Define Social work. Differentiate between Social work and Social service. (English/Nepali)

Aashish Dahal, Nava Kshitiz College, Bardibas

Social work

Social Work, as a term, has different definitions for different people. To the layman, every work undertaken to help the poor and needy, any kind of philanthropy or charity is labeled "social work". For some others, social work is (shramadan) or disaster relief. Similarly, for some people, any action for social reform may be termed social work. In our country the concept is further complicated by politicians who take pride in calling themselves social workers. But all these, are not always social work.

Professional social work shares with the above conceptions, humanitarian values and ideals; it is humanitarianism, but humanitarianism with a method. It aims at providing services to help individuals singly or in groups, in coping with present or future social and psychological obstacles that prevent or are likely to prevent full and effective participation in society. This provision of professional service is done through the use of skills and techniques based on theoretical knowledge.

Professional social work is thus distinguished from 'lay' social work by its scientific method. As defined by Herbert Stroup, "social work is the art of bringing various resources to bear on individual, group and community needs by the application of a scientific method of helping people to help themselves" (Stroup, 1960).

Characteristics of Social Work

 I. Social work is a welfare activity based on humanitarian philosophy.

II. It respects the worth and dignity of individuals.

III .It is a professional activity.

IV. It assists individuals, groups and communities to become self reliant and interdependent.

V. It promotes adaptability of individuals to social functioning.

VI. Social work has a strong scientific base.

VII. It is closely related to psychology and sociology.

IX. It is an activity that helps to cope with problems.

X. It requires specific knowledge, skills acquired through formal training.

XI. It is remunerative.

 Objectives of Social Work

• To solve Psycho-social problems.
• To fulfill Humanitarian needs.
• To help to resolve adjustmental problems.
• To create self-sufficiency.
• To strengthen harmonious social relations.
• To make provision for corrective, preventive and rehabilitative services.
• To conscientise the community.
• To ensure social justice and democratic functioning.
• To enhance self-esteem.

Differentiate between Social work and Social service

Social work and social service are intricately linked together, however following are some basic differences which most of the people fail to understand.

S.N.	Social Service	Social Work
1.	Social services are, generally, those services that are provided by the government or private organizations such as free education, health facilities, etc.	Social work is a profession as well as an academic discipline that expects to improve the quality of life and the well-being of people who are especially under some kind of distress.
2.	Social service is done by governments or organizations, as well as individuals.	Social work is done by organizations where social workers work.
3.	To do social service, you do not need to have any educational qualifications in the field of social services.	To be a social worker, you need to have educational qualifications as a degree.
4.	There’s no need of specialized training.	Specialized training and skill is required
5.	No salary/remuneration is provided.	Being a profession, certain remuneration is provided.
6.	Social service is the help given for the immediate relief of certain problems.	Social work is the help given for the permanent relief of the problem.
7.	No any methods and principles are used for social service.	Different Methods, principles, tools and techniques are used for social work.
8.	No any activities of research and training are conducted in social service.	Different activities of research, training and teaching are conducted in social work.
9.	It doesn’t involve any series or steps to perform social service.	For social work, it involves a series of steps like study phase, planning, implementation, evaluation, follow up, etc.
10.	Giving old clothes to tsunami victims, giving alms to poor are some examples of social service.	Solving behavioral problem, advocacy, lobbying are some examples of social work.

Reference Websites:

• http://egyankosh.ac.in
• https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in
• http://www.scert.kerala.gov.in
• https://www.differencebetween.com/

सामाजिक कार्य भनेको के हो ? सामाजिक कार्य र सामाजिक सेवामा के भिन्नता छ ? (Answer-2)

सरोज कुमार, नवश्रितिज कलेज, बर्दिबास

सामाजिक कार्य भनेको के हो ? सामाजिक कार्य र सामाजिक सेवामा के भिन्नताछ ?

सामान्य अर्थमा भन्दा समाजिक कार्य एउटा कला हो। (Social work is an art) किनभने यसमा मानिसहरुलाई बुझ्न र उनीहरुलाई आफ्नो सहयोग आफैं गर्न सक्षम बनाउन विशेष दक्षता को आवश्यकता पर्दछ। सामाजिक कार्यको बारेमा परिभाषित गरिरहँदायसको कुनै एउटा निश्चित परिभाषा हुनसक्दैन किनभने देशमा सामाजिक, धार्मिक, भौगोलिक, आर्थिक एवं औद्योगिक सांस्कृतीक अवस्थाका साथसाथै समस्याहरूको प्रकृतिक फरक-फरक हुन्छन तिनै अवस्थाका आधारमा समाजिक कार्यको परिभाषा गरिन्छ। सामाजिक कार्य कला को साथसाथै एउटा विज्ञान पनि हो। किनकि सामाजिक समस्याको समाधान वैज्ञानिक विधिद्वारा गर्दा अति नै प्रभावकारी एवं दिगो हुने गर्दछ। समाजिक कार्यको परिभाषा विभिन्न समाजसेवीहरुले विभिन्न तरिकाबाट गरेको पाइन्छ। अतः सामाजसेवाको ज्ञाता फ्रिडलेन्डर(friedlander) ले भन्दछ “समाजकार्य एउटा व्यवसायिक सेवा हो जुन वैज्ञानिक ज्ञान तथा मानव सम्बन्ध सित निपूर्णतामा आधारित छ”। यसैगरी Indian conference of social work 1995 का अनुसार “सामाजिक कार्य एउटा कल्याणकारी कार्य हो”। जसको आधारमा मानवोचित दर्शन, वैज्ञानिकज्ञान,प्रविधिको निपूर्णताहरुआधारित हुन्छ,जसको उद्देश्य व्यक्ति समूह र समुदायलाई सुखी तथा पूर्ण जीवन व्यतित गर्न सक्ने बनाउनु हो”। यसैगरी विकिपीडिया (Wikipedia) का अनुसार “social work is an academic disciplines and profession that concerns itself with individuals, families, groups and communities in an effort to enhance social functioning and overall all well-being” यसैगरी CASW(computer-aided softwareengineering-wikipedia) ले सामाजिक कार्यलाई यसप्रकार परिभाषित गरेका छन्।“Social work is a professional concerned with helping individuals, families, groups and communities to enhance their individual and collective will-being and help people to develop their skills and their ability to use their own resources and those of the community to resolve problems” यसैगरी Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) काअनुसार “social work is a profession that is primarily concerned with supporting and helping people in a variety’s of situations”

अतः उपरोक्त परिभाषाहरू बाट प्रस्ट हुन्छ कि सामाजकार्य एउटै व्यक्तिसमूह तथा समुदायका आवश्यकताका आधारमा सेवा प्रदान गर्ने तरिकामा समयानुकूल परिवर्तन तथा परिमार्जन हुँदै आएको देखिन्छ र भन्न सकिन्छ कि सामाजकार्य एउटा कला तथा विज्ञान पनि हो।

• सामाजिक कार्य र सामाजिक सेवामा यस प्रकार भिन्नता रहेको छ

सामाजिक सेवा (Social service)	सामाजिक कार्य (Social work)
१.सामाजिक सेवा भनेको सामाजिक सहायता, सामाजिक बीमा, मानसिक स्वास्थ्य, जनस्वास्थ्य, शिक्षा, मनोरञ्जन, श्रम संरक्षण, अवास आदि सेवालाई सेवालाई मानेका छन् ।	१.सामाजिक कार्य भनेको व्यक्ति समुह तथा समुदायको उच्चतम सन्तुष्टि प्राप्तिका लागि गरिने जटिल तथा संगठित प्रयासहरू सामाजकार्य अन्तर्गत समाहित हुन्छन्।
२.प्रत्येक व्यक्तिको सामाजिक आर्थिक आवश्यकता लाई सुनिश्चित गर्नु हो।	२. सामाजिक कार्य अथित तथा राजनैतिक शक्ति भन्दा बढी समाजवादी ढंगको सहायताबाट पुनः वितरणमा विश्वास गर्दछ।
३. सामाजिक आर्थिक तथा स्वास्थ्य जीवन बिताउनका लागि उचित अवस्थाको सृजना गर्दछ।	३. सामाजकार्य उत्पादनको सामाजिक व्यावहारिकतामा विश्वास गर्दछ, तथा उत्पादनलाई सामाजिक उद्देश्यको अधीन मान्दछन्।
४. सबैलाई समान अवसर प्रदान गर्नु हो।	४. सामाजिक न्यायमा विश्वास राख्दछन्।
५. परम्परागत एवं वैचारिक स्वतन्त्रता र मान मर्यादामा विश्वास गर्दछन्।	५. सामाजिक कार्य आधुनिकरण मा विश्वास राख्दछन्।

अर्थात् यसरी निष्कर्षमा भन्दा सामाज कार्यको उद्देश्य व्यक्ति समूह, तथा समुदायको सामाजिक परिवेशबीच उत्पन्न असमाञ्जसय लाई हटाई सामाजिक कार्य पुनर्स्थापित गर्न उनीहरुका समस्या तथा आवश्यकता बिचतालमेल नहुनाले उत्पन्न तनावर त्यसबाट उत्पन्न समस्या र असमानता जस्ताको स्थिति हटाउने सामाजक कार्यको मूल काम हो यसैगरी समाजसेवाको मूल लक्ष्य मानव कल्याणका निम्ति मानव सेवा गरी समस्याको समाधान गर्नु नै हो । सामाजसेवामा त्याग, दान, कर्तव्य भाव, क्रिया, कल्याण र सामाजिक समस्याको निराकरण जस्ता मूलभूत तत्व समावेश भएका हुन्छन्।