NSSW NEWS-2013

Professor Roni Berger, PhD LCSW,from Adelphi University, School of Social Work New York, USA visited Nepal School of Social Work, Department of Social Work, Kadambari Memorial College of Science and Management and Nepal College of Development Studies from 1 March to 15 March 2013. NSSW expressed great gratitude to Prof. Roni Berger for her gracious visit and her valuable input to encourage the college staff and the students. Prof. Roni shared her practical experiences with the staff and also provided academic input to the faculty members on social work research, its importance and use in social work field, qualitative and quantitative research etc. We from the bottom of the heart extend our thanks to Prof. Roni Berger for her valuable contribution, time and academic and practical input to our faculty and students. We hope future collaboration as well.

Prof. Roni states her impression about the visit "……… I was very impressed with how much has been done with such limited resources and support. It is truly amazing that with all the financial and political challenges, the school managed to get as far as it did and I applaud you for that. The faculty is really a major asset. I found a group of highly motivated and dedicated individuals who are eager to enhance their knowledge, research, and pedagogical skills and help their students in any way possible. I believe that trying to create additional opportunities for faculty development such as training in subject matters and pedagogical skills as well as access to electronic resources that are free and those that are not by way of donation of book and journal subscription will be useful.  Some possible strategies to achieve this can be scheduled routine interactive sessions (e.g. by Skype or synchronous or asynchronous chat rooms) with an expert and continuing to help them get scholarships for conference is to distribute via list serve of social work educators (such as IASSW) a call to recruit volunteer “writing mentors” and “marry” individual faculty members to help them (via Skype and email) develop their scholarship…… I believe that social work, especially practice content, is learned, in addition to reading and lectures, by personal modeling of the instructor in class and the interaction with classmates in small group discussions. ………I think that from what I saw there is tremendous need for well trained social workers in Nepal and that the school is at the forefront of addressing this need. I hope that these ideas can serve as one step enroot of my effort to support productive initiatives".

The faculty members of the college were very happy having Prof. Roni Berger and they found the sharing of her practical experiences and theoretical application in social work very useful. She also shared historical dynamics of growth of social work education in west and spreading over the Asia has significant importance to address the needs of oppressed communities and their socio-economic and psychological well-being. Paradigm of social work is shifting from clinical focus to integrated approach focusing on human psychology, physical aspect, economic well-being, and spiritual development. They are very important concept of social work practice.

Prof. Roni has intensive experience in social work practice and teaching in different countries with people of different cultural background and languages. To be a good social worker commitment, patience, and learning attitude are always required. She further inspired the faculty and the students for purifying their knowledge, attitude and feeling to pave the way for becoming professional social workers. The faculty members have improved their insights which will help to facilitate their teaching-learning to the students. Professional social workers can play a vital role in building society and nation. Social workers should be more flexible, innovative, ethical, and responsive to individual, families, groups, and community. New knowledge, techniques and tools have been added in to social work innovated from practical research. Social workers should adopt and adjust such issues, tools, techniques and approach of social work. Techniques, tools and approach are always contextual according to the culture and locality. Cultural aspect and spiritual aspects should be considered to incorporate into the social work approach to make it more practical, effective, and efficient to address the needs of the individual, groups, families and communities. Paradigm has been shifted in social work concept and practice in the west adding to new tools. Innovation of ideas, tools and techniques needs to be shared by the social workers all over the world which will keep high level of relevancy to make social work practice effective. But these techniques need to be contextualized in the society. However, social work education in Nepal is at emerging stage of development which has not completed 15 years yet. NSSW is fully committed to promote social work education and practice according to the needs of the society. NSSW is trying to promote social work education to produce skilful and committed professional social workers who can lead social, economic and behavioral change of individual, families, groups and communities and contribute to establish a just society.  Students graduated from NSSW are actively involved in various field and providing services as of the needs of individual, families, groups and communities through human service providing organizations and promoting social justice.

We are further collaborating with social work institutions, associations and networks for promoting social work education, research and practice in Nepal and improve social well-being of the society.