The Foundation Lecture ‘Delivered’ at the J S S Department of Social Work, Mysore
*This piece of writing, perhaps, is one of the last writings of Dr. P.T.Thomas, a well-established social work educator and a very bold thinker of his times. Dr. Thomas, whom a adored for his scholarship and sharp intellect, had accepted our invitation to deliver the first foundation lecture at the J.S.S. Post-Graduate Deptt. of Social Work, Mysore (Established in 2001), when I was the director of that Deptt. during 2002-2003. Unfortunately due to his Illhealth, which did not allow him to travel from Bangalore to Mysore, we had to post-pone the programme which we could not organize at all. It is sad we lost that precious Social Work Personality recently at his ripe age of 90 in April 2012. However, we are fortunate in publishing, his undelivered lecture here posthumously. We pray for his soul to have heavenly bliss. Dr.H.M. Marulasiddaiah 20, May 2012 Abstract
Intervention fieldwork in social work education is exceptionally practiced at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in India. The conventional method of fieldwork training in the institutional setup is largely found. Thereby, there is a lacking in the independent practice of social work by pupils of social work. Hence, the knowledge, skills, aptitude and value orientation obtained in social work training has hardly addressed the Interventional needs of the society. In other words, professional socialisation of social work students is misleading the very purpose of social work education in catering the development needs of society. There is also a need of intervention research in order to test and re-test the significance of social work theories, methods and knowledge. In Indian context, there is a paucity of indigenous literature on social work as a consequence of conventional method of fieldwork training and the dearth of intervention research. This has a bearing on establishing social work as a profession and seeking social recognition in India. The paper attempts to argue the importance of intervention fieldwork in social work education in order to develop competent social work professionals in addressing the fast changing and complex issues of society. The paper is based on a case study of women self help group consisting 20 economically poor members formed by a local NGO in Tippu Sultan Nagar Slum in the city of Vijayapura. Intervention field work has resulted in a change in numeracy and functional literacy from (10 percent) to (90 percent) and documentation skills from (5 percent) to (85 percent). The paper illustrates the components and process of intervention fieldwork that can be adopted in the schools of social work to strengthen social work education in order to develop a cadre of competent professional social workers. Key Words: Intervention Fieldwork, Socialisation of Social Work Education, Teaching Social Work Practice. Introduction:
Human trafficking, or trafficking in persons, is a form of modern-day slavery and millions of people around the world, including children are victims of this crime. Human trafficking is the exploitation of human beings, especially vulnerable populations, and is recognized as one of the most severe abuses of human rights today. Violations of human rights are both a cause and a consequence of human trafficking. Dr. S.A. Kazi The emergence of Social Work education is a result of multidisciplinary response to the diversified social issues in society. This diversified response to the societal issues resulted social work profession. The global definition of social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central theme to social work. Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing (Global Definition of the Social Work Profession, approved by IFSW in 2014).
“We cannot climb up a rope that is attached only to our own belt.” William Ernest Hocking
Support groups are the organizations of people who share a common disorder and problems who meet together to discuss their experiences, share ideas, and provide emotional support for one another. Usually a support group is led by a member who has had some training in facilitating group discussions. Unlike formal group therapy, self-help support groups are usually not led by a professional therapist but nevertheless can be a helpful coping tool to complement formal treatment. For some types of problems, such as bereavement after the death of a loved one, or coping with chronic medical conditions like cancer, chronic kidney disease, HIV, hospitals or community agencies often provide support groups led by a social worker or other counselor. Field Work Practicum in Social Work Education The Challenges, Pitfalls and Practical Solutions4/2/2017 Manjunath Introduction
Social work as a practiced-based profession (IFSW/IASSW, 2014) requires a combination of theoretical and practical learning. Both types of learning are important for students to become professional social workers, and they take place inside and outside the university classroom through the field education experience. Ethical Climate and Job Satisfaction Among Social Workers in Modern Day Working Environments3/30/2017 Abstract:
This study assessed the relationship between ethical climate and job satisfaction which five stressors (family factors, economic factors, job difficulty, peers’ competition and organizational climate) with the social workers performance (Creativity and innovation, the ability in problem solving and decision making). Job satisfaction is directly proportional to work stress is an established factor. Without having 100% satisfaction at the working atmosphere especially if you are a social worker it becomes impossible to have an ethically neutral work atmosphere based on the social worker & work structure defined/designed by him/her. Introduction
Field programmes are finally capturing the limelight in social work education as the “signature pedagogy,” a form of education that integrates theory and practice. Field education is an experiential form of teaching and learning that takes place in a service setting. Learning is achieved through the provision and/or development of services to clients, groups, communities, organizations, or the society. Field instruction is a process that involves the field instructor and the student in analyzing and integrating practice skills with the knowledge and value base of the profession. The goal is to develop the student’s competence in the practice of social work. The attempt to forge a strong link between theory and practice remains a cornerstone of social work professional education. Through the practicum, graduate students are provided with significant integrative experiences in preparation for their professional careers. The supervised practice experience or practicum is referred to in many different ways including “field instruction,” “supervision,” “placement” or “internship. The practicum, field instruction and field work are different terms used to denote the same reality i.e., the practicum in social work education (Philomina, 1978). I am fortunate to have a small, reassuring family consisting of my wife, children ,children-in-law ,and grandchildren , and a big extended family comprising my former students of social work , many of whom keep in touch with me regularly or occasionally. Some of my former students have been asking me to write my experiences as a social work professional. I am touched by their warmth and I am planning to look back in time.
Good Day Greetings
I am Dr Veena S Algur MSW PhD working as Medical social worker since 1988 ( 26 yrs ) . As a interested individual category ,as a expert of social work profession , I wish to opine regarding pay scale and Designation of Medical Social Worker working in Medical colleges that too in community Medicine department Medical Social worker is a team member in teaching community medicine subject , MSW are taking theory classes of sociology for MBBS students and take them to community level field visits Introduction:
India is the country of villages. More than seventy five per cent population lives in the villages. The rich culture of the country is maintained only in the rural India due to which people of the world have accepted and welcomed the Indian culture. Ruralites of the country have maintained the culture and have created a way to the people for their happy and peaceful life. Rural families give support, love, affection self belongingness and we feelings to their members. They also give social security and satisfaction to their members. The family institution satisfies their basic and socio-psychological, educational, professional, occupational needs. The personal, familial, social and occupational problems of the members are also resolved in the process. In short, the responsibilities of the family members are accepted and the social duty is performed by them sincerely, honestly with love and affection. However, industrialization, urbanization, westernization, technological development and globalization are bringing changes in the rural society in India today. Introduction
Students of Centers of higher education must be exposed to the realities of the society. All centers of learning have to create opportunities to expose the students to social problems and sensitize them to the issues confronting the less privileged. Field action projects provide an ideal ground to operationalise these objectives. More importantly the primary function of Universities is to build knowledge. Field action and disseminate projects make a valuable contribution in the creation of practical knowledge. Field Action Project: It’s Importance To Social Work Practicum And Training: Our Experiences9/19/2016 Field Action project, also more agreeably known as Field work projects, is an essential part of Social Work Practicum. Social Work can also be called as an empirical science which draws more on the practical aspect than the theoretical. Moreover the emphasis lies on determining the level to which either theory or practice needs to be balanced.
Introduction:
Social Work Education is unique due to its practical nature. Apart from its theoretical inputs, it places emphasis on Practice. The Centre for Social Development (CSD) is a laboratory for social work students to apply theoretical aspects into practice. "Field Work Practicum (FWP) is a closely supervised educational internship in a social work setting that provides planned opportunities to apply theory taught in class-rooms to field situations, which, in turn, enhance classroom learning". (National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) Manual for Social Work Institutions). The Background
Soon after the launch of the MSW programme at the MGCSW in August, 2010, when observation visits and transact walk in the area started and field work placements were being finalized in a few villages during 2010-2012, the problem of quality of primary education attracted the attention of faculty and students. Problems of absentee teachers, untrained teachers, shortage of teachers, drop outs, low level of motivation adverse media reports, and coaching of students were well-known which were affecting quality. Examination results of the secondary and senior secondary schools run by the Government and even private schools were poor. A few examination centres in the State had shown zero results. The overall pass percentage in the area where the MGCSW is located was less than 50 percent. This was so in the case of both the Government Schools as well as Private School. And this is happening in a state where the literacy level is higher than the national average. After having had my education in India necessary for my academic career - as well as having imbibed "education in human values" from mothers' milk - I landed for about 43 years ago in a country quite unknown to many of my fellow countrymen. In the 60's very few knew about this land and very few had heard about its capital "Wonderful" Copenhagen, its attractions like Tivoli, the Lego bricks and of course one of its famous legends – the story teller Hans Christian Andersen, well known for his fairy tales which even today enchants children all over the world.
Global stressors that are impacting on the rural community life such as energy stress as a result of scarcity of conventional oil; economic stress as a result of global economic instability and widening income gaps between rich and poor; demographic stress from differentials in population growth rates between rich and poor societies and from expansion of mega-cities in poor societies; environmental stress from worsening damage to land, water forests, and fisheries; and, finally the climate stress from changes in the composition of Earth's atmosphere. The cumulative effect of the above variables contributes t the growing risk of a cascading collapse of systems vital to our human wellbeing - a phenomenon Thomas Homer-Dixon calls as "synchronous failure" (2011). Consequently communities are expected to do everything in order to avoid such outcomes, today. In sequence, this paper addresses three areas:
http://youtu.be/qurJOnIq31E Run time: 37 mins About the title, there was a popular Hollywood film with the title – Great Train Robbery, Perhaps based on a well-known detective novel. So, I was inspired by that title, in choosing the title for this note, “Robbery” is obviously inappropriate for the title. Having looked up the dictionary for the meaning of the words “Plagiarism” and “Piracy” I chose the word ‘piracy’ in preference to the word “Plagiarism” widely used in academic literature and by the publisher’s disclaimers. Here is the meaning of the word “piracy” : the unauthorized use or appropriation of patented or copyrighted material or ideas etc. (The new Collins Concise English Dictionary, Rupa and co 1982 Indian edition).
Social work researchers often refer books which are not worthy to be referred. Professor Shankar Pathak, who retired from the Delhi School of Social Work ( now Department of Social Work at the Delhi University), recently brought to the attention of social work fraternity the "social work academic piracy " through a privately circulated letter. A writer of impeccable academic and professional integrity, Professor Pathak has exposed the wholesale piracy of a multi-volume Encyclopaedia of Social Work brought out by a private institute based at Lucknow. Encyclopaedia is a very serious academic effort needing enormous organizational and academic co-ordination. But copying others' works does not need any serious effort. Only two requirements for such an enterprise:(1)materials are to be identified for copying, and (2) unlimited confidence that the mass copying would not be noticed, and if noticed no one would bother about it.
The Platinum Jubilee of social work education in India was observed in 2011. But there is nothing to cheer about. Mushrooming of social work courses (BSW and MSW ); sub-standard distance education programmes barring the ones of IGNOU; no national association of social workers; no regulatory council; no certification for social work practice:...
The professional social work education and the student social workers are familiar with the paradigmatic shift in the organization. We desire that social workers to be competent to offer quality services to the needy and participate in bringing about structural changes so as to meet the challenges known us during the modern times, and in the light of changing ideologies. We have to deliberate on the requirements for improving the quality and competency of the social work professionals.
Myth 1: Anyone who has a kind heart can be a social worker.
Fact: Social workers are highly skilled professionals who have a university degree in social work at the bachelor's, master's or doctoral level. Myth 2: Social workers work only with people who are "down on their luck". Fact: Social workers provide services to people from all age groups and from all social and economic backgrounds. Today's fast moving globalize world with advanced science and technology has failed to break the iceberg in man's mind regarding cancer. It is so unfortunate that even the elite educated group has failed to understand that cancer is a non-communicable disease. The myth and stigma attached to it have unchanged in the long run of a civilized society.
There was a major debate during the 1960's among professional social workers, especially social work educators on the issue whether Labour Welfare (L. W), Personnel Management (P.M) and Industrial Relations (I.R) was a field of social work. The Association of Schools of Social Work in India (A.S.S.W.I) decided to appoint a committee to deliberate on this issue and submit a report. The members of the committee were: Prof. M. Vasudeva Moorthy, at that time Head, Dept. of Social Work and Sociology, Andhra University, and was earlier at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (T.I.S.S) teaching Social Pathology and L.W.P.M.I.R. as it was known in abbreviation.
Introduction:
The Human life cycle moves through various stages from the immaturity of childhood to the maturity of adulthood and then the senility of old age. Every Stage is characterized by certain concomitant changes in the physical, emotional as well as the social realms (Pai, 2000) Of these stages the last one, that is old age had failed to attract the attention of the society until recently. This was apparent even from the vocabulary of social welfare, for, though included the terms like destitute, dependents and vulnerable groups, connoting children, women and to certain extent the youth, it had not considered the aged. Even the British Medical Association confirms the considerable indifference shown toward ‘Geriatric Medicine denouncing it as a second-rate speciality, looking after third-rate patients in fourth-rate facilities’ (BMA, 1986 P.4) |
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