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Social Work

IKON

Nobel Laurette Kailash Satyarthi is a children’s rights and education advocate and an activist against child labour. He founded the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (lit. Save the Childhood Movement) in 1980 and has acted to protect the rights of more than 83,000 children from 144 countries..His work is recognized through various national and international honours and awards including the Nobel Peace Prize of 2014, which he shared with Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan.

Though a electrical engineer by profession from Samrat Ashok Technological Institute, Vidisha and a post-graduate degree holder in high-voltage engineering, he changed his career after working as a Lecturer for a few years. In 1980, he became secretary general for the Bonded Labour Liberation Front; He has also been involved with the Global March Against Child Labour and its international advocacy body, the International Centre on Child Labour and Education (ICCLE) which are worldwide coalitions of NGOs, teachers and trades unionists.

 

What is the Job all about?
Essentially, this is a service-oriented job. The scope of social work is very wide. There is a dire need for people who can provide help, to the disadvantaged members of the society or when natural disasters such as flooding, earthquakes, famines, occur; or where problems exist with families in marriages, or with students in schools, or in Community Centres etc. Help is also needed at Centres for Rehabilitation, i.e. drug addicts, orphaned children and people with disabilities. There are also various Schemes run by Government or Private Trusts in areas of health care, community policing, adoption, environmental protection, etc.

The social sector consists of Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and Institutions, providing services to different sections of society. Many are engaged in research and publishing, while others are active in solving problems at the grass-root level.

Various International Aid agencies like WHO, OXFAM, CARITAS, etc. fund properly run Social Work organizations; therefore there is no shortage of Funds for well run and professionally managed Projects.

 

Can you go for it?
You need to be compassionate, have empathy with your Client, and have tons of Patience. You need to have strong organizational skills and preferably be able to communicate in as many languages as possible.

Often you may be required to stay in very basic accommodation units, and live on basic diets like Dal and Chapatti. This is especially so, in situations of earthquakes or typhoons, etc.

If you go into teaching, then you would first need to get some practical knowledge; so you could convey to students, the areas where they need to understand well. Naturally, you will need to be an effective communicator and have the skill to motivate.

 

Is there a future in this field?
This is a very good Career opportunity, for those who are keen to help various types of people, in various types of situations in our Community.

Our society today is burdened with all sorts of situations. The person who has empathy and patience will be able to do well, in various settings or even in starting one’s own Consultancy.

 

Where to Begin
In Goa

After 10 + 2, Don Bosco, Panjim, offers a Degree Program in Social Work.They also offer a Master Program linked to ASSAM University
Carmel College, Nuvem, South Goa, has a 1 year post Graduate Diploma in Counselling http://www.carmelcollegegoa.org/
Nirmala Institute of Education, Panaji, offers a 1 year Post graduate Diploma in Counselling http://www.nirmala-institute.com

Outside Goa
One has to be a Graduate in Arts/Commerce or Science; but Arts Graduates are preferred, especially those who have done their Graduation in Social Work or have studied Psychology, Sociology and the like; especially in Bombay and other Cities.

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Chembur, Mumbai, (www.tiss.com) offers a 2 Year Post graduate Program. There is an Entrance Test, which you could apply for, while studying for the Final graduation year. TISS offers the following Programs

Family and Child Welfare
Criminology
Labour and Welfare ( Please see Chapter on Management)
Human Resource Development
Hospitality Management
Medical and Psychiatric Social Work
Master of Arts in Social Work (Children & Families)

Master of Arts in Social Work (Community Organisation & Development Practice)
Master of Arts in Social Work (Criminology & Justice)
Master of Arts in Social Work (Dalit & Tribal Studies and Action)
Master of Arts in Social Work (Disability Studies & Action)
Master of Arts in Social Work (Livelihoods and Social Entrepreneurship)
Master of Arts in Social Work (Mental Health)
Master of Arts in Social Work (Public Health)
Master of Arts in Social Work (Women-Centred Practice)

The Nirmala Niketan, Bombay, also conducts similar programs.

Besides, there is PG Programme in Rural Management offered at Institute of Rural Management, Anand, Gujarat.

 

Employment avenues
Counselling Centres in Schools, Hospitals, and Community Centres. In major Agencies like WHO, OXFAM, United Nation Agencies. You can also set up your own Counselling Centre, etc.

 

Monies
In Basic Agencies / Hospitals / Homes, the initial salaries are not very attractive. Besides, in the beginning, when you are new without experience, things may get rough. However, once you join a Professional Agency and demonstrate your capabilities, then the salaries go up. So an initial start could be around Rs. 10,000/- p.m. and then this could go as high as Rs. 50, 000/- p.m. or more.

 

Please do not be satisfied with just acquiring a Degree/Diploma – try and enhance your CV by doing online learning programs (with a certificate) of programs relevant to your choice of career. Your chances of employment will be much better than just a plain degree/diploma.

Please check this website under other details for places you can learn online. Also try and develop your confidence by doing a public speaking training program with people like Toast Masters International.

For government jobs: please check : http://www.employment-newspaper.com/