Mar Augusthinose College | Department of Social Work

Department of Social Work

The Department of Social Work in Mar Augusthinose College Ramapuram was established in the year 2010 September 2^nd with a specialization in Medical and Psychiatry.

Social work is a professional and academic discipline committed to the pursuit of social welfare, social change and social justice. Social work in its theoretical aspect is based on the knowledge of human relations with regard to the solutions of psycho- social problems. In its applied aspect, social work is a professional service based on the scientific methods and skills. It seeks to approach the social world scientifically. In the field of social sciences, social work occupies a very important place.

In its present form, social work is a professional service which assists individuals, groups, and communities. On the other hand, it attempts to help the individuals, the social milieu and at the same time it removes the barriers which obstruct the people from achieving the best which they are capable of.

Social work derives its inspiration from the humanitarian philosophy. It seeks happiness and prosperity for the individuals, group and community.

Social work aims at solving the psycho- social problems which prevent the effective functioning of the groups, community and society.

The primary aim of social work education programme is to prepare the students to identify the human needs, explore existing services and resources in the community effectively.

The social work course curriculum uses methodologies of teaching and learning ie, class room courses and field placements. Class room sessions provide the students with theoretical knowledge and field work placement helps the student to acquire necessary skills in dealing with different issues.

FIELD WORK

Field work is an integral part of social work curriculum which helps the students to put practice the knowledge acquired in the class room. The field work through its individualized training provides the student with an orderly sequence of learning. For each semester students undergo field work training in any of the organizations according to their specialization which would help them to sharpen their social work knowledge and skills.

The nucleus of Social Work Education is the Field Work Programme which is a fundamental component of the curriculum. The field work practicum is the central mechanism for transmitting theoretical knowledge into the practical level of work. Practice learning in social work training plays a pivotal role in providing the students with an opportunity to explore, learn and develop professional skills necessary for working with people, the essence of the profession. It has several components that help the students to develop a holistic understanding of the problems, situations, their causative factors and the possible strategies of intervention.

FIELD WORK EXPERIENCE

Field work experience can be broadly categorized into 4 types

Orientation Visits
Rural Camps
Concurrent Field Work
Block Placement

5.Study tour

Orientation Visits

In order to provide an exposure to an understanding of social work organizations, various orientation visits to various agencies will be held at the beginning of each semester. It helps the students to get a basic information about the concept of social work. Students used to visit 5 agencies in each semester according to their specialization.

The Observation Visits aim to make the students get oriented to the objectives, administrative structure and process and the client system of various organizations in the field of social work, such as non-governmental organizations involved in welfare and development activities, government bodies involved in development work, hospitals and health care organizations, organizations in the care of aged, women and children and Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives of corporate organizations. The objectives of orientation visits are

To get an exposure to various social welfare organizations
To understand the objectives, philosophy, structure, functions and activities of organizations.
To understand the problems and constraints faced by the organizations.
To develop skills of observation, reporting and group discussion

Each visit is followed by a report presentation and discussion.

Rural Camps

As per the course curriculum, social work department organizes rural camps in rural areas in the first semester of the course. It has normally been organized for 10 days staying at rural community. It provides an excellent opportunity to the students to practice and learn the use of PRA techniques, social work methods etc. It also provides an understanding to the students to identify the natural resources, watershed and work on ecological development, health education, legal awareness and welfare issues. Rural camp gives an ample opportunity for social work students to practice rural social work.

Concurrent Field Work

The broad aim of concurrent field work is to provide opportunities for students to apply the theoretical knowledge learnt in the classroom situations and to plan, implement and evaluate these experiences while working with individuals, groups and communities.

Social work practice requires integration of knowledge, values, ethics, and skills. The field experience enables students to apply knowledge from the classroom to real-life practice settings. This enables students to integrate theory and practice and develop into competent, ethical social work practitioners. For accomplishing the above objective, Students are assigned to any of the particular agencies in the first semester according to their specialization requirements. A supervisor from the concerned agency will be given for their guidance. Weekly two days students can visit their agencies (Friday and Saturday) which will make them to apply their theoretical application into practice with the support of field work supervisor. During the concurrent field work, students are expected to fulfill certain requirements.

Block Placement

Block placement is an alternative to the concurrent field plan. The students have to complete 4 weeks placement in any of the reputed organization. This will help the students to get a continuous learning through the active participation in the daily procedures of the organization.

Block placement helps the students to gain experience as full time social worker. For the Block placement, the student will be placed outside Kerala in agencies with well-established social work departments. The rules and regulations of concurrent field work will be applicable for block placement also.

Individual Conferences

Individual conferences will be conducted every Tuesdays. The faculty supervisor may use individual or group conference according to the students learning needs.

If a student does not attend field work conferences and does not submit the records regularly even after repeated warnings the matter should be referred to the field work coordinator.

Evaluation

The following aspects of the students will be evaluated.

Overall consistency of progress in field work performance throughout the semester.
Regularity, punctuality and the discipline to work systematically as seen from the field work in the agency, community, submission of reports and participation in field work conferences.
Ability to interact.
Ability to understand theory and apply it into practice.
Ability to analyses individual group and community needs and resources, social situations, problem identification, case planning and evaluation skills.
General aptitude and skill shown in using methods of social work.
Capacity for self-direction, independence and resourcefulness in work management of time and work load.

Programms Offered

UG Programms

PG Programms

A Message From HOD

The Department of Social Work in Mar Augusthinose College Ramapuram was established in the year 2010 September 2nd with a specialization in Medical and Psychiatry. Social work is a professional and academic discipline committed to the pursuit of social welfare, social change and social justice. Social work in its theoretical aspect is based on the knowledge of human relations with regard to the solutions of psycho- social problems. In its applied aspect, social work is a professional service based on the scientific methods and skills. It seeks to approach the social world scientifically. In the field of social sciences, social work occupies a very important place. In its present form, social work is a professional service which assists individuals, groups, and communities. On the other hand, it attempts to help the individuals, the social milieu and at the same time it removes the barriers which obstruct the people from achieving the best which they are capable of. Social work derives its inspiration from the humanitarian philosophy. It seeks happiness and prosperity for the individuals, group and community. Social work aims at solving the psycho- social problems which prevent the effective functioning of the groups, community and society. The primary aim of social work education programme is to prepare the students to identify the human needs, explore existing services and resources in the community effectively. The social work course curriculum uses methodologies of teaching and learning ie, class room courses and field placements. Class room sessions provide the students with theoretical knowledge and field work placement helps the student to acquire necessary skills in dealing with different issues. FIELD WORK Field work is an integral part of social work curriculum which helps the students to put practice the knowledge acquired in the class room. The field work through its individualized training provides the student with an orderly sequence of learning. For each semester students undergo field work training in any of the organizations according to their specialization which would help them to sharpen their social work knowledge and skills. The nucleus of Social Work Education is the Field Work Programme which is a fundamental component of the curriculum. The field work practicum is the central mechanism for transmitting theoretical knowledge into the practical level of work. Practice learning in social work training plays a pivotal role in providing the students with an opportunity to explore, learn and develop professional skills necessary for working with people, the essence of the profession. It has several components that help the students to develop a holistic understanding of the problems, situations, their causative factors and the possible strategies of intervention. FIELD WORK EXPERIENCE Field work experience can be broadly categorized into 4 types Orientation Visits Rural Camps Concurrent Field Work Block Placement 5.Study tour Orientation Visits In order to provide an exposure to an understanding of social work organizations, various orientation visits to various agencies will be held at the beginning of each semester. It helps the students to get a basic information about the concept of social work. Students used to visit 5 agencies in each semester according to their specialization. The Observation Visits aim to make the students get oriented to the objectives, administrative structure and process and the client system of various organizations in the field of social work, such as non-governmental organizations involved in welfare and development activities, government bodies involved in development work, hospitals and health care organizations, organizations in the care of aged, women and children and Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives of corporate organizations. The objectives of orientation visits are To get an exposure to various social welfare organizations To understand the objectives, philosophy, structure, functions and activities of organizations. To understand the problems and constraints faced by the organizations. To develop skills of observation, reporting and group discussion Each visit is followed by a report presentation and discussion. Rural Camps As per the course curriculum, social work department organizes rural camps in rural areas in the first semester of the course. It has normally been organized for 10 days staying at rural community. It provides an excellent opportunity to the students to practice and learn the use of PRA techniques, social work methods etc. It also provides an understanding to the students to identify the natural resources, watershed and work on ecological development, health education, legal awareness and welfare issues. Rural camp gives an ample opportunity for social work students to practice rural social work. Concurrent Field Work The broad aim of concurrent field work is to provide opportunities for students to apply the theoretical knowledge learnt in the classroom situations and to plan, implement and evaluate these experiences while working with individuals, groups and communities. Social work practice requires integration of knowledge, values, ethics, and skills. The field experience enables students to apply knowledge from the classroom to real-life practice settings. This enables students to integrate theory and practice and develop into competent, ethical social work practitioners. For accomplishing the above objective, Students are assigned to any of the particular agencies in the first semester according to their specialization requirements. A supervisor from the concerned agency will be given for their guidance. Weekly two days students can visit their agencies (Friday and Saturday) which will make them to apply their theoretical application into practice with the support of field work supervisor. During the concurrent field work, students are expected to fulfill certain requirements. Block Placement Block placement is an alternative to the concurrent field plan. The students have to complete 4 weeks placement in any of the reputed organization. This will help the students to get a continuous learning through the active participation in the daily procedures of the organization. Block placement helps the students to gain experience as full time social worker. For the Block placement, the student will be placed outside Kerala in agencies with well-established social work departments. The rules and regulations of concurrent field work will be applicable for block placement also. Individual Conferences Individual conferences will be conducted every Tuesdays. The faculty supervisor may use individual or group conference according to the students learning needs. If a student does not attend field work conferences and does not submit the records regularly even after repeated warnings the matter should be referred to the field work coordinator. Evaluation The following aspects of the students will be evaluated. Overall consistency of progress in field work performance throughout the semester. Regularity, punctuality and the discipline to work systematically as seen from the field work in the agency, community, submission of reports and participation in field work conferences. Ability to interact. Ability to understand theory and apply it into practice. Ability to analyses individual group and community needs and resources, social situations, problem identification, case planning and evaluation skills. General aptitude and skill shown in using methods of social work. Capacity for self-direction, independence and resourcefulness in work management of time and work load.