CHECK IT OUT! APASWE No. 19 (2011-2013)

Report of the Thames Social Work Day Celebrations 
and the National Seminar in Nepal

Collaborating for the Development of Social Work in Nepal: Small Efforts, Large Impacts

Thames International College, one of the most prestigious institutions of social work and a member of APASWE has been instrumental in the development of social work profession in Nepal. It has been providing an enriching environment to its students for personal and professional growth. The students at Thames have associated under the name Social Club Thames (SCT) to foster their skills and also to provide other students with a platform for the same. SCT organized a three day program from the 17 to 19 August 2012 which included a national seminar, movie marathon, spending a day with children in a crisis centre, a presentation competition amongst students, and a celebration of annual Thames Social Work Day.

Day 1: National Seminar on Social Work Experiences: Reflections from the field

More than 50 students from 11 different colleges of social work in Kathmandu attended the national seminar which was conducted with the primary goal of creating a platform for social work students to congregate and learn from experienced people in different fields related to social work. At the seminar four prominent people talked about what they saw as issues of social work and shared their experiences.

The Seminar began with Dr. Chuda Bahadur Shrestha’s talk on “Peace, Conflict and Social Work”. The second speaker was Mr. Krishna Bhattarai, the sub-editor of ‘Kantipur’ daily as well as ‘Saptahik’ weekly, who spoke on the topic “Media, Youth and Youth initiatives”. The next speaker was Ms. Manju Gurung, founder of a NGO named ‘Pourakhi’. Pourakhi works with issues of migration and female migrants. Ms. Gurung spoke on the topic “Women, Migration and Social Work” and shared her knowledge about the current situation of Nepal in context of migration, and also her experiences from the field. The final speaker was Ms. Anjali Sherchan Pradhan, Program Specialist under the Social Policy and Decentralization Section in UNICEF/Nepal. She presented on “Understanding Child Rights and its Situation in Nepal”. Each of these sessions was followed by interaction in which both the participants and speakers engaged enthusiastically.

Day 2: Movie marathon and A Day with the children of Nepal Good Weave Foundation

On 18th of August, 2012, two programs were conducted simultaneously: a movie marathon and a day in a crisis centre.

 In the movie marathaon, various documentaries were screened. These included “Kahile Samma”  (translated as “Until When?”) on Dalit issue, “Pune’s Trousers” (on the Maoist insurgency), “Khati Sun” (related to education) and “Better to be Killed” (on the problems faced by journalists during the Maoist insurgency). The President of the Human Rights Film Centre, Mr. Purna Singh Bareily, facilitated the discussions followed by each of the documentaries. The participants also shared their opinions and tabled their queries for discussions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, at the Nepal GoodWeave Foundation, various activities were conducted including a dance competition, a singing competition, an art competition and an acting competition among the children residing there. Games like bursting the balloon, musical chair and spoon race (running with a marble in the spoon) were also played. The winners from each activity were awarded. SCT also distributed chocolates among the children of the foundation and sponsored the tea and snacks for that day.

Day 3: Presentation competition and Thames Social Work Day Celebration

A total of 9 teams participated in the presentation competition held on 19th of August, 2012. All the teams presented on the topic “The role of social work students in the development of social work as a profession” and were evaluated by a panel of judges which comprised of Mr. Sanjeev Dahal, (the then coordinator, Department of Social Sciences, Thames International College), Mr. Raj Yadav (Lecturer, Social Work) and Mrs. Debanjana Bhattacharya (Lecturer, English). The participants, who chose various media, were evaluated on the basis of team participation, content of the presentation, use of media, presentation skills and use and clarity of language. The winner of the competition was Triton Int’l College Team A, the team securing the runner up position was KnK College, and Triton Int’l College Team B secured the second runner up position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The three days’ program was concluded with the celebration of Thames Social Work Day. Every year Thames College celebrates Social Work Day on August 19, marking World Humanitarian Day. There were various performances from the students of Social Work. The winning performances from dancing and singing competition conducted at Nepal GoodWeave Foundation were also performed that day. The participants of the seminar and the winners of the presentation competition were also awarded with medals and certificates. On the occasion all the organizations where students of social work are placed for their field work were also acknowledged for their support. At the end of the experience a report of the three day event was presented by the students.

Reported by: Nuru Jangbu Lama, student, social work and Sanjeev Dahal, Associate Director, Thames International College

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Season Greeting