OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF SOCIAL WORK LEARNERS IN NEPAL- Introduction

I.                   INTRODUCTION

The International Federation of Social Workers states that social work “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 is a Profession which helps people to overcome challenges of life such as poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, physical illness, divorce, unemployment, educational problems, disability and mental illness. Social Work education thus needs to train the learners so that they are enabled to understand self, to develop capacity in the use of self and external resources while dealing with clients.

The study on opportunities and challenges of social work learners in Nepal was undertaken by the researcher to explore the effectiveness of the training offered in social work within educational institutions as well as during field work.  The research question is all the more significant in the context of Nepal as given below:

• First of all, Social Work is a young profession in Nepal, and as an academic discipline, it was started in 1996 at St. Xavier’s College, Kathmandu.  Nepalese social workers have scope to work in schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, senior citizens’ centres,  prisons, military, corporations, and in numerous public and private agencies as well as undertake private practice.

• Secondly the pedagogy used in social work is unique and attractive. In most of the courses of social sciences, students first study, write the exam, but face difficulties when they try to apply those theories. 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 in different types of agencies, communities, Village Development Committee (VDC), Government, Non-government, and International Non-Government Agencies.

• Thirdly, 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…. While the Indian ideologies are holistic and wisdom oriented, the American professional ideologies are analytical and scientific”.

Whatever Desai has stated about social work practice in India is also applicable in Nepal. There are 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 also be different.

• Fourthly, Social work is also a misunderstood profession in Nepal. It is known and taught as a discipline rather than a profession. Social work trainees sent to I/N/GOs are treated as volunteers rather than social Work trainees.  The practitioners have not been 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.

• Fifthly, 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. Nepalese Social Work students need even more facilities of learning such as assignments, group discussions, presentations and seminars as well as experienced lecturers and supervisors.

Social work is thus an imported, developing and misunderstood profession in Nepal. To build credibility of this profession, a practitioner should focus on indigenous values, principles, methods which are suitable in Nepalese context. It is in this background that the study on opportunities and challenges for social work trainees in Nepal becomes relevant.

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