Innovative Social Work Practice: Initiatives Through Centre For Social Development

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).

Practical education is rapidly gaining acknowledgement within the higher education sector as a legitimate pedagogy, providing exciting learning for students along with a pathway to future employment. This article concludes with some suggestions for how practicum education may be further developed and strengthened to better serve future cohorts of social work students. The paper highlights how the partnership between the institution and the organisations work for mutual sharing of Human, Technical and Financial Resources for the welfare of community.
 
Centre for Social Development
The FAP at our college (CMRI) was started with an integrated development programme in the adopted panchayath with the application of theoretical aspects for empowerment of the people, particularly the socially disadvantaged groups. The Centre is devoted to study the development process and render the needed services, It undertakes basic and applied social services through community services and extension activities with an interdisciplinary approach to examine social processes and organizes seminars, workshops and trainings to create awareness among the people on social issues. It strives to contribute to uplift the people through interventions and consultancy.

CSD plans to work collaboratively with a wide range oŪ Government Departments, Non-Government Organisations, agencies, Universities, Research Institutions, etc. CSD activities focus on a wide range of subjects including gender issues, child welfare, women welfare, forests and environment, sustainable development, agriculture, health and hygiene, and education, Rural Entrepreneurship, etc.

The CSD is an independent organisation associated with theI nstitution. The Centre is dedicated to bringing theoretical clarity to the concept of right to development by integrating the academic disciplines of all the academic programmes of the Institution. The purpose of the establishment of the Centre is to acquire credibility as a serious research centre in Development areas by integrating the services of all the streams of the Institution to apply the theoretical aspects by doing good to the society.

Keeping in mind this need, the Centre for Social Development was set up on October 2 2011 by CMR Institution lead by the Department of Social Work with the cooperation and coordination of various other Departments and wings of the Institution.

In recent years, the role of institutions for development has received considerable attention from development researchers, policy makers and practitioners. It is time for the institutions to focus more on providing services to the needy in collaboration with other institutions and organisations. The Centre proposes an innovative analytical framework that maps out channels of influence between institutions and development outcomes. Educational Institutions are defined in a broader sense, linking various measures of institutional quality to development outcomes from various angles and disciplines. The developed framework stresses the idea that institutions do not stand alone but are embedded in a social setting.

Centre for Social Development  is also a Students' organisation, for an integrated development of the people by contributing the services of various disciplines of higher education with community development as its Focus. It was proposed to be established in order to coordinate social sensitization programs targeted at the students and also implement service programmes for the marginalized sections of the society. It is important for the institution to work with the needy community with an aim to improve their life conditions on a sustainable basis. This is because the students, after getting socially sensitized in the social development projects, would get a realistic picture of the ways in which they can support the society. Their concrete involvement in the development projects will help in enhancing their empathetic attitude towards the poor. Thus, CSD will entrust with the job of facilitating partnership between CMRIMS and the Community.

Social Work Education is a unique due to its practice component. Apart from its theoretical inputs, it  semphasis is on Practice. The (CSD) is a laboratory for social work students to apply theoretical aspects into practice.  The passed out/Alumni students will be given opportunity to work in the adopted panchaytah under the various projects of the Centre. A nominal honorarium and the experience certificate will be given to those students which help them in their further career growth.
Area of Operation: Adoption of one Panchayath (comprising of 6-8 villages) located within the distance of 50 kms
 
Our proposed project activities are:

• Functional Literacy and Value & Moral Based Education
  
• Educational Support & Sponsorship.
  
• Material and Financial Aid to Children
  
• Crisis Intervention and Counselling Services
  
• Support Services
  
• Resourcing and Advocacy
  
• Capacity building and Training for youth, women and men
  
• Income Generation Activities for Families
  
• Environmental education and communication
  
• Children's rights campaigning
  
• Networking and Convergence with Local Support Systems

 
Target Groups

• Children, youth, men and women who belong to low socio-economic status families in the adopted panchayath.
• Children and young men and women whose parents work in unorganised sectors, including agriculture.
• School and college going youth
• Working youth in organised, semi-organised and unorganised sectors
• NGOs and civil society organisations

 
Our Aim and Purpsoe

• To promote the overall development of children, youth and women in rural areas, who are socially and economically deprived;
• To provide family centred home based intensive services to children, youth and
• To sensitise rural and urban children and women on various environmental issues and concerns through education, training and communication;
• To create public awareness on the rights of the child and women and to work for the promotion, protection and defense of children's and women's rights.
• Focus on education sponsorship; home based care and school placement for children in dysfunctional families; referral services to children for problem children; family counseling; environmental education for children and children and women rights education.

The purpose is to make the panchayath a model through integrated development through institutional services in collaboration with the related Departments and organisations and sensitise the students to focus on community services.
 
Objectives

• To provide high quality learning, teaching, care and youth service within an integrated responsive and supportive organisation which strives for continuous improvement in service and performance.
• To prepare the students to understand the social reality through practical inputs with active participation, involvement and commitment towards the contribution of individual to the community/society.
• To provide the basic amenities for the needy in the selected area in a scientific and research based approach.
• To develop leadership qualities and group living experiences among the students through proper planning, organising and implementation of welfare programmes.
• To facilitate innovative practices in strengthening institution–community relationships.
• To extend the Social Welfare Services of Social Work activities to the grassroots of the Community
• To help the students to understand theoretical learnings in a practical approach by implementing in the field by providing a platform to the students of all streams come together and to promote them to work for the community.
• To render services of the institution to the community through Institution Social Responsibility (ISR). 

 
Strategies to be adopted by the Centre for Social Development:
The above objectives can be achieved through the following strategies.

• Student sensitization programmes
• Community intervention / empowerment programmes.
• Awareness through Conferences/ Interactive sessions/Seminars/Workshops/ Training Programmes etc

 
Components:

• Socail Work Teachers
• Social Work Students
• Community
• Agency

Wings of the Centre:  The Development Centre having different areas on the basis of requirements of students and the Community. The services may change time to time in order to fulfil the changing trends of social work education and the Community.

• Counselling & Guidence Centre
• Research Centre
• Social Action Branch
• Lifeskill Education
• Women Empowerment
• Child Welfare

 
Organisation Structure:
Board of Directors

• Principal, HOD, 3 Experts, Faculty Members

 
Centre Co-ordinator

• Branch Co-ordinator - 1
• Faculty Representative
• Student Coordinators

 
Collaborative Organisations

• Government Departments
• Corporate Sector
• Non Government Organisations
• Department's Field Work Organisations/ Agencies
• Linkages with other Departments of the College
• Rotary & Rotaract Clubs
• CMRIMS various wings like NSS, Centre for Human Values

 
Institutional Services

• Placement of the MSW students for Field Work Practice in open community
• Encouraging the students to conduct Survey, Research, Taking up Projects, Studies for Dissertation/ Case Study etc.
• Direct application of Methods of Social Work at all levels
• Inclusive and Integrated Approach: Utilisation of the institutional services for the integrated development of the adopted panchayath.

Eg:
a) Law- Legal Awareness for the people to get their rights, Lokadalat, Legal Aid, etc
b) Psychology-Counselling, Therapy for the patients with stress, depression, emotional problems etc
c) Business Management - Awareness on managerial aspects for the local authorities, panchayath members etc
d) Management & Commerce- Establishment of Entrepreneurship for rural unemployed youths, Awareness on Rural Banking system, Loan Facility, Cooperatives, etc
e) Bio Sciences- Impact of Bio Technological issues on Agriculture, Organic Farming, etc
f) Information Technology- Free Computer Literacy programmes for the school children, local youths and panchayath members
g) Electronic Media- Film Shows, Documentaries, Interaction and Interviews with the experts, Farmers, Impact Assessment of Social Welfare Programmes, Reporting and Documentation, Advertising and Publicity of locally available resources and their uses
h) B.Ed/D.Ed- Awareness on Education, Identifying School Dropouts, Literacy improvement programmes, Implementation of Right to Education Act, etc
i) NSS- Developing the patriotism among the youth, Conducting several Social Services, Tree Plantation, Shramadan, Conducting camps, Awareness on National Integration etc.
j) Languages: a) English- Spoken English/ Grammar Classes for the school and college going students b) Kannada- Dissemination of Information on Kannada Literature
 
Other Activities:

• Family Counselling, Youth and Women guidance & other Psycho-Social Services
• Vocational Training Programmes for Youths
• Responding  to the social realities
• Right Based Approach: Formation of Action groups to conduct Social Action in the Community to enjoy their rights (SEZ, Farmers Suicide...etc.)
• Establishing Indigenous Knowledge Bank (EKB) in the community
• Extension Activities and Community Services
• Research and Development
• Running Community Libraries
• Institutional Activities at the Community
• Support Services-Bank Loans, Ration Card, Yashaswini Card, ESI Cards, Registration of Construction Workers and provision of ID Cards etc, 

 
Key Functioning Areas of Department of Social Work
1.         Man Power Development Training Programmes
2.         Dissemination of Information
3.         Transfer of Technology
4.         Support Services
5.         Advocacy and Lobbying
6.         Act as a Facilitator
 
Activities Of The Centre

• Organic Farming, Sustainable Development Programmes etc
• Environment related programmes
• Awareness/Training Programmes on all social aspects specially Rural Development and Agriculture
• Empowerment of Women and Youth through training programmes
• Education and Health related programmes for children
• Tree Plantation, Blood Donation programmes
• Special Rural Camps by students of all the Departments
• Extension Activities/ Community Services
• Awareness and Training Programmes for the Panchayath members
• Advocacy and Lobbying for the livelihood and protection of Human Rights
• Sensitization of the people to participate actively in Government and NGO welfare programmes

 
Process:
Preparation

• Selection of the Area
• Plan of Action

 
Planning & Organisisng

• Establish the Setting in the Community
• Study, Diagnosis, Treatment and Evaluation
• Distribution & Allocation of the Resources
• Budgetting  and Accounting

 
Implementationn

• Building the rapport with the local community
• Implementation of the Programmes 
• Rendering  the services

 
Monitoring & Evalation

• Systematic Analysis and Review of the Programmes
• Modification & Implementation
• Reporting and Documentation
• Evaluation

 
Field Workers/ Student Trainees:

• In Each Semester 3-5 Students must be placed in the Development Centre, they must practice in villages, panchayats and local NGO's.
• The Rural Social Work Camp/Community Camps will be organized in the chosen specific area every year, and to carryout concrete and constructive activities. 
• The students who finished their MSW Degree may work for 1 – 2 years in particular setting as employee of the centre.
• The Centre will undertake the projects either alone nor in collaboration with other organizations/institutions.
• Students may take-up research work in the particular area

 
Activities Undertaken:
Though the Centre for Social Deve opment was set up recently on October 2, 2011, several activities were undertaken by the centre since 2010. Presently, the centre is working in the process of identifying the suitable panchayath which meets our expectations. The important activities conducted so far mentioned as under;

• Identification and Registration of Construction Workers-Provision of welfare services for the real beneficiaries by Karnataka Construction Workers Welfare Board, Department of Labour, Government of Karnataka: Nearly 150 construction workers of Bangalore city were identified and submitted the details to the concerned Department
• Project proposal on Rain Water Harvesting: The proposal has been prepared to implement the Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) in the campus. The students have won Rs. 10,000 as seed money for the project proposal in the Inter Collegiate Competition on Climate Change organized by the Global Citizens Sustainability Development. It is estimated for more than 1lakh for implementing the Rain Water Harvesting in the college campus with the technical assistance of SWARAJ Foundation. The work is under the process.
• Makali Parva: Awareness and Empowerment of the people living in Makali Durga in organizing themselves to protect the historic Makali fort in terms of Tree Plantation, Formation of Makali Protection Committee.
• The students were placed for Concurrent Field Work Practicum to understand and respond to the  situations of crisis of Nirashrithara Parihara Kendra (NPK)
• Observance of World AIDS Day, Human Rights Day, International Women's Day etc.

 
Conclusion And Suggestions
Social work profession is very vast and acceptable to different fields & organizations but the schools of social work and the social work educators have fallen short in achieving the professional target. The trained social workers are perfectly suitable in the jobs.

Through the faculty, students and development professionals in the department, CSD will involve in the development issues. CSD always looks forward for collaborations with institutes and other stakeholders through which student community can be sensitized.

Thus, CSD intends to create a community of empathetic students who can work proactively for the society at large. The groups that CSD focuses its programmes on are children, women, youth, Farmers, Awareness for panchayath members and other authorities on Government Welfare programmes in support of the various disciplines of the college and their linkages and networking.

In seventy five years of social work education in India the professional rural social work has not imprinted its image and utilized its professional speciality for solution of the problems for rural development. Now, the parallel professions have entered in the field and they have created challenges before the social work profession. The said challenge has threatened the profession and has become difficult for survival. This is high time to stop the under utilization and hotch potch training and mediocre social work practice.

To revise and develop the course of rural social work, the following suggestions may be useful, fruitful, practicable and beneficial.

• Universities should frame the fieldwork syllabus based on the theoretical papers and social work techniques to enable the students to learn in practical situations in professional perspective because fieldwork is the backbone of social work profession.
• Universities and schools of social work should make four days fieldwork and two days for classroom teaching-learning process. Social work itself is practicing course. Hence, emphasis should be given on fieldwork training and practice.
• Universities and schools of social work should design the innovative projects based on the needs of the society for fieldwork training and social work practice.
• Social work training should be imparted to the authorities of the Gram Panchayats and make them to play the roles professionally.
• Awareness programmes should be organized on social legislation, social problems,          social transactions, social behaviour, social relations, unity and solidarity and contribute in making of the society.

 
S.Venkatesha Murthy
HOD, Department of Social Work, CMR Institute of Management Studies (Autonomous), Bangalore-560043.