Professionalization of Social Work across the World

Social Work is a recent branch of knowledge. It is a welfare activity based on humanitarian philosophy, scientific knowledge & technical skill for helping individual, groups or communities to live a better life.

Historically, social work done through charity, philanthropy, mutual aids etc. but due to Industrialization, Urbanization, there have numbers of social problem arises. So the traditional social work concept change its shape to Professional Social Work.

Professionalization of Social Work in Indian Context
The first school of social work set up in Bombay in 1936. It was named as sir Dourabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work. Than There have many Institutions opened in India like the Delhi School of Social Work in Delhi, Kashi Vidyapitha in Varanasi & Social School in Baroda. In Orissa, The first school of Social Work introduced in the institute of Niswas.Than the others as Viswas, CSSR, IMS TISS, TACT etc. are set up.

These Institutions are setup to provide basic skill, knowledge, techniques and methods of Social Work. It make any social worker expert in a specific field to tackle & solve social problems.

Need of Professional Social Work

1. To acceptance of individual dignity
   
2. To provide social assistance & security
3. To achieve social goals in a professional manner
4. To establish networking for proper development of community people

1. For acceptance of individual dignity
Individual being the unit of society, occupies paramount importance. Every individual possessing some capacity, having some worth & dignity. But that capabilities are identifies only by a professional social worker who is really expert in understanding people’s feelings & techniques and identify others dignity. Only a professional social worker can identify individual’s dignity & make them self reliant according to their capacity.

2. To provide social assistance & security
Social work aims to realize a decent standard of living, social security & fulfillment of Universal humanneeds. It provides assistance to the individual, groups & communities. Professional Social Workers are now trained on these methods. They have knowledge about Human Rights, RTI, Legal Justice & they have the capacity to reduce social problems & social evils.

3. To achieve social goals in a professional manner
Professionalism is the expertness characteristic of a person or organization with a conscious aware of the role, image, skill, knowledge & commitment to quality & client oriented services. In other words, professionalism is focused accountable, confident, complete motivation towards particular goal with respect for hierarchy and humanity with less emotion.

4. To establish networking for proper development of community people
A Professional Social Worker have that skill & knowledge that she/he can make a interlinkage with other Organizations, Institutions for granting support as kind or cash. It can help her/him to guide an individual in a proper manner.

Professionalization of Social Work is a need of Society because it posesses following duties1. A professional social worker is a tested body of knowledge, consisting of techniques & methods communicate through training & educational discipline which shouldn’t only be academic but practical in nature.
2. There have Standardize trainings, jobs & services in the social work profession
3. It build-up sense of belonging group consciousness & responsibilities, professional ethics for every professional
4. Profession should provide professional value with continued occupation
5. It make responsible to social worker for public interest and work towards social ends
6. The goal should be the welfare of the people improved human relation, built on understanding & tolerance.