Aujourd'hui j'ai été à la conférence ASASWEI. C'est une conférence annuelle organisée par un comité regroupant toutes les écoles de social work. Notre présentation pour créer une association nationale pour les étudiants en social work a été trés bien reçue. Des étudiants de plusieurs universités ont rejoint notre task team. La présidente du South African Council for Social Services Professions (SACSSP) était présente et à offert son soutien. Elle nous a invité à un lekgotla (genre de conférence) la semaine prochaine où ils vont discuter de l'établissement d'une association professionelle unifiée pour les social workers. Donc on est tous trés fiers et trés contents de voir que ça commence à prendre forme! J'ai rencontré plein de social workers et profs en tout genre.
Sinon j'ai vu aux infos que le ministre du "Social Development" est à Cuba pour essayer de rameuter des social workers cubains (vu qu'il n'y en a pas assez en Afrique du Sud)
Cuba to support SA in social development
The Cuban government says it plans to support South Africa to overcome its social problems. Cuba and South Africa have undertaken to work together in a number of social development areas. |
Bon c'est bien tout ça. Ca serait encore mieux si le ministère "home affairs" (intérieur) pourrait se metter la même longueur d'onde et reconnaitre aussi social work comme "scarce skills". Ben ouais, parce que figurez vous qu'il y en a qui veulent faire social worker en Afrique du Sud et qui y sont déjà en Afrique du Sud et qui aimeraient bien un permis de travail (par exemple, au hazard, hein, moi).
Cuba's experience when it comes to health, I think is very valuable. Many Salvadorans go to study medicine there and though we don't have political relations with Cuba they still help! I wish to go there one day. It is my dream trip :)
Have a nice day Pauline!
Yes, it seems their health care system is really jacked up and available for all. I know South Africa has a partnership with Cuba, so that they send many doctors here (we also have a shortage of social workers). at some point they were considering copying the Cuban curriculum in medicine so it would take less year to qualify. But I think they dropped the idea.
Nice blog with interesting stuff! You are doing social work at Wits? The rumour was they wanted to close the department. A prof found that it would be irresponsible to close social work with so much need for ...social workers..Your comment about making it easier for foreigners on the ground to work is right on - so many qualified 'illegal' Zim teachers around doing menial jobs and 80% of kids in schools do not get proper teaching. Often, government departments contradict the policy of other departments.
Hi Thomas, thanks for popping by. The rumour about wanting to close down the department wasn't just a rumour, they really wanted to close down the department. It was quite chaotic and there've been lots of changes since then. But we protested, and we had almost everyone on our side: the minister of social development, all the dignitaries put pressure on Wits , so in the end they decided not to close it down. I understand there are many problems with the department, but what about trying to solve them instead of just closing down everything!! If the staff is incompetent, hire new staff and to attract good academics you need to offer them something good.
Thanks, I am glad then they did not close it down! I mean social work implies social responsibility and essay producation and rentability should not be sole determinant for keeping a department.