scholarly journals Social Work Education in Pakistan: Issues and Future Opportunities

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasreen Aslam Shah

Social work is a professional and academic discipline that committed to improve the quality and prosperity of individuals, groups, and communities through scientific knowledge, policy, community organizing, direct practice and teaching. Pakistan is very fortunate to have a good start of professional Social Work; the first social work training began in the year 1953. Social work education in universities started in 1954 and its aim is to provide trained social workers equipped with the basic knowledge and skills to assist government and private agencies in the development and implementation of social welfare programs. This study presents an overview of the brief history, current issues and future opportunities of social work education in Pakistan. This study emphasizes some of the significant issues that cause concern, such as the social work education and practice appropriate for Pakistan society, teaching and learning, fieldwork and supervision, certification and licensing for social workers. It’s important to talk about some issues of concern and the direction in which a strong and sound social work education can be developed.

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Nasreen Aslam Shah

Social work is a professional and academic discipline that committed to improve the quality and prosperity of individuals, groups, and communities through scientific knowledge, policy, community organizing, direct practice and teaching. Pakistan is very fortunate to have a good start of professional Social Work; the first social work training began in the year 1953. Social work education in universities started in 1954 and its aim is to provide trained social workers equipped with the basic knowledge and skills to assist government and private agencies in the development and implementation of social welfare programs. This study presents an overview of the brief history, current issues and future opportunities of social work education in Pakistan. This study emphasizes some of the significant issues that cause concern, such as the social work education and practice appropriate for Pakistan society, teaching and learning, fieldwork and supervision, certification and licensing for social workers. It’s important to talk about some issues of concern and the direction in which a strong and sound social work education can be developed.


Author(s):  
Zeinab Abulhul

The Libyan government urgently needs a professional social workers’ mission to help decrease social problems that have emerged and been aggravated due to civil war and political conflicts. However, the present social work community in Libya cannot mitigate social problems or simplify social services effectively to meet people’s needs. Thus, teaching and learning methodologies need to be developed inside and outside educational institutions so that the challenges presently facing Libyan society can be overcome. The purpose of this paper is to suggest adopting an American social work curriculum experience in Libyan social work education according to Libyan ideology. The researcher depicts nine social work competencies (e.g., knowledge, professional values, skills, and professional processes and practices), as well as a set of behaviors that reflect social workers’ competencies that relate to the social work curriculum applied in colleges in the United States. The author’s goal is to encourage Libyan social work professionals to take advantage of this knowledge and these experiences to develop the Libyan social work education curriculum. This could ensure that graduates of social work programs are qualified to help people deal with social problems when they enter the workforce.


Author(s):  
Zeinab Abulhul

The Libyan government urgently needs a professional social workers’ mission to help decrease social problems that have emerged and been aggravated due to civil war and political conflicts. However, the present social work community in Libya cannot mitigate social problems or simplify social services effectively to meet people’s needs. Thus, teaching and learning methodologies need to be developed inside and outside educational institutions so that the challenges presently facing Libyan society can be overcome. The purpose of this paper is to suggest adopting an American social work curriculum experience in Libyan social work education according to Libyan ideology. The researcher depicts nine social work competencies (e.g., knowledge, professional values, skills, and professional processes and practices), as well as a set of behaviors that reflect social workers’ competencies that relate to the social work curriculum applied in colleges in the United States. The author’s goal is to encourage Libyan social work professionals to take advantage of this knowledge and these experiences to develop the Libyan social work education curriculum. This could ensure that graduates of social work programs are qualified to help people deal with social problems when they enter the workforce.


2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-127
Author(s):  
Annie Pullen Sansfaçon ◽  
Marion Brown

This article presents the results and theorization of a 4-year Grounded Theory project that sought to understand the processes and dynamics involved in the professional adaptation of internationally educated social workers now practicing in Canada. In-depth interviews with 66 participants, who undertook social work education outside of Canada and have subsequently settled to practice in the country, were conducted. Results highlight that the social work educational background of the professionals not only offers key conceptual, theoretical, and analytical foundations needed to adapt knowledge and skills to practice abroad, but also provides tools to navigate and negotiate professional adaptation processes as a whole. We conclude that ultimately, social workers may adapt well to their new work contexts because of the transferability of social work skills, knowledge, and values to new practice settings, thus facilitating interventions with services users and also their own process of professional adaptation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Paulette Andrea Henry

<p>The understanding of human rights are important to social work education and practice especially since the global definition of social work highlights the dual role of social work as a practice based profession and academic discipline emphasizing the principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversity. Concomitantly, social work education must ensure that students know and understand human rights laws especially since human rights are inherent to all human beings and are often expressed and guaranteed by international law which Governments are expected to uphold. Social workers have a commitment as duty bearers in supporting governments in the upholding of those agreements pertinent to the wellbeing of the people. Using the University of Guyana as a frame of reference this paper examined students’ knowledge on international agreements prior to leaving the University since these laws not only speak to nation states but to universal practices and many social work issues transcend borders. This paper utilized a mixed method approach to ascertain students’ awareness of international human rights laws and their perceptions on the applicability to practice. The findings show that there is limited knowledge amongst social work students on human rights covenants and conventions. This assessment is instructive to social work educators locally and internationally pointing to the need for integration into the curricula. It is imperative that generalist practitioners leave the University with a clear understanding of these laws as many practice issues are transnational. There will be the need for international social work to be a taught course for undergraduates training to become generalist practitioners.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sulina Green

The articles in this issue of Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk cover topics related to the innovative utilisation of approaches and methodologies for teaching and learning in social work education and for intervention in social work practice. The first two articles examine the incorporation of technology-enhanced teaching and learning in social work education in the digital era. The first article provides insights into the emerging developments of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, especially for curriculum renewal to prepare prospective practitioners to operate in both online and offline environments. The second article describes how an authentic e-learning framework can provide a pedagogically improved method of course design for groupwork education.


2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-110
Author(s):  
Shelita Lynn Jackson

The intersection of social work and Christianity presents ample opportunity for relational teaching and learning. The author explores the relationship as the prime medium for faith integration, motivator for fostering resilience in self and others, and the source for authentic connection in social work education and practice.


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