As a profession, Social Work is increasingly shaped by scientific and theoretical differentiation, which inevitably leads to greater complexity in both language and methodology. Terms such as empowerment, participation, and case management are central to both research and practice in Social Work. However, these concepts are not self-explanatory. For individuals who have had limited access to Social Work terminology, it is essential to develop context-relevant and accessible explanations to balance information asymmetries, foster dialogue on an equal footing, and create spaces for reflection.

This research project seeks to address these challenges by studying information about theoretical and methodological concepts in Social Work through the involvement of service users. The project’s main topics are outlined below:

• Participatory engagement with service users to explore and define key concepts and topics in Social Work, with the aim of creating informational resources together.
• Development of accessible multimedia formats for knowledge transfer such as info texts, infographics, explanatory videos, or comics.
• Validation and further development of existing materials.

In this project, the term ‘service users’ refers to a broad spectrum of individuals who are actively involved in Social Work processes – not only clients, but also social workers, family members, experts, and staff or management from social service organizations. The degrees of participation will be determined throughout the research process, based on the research questions, context, and collaboration opportunities.

The project aims to bridge theory and practice, provide information with practical relevance, and generate valuable insights for the theoretical and methodological advancement of Social Work.