Opportunities and Challenges of Social Work Trainees in Nepal
Amit Kumar Yadav
(2015)
Introduction
The International Federation of
Social Workers states, “Social work bases its methodology on a systematic body
of evidence based knowledge derived from research and practice evaluation,
including local and indigenous knowledge specific to its context. It recognizes
the complexity of interactions between human beings and their environment, and
the capacity of people both to be affected by and to alter the multiple
influences upon them including bio-psychosocial factors. Social work profession
draws on theories of human development, social theory and social systems to
analyze complex situations and to facilitate individual, organizational, social
and cultural changes.”
The present study was undertaken by
the researcher to explore the learning opportunities and challenges faced by
the social work learners of Nepal, within educational institutions as well as
during field work.
Social work is a Profession which
helps people to overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges such as
poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, physical illness, divorce, loss,
unemployment, educational problems, disability and mental illness. They help to
prevent crises and counsel individuals, families, groups and communities to
cope more effectively with the stresses and the problems of everyday life.
Social work not only focuses on
theory, but it also gives importance to Practical aspects and life skills
development. It not only gives the ideas to solve other’s problems but also
one’s own problems. Social Work enables the trainee social worker to understand
self, to develop capacity and use of self while dealing with clients.
Social Work is a young profession in
Nepal. Social work as an academic discipline started in 1996 at St. Xavier’s
College, Kathmandu. There is a broader scope of Social work in Nepal. Nepalese
Social Workers can work in schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, senior
citizens’ centers, private practice, prisons, military, corporations, and in
numerous public and private agencies that serve individuals, families, groups
and communities in need.
Social work, however, is a
misunderstood profession in Nepal. It is known and taught as a discipline
rather than profession. The Government has taken it as a discipline and most of
the people do not know about social work in Nepal. They think that social work
is similar to Sociology. The practitioners are not able to unite to form a
National Level Council or Association of Social Work in Nepal. There is no
clarity regarding who are Social workers and who are not.
Social Work Theory in Nepal and
Credibility of the Profession
Theories are taught in class room
and trainees practice those theories in field work. Theory helps to enhance
knowledge to a great extent and field work helps to develop skills to a great
extent. Social work is a subject which mainly focuses on theoretical and
practical aspects equally. It helps to build networking with other
professionals and enhance social interaction. There are many disciplines
in Nepal; but now-a- days students are attracted to social work field because
of such unique characteristics of social work education.
Till yesterday, students first
studied the subjects, they wrote the exam and when they tried to apply those
theories they failed to implement those theories in practice. But social work
provides opportunity to concurrently use the theory in Practice. Most of the
Nepalese Colleges and universities have four days of theory classes (including
Individual conference, Group conference) and two days of field work.
Generally, the social work students have been placed in different types of
agencies, communities, VDC office, Government, Non-government, and
International Non-Government Agencies to practice the theories which they
studied in class room. It gives knowledge as well as skill to work with
individuals, group, community, administration, research and social action if
needed. Students practice these six methods of social work.
Social work is an imported
profession from western countries. Western ideology and philosophy regarding
social work always dominate over the developing countries’ ideology and
philosophy. Desai (2002), states that the Indian society is structured by
families and communities, where as the Western social work approach is
individualistic. The Indian religions emphasize duties whereas the western
liberalism emphasizes freedom as the goal. While the Indian ideologies are
holistic and wisdom oriented, the American professional ideologies are
analytical and scientific”.
Nepal and India are neighboring
countries and the social and religious structure of Nepal and India are
somewhat similar. Whatever Desai has stated about social work practice in India
is also applicable in Nepal. There are also differences between Nepali society
and western society. If the society is different, culture is different,
situation is different, it is sure that the principles, theory, and practice
pattern should be different. Social Work should focus on indigenous context. If
you teach a child “A” for “Aero plane” it is difficult to understand for those
children who never got a chance to see the plane; but if you teach “A” for
“Ant”, it is easy to understand because we are familiar with ants. Social Work
trainees face the same kind of difficulty in field work. Nepalese Social work
trainees tried to practice western theories, methods, and principles which are
difficult to apply in Nepalese context.
Social work is thus an imported as
well as a developing profession. To build credibility of this profession, a
practitioner should focus on indigenous values, principles, methods which are
suitable in Nepalese context.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL WORK
TRAINEES IN FIELD WORK AND CLASS ROOM
Social Work is a professional course
which provides both classroom activities and field activities. Social Work
provides activities which helps to understand the real problems and the real
issues of society. Classroom learning helps to understand the theoretical part
of society and the field work helps to understand the strengths and challenges
of applying the theory into practice.
However, Social Work students need
even more facilities of learning such as real life based theories, assignments,
group discussions, presentations, seminars, conferences and other
extra-curricular activities.
CHALLENGES FOR SOCIAL WORK TRAINEES
IN FIELD WORK AND CLASSROOM
Social Work is a developing
profession in Nepal. Even though it is an internationally recognized profession
it has not yet established itself as a Profession in Nepal. Efforts are being
made to gain reorganization of social work as a profession in Nepal. Doctors,
engineers, and other professions are well known in Nepal but not social work.
Some social workers themselves believe that Social work is just a discipline.
Highly trained and experienced
professionals should teach the students to get qualitative education. Only
those who have earned social work degrees at the bachelor’s, masters’ or
doctoral levels, and completed a minimum number of hours in supervised
fieldwork, are “professional social workers.” But unfortunately, there are
hardly any lecturers who completed their doctoral degree in Social Work. There
is lack of experienced lecturers and supervisors.
Social work trainees sent to I/N/GOs
are treated as volunteers rather than social Work trainees. They do not get
proper guidance and instruction. Even the colleges are not giving importance to
their skills development and their overall development. One of the major
challenges of Social work learners may be that there is no deep root of social
work in Nepal. Other challenges maybe lack of sufficient materials related to
Nepalese context and division among social work students, educators and
professionals and lack of interest to initiate collective forum to promote
social work practice.
Opportunities and challenges of
social work trainees in Nepal
Most of the social work trainees
join social work to join and work in I/NGOs rather than working for the
community or their own society.
Still in social work field the
lecturers are following the same traditional methods like one sided lecturer
than learner’s participation. The main cause of this might be either teacher
thought the learners do not have knowledge or learners do not want to
participate in class actively.
Majority of the social work trainees
are satisfied with the classroom learning process and they believe that they
are getting space to share their perspectives and they also know the subject
matter. The learners who are not satisfied with classroom activities because
they experienced note based lecturer and they also felt less experience lecture
do not able to give good quality of education and/or knowledge. Some of them
also felt that they are not getting suitable environment to study in classroom
and/or at institute.
Group discussion helps to engage
social work trainees to think and motivate them to connect with the content. It
also gives equal opportunity to all social work learners to share their ideas
and views regarding subject matter and most important, it improve the speaking
skill to social work trainees. large majority of the social work
learners are satisfied with group discussion in classroom and they believe that
it helps to gain knowledge, to know various perspectives and it also helps to
discover new things and very few learners do not have enough group discussion
in classroom.
Classroom presentation improves and
provide alternate method of learning in the classroom besides lectures (Habar
2008). Social work learners can utilize their critical thinking. It also
enhance bonding and helping nature among friends. A large majority social work
learners believe that classroom presentation helps to develop skills, to build
confidence, and it also enhance knowledge whereas the learners who are not
satisfied with classroom presentation according to them they are not getting
opportunities for classroom presentation.
Program participation, group
discussion, assignments and class presentation helps social work learners to develop
skills. Field work and exposure camp, event organization, active participation
of social work learners and following the value and norms of social work helps
to develop social work values.
Fulltime lecturers are able to give
enough time to their students but most of the social work institutes have very
less number of social work lecturers. A library is a collection of sources of
information and similar resources, made accessible to a defined community for
reference or borrowing. But unfortunately very few social work institutes have
enough books in library. Some of the institute does not have even a single
social work reference book. If social work learners are not able to access the
opportunity to get reference books then they are totally depends on class notes
and even the lectures are not able to get enough resources and knowledge
lacking the resources.
MAJOR FINDINGS
• A
relative majority of 36 per cent of the respondents say that all the lecturers
are fulltime lecturers but 32 per cent respondents also reveal that there is
not even a single fulltime lecturer in social work department.
• With
regard to educational process the levels of satisfaction of learners of
social work in Nepal are observed as follows:
Ø The learners of social work
in Nepal have a good level of satisfaction with regard to use of participatory
teaching methods as a vast majority of 68 per cent of them have rated it
good/excellent.
Ø An average level of
satisfaction is observed with regard to lecturers, and co-curricular activities
as 52 per cent of them have rated lecturers as good/excellent, and 54 per cent
of them consider co-curricular activities as good/excellent.
Ø A poor level of satisfaction
is observed with regard to library as only 40 per cent of them rated it
excellent/good and 32 per cent of them rated it poor/very poor.
• With
regard to professional involvement the learners have diverse opinions as given
below:
Ø A majority of 54 per cent
and 56 per cent of respondents consider interaction with practitioners and
network with NGOs as good/excellent respectively.
Ø A relative majority of 44
per cent of the respondents have rated involvement in social issues as poor. A
majority of 54 percent of the respondents also show their dissatisfaction with Network
with Associations of Social Work as poor. With regard to social involvement
networking with Government organizations a vast majority of 64 per cent
respondent rated it as poor/very poor.
• The
main challenges faced by social work trainees are a) less resources and not
suitable environment (60 per cent), b) less students participation (48 per
cent), c) difficult to understand (36 per cent).
• A large
majority of 92 per cent of the respondents are placed in Non governmental
agencies for field work.
• All of
the respondents are involved in administrative work. A large majority of 82 per
cent of the respondents are practicing social group work regularly in field
work and a vast majority of 60 per cent respondents are also practicing social
case work regularly during field work.
• A
majority of 56 per cent of the respondents rated excellent/good for the
individual conferences but 32 per cent of the respondents also rated it as very
poor. A relative majority of 36 per cent of the BSW respondents rated
individual conference as excellent whereas a relative majority of 45 per cent
BASW respondents rated individual conference as very poor.
• A
relative majority of 48 per cent of the respondents rated group conference as
excellent/good whereas 46 per cent of the respondents also rated it as very
poor/poor. A relative majority of 54 per cent of the BASW respondents rated
very poor for the group conference and a relative majority of 36 per cent BSW
respondents rated it as excellent.
• A
relative majority of 46 per cent of the respondents rated excellent/good for
the professional guidance from field supervisor and a majority of 56 per cent
of the respondents rated excellent/good to the professional guidance from
faculty supervisor.
• A vast
majority of 60 per cent of the respondents rated good/excellent for the
opportunities to practice social work methods during field work.
• A vast
majority of 74 per cent of the respondents rated for opportunities to program
planning and implementation as good/excellent indicating the possibility for
faulty identification of social workers as program organizers than
professionals.
• The
main challenges faced by social work trainees during field are a) not
recognized as social work trainees (34 per cent), b) difficult to implement
ideas (28 per cent), and c) not clear what to do (20 per cent).
• The
main opportunities gained during field work are a) enhancing knowledge about
administration work, b) platform to show creativity.
• A
majority of 52 per cent of the respondents do not consider NGOs employees as
social workers.
• A
majority of 58 per cent of the respondents considered social work degree
holders as social workers.
• A
majority of 56 per cent of the respondents consider volunteers for social
service as a social workers.
• A
relative majority of 48 per cent respondents do not consider politicians as
social worker.
• A vast
majority of 60 per cent respondents do not agree that social work is a
profession.
• The
main reason behind social work is not a profession are a) Lack of recognition
(70 per cent), b) lack of social work knowledge (30 per cent).
• As per
the opinion of majority of the respondents the most important social work
methods in Nepal are social case work (76 per cent: 1st and 2nd ranks), social
work research(50 per cent: 1st and 2nd ranks), social group work (28 per cent:
1st and 2nd Ranks), social welfare administration (24 per cent: 1st and
2nd ranks), Community organization (20 per cent: 1st and 2nd ranks) and social
action (4 per cent: 1st and 2nd ranks) respectively.
• The
uniqueness of social work is: a) the role in community itself is unique (46 per
cent), action against social issues and problems (42 per cent), social workers
work by heart (34 per cent).
RECOMMENDATIONS
• The
process of curriculum development in social work needs to be strengthened
through dialogues and exchange of ideas, experiences, best practices in knowledge
and skills development as well as field work practice with stakeholders in
social work profession such as other national and international institutions,
NGOs, employers and alumni. Practical papers which help to enhance knowledge
about social work and develop attitudes required for social work practice must
be included. Learner centered approached must be applied in this process.
• The
syllabus should be designed and modified according to the time and need so that
the content is applicable in their own and others’ life as well as easy to
understand.
• One
sided teaching method which is also known as traditional teaching method is no
more worthy for the development of learners and especially in social work
field. Participatory teaching methodologies such as group discussion, learners’
presentations, exposure camps, and experiential learning through field work,
skills labs, organizing seminars and conferences and participation in programs
must be facilitated, strengthened and focused.
• Presentations
help the learners to develop self confidence, self belief. Presentations
may be in classroom and/or outside the classrooms. The learners should get
opportunity to present papers on seminars and conferences.
• Social
work institutes should be able to organize university level, local, regional,
national and international seminars and conferences in every academic year.
Through seminars and conferences learners also get opportunity to develop
professional networking, s/he also can update ideas regarding various issues,
learn new things as well as creativity and enhances the prestige of institutes.
•
Assignments which bring forth the original thinking, creativity and updated
knowledge of the learners must be framed which will enhance learners
motivations and interest in undertaking assignments. Since assignments have
high potential for personal and professional growth of learners they must be
compulsorily in corporate in the assessment process. Assignments not only help
to gain knowledge, but also improve the competencies among the students and
enhance personal confidence, and punctuality.
• Social
work is a profession which helps to build an attitude which enable social work
learners to understand the society, their positive as well as negative aspects,
problems, probability solution and others. So the learners themselves as well
as the institutes and lecturers should motivate and guide them to build social
work attitude.
• Library
is the most important source and hub of knowledge. Sufficient books, reference
books, social work related magazines, journals, researches, newspapers and
e-resources must be available in the library. Social Work institutes must
endeavor to improve their library resources and should motivate learners to
visit the library frequently.
•
Practitioners can explain the insights they have gained through experience
rather than from books, particularly when they are applying the methods. It is
essential for social work institutes to hire or request the practitioners and
let them share their experience and challenges as well as the opportunities
they are getting as a professionals.
• The
world is not stable. Gone are the days of just ‘chalk and talk’. Institutes
must enable the lecturers to use multi-sensory devices for teaching by
improving on physical as well as technical infrastructure and equipment in
classrooms.
•
Co-curricular activities such as exposure visits, organizing and participating
in workshops, seminars and conferences must be conducted every year and
strengthened.
• Since
social work education has completed two decades of existence in Nepal, it is
high time that at least one local/regional/national association for social
workers should be formed or at least build networking with international
associations of social work.
•
Networking with government agencies are not satisfactory level among the social
work colleges in Nepal although they have good network with non government
agencies. Special focus must be given to build networking with government
agencies.
• Joint
efforts of the learners, lecturers as well as institutions are required to
address the issues faced by the learners in field work as well as class room.
• Social
work training and educational institutions in Nepal must undertake concerted
efforts to explore more areas of social work interventions for enhancing the
quality of field work training. Joint workshops could be organized by these
institutions in collaboration with potential field work agencies such as
educational settings, governmental agencies, correctional settings, health
settings and industrial settings and so on as the opportunities accessed by
global social work professionals.
• The
entire social work learners are part of administrative work but no one is
getting chance to involve in the process of planning. Concurrent field work is
a challenge for the trainees as well as NGOs. NGOs cannot plan or give
assignments or work for the trainee and trainees too are not able to follow up
or make concerted interventions in the field. So there should be a kind
of continuous field work system, that is, block field placement.
•
Most of the students are regularly practicing Social case work and social
group work. Nepal is a developing country where most of the people are facing
several social issues like poverty, early child marriage and dowry issues which
can only be solved through community organization but institutes as well as
agencies are not providing training for community organization. Thus, it is
important to focus on community organization method and social action for the
overall development of community and nation.
•
Nepal just passed the second mass movement again monarchy and most of the
Nepalese get opportunity to feel it. After the movement almost every week
Nepalese citizens faces the political strikes in the name of backward, deprived
and the name of community. Till now whatever movement took place that was
mainly politically motivated, but not for social issues. Social work trainees
are not getting opportunity to fight against social evils through Social action
method which is one of the secondary methods of social work. So, there is a
need of social action from social workers rather than politicians.
• Efforts
must be made to provide quality guidance to social work trainees by modifying
individual conference as well as group conference. At any cost individual
conference should not be neglected since this provides individual attention and
guidance to the trainees.
• BSW
learners are satisfied with the professional guidance from field supervisor
than BASW. So there is a need of improvement on the part of the BASW
institutes, supervisors and coordinators with regard to professional guidance.
• Through
associations of social work, social workers’ identity must be established
without any ambiguity on who is a social worker as social workers are
identified with volunteers, NGO employees and politicians. There should be the
clear definition of social worker in Nepalese context. The fact that
opportunities for practice of social work methods were found to be not so
satisfactory and opportunities for program planning and implementation highly
satisfactory, points to the danger of faulty identification of social workers
as experts in organizing programs or as volunteers rather than professionals
who can handle social work methods.
• Social
work with its theory and practicum, itself is an imported profession in
Nepal. Till now only very few literatures related to social work Nepal
are available. Efforts must be made to publish materials, books, journals,
research particularly on Nepal based social work methods and principles.
• Still
people of Nepal are not aware of social work. Social work is always called as
sociology. There is a need that social worker should make them experience that
social work is a separate profession and it works differently from other
disciplines and professions.
CONCLUSION
Education is a process of bringing
forth the potentials within a learner, a process of discovering the powers
within and to utilize them for a greater cause. An effective educational
program is thus not in the banking system of information overload. It is
the development of a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes as the
theoretical framework of this study points towards in the introductory chapter.
Social work education, as internationally practiced, does have these three
components. The present study has highlighted the opportunities and
challenges for social work trainees of Nepal from the perspective of
development of knowledge, skill and attitude.
The study has unfolded the need for
revising the syllabus, giving more emphasis on skill development of social work
trainees as well as the need to explore more areas of fieldwork interventions
than voluntary organizations. Creative and participatory teaching methodologies
are required to bring forth the innate potentials of the learners. Social
action and community organization which are the major secondary methods of
social work should be practiced during field work. The educational
institutions, NGOs and field and faculty supervisors should motivate social
work trainees to practice these methods. There is an urgent need of formation
of national association of social work in Nepal which can become a platform to
work towards enhancement of credibility of social work profession. Social work
institutions should organize regular orientation programs for social work
learners, periodic faculty development programs, agency meets, conferences and
seminars, in order to upgrade the quality of learners as well as institutions.
Social Work, with its focus on
enhancing the total well being of individuals, groups and communities, is a
noble profession that can contribute towards the inclusive and sustainable
development of nations at the local level, which in turn can promote a just and
sustainable international community. Governments and international
agencies must recognise and include social work professionals in every sphere
of developmental administration and human resource management and support the
endeavours of voluntary organisations as well as educational institutions in
moulding committed and competent change agents.
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