australian Social Work and Humanitarian Studies educators expect that their academic programs will train graduates so that they have the professional knowledge, values, skills and personal qualities (Ryan et al. 1998:13; Ryan et al 2006:82; Cooper 2007:100; AASW 2008) to commence practice according to standards set by the Australian Association of Social Work (AASW) or Australian Institute of Welfare and Community Workers (AIWCW). This paper considers particular characteristics of International Social Work and subsequent new humanitarian studies programs on the personal and ethical qualities that might be required within educational curricula. It also examines relevant learning needs of students who, on graduation, might quite quickly be expected to engage with the ethnic traditions, cross-cultural power relations and moral relativities that confront international social workers and humanitarian workers.