Weaving a professional ethos:: Elements for a pedagogy of ethics in the training of social and psychoeducational intervention workers

Abstract

This article aims to make a contribution to thought on the question of the ethical training of social and psychoeducational intervention works. Far from being an operational or methodological proposal
on what ethical training should be, and not based on rigorous research work on the state of the question, this text humbly suggests a number of anthropological-philosophical reflections, the resultof long professional and teaching experience. These reflections are structured along three main lines. Firstly, an introductory section taking a more sociological nature discussing the justification of ethics and its paradoxes in a complex and constantly changing world. Secondly, with a more epistemological approach, analysis of what should be learned - in terms of knowledge, know-how and knowing how to be – in order to construct what we call the professional ethos or knowing how to act
and what for. Thirdly, a line taking a more pedagogical nature, in which we focus on three primary dimensions of training: critical thinking/reflexivity, commitment/responsibility, and sensitivity/care, and propose some possible paths and contextualisations. Finally, we take a brief look at different training models in different countries.