I am just back from a program organized by Santwona College in occasion of World Social Work Day 2014. It has been a nice program with an array of organizations displaying their work too. I had the opportunity to interact with many of them and I am always amazed by the vivacity and activism of young Nepali citizens.
I also had the opportunity to say few words and I basically made the case for a society where every citizen is a social worker. Of course higher institutions like Santwona or Thames College or Nepal School of Social Work are training and creating a cadre of professional social workers and this is extremely important especially in an emerging society like Nepal where a welfare society is still partially lacking.
Moreover we are living a paradox where development sector is not seen associated with social work.
Instead, I strongly feel that development and social work are two side of the same coin and we need to create a level playing field where development theories and practices cross the “Rubicon” and meet the best practices from social work sector. How could we even imagine development interventions without the understanding and knowledge of a certified social worker?
At the same time, every citizen has the responsibility to care about the society and communities where s/he lives. You can be involved in genuine and honest politics at grassroots level or you can be involved in a neighborhood association or parents teacher association or volunteer in a local hospital. All these are options to promote in what I define the volunteering inspired society. Everyone should be motivated to take a look at the society where s/he lives and say: what do I stand for?
Happy Social Work Day 2014
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