GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF FIELD WORK

Field Work is an integral component of Social Work Education. It is the practical aspect of the profession. The Two year post graduate programme in Social Work incorporates Field Work as an essential component, designed to train students to meet the following objectives:

  • Train professional social workers for practice with diverse client systems
  • Gain knowledge, attitude and skills for intervention at the levels of individuals, families, groups, communities, organizations and other social systems
  • Develop a professional identity and commitment consistent with social work values and ethics.

 

FIELD WORK IN FIRST YEAR M.A. SOCIAL WORK

Concurrent Field Work

The concept of Concurrent Field Work explains the co-existing nature of theoretical input sessions given during the class hours and the hands on training for practical exposure acquired during Field Work. The enduring supervision provided both in the agency and by the concerned faculty enrich the student in becoming competent in terms of practice. The synchronization of theory and practice enables the student to imbibe components essential to harmonize oneself in becoming a professional.

 

Nature of Concurrent Field Work

Field work blends theory with practice, combines philosophy with action, and integrates the understanding about people with methods of helping them. Thus field work is learning through doing. The Concurrent Field Work is the core of Field Work training. It indicates the process of simultaneous, systematic, synchronized and cumulative acquisition of knowledge, skills and values for professional competence. Concurrent Field Work provides the student an opportunity to translate class room learning into practical skills. Through guided practice the students develop professional ways of reaching out to the needy. The students are placed in selected Welfare Organizations that have well defined practice training programme, and is willing to provide facilities for the training of students. During Concurrent Field Work the students are placed for Field Work training in an approved agency on two consecutive days (as decided by the Department) in a week. Students are required to put in 15 hours of field work per week (7.5 hours a day). Theory classes and field work are arranged on a concurrent (parallel) basis. On concurrent field work days there will be no class room lectures and on such days the student will report to the allotted field work agency. On the days other than Field Work the students will be reporting for theory classes in the college.

 

Field Based Activities

The following field based activities are designed to provide the students with the specialized orientation requisite for the profession of social work:

Entry Level

  • Field Work Orientation
  • Observation Visits

First Year

  • Rural Camp
  • Summer Placement/ Internship
  • Theatre for Transformation – Training cum Programme The objective of this approach is:
    • To enable students to get rid of inhibitions
    • To facilitate barrier free communication skills
    • To promote personal transformation through theatre
    • To enhance leadership qualities and harness the skills of youth
    • To provide opportunities for students to explore themselves and become agents of social change.

Second Year

  • Educational Tour
  • Block Field Work Placement/ Internship

 

Field Work Orientation

Field WorkOrientation takes place following admission of the students into the department and before the commencement of field visits and placements. The focus of the orientation is to provide an insight and understanding to the students on:

  • The nature and significance of field work practice in Social Work education
  • The meaning of concurrent field work in an approved agency
  • Importance of guided practice
  • Different fields of social work
  • Guidelines on ways to relate to issues and field problems

Exposure Observation Visits

The first year students come from a variety of disciplines, and hence field observation visits help them to get oriented to the profession.The students are taken for observation visits to Governmental and Non -Governmental Organizations to get acquainted about the ongoing services by different groups and individuals in response to people’s needs. Students are exposed to different sectors like disability, health, vulnerable groups, urban & rural community and industry. A faculty member would accompany the students during the visits to facilitate the learning process.

(i)   Objectives of the visits:

  • To expose the students to various social work settings
  • To observe and develop a spirit of inquiry.
  • To get acquainted with the structure, functioning, staffing pattern and activities of the organization.
  • To understand the problems and constraints faced by the organization.

(ii) Tasks to be carried out:

  1. Active Participation in the visits
  2. Observe, interact and enquire about the organization and its functioning
  3. Record all information pertaining to the organization

(iii)                  Skills to be acquired:

Organizing & Participatory skills, Observation& Interactive skills, Listening & comprehending skills, Analytical skills, Interpersonal skills and Documentation skills

Concurrent FieldWork - ISemester

(i)   Objectives:

  • To develop a holistic view of social work and social welfare with special emphasis on the agency’s role in human services.
  • To familiarize with the vision, mission, system, processes and objectives of the welfare organizations
  • To develop an understanding of the socio-economic, cultural and political structures in the society and its role in the causation and sustenance of human deprivations at different levels
  • To understand the application of the methods of social work practice in the field
  • To develop analytical assessment and intervention skills for social problems at the level of individual, group and community.( Micro-Messo-Macro levels)
  • To develop documentation skills to ensure continuity of service and growth of professional competence in the practice of the methods of Social Work.
  • To develop self-awareness that is essential for assessing one’s own values, attitudes, feelings, strengths, limitations, interests and performance.

(ii) Tasks to be carried out:

  1. Identify oneself and work with the agency
  2. With the guidance of the agency supervisor help in the administrative functions of the agency like drafting letters, handling correspondences, record keeping etc
  3. Identify individuals who need assistance in handling concerns and reach out to them through planned interventions
  4. Initiate formation of new groups and organize them into effective functioning ones
  5. Identify community concerns & needs and accordingly create awareness in empowering the community to address the concerns
  6. Organize purposeful programmes and celebrations to bring about solidarity and unity among the groups
  7. Locating and tapping resources for the realization of individual or group goals
  8. Collaborate and build networks with related organisation

(iii)                      Skills to be acquired:

Listening, observation, responding, critical analysis, collating information, documentation, interviewing, networking, public relations, interpersonal skills, interviewing, problem identification & solving, goal setting, resource mobilization, negotiation and collaborative skills

 

FieldWork Requirements ISemester

  1. Social Case Work-Two detailed case studies
  2. Social Group Work- Minimum of 10 Sessions
  3. Detailed Community Profile

Concurrent Field Work – II Semester

(i) Objectives:

  • To understand the critical role of the Professional Social Worker in the organization
  • To evolve appropriate interventions at Community / Civil Society/ State/ National level with respect to policies and programmes relevant to the field of welfare
  • To develop the capacity to integrate class room theory and practice knowledge
  • To inculcate professional growth and development

 

Rural Social Work Perspective

Theme based rural camp will be organized by the I M.A. Social Work students with the guidance from the department. The camp will be after the first semester examinations for duration of 10 days. It is mandatory requirement for all the students to attend the rural camp. The main objective of the rural camp will be to enable the students experience rural life and group living. The students with the support and guidance from the faculty will involve themselves in all the planning and executing activities of the camp. This includes identification of the village, pilot visits for identification of projects in the village and liaise with various NGOs and Government officials.

Dynamics

The entire class will be divided into various committees to facilitate division of work and participation of each student. A camp leader elected from the student group, will co- ordinate along with the camp in-charge faculties for efficient execution of the camp. A periodic evaluation of the camp will be conducted in the department. The students are expected to document and submit a report on their experiences and learning in the Rural Camp.

 

(i)   Objectives:

  • To expose the students to rural realities / System / Students issues/ Finance issues
  • To provide an experience of group living and understand its dynamics
  • To provide an opportunity for the students to organize themselves in planning and execution of tasks.
  • To identify and bring out leadership initiatives
  • To enable the students in identifying and mobilizing resources

(ii) Tasks:

  1. Selection of a theme for the rural camp
  2. Identification of a suitable village-Pilot study
  3. Formation of committees and allocating work
  4. Planning the programmes to be executed during the camp
  5. Fund raising / Resource Mobilization
  6. Implementation of the programmes

(iii)                      Skills:

Co-operating, planning, participation, adaptability, accommodating, co-ordination, organizing, networking, leadership skills, fund raising, accounting, self evaluating skills people centered skillsand documenting skills.

Field Work Requirements for II Semester

  1. Social Case Work- Three detailed Case studies
  2. Social Group Work- 15 sessions targeting a specific Group
  3. Community based activities / Training Programmes / Workshops / Awareness Programmes
  4. Micro Level Research