Over 200 new "colleagues" of social work field were introduced to the senior management and the entire staff of the department on Tuesday, 30 March 2010. These were the 2009 graduates who were financial assisted by the department to complete their studies in social work.
It was established that there is a scarcity of social workers in the country, particularly in the Eastern Cape. In addressing this challenge, Social Development got into an agreement with the provincial institutions of higher learning, Walter Sisulu, Rhodes, Fort Hare and Nelson Mandela Universities in 2007.
The deal paved way for social work profession's aspirants to realise their dreams. The aspirants would go to any University mentioned above to apply for enrolment. Once accepted, the applicants would come to the department to apply for funding.
The department established this bursary scheme to target students from rural areas, where high levels of social challenges and scarcity of social workers are reported. The aim of the scheme is to give education and employment opportunities to rural students who are familiar with conditions of their areas of origins. In essence, once they graduate, they would go and plough what they have learned back to their communities. This would minimise the social challenges that are faced daily by communities.
On the day of introduction, the main aim was to inform these graduates of places where they will be rendering their social work expertise. Most of these graduates come from rural areas where the scarcity of social workers is highly reported. And many of them are coming from the disadvantaged families, where poverty is prevalent.
So the funding of social work students by the department does not only fight the scarcity of social workers in the province, but breaks the cycles of poverty on many of the families. Once they are employed by the Department, many of their families’ socio-economic life improves.
Addressing the graduates, acting Head of Department Mrs Vuyelwa Nhlapo appealed to the new professionals to serve communities with "dignity and respect".
"Social workers are expected to be polite, humble and accessible when serving our people. You need to go out there and address social challenges that are facing our communities with dignity and respect," Nhlapo said.
The acquisition of these new social work professionals takes the number to 514 of social workers who have been absorbed by the department since the bursary scheme programme started. In 2008, 132 social workers were absorbed, while 152 was absorbed in 2009.
In every financial year the department is expected to absorb new social workers as it financially supports students every year. In 2010/11 financial year, the department has funded 315 students to finish their degrees in social work field.
Issued by: Department of Social Development, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
9 April 2010
Source: Department of Social Development, Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.socdev.ecprov.gov.za/)
